The saga starts with a marriage contract dated February 1710. One of my early finds in genealogy was the marriage contract between Michel Robineau dit Desmoulins and Louise Baron. I was able to find the contract at the “Bibliotheque et Archives Nationals du Quebec” (BanQ) and ordered a copy.When i received it, i noted it was written in “old ” french by a notary/lawyer. After consulting a paleographer (an expert in ancient, and not so ancient, writing systems), i received a copy that was easier to read. In the contract, Micheal tells us that his parents are Simon Robineau and Anne Robineau (Larcher) and that he was baptised at S. Roch church in Paris in 1683.
The interesting point is that “all” family trees i have found (i have not noticed any variation) in my line of Robineau’s end at Anne and Simon as Michael’s parents. There is no genealogical proof that that Simon and Anne are Michael’s parent and none that they even existed. That was until last weekend.
I went for a visit to the Societe Canadienne Francaise de Genealogie in Montreal. While there i learned another genealogical lesson: Go back and visit websites you have visited in the past. Sometimes , new information is added. The very helpful researcher suggested we check the site (http://www.fichierorigine.com/recherche?numero=016053) and i found the attached document. I have no idea who found this transcribed document but it provides some evidence that someone named Simon Robineau and Anne Robineau (Larche) actually existed and lived close to St Roch church where Michel Robineau says he was baptized.
The document indicates the following:
- Michel Robineau is the son of Simon Robineau and Anne Robineau (Larcher) (my comment: still not proof);
- the date of the transaction is August 13, 1604 and relates to a leasing transaction;
- Simon Robineau is a fruit merchant;
- Simon and his wife live in Fauxbourg St. Denis a la Croix Depardieu in St. Laurent parish (my comment: this church is very close to St. Roch church where Michel says he was baptised in 1683);
- They leased a fruit selling stand from Denis Francois;
- The cost was 29 L 10 sols for each term (Does that reveal anything about their social status?, further research required);
- No one signed , as they could not write. (My comment: But Michel signed his marriage contract in 1710).
