Jean-Baptiste Lavoye
1698-1785



This is the first ancestor to arrive in Montreal and forge the first descendants in Montreal and Ottawa.

Jean-Baptiste fathered no less that 20 children, all with the same partner. This couple is undeniably the most prolific of our Lavoie ancestors. Many of his children won't survive the first years of birth, child mortality being so high at that period. At least 11 won't live past their 3rd birthday, maybe more. I've only found 7 children so far that will have at least a chance to establish a progeny, and who will marry at least one partner. But, surely, it is thanks to this couple that the Lavoie line has survived to this day, and we owe them a special recognition.

Jean-Baptiste was born about 1698, place unknown for the moment, but most likely in the St Augustin Demaure area, son of Jean Lavoye and Barbe L'Homme, and one of six children. At the age of 25 or thereabouts, he signs at least one engagement contract with Francois Demers. Two years later, at about 27 years of age, he arrives at the notary Adhemar on the 12th of September 1727, to have him draw up a marriage contract with his beloved Catherine Aubry. We see that he is unable to sign his name, although Marie-Catherine will. Shortly after, that is 4 days later, he marries his belle Catherine, on the 16th of Septembre 1727 at St-Laurent, Montréal. He had, I believe 22 children with her. The first ones, a girl and a boy, will naturally bear the names of the proud parents. Most of the children were born at Laprairie de la Madeleine and it is only in 1752 that we notice some children born at St-Laurent, Montreal. His wife Catherine, sadly, will pass on in 1756 at about 45 years of age, a little more than a month after giving birth to Augustin, who will not survive either.

Jean-Baptiste will wait nearly four years before taking a second wife. It is on the 4th of September 1760 that Jean-Baptiste marries Marie-Thérèse Couvret, in St Laurent, Montreal. She was the widow of Pierre Ménard, and daughter of the late Victor Couvret and Thérèse Cherlot. Strangely, the marriage contract is only drawn up 9 days later, on the 13 of September 1760 by notary Hodiesme. He was then approximately 62 years old. He died on the 22nd September 1785 at St-Martin, Ile Jesus, at the advanced age of 87, and was buried 2 days later also at St-Martin.


Children of Jean-Baptiste Lavoye and Marie-Catherine Aubry-dite-Thecle:>

  1. Marie-Catherine Lavoye, born on 14th January 1729, married to François Berthelet-dit-Savoyard on the 7th July 1750 at St-Laurent, Montréal,
  2. Jean-Baptiste Lavoye, born on the 23rd May 1730, married to Marie-Josephe Ménard-dite-Parthenais on the 10th October 1762 at St-Laurent, Montréal,
  3. Jacques Lavoye, born on the 2nd September 1732, died on the 31st December 1732,
  4. Marie-Josephe Lavoye, born on the 3rd November 1733,
  5. René Lavoye, born on the 1st January 1735, married to Madeleine-Blanche Dubeau on the 19th February 1759, at St-Laurent, Montréal,
  6. Marie-Marguerite Lavoye, born on the 17th January 1736, died on the 2nd August 1736,
  7. Joseph Lavoye, born on the 21st March 1737, died on the 25th May 1737,
  8. Elisabeth Lavoye, born on the 1st May 1738,
  9. Joseph Lavoye, born on the 26th July 1739, died on the 14th November 1739,
  10. Charles Lavoye, born on the 9th July 1740, married to Marguerite Baret on the 7th February 1774, at St-Vincent-de-Paul, Ile Jésus,
  11. André Lavoye, born on the 24th August 1741, died on the 8th September 1741,
  12. Marie-Marguerite Lavoye, born on the 27th February 1743, died on the 20th July 1743,
  13. Marie-Madeleine Lavoye, born on the 30th April 1744,
  14. Marie-Françoise Lavoye, born on the 29th May 1745, died on the 18th June 1745,
  15. François Lavoye, born on the 30th September 1746,
  16. Marie-Barbe-Elisabeth Lavoye, married to Pierre Baillard (Bayard) on the 9th February 1767, at St-Laurent, Montréal,
  17. Pierre Lavoye, born on the 7th June 1749, died on the 7th June 1749,
  18. Marie-Françoise Lavoye, born on the 10th February 1750, married to Joseph Nadeau on the 28th January 1788, at Montréal(Notre-Dame), Québec,
  19. Pierre Lavoye, born on the 22nd January 1751, died on the 12th February 1751,
  20. Louis-Michel Lavoye, born on the 4th June 1752, married to Marie Montreuil-dite-Sédilot on the 12th February 1776, at St-Martin, Ile Jésus,
  21. Marie-Josephe Lavoye, born on the 1st August 1753, died on the 24th August 1753,
  22. Augustin Lavoye, born on the 9th September 1756, died on the 21st September 1756