Translation of Adoption Record
This is a 4 page Notary document about an adoption. https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/4286961?docref=-TPBjE_tA_rO2TElYegZrA
Comments
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I am not looking for the entire document to be translated, rather just a rough idea of the people involved.
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The only two names that I was able to somewhat recognize were Alexandre Couillard and S. Deprais. Sorry I couldn't be of more help. Hopefully, a member of the group that can read old French handwriting can provide you with some additional insight.
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The document is so light, it is hard to read. I was able to pick out a little info, very piecemeal. But here's what I can definitely see. I know it isn't enough. It is piecemeal:
The first note begins with the date: 21 March 1798. It is a receipt between (quitance entre) Mr. Charles Perriault and Sir Alexandre Couillard. [Note: Sir (Sieur) does not designate him as nobility. It is an address of respect. The Couillards were prominent in many respects in Quebec. I am not familiar with this particular Couillard, but he may have been a landowner. They were commonly referred to as Sieur.]
I checked these 2 names on the PRDH (U. of Montreal) subscription database -- the gold standard for researching Quebec ancestry. There is an Alexandre Couillard born 10/29/1764 in Montmagne, Quebec, parish of St-Thomas. However, there is no Charles Perriault, which is strange because his name is the most legible and the most frequent. However, the name Perrault is very common and there are several Charles Perraults as well as the other Perriault names later in the text, i.e. Nicolas and Jacques Nicolas. [While the PRDH is a subscription database, searches are free. You only have to pay when you click on a record.] The later text refers to Charles Perriault as being the "brother of" the person of the first part. The page ends with the name Jacques Nicolas Perriault. [Spelling was not standardized at that time, so Perrault and Perriault could be the same surname. But Perrault seems more likely because there are only two peole with the surname spelled Perriault.
... monsieur charles perriault his brother of the first part [documents between two people state one person "of the first part" and the other person "of the second part."
and S. Alexandre Couillard (word) S. Deprais .... of the second part
Perhaps the most important sentence is this: the parties said ... sir deprais that about seven years ago...an infant was baptized with the name Marie Archange [7 years ago would have been about 1791] ... for charity ...
The word charity appears twice in the document. But the real surname of Marie Archange is not stated...so I can't say whether she is the daughter of Alexandre Couillard or of a Perrault.
In the PRDH, there is an Marie Archange, daughter of Alexandre Couillard Despres, born 5/29/1783 in L'Islet, parish of Notre-Dame-du-Bon-Secours. That is the only birth for a Marie Archange daughter of Alexandre Couillard between the years 1704 and 1848. [Despres is a "dit" name. "Dit names were common in New France. They amount, in general terms, to a nickname. So Alexandre could be referred to as either Couillard or as Despres. Which may be occuring in this document, but I can't be sure.] When I searched on Marie Archange Despres, it still only displays as Marie Archange Couillard Despres.
The closest Marie Archange Perrault was born on 1/31/1796, daughter of Jacques, in Deschambault.
Other lines I could decipher:
par charite ... payeres audit Sieur Depuis les fraits = paid Sieur Depuis the fees (this was right after her name was stated.
Farther down it states: Sieur Charles [Charles is crossed out and an "H" written above it] Nicolas Perriault de sa pars audit nom. = of his part in said name
jusques apres ... de cest enfant auquel ... fort atache; que ledit Charles = until after ... of this child to whom ... very attached; that the said Charles Perriault -- I think the rest translates as -- continues to pay for the charity (illegible word) Jacques Nicolas Perriault
payeres audit Sieur Depuis les fraits = paid Sieur Depuis the fees
I know this info is not satisfying, but I hope it helps somewhat.
Elizabeth
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I neglected to address my previous post to you. Not sure if you would have been notified without it.
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I looked at the next double page to see if I could decipher any more of the text.
Left half: There is some discussion regarding money to be paid. There are also references that (what I assume to be a sacrament) must be according to Catholic and Roman (standard phrase). It seems to say that Sieur Despres (apparently Alexandre Couillard Despres) will marry the girl and provide her with a complete wardrobe suitable for a companion's daughter and necessary for the household and ordinary occupations of a companion's daughter.
The actual text is "fille de compagnie" which actually translates as "daughter of the company." I've translated it here as "companion's daughter."
These sort of provisions are usually part of a marriage contract. I have never seen an adopion record so I don't know if they are usually part of that as well. One thing to remember is that in New France, girls could be married at age 12. They could be promised even earlier, but normally the spouse was not allowed to live with the girl until she reached the age of 12.
Other phrases I could decipher:
sante que en maladie - health and sickness
de tous besoins = of all needs
Right half at the bottom:
"apres midi le vignt un mars mil sept cent quatre vignt douze en la presence du Jean Houseman marchand resident paroise Rivier Ouelle temoins quil avec nous dit notaire sous signe ansi que ... Jacques Nicolas Perriault faisante au nom du dit son frere signe ces presentes en la de dit Sieur ... Sieur son frere signe ce presantes ... et ledit s. Alexandre Couillard declare ne savoir ... a fait la marque"
translates to"
"After noon on the twenty-first of March one thousand seven hundred and ninety two in the presence of Jean Houseman resident merchant of the parish of Rivier Ouelle witnesses that he tells us the notary undersigned that [he can sign his name] ... Jacques Nicolas Perriault ... in the name of his brother signs these documents ... and said S. Alexandre Couillard says he doesn't know how to sign ... [he] made his mark."
This is followed by several signatures and a "mark" said to be that of Alexandre Couillard Despres. [You can see the cross, which normally is used for someone to make his mark.] The signatures include Jean Houseman, "Perrauilt the elder," and the notary Le Cazes ?.
The handwritten signature "Perrauilt l'aine" means "Perrauilt the elder," so either he had a son by the same name or there is some other reason he needs to differentiate himself from some one of the same name. Also, he spells his surname slightly different from the way the notary spelled it. Not sure if that is important given the lack of spelling standards.
Bottom line, I think that Jacques Nicolas Perrault was the brother of Charles Perrault, and a further guess is that Charles is the father of Marie Archange, who has been betrothed to Alexandre Couillard Despuis.
Unfortunately, I can't swear to this because too many of the words are too faint to decipher properly.
I do hope this helps. Perhaps you are familiar with some of these names and how they fit into your family tree.
All best, Elizabeth
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