PIERRE CÔTÉ (1780-1857)

           ​Pierre Côté was born October 21, 1780, in the village of Saint-Antoine de Tilly, to parents Jean-Charles and Françoise (Bergeron). He, his two brothers and two sisters grew up in the village surrounded by friends and family. Pierre was the youngest member of his family. The parish built the church that stands in the village today when Pierre was just eight years old in 1788 and the architecture was traditional for Québec. We can compare the church itself with any of those on Ile d’Orleans, from where the original settlers came. Religion in the community is displayed in the intricate construction of the church. St-Antoine-de-Tilly was a prosperous village and has survived the test of time to become one of Québec’s most beautiful historic villages.

           ​Pierre would have grown up in the village when it experienced its largest population. In 1821, there were 1897 people in the parish and surrounding farms. It would have been abuzz with activity.

​           ​Pierre’s first wife was Geneviève Rondeau. Their marriage took place in the church September 27, 1803. At a time, the church would have been in its glory.

           ​They would have eight children during their marriage of twenty-nine-year marriage; David, Pierre, Louis, Joseph-George, Antoine, Jean Charles, Ambroise and Marcelline. Pierre remarried seven years after the death of Geneviève.

            ​Marie-Louise Bibeau, his second wife, a widow, had four of her own children from her previous marriage to François-Xavier Daigle. Both were fifty-nine years of age when they united. With families grown, they found companionship for almost another twenty years.

           ​Pierre died March 9, 1857, at age seventy-seven, just two years after the civil municipality was founded.