René Lepage de Sainte-Claire facts for kids
René Lepage de Sainte-Claire was an important person in the early history of Quebec, Canada. He was born on April 10, 1656, in a place called Ouanne in Burgundy, France. He passed away on August 4, 1718, in Rimouski, Quebec. René Lepage is known as the founder of the town of Rimouski.
Contents
Early Life and Move to Canada
René Lepage grew up near a town called Auxerre in France. Between 1670 and 1674, when he was a teenager, he moved to New France. This was what Canada was called back then. He traveled with his mother, Reine Loury, and his aunt, Constance Lepage.
They came to join his father, Germain, and his uncle, Louis. His father and uncle had already settled on land near Quebec City. This land was on the north-eastern tip of the Île d'Orleans.
On June 10, 1686, René Lepage married Marie-Madeleine Gagnon. She was 15 years old at the time. Together, they had a very large family with 17 children!
How Rimouski Was Founded
Like many people in New France, René dreamed of owning a large piece of land. He wanted to build a strong future for his family. So, he decided to leave the Île d'Orléans and move to the coast.
On March 17, 1693, the Governor of New France, Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac, gave him some land. This land was located behind a place called the stronghold of Espinay. It was near the South River and was named Sainte-Claire. From then on, René added "de Sainte-Claire" to his name. This was a common practice back then, even if you weren't a noble.
However, this land was too far from the Saint Lawrence River. It was hard to settle and build a community there. So, René gave up on that plan the next year.
Trading for Rimouski Land
On July 10, 1694, René Lepage de Sainte-Claire made an important trade. He exchanged the land he had on the Île d'Orléans for the Seigneurie of Rimouski. His father, Germain, had given him the Île d'Orléans land.
He traded with a man named Augustin Rouer de la Cardonnière. Augustin had owned the Rimouski land since 1688. But he didn't want to leave Quebec City to live so far away. This trade allowed René to get the land that would become Rimouski.
Growing the Rimouski Territory
Two years later, in 1696, René moved his family to Rimouski. His wife, Marie-Madeleine Gagnon, joined him. She was 15 years younger than him. They brought their first four children with them:
- Pierre de St-Barnabé, born in 1687, who would later take over the land.
- Marie, born in 1689.
- Louis de Ste-Claire, born in 1690, who became a priest and a future lord of Terrebonne.
- Guillaume, the youngest, who sadly passed away around age 10 in 1701.
In 1696, René's family and some relatives were the very first people to live in this new territory. René wanted to make sure his children would have good land to inherit. So, he bought more pieces of land with other relatives. These included Pierre Lessard and Gabriel Thibierge.
These new lands stretched from Grand-Métis to the Hâtée river. All these land deals were finished around 1701. René Lepage de Sainte-Claire worked quickly to establish his family's future. By this time, he was the lord of a territory with more than 50 kilometers (about 31 miles) of coastline along the St-Lawrence river.
René Lepage's Legacy
René Lepage's children went on to do many things. Four of his daughters became nuns. His oldest son, Pierre de St-Barnabé, took over the Rimouski territory. He worked hard to develop the land for his family.
His second son, Louis Lepage de Ste-Claire, became a priest. He was born on the Ile d'Orleans. On September 2, 1720, Louis bought the Terrebonne. He quickly developed this land near the Mille-île river. He had a church built, along with a house for the priest. He also built four flour mills and a lumber mill. This made Terrebonne an important industrial center in New France, after Quebec City and Montreal.
Over the years, the descendants of René Lepage have spread out across North America. You can find them from Canada all the way to the southwestern United States.
