Pierre Miville

     In 1667, Charlotte received payment as a representative of her husband, for the purchase of a ship contracted for by Jean Talon. After this transaction, and as an understanding as part of the contract, Pierre was to continue building ships. One of which was already under contruction. With the aid of his two sons, Francois and Jacques as well as his son in law Antoine Poulet, he continued the arderous task of ship building until his death. Pierre was born circa 1602 in Canton of Fribourg, Switzerland. He was a member of the Swiss guards, highly respected military units that were often hired by other states within Europe. Cardinal Richeleiu was one of them. Pierre was a member of a unit that was hired for the personal protection of the Cardinal, who was at that time, governor of Brouage; this hiring is what brought Pierre to this part of France. Cardinal Richeleiu was in charge of the Siege of LaRochelle, and when the siege ended in 1628, the rebuilding of LaRochelle began. At this time, Pierre was then in a position that he could also practice his trade as a woodworker. Pierre married Charlotte Mauger circa 1631 in Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France.¹ By the early 1640’s the economy in Brouage, had weakened and work was hard to find. Pierre then moved his family to LaRochelle. Once settled there, in 1646, he obtained a piece of land and contracted to build a rather large house. However, the contract was annulled, and shortly after, the family immigrated to New France. They came on one of two ships, the “Grand Cardinal” or the “Notre Dame”. They departed from LaRochelle on 29 May 1649. The latter docked at Quebec on 24 August and the former on 27 September. The first record of the Mivilles in Quebec came quickly as his daughter, Marie, is noted as being a godmother on 5 October of that same year. Because of his skills as a woodworker, the family was welcomed and on 29 October the Governor granted the family 3 pieces of land. Two of them on the plain of Abraham, one 3 arpents [570 feet]by 40 arpents [7600 feet] deep assigned to Pierre, the other 4 arpents [760 feet] by 40 arpents [7600 feet] deep, located further up river, was assigned to his oldest son, 15 year old Francois. 1667, Pierre and Charlotte were listed on the Canadian Census in Levis County, Quebec, Canada. Enumerated in this household were Pierre Miville [65 years], Charlotte Muager [60 years], Jqcques Miville [27 years] & a domestic LeLorian [40 years].² Pierre departed this life on Monday, 14 October 1669 in Lauzon, Levis County, Quebec, Canada. He was buried on 15 October 1669 at ville de Quebec, Quebec, Canada, in the Basilica of Notre Dame.³