Fith episode
Our Pépin ancestors

everal individuals having Pépin as their family name came to North America. Of these people, three gave birth to the Pépin families and various derivatives: Lachance, Laforce and others.

Antoine Pépin dit Lachance (1636-1703) and Marie Teste ( -1701)

Antoine was born in Havre, in Normandy, in 1636. In January 1655, he obtained a concession for some land that was included in the Châtellenie de Coulonge (now Sillery) and some more land in the Lauzon seigniory from the former governor, Louis d’Ailleboust. On June 24, 1659, Antoine Pépin dit Lachance acquired a piece of land located in Sainte-Famille on the Île d’Orléans and he married Marie Teste in Notre-Dame Church in Quebec on November 24 that same year. The couple had 12 children. He died in 1703 and was buried in the cemetery of the Parish of Sainte-Famille on Île d’Orléans. Marie Teste passed away before him in 1701.

Although most of the descendants of Antoine and Marie Teste go by the name Lachance, some kept the family name Pépin or Pépin dit Lachance.


Guillaume Pépin (c1607-1697) and Jeanne Meschin (c1630-c1677)

Guillaume was probably born in France in about 1607. It is known that he was in Trois-Rivières in 1642 since he purchased a book at the auction of the property of Jean Nicolet. There, he married Jeanne Meschin in about 1645; the couple had 13 children.

A large landowner, Guillaume Pépin exercised a great deal of influence over the entire Trois-Rivières area, which he also had the honour to represent on the Sovereign Council of New France. He died on August 11, 1697, at the home of his son Pierre Pépin dit Laforce who lived in what is now known as Saint-Grégoire de Nicolet. His remains were returned to Trois-Rivières and buried in the local cemetery.

Although most of his descendants go by the name Pépin, they also include members of the Laforce family descended from Guillaume through his son Pierre.


Robert Pépin (c1643-c1686) and Marie Creste (1657-1722)

Robert has no known family name that could have set him apart from the others of the same name. He was born in Grisy, Normandy, in about 1643. He was in Quebec in 1668, where he worked as a master roofer.

On January 20, 1669, he acquired a piece of land in Beauport and married Marie Creste in Notre-Dame Church in Quebec on November 4, 1670. The couple had seven children. The family lived in Beauport until Robert purchased a house near the hospital in Quebec on March 20, 1679. Robert Pépin’s skills as a master roofer were sought after and he was most likely highly qualified since the Jesuits, Ursulines, Récollets and many others signed contracts with him. In most cases, the roofs were made of slate.

Robert died in his early 40s in 1686.


Email: pepin.familles@videotron.ca
Internet site: http://pages.infinit.net/afp

To be continued on June 17, 2003, with the Association des familles Parenteau.