Chartier, Etienne

Source: The Chartier Families, Me Jean (Chartier) Robert, Pg27-28:

Etienne Chartier, the youngest son of Guillaume, although bornon the land which faced the St. Lawrence River, followed hisparents to live a few years in Point-aux-Trembles village.Thereafter, Etienne became an apprentice in farm work. Now,wherever Etienne started to work on farms, one fact is now certain,his apprenticeship was completed on his brother Robert's landfrom 1707 up until the time of his own marriage. This may bededuced from the records of a small affair that happened inthe last few days of February or the first few days of March
1708, when Etienne was 19 years old.

Full particulars may or may not be found in the judiciary records.What we know is contained in a transaction passed before NotaryNicolas Senet of Point-aux-Trembles on March 5, 1708, in whichEtienne and Robert Chartier are both designated as residingat St Leonard Hill. According to this deed, Pierre Chouinard-called-LeGiroflee, an ex-soldier who was 40 years of age had an altercationwith Etienne Chartier. Robert Chattier came to help his brotherand Chouinard found himself at the doctor's office (Dr. ReneGaucher of Point-aux-Trembles), where his numerous bruises andbodily injuries brought a bill of 25 pounds. Ghouibard, thereafter,registered an official complaint in Montreal to the Lt-Generalin civil and criminal matters and the Judge of the SuperiorCourt, where a pre-hearing was heard and where the King's attorneyconcluded by issuing a summons. In the mean time, probably throughPierre Chartier's efforts where he obtained information fromfriends at court, the Reverend fathers of St Sulpice decidedto try to mediate the dispute between the parties. As seigniorsthey first asked for a suspension of the proceedings. ThenAbbe Francois Legendre of the Seminary of Montreal with hishelper Jean-Baptiste Beaumont made the trip to Pointe-aux-Trembles,knocking first at the church doors where Abbe Etienne Cuvier,the rector, was requested to bring his additional help. Threeof them were probably not enough since young Chartiers are famousfor being slightly stubborn (''We have been attacked..He deservedit...We are ready to sustain a trial..'' Others knew better).Finally, an agreement was reached and the deed concerning itoccurred at St Leonard Hill in the house of Pierre Goguest,a neighbor. Besides the parties, the notary, the ecclesiasticsand the said Goguet, Jacques Paye-called-Lafleur and Dr. ReneGaucher were also present, that is ten persons in all. JeanSabourin, brother-in-law to Etienne and Robert, voluntarilyintervened in the contract which placed him and the others alongthe side of the Chartier brothers which made them solely responsiblefor the payment of 15O pounds (125 pounds to Chouinard and 25pounds to the surgeon). The story does not tell who actuallypaid the money. We feel, however, that this event reminded bigbrother Pierre who lived in Montreal of a similar event... Thepayment was completed only on November 18, 1708 and a generalrelease was then signed before the same notary.

In each document, Etienne Chartier is designated as residingat St Leonard Hill (which means at his brother's farm). Forany service they both had
elected domicile at the house of Nicolas Perthuy, merchant ofMontreal, established on St Paul St.

At the age of 24 (1712), Etienne Chattier married Jeanne Drapeauof the Parish of Riviere-des-prairies, and this marriage wassurely helped by the fact that from where be lived on his brotherlyfarm was only about one mile away from Riviere-des-prairies.About that time, he received a land grant from the seigniors.It was located on Laval Island, inside the limits of St Francois-de-Sales,facing, therefore, the village of Riviere-des-prairies. Withthe ferry this village was closer than St Francois and thismay explain why during the first 10 years most of the birthsof his children were registered on the other side of
Prairie River rather than on Laval Island.

In 1722, Etienne Chartier sold his concession to obtain landlocated on the south part of St Leonard Hill where his housewas directly facing that of his brother Robert Chartier. Thereafter,in many documents, such as releases given in 1735-37 about theestate of his oldest brother, the late Pierre Chartier, Etienneis designated as residing at S. Leonard Hill. We feel thatin 1741, Etienne sold his land to his oldest son Joseph Chartier,and moved to the village of Point-aux-Trembles where he boughta house. According to the 1781 census, where Joseph is designatedas the owner, the land on St Leonard Hill was 54 acres (3x18)and was cleared of trees to the extent of 25 acres. This landis now occupied by he Esso Refineries. It is probably therethat the other brothers Charles Chartier and Jean-Baptiste Chartierhad their farming apprenticeships.

At Point-aux-Trembles there was plenty of room to receive thechildren and grandchildren since only one daughter was stillat home. Furthermore, Etienne lived 89 years and even knewmany of his great grandchildren.