Nicolas  BÉLANGER

'Nicolas Bélanger was a native of Saint-Thomas-de- Touques in the diocese of Lisieux in Normandy. About 1659, Nicolas Bélanger came to Canada to settle on the coast of Beauport.

On November 12 of that year, he entered into a marriage contract with Marie de Rainville, daughter of Paul and Rolline Poète. The marriage took place on January 12, 1660. The couple settled at Beauport and would pass the rest of their lives there.

The following year, he purchased, from Paul de Rainville, a farm of 1 arpent frontage near the village of Gargy. Another grant was obtained from Joseph Giffard, seigneur of Beauport, contracted the notary Vachon. The seigneur granted a farm of one arpent. From an inventory of his possessions, it seems that Nicolas Bélanger had a much larger farm in the village of Saint-Michel at Beauport. This one was four arpents of frontage.

It is interesting to note that the census of 1666 designates Nicolas Bélanger as 'salt merchant'. In the census of 1681, he was noted

Nicolas Bellanger .........................31 saulnier, habittant

Marie de Rinville .........................22 sa femme

Marthe Bellanger ..........................3 fille

Bertrand Bellangér ........................2 fille (?)

Suzanne Bellangér ..........................1 ffile

Nicolas Bellanger, 49
Marie d'Erainville (de Rainville), sa femme, 39
enfants:
Marie, 19
Bertrand, 18
Suzanne, 14
Marie, 12
Pierre, 11
Nicolas, 9
Paul, 7
Therese, 5
Marie, 3
Francoise, 1

Source: Histoire des Canadiens-Francais 1608-1880 by Benjamin Sulte, Montreal, 1882

Death recorded at Notre-Dame-de-la-Nativite, Beauport, Quebec