Jean  TRUDEL (TRUDELLE)

TRUDEL - derived from Touroude via Tr(o)ude, from the Germanic name Turold, from 'tur' meaning 'giant' or Thor the God of thunder, and 'wald' meaning 'power, authority'. Jean Trudel was born around 1629 in Parfondeval in Perche. Son of Jean Trudel and Marguerite Noyer, he was in the country in 1655. He married Marguerite Thomas, daughter of Jean Thomas and Marguerite Fredry, in 1655 in Quebec. From their union were born 11 children. He is a plowman and weaver of canvas. In 1657, he settled in Ange-Gardien. In 1667, he owns 9 cattle and 30 acres of land in value. In 1681, he owns 2 guns, 8 cattle and 30 acres of land in value. He died on November 25, 1699 at Ange-Gardien.

'The first mass celebrated at L'Ange Gardien was in the house of your ancestor Jean Trudel. A pioneer of the parish of L'Ange Gardien, Jean Trudel settled on the coast of Beaupré, near Québec, in 1655. His farm was approximately a mile and a half on the side of the Montmorency Falls. In 1911, a monument commemorating Jean Trudel was erected by his descendants on the site of his original house which still had visible foundations at that time.

At the beginning of colonization, up until the time that churches and chapels were built, services were held in a settler's home by missionnary priests. At L'Ange Gardien, these services were held in the house of Jean Trudel. This is noted in an act of 1664 whose subject was the election of marguilliers (?).

It is interesting to note that ducing the census of 1666, Jean Trudel was identified as 'canvas weaver'. For many generations, one of our national industries was this weaving and your ancestor Jean Trudel was one of those who

'L'an 1664, le dix-huitième jour d'octobre, à l'issue de la messe célébrée dans la maison de Jean Trudelle, en conséquence de la convo cation par deux fois réitérée par M. des Maize- rets y faisant pour lors les fonctions curiales, par l'ordre de Monseigneur l'illustrissime révé- rendissime Evêque de Pétrée, Vicaire Aposto lique en la Nouvelle-France, et nommé par le Roy, premier évesque dudit pays, tendante à ce que les habitants eussent à s'assembler pour procéder à la nomination et élection de trois marguilliers pour la première fois ; lesdits habi tants étant restés au nombre de vingt-deux des plus considérables, savoir : Raymond Pagez dit Quercy, Pierre Maheu dit des Hazards, Jacques Goulet, Jean Trudel, Michel Hénault, Pierre Tremblay, Pierre Gendreau, Louis Garneau, Louis Saucier, Jacques Nourry, Jacques Ma- rette dit Lépine, François Hébert, Robert de la Berge, René Brisson, Laurent Gignard, Antoine Andrieux, Antoine Gaboury, Jacques Jacquereau, Jean Clément, Louis Lesage, An

'In the spring of 1655, two linen weavers arrived from Perche, two inseparable friends: Jean Trudel and Pierre Maheust dit des Hasards.'

Thomas J. Laforest
Our French-Canadian Ancestors : Volume VIII, Page 210

Jean Trudel - 37 Tisseran en Toille

Margueritte Thomas - 32 sa femme

Jeanne Trudel - 10 fille

pierre Trudel - 8 fils

Magdelaine Trudel - 7 fille

Nicolas Trudel - 4 fils

Anthoine Trudel - 2 fils

Et Michel Bigot - 24 domestique engaigé

Jean Trudelle, 50
Marguerite Thomas, sa femme, 48
enfants:
Nicolas, 19
Philippe, 14
Jean, 13
Marguerite, 10
Francois, 8

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

'MARGUERITE THOMAS LIVED JUST LONG ENOUGH TO WITNESS THE LAST TRANSACTION WITH HER SON JEAN. ON 30 AUGUST 1695, SHE GAVE UP HER SOUL AT THE AGE OF 62... FOUR YEARS LATER, THE REGISTRY OF L'ANGE-GARDIEN REPORTED THE DEATH OF OUR ANCESTOR ON 25 NOVEMBER 1699.'

THOMAS J. LAFOREST
OUR FRENCH-CANADIAN ANCESTORS : VOLUME VIII, PAGE 213