The Saucier Family - Page 1
The Ancestral roots of the Saucier family begins with Charles Saucier of Paris, France, but the legacy of the Canadian and American branches of the modern-day Saucier family begins with Charles’ son, Louis Saucier, who chose to leave the security of his family and home in 1665 to pursue a new life in the French Colony of Quebec under the auspices of the French Government of Quebec. It is certainly possible, but unclear if Louis had come to Quebec as a soldier, a part of the military establishment or as a civilian. But due to his close associates within the Quebec governing body, it does indicate that he worked in an elevated position within the government, which could have been either civilian or military in capacity. Louis’ vision of establishing his future in the new world led to the creation of one of the largest families of French-Canadian Ancestry in North America. Every person that carries the “Saucier” surname in North America is a direct descendant of Louis Saucier.
Without the remembrance of the past, and those that came before us, there can be no future.
Without the remembrance of the past, and those that came before us, there can be no future.
The surname of our family originated in Normandy, located in the northern part of France, according to numerous Historians and Genealogical sources. Researchers say that our early Saucier ancestors were sauce and spice makers in France, and they believe this was the reason the name Saucier became identified as our family’s surname. Several other notable researchers say our paternal Saucier ancestor was descended from a long line of prominent and respected French merchants of the old city of Orleans in France. The tradition, it is said, was for the eldest son of each generation to succeed his father upon the father's retirement, or death, as the head of the family business. He would have been carefully trained over the years to assume and continue the operations of the family business, eventually passing it on to his eldest son. All property, real estate and assets of the business would pass to this son. Our family patriarch, Charles Saucier, it is assumed, in following this tradition would have taken control of the operations of the family business after it was passed down by his father to him. For many years it has been implied by researchers and genealogists that our paternal ancestor Charles Saucier broke from this family tradition and followed a different vocation than that of his father, grandfather and those that preceded him, that he chose music and the Church as his primary occupation. Up until now almost all available information on Charles has told us that his name is listed in the Directory of Medieval Musicians of France for the early 1600’s, and has shown his occupation as only that of Organist at Paris’ Saint Eustache Cathedral. But, it now seems that he may have continued to operate or assisted in operating the family business during this time as well. One recently found early French record gives his occupation as both Merchant and Organist at Saint Eustache Cathedral. It is possible that a younger sibling of Charles, or another family member, may have stepped in to take care of the daily operations of the family business, possibly, under Charles’ supervision and guidance.
For many years we have known that the residence of Charles Saucier and his family was located in Paris’ Pillars of Halles and Market Place area directly across from the church. We have recently learned that Charles held leases on several large homes in Paris and his meager salary from the Church would not have supported this, so it would be likely he had income from the family business to supplement his Church income. While living in the Pillars of Halles Market Place area, Charles in 1640 leased a large home located in the Halles on rue des Deux-Ecus and later another large home in 1645 on rue de la Grande-Truanderie in the parish of Saint-Jacques-del’Hôpital, which was located near, but about two blocks away from the Pillars of Halles area of Paris. This writer assumes he moved his family into larger and better accommodations.
There has not been much information available on Charles, our paternal Parisian ancestor, but, for some time we have known the names of three children born to Charles Saucier and Charlotte Clairet, daughter Charlotte, sons Jean Baptiste and Louis, and that there were possibly other children born to them. Recently four new French language legal documents have come to light and the English translation of those documents gives us a little insight into the life of our paternal ancestor Charles Saucier. Now through the first of the new translated documents we know that there was a fourth child named Charles born in circa 1630 between Jean Baptiste and Louis.
The English translation of the first French document also makes the following statement about his son Charles:
“On April 17, 1651 in front of Francois Crespin and Pierre Parque, notaries at the Chatelet, his father Charles Saucie, Bourgeous de Paris, residing on Rue Sallancontre, Parish of Saint Jacques de I ‘Hospital, apprentices his son Charles for three (3) years, (pioneer brother) with Pierre Letien, haberdasher, coarse, jeweler, residing under the pillars of the halls, Saint Eustache Parish. Charles is 21 years old or so”. “His father will provide him with clothes, shoes, and linen”. Both father and son signed the document with their signatures.
Charles Saucier, Jr., the second born son and fourth known child, who was born circa 1630 at Paris, under this contract became an apprentice to Pierre Letien in 1651 to learn the Merchant’s trade. He was an older brother of Louis who was born circa 1634 in Paris.
The English translation of two other French language legal documents are records of two separate business transactions made by Charles Saucier of Paris. The first document from the year 1640 reads:
February 4, 1640, “On the street rue des Deux-Ecus, a large house with carriage door, leased by Marie Chasteau, widow of Antoine Pajot, knight lord of the Chapel under Gerberoy, for ten years, to Jean Baudouyn, Sieur de Champroze, a large house with a porte cochere, (a covered gate entrance) for 1050 pounds of annual rent”. ($1470 per year in todays dollars.)
That same day, directly following the above transaction, an addition statement is entered into the original record:
“Jean Baudouyn, Sieur de Champroze transferred lease to Charles Saucie, bourgeois merchant of Paris, at the same prices, charges and conditions, of the original lease procured earlier in the day from Marie Chasteau, widow of Antoine Pajot”.
The translation of the second legal document from the year 1645 reads:
December 18, 1645,“On the street, rue de la Grande-Truanderie, Lease by Catherine Feydeau, widow of Francois Frezon, advisor to the king, corrector in his Accounts Chamber, living in the cloister of the Notre Dame Church, for three years, leases to Charles Saucie, salt merchant, town of Paris, living under the pillars of Halles, a large house, located, on rue de la Grande-Truanderie with several courtyards, terraces, stables, for 950 pounds of annual rent”. ($1344 per year in todays dollars.)
The biggest discovery from the legal documents was the fact that one lists Charles’ occupation as that of a Salt Merchant in Paris. This is the first such document to give an actual occupation for him as such. Salt Merchants during this period and location were often very successful with high status and regent regard in France. Salt was valuable and often used as a currency in early France. Charles, as a Bourgeois of Paris would have had privileges almost equal to the nobility's and paid no taxes. A Bourgeois was allowed to wear a helmet, have a crested coats of arms and sword. For many years researchers have thought Charles’ occupation was only that of Organist at the church, but these documents completely changes that and it indicates that he was more than just the organist at Saint Eustache Cathedral in Paris and was in fact still very much involved in the family business. An article published in a French publication “Normandy Then and Now” made the statement that the early Saucier’s made salt brines used for salting meat and pickling foods, keeping them edible long into the winter and through the hot summer months, and also created sauces that made food tasty.
In reading the three legal documents, in the two lease documents pertaining to Charles, the first home was located on Rue des Deux-Ecus in the Pillars of Halles area that he leased in 1640 and the second home leased in 1645 was located about two blocks away from the Halles area on Rue de la Grande-Truanderie. In 1650 Charles and his family were residing on Rue Mondétour in the pillars of Halles area.
For many years we have known that the residence of Charles Saucier and his family was located in Paris’ Pillars of Halles and Market Place area directly across from the church. We have recently learned that Charles held leases on several large homes in Paris and his meager salary from the Church would not have supported this, so it would be likely he had income from the family business to supplement his Church income. While living in the Pillars of Halles Market Place area, Charles in 1640 leased a large home located in the Halles on rue des Deux-Ecus and later another large home in 1645 on rue de la Grande-Truanderie in the parish of Saint-Jacques-del’Hôpital, which was located near, but about two blocks away from the Pillars of Halles area of Paris. This writer assumes he moved his family into larger and better accommodations.
There has not been much information available on Charles, our paternal Parisian ancestor, but, for some time we have known the names of three children born to Charles Saucier and Charlotte Clairet, daughter Charlotte, sons Jean Baptiste and Louis, and that there were possibly other children born to them. Recently four new French language legal documents have come to light and the English translation of those documents gives us a little insight into the life of our paternal ancestor Charles Saucier. Now through the first of the new translated documents we know that there was a fourth child named Charles born in circa 1630 between Jean Baptiste and Louis.
The English translation of the first French document also makes the following statement about his son Charles:
“On April 17, 1651 in front of Francois Crespin and Pierre Parque, notaries at the Chatelet, his father Charles Saucie, Bourgeous de Paris, residing on Rue Sallancontre, Parish of Saint Jacques de I ‘Hospital, apprentices his son Charles for three (3) years, (pioneer brother) with Pierre Letien, haberdasher, coarse, jeweler, residing under the pillars of the halls, Saint Eustache Parish. Charles is 21 years old or so”. “His father will provide him with clothes, shoes, and linen”. Both father and son signed the document with their signatures.
Charles Saucier, Jr., the second born son and fourth known child, who was born circa 1630 at Paris, under this contract became an apprentice to Pierre Letien in 1651 to learn the Merchant’s trade. He was an older brother of Louis who was born circa 1634 in Paris.
The English translation of two other French language legal documents are records of two separate business transactions made by Charles Saucier of Paris. The first document from the year 1640 reads:
February 4, 1640, “On the street rue des Deux-Ecus, a large house with carriage door, leased by Marie Chasteau, widow of Antoine Pajot, knight lord of the Chapel under Gerberoy, for ten years, to Jean Baudouyn, Sieur de Champroze, a large house with a porte cochere, (a covered gate entrance) for 1050 pounds of annual rent”. ($1470 per year in todays dollars.)
That same day, directly following the above transaction, an addition statement is entered into the original record:
“Jean Baudouyn, Sieur de Champroze transferred lease to Charles Saucie, bourgeois merchant of Paris, at the same prices, charges and conditions, of the original lease procured earlier in the day from Marie Chasteau, widow of Antoine Pajot”.
The translation of the second legal document from the year 1645 reads:
December 18, 1645,“On the street, rue de la Grande-Truanderie, Lease by Catherine Feydeau, widow of Francois Frezon, advisor to the king, corrector in his Accounts Chamber, living in the cloister of the Notre Dame Church, for three years, leases to Charles Saucie, salt merchant, town of Paris, living under the pillars of Halles, a large house, located, on rue de la Grande-Truanderie with several courtyards, terraces, stables, for 950 pounds of annual rent”. ($1344 per year in todays dollars.)
The biggest discovery from the legal documents was the fact that one lists Charles’ occupation as that of a Salt Merchant in Paris. This is the first such document to give an actual occupation for him as such. Salt Merchants during this period and location were often very successful with high status and regent regard in France. Salt was valuable and often used as a currency in early France. Charles, as a Bourgeois of Paris would have had privileges almost equal to the nobility's and paid no taxes. A Bourgeois was allowed to wear a helmet, have a crested coats of arms and sword. For many years researchers have thought Charles’ occupation was only that of Organist at the church, but these documents completely changes that and it indicates that he was more than just the organist at Saint Eustache Cathedral in Paris and was in fact still very much involved in the family business. An article published in a French publication “Normandy Then and Now” made the statement that the early Saucier’s made salt brines used for salting meat and pickling foods, keeping them edible long into the winter and through the hot summer months, and also created sauces that made food tasty.
In reading the three legal documents, in the two lease documents pertaining to Charles, the first home was located on Rue des Deux-Ecus in the Pillars of Halles area that he leased in 1640 and the second home leased in 1645 was located about two blocks away from the Halles area on Rue de la Grande-Truanderie. In 1650 Charles and his family were residing on Rue Mondétour in the pillars of Halles area.