Some Family History
There are many old building here in Quebec. Quebec City just celebrated its 400 anniversary last summer (1608 – 2008). Here in Lachine there is one old stone house on the lake shore. I’ve drove by it many times without giving it much thought.
This past weekend I discovered that it was build by one of my ancestors. One of my great grandmothers’ family name was Quesnel. I was able to trace her back to the original owner of the house Olivier Quesnel.
He was born in St-Malo parish, Bayeux, Normandy, France in about 1651; son of Pierre Quesnel and Marie Poulard. His profession was that of an arms manufacturer (armurier) and later as a merchant in the fur trade. He left Bayeau at the age of 24. The first written record of him in Ville Marie, New France appears in 1676. In 1680 he married Catherine Prud' home the daughter of l' honourable Louis Prud' homme, captain of militia and Roberte Gadois. They settled in Lachine. The Quesnel family surrivied the Lachine Massacre of 5 Aug. 1689.
Construction of Maison Quesnel started in 1710. Olivier Quesnel died on 15 May 1719. He had 12 childern, 8 boys and 4 girls. Maison Quesnel is still a private residence.
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