Tenth episode
Jean Lemire and Louise Marsolet


ean Lemire, originally from Saint-Vivier (St-Vivien), diocese of Rouen, France, son of Mathurin Lemire and Jeanne Vannier, married Louise Marsolet, daughter of Nicolas Marsolet and Marie Le Barbier on October 20, 1653, at Quebec. He was 28 years old at the time; she was 13 and a half.

A skilful carpenter, well qualified for his trade, a talented and honest man of above average intelligence, he quickly conquered the Sovereign Council, the city of Quebec, and even the entire country.

D’Avaugour held him in high esteem. On November 9, 1661, he appointed Lemire?king’s carpenter, special overseer, scaler and inspector of wooden structures?. As such, he was responsible for supervising and managing major work for the Château Saint-Louis, the presbytery, the Council brigantine and other projects.

On November 14, 1663, the Mayor and the two municipal councilors of Quebec resigned from their positions. The city replaced them with a single trustee who was solely responsible for?preserving the rights of the community and the public interest?. No one was better qualified than Jean Lemire for this position of trust and he performed his duties so well that he was re-elected on March 28, 1667.

He provided valuable services to the young colony, particularly by protecting it against the odious monopoly of the West India Company, which became an obstacle to colonization and even a cause for demoralization through the alcohol trade. On October 30, 1668, he proposed the following motion to the Sovereign Council and had it approved:?Based on representations to the Sovereign Council by Jean Le Mire, trustee for the inhabitants of this land, it has been decided that a letter will be written to Monsignor Colbert asking that trade be free for all people living in this country. And if that is not possible, that he be asked to reconsider his decision to form the company proposed last year by Mr. Talon. That he also be asked to authorize those who will be responsible for trade in the country to give the inhabitants the supplies they require at a price more modest than past prices. He also asked the Council?to withdraw the liberty all these merchants have had until the present to trade in these drinks (alcohol) as much as they wanted.? The request was granted.

Jean Lemire died in Quebec in 1684. This upstanding citizen was blessed with numerous descendents. Of the sixteen children the couple had, nine became heads of large families: three boys and six daughters.

For more information about the Lemire families, consult the Association des familles Lemire d’Amérique Inc.: http://genealogie.org/famille/lemire.

To be continued on August 26, 2003, with the Association des familles Chalifour.