MARIE-JOSEPHTE HOUDE (1726-1766)

           ​Louis’s first wife, Josephte Houde, was born February 27 1726, to Jacques Houde (dit-Desruisseaux), and Jeanne (Demers) in St-Antoine-de-Tilly, Lotbinière, Québec. Josephte had two sisters and one brother.

            ​Louis would have been seen as “a good catch” for any family. As Captain of the Militia he would have been looked up to in the community and would have been able to offer his bride a good home with privileges within the community. A man in his position would have had his choice among single women in his parish. This might indicate that Joesphte was also from a desirable family.

            ​Marie-Josephte married Louis in St-Antoine-de-Tilly, November 22 1746. She and Louis would have a family of nine children before her death at forty October 20, 1766. It was difficult to be certain of her death register. I have gleaned the Drouin Collection and there are several that could match. The copies are in poor condition and hard to read, the dates all but legible. There was one that stayed in my thoughts, because it carries the signature of Louis Côté. As mentioned in his biography, as a militia captain, he would have been able to read and write. This has since been confirmed by not only Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890 but also PRDH (Programme de recherche en démographie historique), which confirms my findings from the Drouin records.

            ​​Their second child, Jean-Charles, was in our family line.​