Cauchon

also Cochon (!)

The Cauchon family originated in Dieppe, where at the beginning of the seventeenth century they attended the famous Gothic church of St-Jacques (above, painted by Pissarro). Jean Cauchon (born about 1591) and his wife Marguérite Cointal or Cointerel lived in Dieppe until Marguérite died in January 1633, giving birth to a son Nicolas, who also died. Only four months later he married Jeanne Abraham. In 1638 he emigrated to Québec with his wife and children of the first marriage: Jean (1622, married Madeleine Miville, sister of our ancestor François Miville); Guillaume (1624); and Pierre (1631). Also accompanying them was his son by his second wife, Jacques (1635-), ancestor of the Canadian Cauchon dit Lamothe family. (A daughter, Françoise, and a son seemed to have died in infancy.) Unlike many emigrants, Jean was literate; there are several surviving examples of his elegant handwriting. From 1652 he was "procureur fiscal" or treasurer of the settlement of Château-Richer, and also kept records for his parish, Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle. He died in July 1673.

Marie-Marguérite, probably the only daughter, was born in Dieppe about 1620, died 1699; in July 1640 in Québec city she married Jean Gagnon, who was some years older and a wealthy land speculator (see Gagnon). They had eight or nine children, including Jeanne (1641); Renée (1643, married Jean Ouimet); Marguérite (1645-1705?, married Jean-Baptiste Caron, brother of our ancestor Joseph Caron); Jean (1648); Étienne (1650); Germain (1653); Raphaël (1656-1687); Marie (1659) and possibly one more, who died in infancy.

Renée Ouimet was an ancestor of Marie Eva Jean Martin through the Turcotte family.