Pierre Duteau

     Pierre was born on Thursday, 29 March 1607 in La Rochelle, Bishopric of La Rochelle, Poitou-Charentes, France. He was the son of Mathieu Duteau & Jeanne Pouvreau. He was christened there on 2 April 1607 in the Calvinist Temple.¹ Pierre’s family had become part of the protestant revolt of the Catholic Church that was started by John Calvin. Their conversion to the protestant faith had occurred prior to the marriage of his parents, as their children were baptized at the Calvinist Temple in La Rochelle. The family lived in La Rochelle during the terrible times of the early to mid-sixteen hundreds and the three Huguenot rebellions that shook La Rochelle. The last rebellion in 1627 led to the siege of city and reduced its population from 27,000 to 5,000 in the span of about 14 months. Pierre and both of the women who were to become his wives, survived these horrible times.²
Pierre married Marthe Renaudin circa 1632 in La Rochelle. Pierre's wife, Marthe, died on 22 August 1637 in La Rochelle leaving him a widower. Pierre married 2nd Jeanne Perrin in 1638 in La Rochelle.³ In 1651, there was a huge explosion that was very near the Duteau family home. The family was not injured, but it left them not feeling safe. In fact, history states that from this point forward, La Rochelle was not safe for any Huguenot. By 1658, Pierre realized his life was all but over and he feared for what his family might face upon his death.
So on 16 April 1658, Pierre Duteau, his wife, Jeanne, and their children went to the office of the Notary Pierre Teuleron onThree Merchants Street of La Rochelle. Two contracts were drawn up and signed that day. The first was to indenture Jeanne and their youngest daughter, 8 year old Madeleine as servants in the household of Jacques de La Poterie, a landowner in Quebec. It was a contract for 5 years, during which the two would be fed and paid 50 livres a year. Also in the contract, Pierre authorizes his wife to engage in the contract. A second contract indentures his son Charles to the same gentleman for a period of three years. Charles was to receive 30 livres at the end of the 3 years. These contracts where signed by Pierre Denys, on behalf of his father-in-law, Jacques de La Poterie. The next morning a third contract was signed, again by the same Pierre Denys and by Marie the older daughter. She was to work as a servant for Pierre Denys for three years.
The effect of these contracts was a means for Pierre, who was ill and did not expect to live, to get his family out of harms way in La Rochelle and give them transport to Quebec.⁴ Pierre departed this life on Tuesday, 12 December 1656 in La Rochelle at age 49 years, 8 months and 13 days.³