Jean-Jacques DeGerlais dit Saint-Amand - My 7th Great Grandfather

Jean-Jacques DeGerlais dit Saint-Amand was born about 1628 in the Parish of Saint Paul which is now part of Liège, Belgium, child of Ferdinand DeGerlaise (Seigneur (feudal lord) of Hannetaux) and Dorothy Cona.

Carignan-Salieres Regiment

Jean-Jacques held the title Sieur of Saint-Amand and was probably part of the landed gentry.  What caused him to join the military is unknown.  He was a soldier of the Carignan-Salieres Regiment, specifically the  La Fouille Company, in France.  Various companies of the Regiment were sent to New France in 1665 to contain the Iroquois' murderous raids and to hold back the English from the French lands.  The soldiers of the La Fouille Company arrived in Quebec on the ship La Justice on 14 Sept 1665 having left La Rochelle, France on 24 May 1665.   Jean-Jacques was about 37 years of age.  He would be one of the 450 or so soldiers of the regiment who decided to remain in New France when the rest of the regiment sailed back.

When he was 39, he and Jeanne Trudel,daughter of Jean Trudel and Marguerite Thomas, signed a marriage contract in front of Royal Notarie Claude Aubert on 12 Sep 1667 in Ange-Gardien, Rouville, Quebec, Canada.  The contact stated that Jeanne Trudel's parents support them for a period of one year and her father would build them a house.  It also stated that Jeanne was big and strong for her age (she was only 11, quite young even for the standards of that time).  Jean-Jacques continued with his military career and it was quite possible the marriage was not consummated until Jean was more mature.  The couple would eventually have nine children, the first born about 1671.  I am descended from their 6th child, Marguerite.

Jean-Jacques and his wife would farm the land with his children.  His land was in the seigneury of Rivière-du-Loup about 12.5 miles west of Trois-Rivieres.  Eventually he was given a second lot, perhaps due to his success with his first farm.  

He died on 19 Dec 1722 and was buried on 20 Dec 1722 in the cemetery of the church of Saint-Antoine-de-Padoue in Louiseville.  His descendants can be found carrying the surname DeGerlais, Gerlais, Jerlais and St. Amand to name a few.

Jean-Jacques DeGerlais dit Saint-Amand and Jeanne Trudel had the following children:

1. Antoine DeGerlais was born before 1671. He died on 22 Feb 1762 in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, Canada. He married Marie-Angelique Pelletier on 25 May 1709 in Trois-Rivieres, Les Chenaux, Quebec, Canada.
2. Catherine DeGerlais was born before 1673. She died on 28 May 1683 in Sorel, Pierre-De Saurel, Quebec, Canada.
3. Pierre DeGerlais was born on 30 Aug 1677 in Louiseville, Maskinongé, Quebec, Canada. He died on 15 Jan 1678 in Quebec, Canada.
4. Marie-Madeleine DeGerlais was born on 01 Jan 1679 in Sorel, Pierre-De Saurel, Quebec, Canada. She died date Unknown.
5. Marie-Jeanne-Anne DeGerlais was born before 1683 in Quebec, Canada. She died on 24 Nov 1771 in Baie-du-Febvre, Nicolet-Yamaska, Quebec, Canada. She married Pierre Benoît on 20 Aug 1705 in Trois-Rivieres, Les Chenaux, Quebec, Canada.
6. Marguerite DeGerlais dit Saint-Amand was born before 1685. She died date Unknown. She married Pierre DuLignon dit Lamirande on 27 Jul 1703 in Louiseville, Maskinongé, Quebec, Canada.
7. Marie-Josèphe DeGerlais was born on 05 Nov 1689 in Louiseville, Maskinongé, Quebec, Canada. She died on 12 May 1768 in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, Canada. She married Jean-Baptiste Lesage on 25 May 1709 in Trois-Rivieres, Les Chenaux, Quebec, Canada.
8. Jean-François DeGerlais was born on 18 Mar 1693 in Louiseville, Maskinongé, Quebec, Canada. He died on 07 May 1759 in Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, Canada. He married Marie-Catherine Aubert on 23 Jun 1719 in Québec, Quebec, Canada.
9. Marie-Anne DeGerlais dit St..Amand was born on 26 Jan 1698 in Quebec, Canada. She died date Unknown. She married Jean-Baptiste Brissard dit St.Germain on 04 Mar 1714 in Trois-Rivieres, Les Chenaux, Quebec, Canada. She married Jean-Baptiste Foucault dit Lefrancois before 31 Dec 1736 in Quebec, Canada.