{"id":6498,"date":"2026-05-24T15:10:11","date_gmt":"2026-05-24T19:10:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp268347.wpdns.ca\/?page_id=6498"},"modified":"2026-05-24T15:18:04","modified_gmt":"2026-05-24T19:18:04","slug":"rene-messier-e","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/rene-messier-e","title":{"rendered":"Ren\u00e9 Messier &#8211; E"},"content":{"rendered":"<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"6498\" class=\"elementor elementor-6498\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-66b1a989 e-flex e-con-boxed jltma-glass-effect-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"66b1a989\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ea079f0 jltma-glass-effect-no elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5ea079f0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Ren\u00e9 Messier<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7aa48b8a e-flex e-con-boxed jltma-glass-effect-no e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"7aa48b8a\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7d81adb jltma-glass-effect-no elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7d81adb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">His origins<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Rene Messier has left his mark without being part of history. He was associated with the trappers as decried by civil and religious authorities. They multiplied orders to compel our ancestors to remain on their land. They neglected the land for the fur trade that was much more lucrative. We found some runners wood guilty of disorders involved in selling water spirits to the Indians.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Priests could well denounce from\u00a0the pulpit stating that their moral was not always exemplary; nothing prevented our ancestors to cross rivers in search of freedom and trade with the sons of nature.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Ren\u00e9 was born on April 20, 1681, in Cap-St-Michel in Varennes. He was the twelfth and last child of Michel Messier and Anne LeMoyne. The next day, he was baptized and recorded in Boucherville. Young child, Ren\u00e9 sees his father going to war against the Iroquois. As captain of the militia, his father was often absent several days or longer for war. While he was four years old, he saw his father leaving his family\u00a0for Ottawa\u00a0in order to\u00a0trade with the Indians. Three years later, his father leaves again, always for the same reason with the consent of the civil authority. Eleven years old, Ren\u00e9 learns that his father is a prisoner of the Iroquois. Having just returned home, his father leaves\u00a0to trade with the\u00a0Michilimackinac. All absences of his father must have marked him\u00a0and predispose him\u00a0to the life he led later.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On August 9, 1697, at the age of sixteen, Ren\u00e9 appears in history. At Varennes, he is godfather to Marie-Anne Hebert, daughter of Ignace and Jeanne Messier, his sister. Ren\u00e9 appears in parish registers for more than forty times. However, it is unclear whether the Ren\u00e9 mentioned in the registers, is the father or the son.\u00a0He is sometimes\u00a0godfather or present at a wedding or a burial.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">His family<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On January 18, 1706 in Varennes, at the age of twenty-four, Ren\u00e9 married Catherine Bissonnet, daughter of Jacques and Marguerite Colet. The marriage ended with the death of Catherine, which occurred on January 17, 1715 The burial of his wife takes place the next day at Varennes.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Three and half years later, Ren\u00e9 finds himself before the altar. At Batiscan, on August 25, 1718, he married Mary Madeleine Cinq-Mars\/Guillet, daughter of Louis and Marie Trottier. In Varennes, Ren\u00e9 will be father sixteen times. Seven of his children, a son and six daughters reach adulthood and take husband and wife. Catherine Bissonnet will be the mother of seven children. Marie Madeleine Guillet will be mother eight times. Who is the sixteenth? This child is Marie Madeleine Louise, daughter of Mary, his servant and slave. This woman was Indian from the Panis nation.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Children of Ren\u00e9 Messier and Catherine Bissonnet:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><ol class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Ren\u00e9 born August on 23, 1706 and died January 21, 1707 in Varennes;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Catherine born on August 5, 1707, married Joseph Lefebvre, son of\u00a0Jacques\u00a0and Mary Beaudry, on July 23, 1731 in Varennes. She died on March 30, 1754\u00a0in Baie-du-Febvre;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Marie-Anne born on January 2 1709, she married Louis Chevrefils, son of\u00a0Louis and Genevieve Pailler, on January 7, 1733 in Varennes;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Elizabeth born on March 7, 1710 died on June 8, 1710 in Varennes;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Ren\u00e9 born on June 4, 1711, married Suzanne Belisle\/Lefebvre, daughter of Ignace and Marie Trottier, on November 8, 1734 in Trois-Rivi\u00e8res. After the death of his wife, on May 13, 1749 in Varennes, he married Angelique Lepailleur, daughter of Michel and Catherine Jeremie, on July 28, 1749 at Notre-Dame of Montreal. Ren\u00e9 died on December 5, 1793 in St-Hyacinthe;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Jean-Baptiste born on November 1st, 1712 and died on March 9, 1718 in\u00a0Varennes;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Agathe born February 11, 1714, she married Jacques Charbonneau, son\u00a0of John and Catherine Chaudillon, on January 7, 1737 in Varennes. She died on February 4, 1761 in Varennes.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ol><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Children of Ren\u00e9 Messier and Marie-Madeleine Cinq-Mars\/Guillet:<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><ol class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Marie-Agnes born on August 5, 1720, she married Louis Gauthier, son of\u00a0Jacques and Francoise Lambert, on May 7, 1742 in Varennes. On January 24,\u00a01780 in St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, she married Jacques Deslandes\/Champigny,\u00a0son of Jean-Baptiste and Marie-Genevi\u00e8ve\u00a0Hugging. Marie-Agnes died on October 24, 1785 in St-Denis-sur-Richelieu and was buried on the 26th at St-\u00a0\u00a0 Antoine-sur-Richelieu.<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Joseph born on November 27, 1721 and died on December 1st, 1721 in Varennes;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Joseph born on October 15, 1722 and died on July 22, 1723 in Varennes;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Marie-Madeleine born on January 2, 1724, she married Edouard Lalonde, son of Guillaume and Madeleine Edeline, on April 17, 1744 in Ste-Anne-du-bout-de-l&rsquo;Isle where she died on February 20, 1750;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Basile born on June 17, 1725;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Marie-Josephe born August 26, 1726, she married Fran\u00e7ois Beauregard,\u00a0son of Vincent and Catherine Pinard, on January 21, 1754 in St-Denis-sur-Richelieu. Marie-Josephe died on February 8, 1815 in La Presentation;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Augustin born on November 27, 1728;<\/span><\/p><\/li><li class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\"><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Marie-Therese born on February 25, 1731.<\/span><\/p><\/li><\/ol><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">His slaves<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">In his dictionary of slaves in New France, the historian Marcel Trudel has documented a total of 4,092 slaves whose 2692 Indians and 1400 black people. In their war against each other, Indians were prisoners. The Panis Indians captured were taken to Michilimackinac and then sold to the French. They had the reputation of being quite docile if they were treated well. The territory of Panis was located southwest of Lake Michigan in the state of Nebraska.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">As mentioned above, in 1707, Ren\u00e9 had bought at Michilimackinac, Mary, young Panisse aged about fourteen. She had a child with Ren\u00e9 that she\u00a0wa pregnant\u00a0in the same time\u00a0of the third child of Catherine Bissonnet. The two women gave birth almost simultaneously. Mary gave birth to a girl on December 28, 1708 and Catherine Bissonnet\u00a0had her child five days later, on January 2, 1709. Children of Mary did not live long. She died on October 2, 1712. Her burial took place\u00a0on the next 4\u00a0in Varennes. The records state that Mary died on February 10, 1762, aged about sixty years. Age mentioned in the register is wrong. She would have had her child at six years. If she\u00a0fourteen in 1707, Marie was rather about seventy-nine years.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">The second slave of Ren\u00e9 was also a young Panis.\u00a0He was purchased in late August 1717 at Michilimackinac. Ren\u00e9 was not lucky with him. Eight months later, the boy, aged about twelve years, fell dangerously ill. After some instructions on religion,\u00a0he is waved by Mr. St-Claude, pastor of Varennes. Ren\u00e9 then transports the young Indian in his canoe. He went to see the surgeon Henry B\u00e9lisle at Pointe-aux-Trembles. Unfortunately,\u00a0he can not save the boy. At ten o&rsquo;clock in the evening, on April 26, 1718, the boy expires very peacefully. He is buried in the cemetery of the Pointe-aux-Trembles.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Finally, the third slave is also a Panis, seven years old, purchased in 1737. On March 15, 1738, he was baptized at Varennes. As an adult, he took the name of Jean-Baptiste Duchesne.\u00a0On June 15, 1748, at the age of about eighteen years, Jean-Baptiste Duchesne buys from Pierre Viau, a land in Soulange. It is said that Rene Messier is his master. What became of Jean-Baptiste Duchesne? I found nothing on him. Future research a little further could give some information. On August 14, 1750\u00a0he is\u00a0buried in Ste-Anne-du-Bout-de-Ile, a little girl named Marie-Th\u00e9r\u00e8se Duchesne, daughter of Jean-Baptiste Duchesne. Mother Marie-Therese is unknown to me. As baptism is not mentioned in the records, it is possible that\u00a0she is an Indian. A French would have his child baptized at birth.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Rene was not the only Varennois to possess a slave. The dictionary slaves mentioned that there were forty-six Indians and four blacks in Varennes.\u00a0We find them and their children throughout the eighteenth century. Little were children\u00a0of slaves. Among the four blacks in Varennes, there was a woman, Sarah.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Finally, the last note on them: in 1721 a great fire destroyed fifty houses in Montreal. It was lit by a black slave, Marie-Josephte Ang\u00e9lique, who wanted to avenge her master. I do not think the the fire has destroyed the buildings of Michel Messier. Assuming that the wind was blowing from west to east, the property of Michel is located in the west and outside of the enclosure, was probably spared.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">The trouble of Ren\u00e9 with Justice<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">With the adventurous life of Ren\u00e9, one should not be surprised about his problems with the law. At thirty-seven, Ren\u00e9 has to face for the first time. In early summer 1718,\u00a0they whisper that\u00a0fourteen people, including Rene Messier, violated a 1716 order which forbids to\u00a0go to New England without permission. Rumor reaches the ears of the authorities and react quickly.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On July 23 of the same year, an order to appear is given to a few people who have made these claims. Witnesses are people of Laprairie, St-Lambert, Varennes, Montreal and Ile Ste-Th\u00e9r\u00e8se facing Varennes. A witness, Jean Lemire from Island Ste-Therese, appearing on August 8.\u00a0He says that he has heard the rumor, but has no evidence that the defendants have violated the law. In his testimony, Jean Lemire says Rene Messier is often away from home.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Witness testimony is unanimous; they all heard the rumor, but have no evidence that the defendants have gone to New England.\u00a0With these assertions, the judge Pierre Raimbault decides, on August 16, to summon the accused. Three days later, on August 19, other witnesses go before the judge. Jean Larocque from Varennes says that\u00a0Rene Messier went to Quebec last spring, during the period when he is accused of going to New England. Another witness, Augustin Gauthier, also from Varennes, says that Rene Messier went to Quebec to make arrangements with the priests to travel to Mississippi.\u00a0He also states that Ren\u00e9 has an employee: Jean-Baptiste Dessureaux.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On August 23, a named Delafosse, usher,\u00a0delivers in\u00a0Cap-St-Michel subpoenas; Ren\u00e9 is absent. It is awarded to Jean-Baptiste Dessureaux. Ren\u00e9 has to appear the following Saturday. On August 27, the day of its appearance, Ren\u00e9 did not show up. On September 2, Rene is located in front of the judge. He claims to be back from Batiscan for two days (just married). In his testimony, Ren\u00e9 says that the period when he was accused of going to New England, he was in Batiscan at the home of\u00a0Mr. Guillet to woo his daughter. On days when he traveled, he said he stopped at Trois-Rivi\u00e8res,\u00a0at Mr. Laroche. Other days, he slept on the banks of the water. He claims that his trip lasted a month, from late April to late May.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">In addition to Ren\u00e9, four other defendants testified that September 2. One of them, Guillaume Barrette said that every time someone left his home, rumor\u00a0run he is in the English colonies. In the weeks that followed, the trial continues. Other defendants appear. On November 7, following depositions, five defendants were sentenced to a fine. Judge Pierre Raimbault wants more information about Rene Messier and some other defendants. He wants to call some witnesses, including Mr. Guillet\u00a0from Batiscan and Mr. Laroche\u00a0from Trois-Rivi\u00e8res regarding the son of our ancestor.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">During the month of January 1719, appearing several witnesses requested by the judge. However, the trial record is silent on the testimony of several Guillet and Laroche. Have these men appeared? If so, their testimony disappeared from the record. The last minutes dated March 19, 1719. They are silent on the judge&rsquo;s verdict.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">In conclusion, it is possible that Ren\u00e9 was acquitted. If we follow him in this year 1718,\u00a0he was in Varennes on\u00a0March 15, as a sponsor of Ren\u00e9e Dessureaux. On August 23, a day where he received his subpoena,\u00a0he is in\u00a0Batiscan. The next day,\u00a0he is at the notary who draws his marriage contract with Madeleine Guillet. On 25 August,\u00a0he is still in Batiscan for his wedding.\u00a0He takes roughly five days to return to Varennes where he says he was to report on August 23. On September 2, it is\u00a0his appearance.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Second quarrel of Rene with Justice<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On June 30, 1726, Ren\u00e9\u00a0sleeps that night in the prison of Trois-Rivi\u00e8res. What are the events that happened to drive our adventurer in prison?<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">It starts with a complaint from the merchants of Trois-Rivi\u00e8res. They complain that many trappers roam the St-Maurice River and cause them harm in their fur trade. On the orders of Lieutenant Hertel, commander of the troops in Trois-Rivi\u00e8res, a detachment of some soldiers, commanded by Jean Francois la Gu\u00e9rite,\u00a0goes up\u00a0the St-Maurice\u00a0River to a place called the Gabelle. At this point, the group\u00a0camps there\u00a0and monitors the river hoping to catch some trappers.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">After five days of waiting, about 5 or 6 pm, patience of the soldiers \u00a0is rewarded. They saw two canoes\u00a0coming down the river. Seeing being noticed, boaters dock immediately.\u00a0A canoe is sent\u00a0with three men to identify the occupants. Realizing that they are French, the soldiers summon them to follow them to meet with their officer.\u00a0He informs them about\u00a0the orders he has received. The defendants appear to agree to follow the military to Trois-Rivi\u00e8res.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Along the way, boaters decide to separate. The company is too small, it was impossible to pursue both. They put their hands on the occupants of a boat, namely that of Rene Messier and a named Guyon. Both were taken to the prison of Trois-Rivi\u00e8res and their property seized.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On July 16, Rene Messier is questioned by the Governor of Trois-Rivi\u00e8res, Sr. Tonnancourt. After that, the report is sent to Quebec to Michel Begon.\u00a0He considered the report of the Public Prosecutor and, having found no fur in the boat of Ren\u00e9 and his companion, he pronounced his verdict: \u00ab\u00a0Insufficient evidence\u00a0\u00bb. An order of the July 27, 1726 releases and gives him his property seized \u00ab\u00a0for not letting destroy the evidence that may be against Messier and Guyon.\u00a0\u00bb Thus lack of evidence, Ren\u00e9 was acquitted.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Third unraveled of Rene Messier with the law<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On\u00a0April 29,\u00a01716, Ren\u00e9 signs an acknowledgment of debt with a merchant of Quebec. This obligation cancels many tickets he has made. Twenty years later, Ren\u00e9 still draws attention to\u00a0his activities. The fact that Ren\u00e9 stays in the prison of Trois-Rivi\u00e8res did not dampen his desire to travel the woods. It seems to play safely. However,\u00a0he still attracts the curiosity of authorities of Trois-Rivi\u00e8res. Nine years after his release from prison during the winter 1735-1736,\u00a0he is located on the St-Maurice River. North of Trois-Rivi\u00e8res, Ren\u00e9\u00a0and a person named Troisville, an habitant\u00a0from Ile Dupas, built a hut. Ren\u00e9 claims that the place belongs to him, having received from his father, who himself had received the concession of the king.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">In the spring, to clear the land surrounding their hut, his companion decided to set fire to the wood to accelerate the work. The fire has grown to such proportions that they lose control. Authorities of\u00a0Trois-Rivi\u00e8res must send people to help extinguish it. It threatened the new facilities of the forges which\u00a0\u00a0would have caused great damage to the economy. Governor Hocquart knows that this cabin is an excuse to raise trade with the Indians.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On 28 May 1736 the Governor, doubting claims of Ren\u00e9, asked him to produce the title deeds to prove his claim. In addition,\u00a0he prohibits him and any other person to trade with the Indians.\u00a0He forbids him to construct new buildings until he proves that he is the owner of the land, and even to reside under any pretext whatsoever.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">It is often said that there is no smoke without fire. I believe that everything we found today\u00a0about Ren\u00e9, it must be noted that he was a great traveler, and\u00a0his methods of doing business were more or less legal.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">His travels<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Talking about Ren\u00e9 is not always an easy thing. There are official travels: those made for business on the banks of the St. Lawrence and those\u00a0we must guess through\u00a0his many activities.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Ren\u00e9 is in\u00a0the fur trade officially. He teams up with another person, shops at a dealer to trade with the Indians and urges people to accompany him. His father Michel, such shipments were to go to Ottawa, in this case at Michilimackinac. When Ren\u00e9 leaves, it is to make contact with the Sioux. Is the meeting done\u00a0at the same place as his father or does he meet the Sioux located in the\u00a0south of Lake Superior? Anyway, this is a great trip that must be planned.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">In 1708, Ren\u00e9 has a slave, Mary, that he\u00a0purchased at Michilimackinac.\u00a0\u00a0Did he purchase\u00a0her at that place? History is silent on this subject.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On June 6, 1731, Ren\u00e9 is preparing for a trip to the Sioux. It is above all the commitment of a person to accompany him. On 28 of\u00a0the same month, he\u00a0gives a proxy to Madeleine Guillet, his wife, to administer his property. What it is curious is that he has signed a ticket, on July 3 when he was among the Sioux. Five days is a bit short to make this trip. If he was\u00a0at the Sioux there is an error in the date.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">He returned the same year. On February 18, 1732, he found himself at the notary to prepare a second trip. On August 20 of the same year,\u00a0he is still among the Sioux. In July of the following year,\u00a0he is still traveling. His wife, Madeleine Guillet, must go to the notary to settle his affairs. Ren\u00e9 is back in spring 1734 after snowmelt.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Borrowings by Ren\u00e9 let filter a portion of his business as a \u00ab\u00a0runner \u200b\u200bof wood\u00a0\u00bb. To trade furs with the Indians, we must have something to offer in return. For the official addresses, merchants always accept\u00a0to make\u00a0credit. However, those made illegally, everything must be paid in cash.\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Between 1713 and 1754, twenty times, Ren\u00e9 officially borrows money; not counting the unofficial loans. (The land purchases were funded in another way.) The majority of loans are made before 1737 when he\u00a0was between\u00a0thirty one to fifty four years of age period, when he\u00a0was able to make the life of racer wood. They come from many people. As he has not been sued, he had to repay his creditors.<br class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\" \/><br class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\" \/><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><span class=\"wixui-rich-text__text\">Lands of Ren\u00e9<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Try to survey the lands of Ren\u00e9 is a hard work. In the inventory of goods from our ancestors, we often find that they have\u00a0 land without finding of a purchase act. On several occasions, I have noted in the goods of a person, a reference to a document with the date and name of the notary. Verification made, the document is not found in his minutier. So it becomes difficult to trace the owner of certain lands.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Ren\u00e9 has received from his father, a stronghold in the seigniory of Cap-St-Michel. There are also land at Guillaudi\u00e8re, manor located in the eastern part of Varennes, belonging to his sister Marguerite.\u00a0He also has some properties\u00a0in Beloeil, in C\u00e8dres and on the Richelieu River\u00a0in the lordship of Mr. de Contrecoeur. He sold in Batiscan, rights inherited from the estate of his stepfather. I also found the contract of a house he owned in Quebec.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">He gave concessions in his stronghold and has sold his home in Quebec. During the last years of his life, Ren\u00e9 had little land. On two occasions towards the end of his life, he gave them to his son Ren\u00e9. His land was purchased\u00a0in C\u00e8dres\u00a0for his slave Jean-Baptiste Duchesne. On May 15,\u00a01754, it was sold. The story does not say if Jean-Baptiste has abandoned his land. In short, if Rene did a lot of business, he seems to have spent a lot.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">He\u00a0is often identified as Mr. Duchesne, probably in honor of his maternal grandmother Judith Duchesne. I think it is his personal decision to use that title. He is in Varennes from 1721 to 1738 as militia captain, as his father was.\u00a0History does not say if it&rsquo;s\u00a0 age\u00a0or\u00a0certain conflicts with the law\u00a0that terminated\u00a0his career.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">On October 29, 1751, Ren\u00e9 is in Montreal to sign a contract with a blacksmith. With a partner, they plan to build a sawmill in C\u00e8dres. In Montreal, they ask a blacksmith to make all the hardware needed to build the mill. They take possession of the goods the following spring. The year 1752 is devoted to the construction of the building.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p class=\"font_8 wixui-rich-text__text\">Until his death\u00a0occurred on May 22, 1758 in Varennes, Ren\u00e9 is active in the business. Sometimes it is a concession that he gives in his stronghold in Cap-St-Michel; on other occasions, he signed some \u00ab\u00a0IOUS\u00a0\u00bb. his presence is also mentioned for a baptism, a marriage or a death. He leaves a son whose today the descendants of some families named Messier and more, the name of Duchesne.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b9d9f0e e-con-full e-flex jltma-glass-effect-no e-con e-child\" data-id=\"6b9d9f0e\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-15d52ba1 jltma-glass-effect-no elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"15d52ba1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Text comes from the volume of :<\/p><p><em><strong>Gilles Messier. <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Les Messier et leurs anc\u00eatres : 700 ans d&rsquo;histoire.<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ren\u00e9 Messier His origins \u00a0 Rene Messier has left his mark without being part of history. He was associated with the trappers as decried by civil and religious authorities. They [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6498","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6498"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6503,"href":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6498\/revisions\/6503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/famillemessierfamily.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}