A Marriageable Young Girl
Francoise Capel
(1626-1699)
Francoise Capel was born about 1626 at Cesny-aux-Vignes, Caen, Calvedos, Normandy, France; the daughter of Julien Capel and Laurens Lecompte.  Unlike the other  Filles A Marier, Francoise was not under contract to a future husband, but to the Church; and arrived in the small French Colony in 1650 to begin training with the Ursuline Sisters, in hopes of becoming a nun. 

However, an event would take place that may have helped her to change her mind.  On December 30,  1650; a fire broke out in the convent and Francoise, along with fourteen other women, fled from the building in terror.  Soon after, in the journal of 
Mother Marie de l'Incarnation, there is the following notation:  "The Sister de Saint-Michel, Francoise Capel, left the Ursulines to go and live at the home of Madamoiselle de Grandmaison." At that time Eleanore Grandmaison was widowed from Francois de Chavigny, and needed help with her seven young children; all under the age of ten. 

Francoise Capel would marry three times; the first to Jean Turcotte from Fontenay-Le-Comte, Maillezais, Poitou, France; which took place on April 25, 1651 at Trois-Rivieres.  On August 19, 1652; Jean was captured and later killed by the Iroqouis; a month before the birth of their only child:

Jacques Capel Turcotte - Was born on September 04, 1652 at Trois-Rivieres and died on April 06, 1699 at Batiscan.  He became a carpenter and judge; marrying Marie-Anne Desrosier; daughter of Antoine Desrosier and Anne Leneuf.  The couple would have twelve children: Etienne, Alexis-Jacques, Marie-Jacquette, Marie-Madeleine, Jacques-Francois, Anne, Marie-Francoise, Alexis, Antoine, Therese, Marie-Jeanne and Joseph.

Francoise would then marry Jacques Lucas (aka: Lepine) from Port-en-Bessin, Normandy, France; son of Martin Lucas and Rene Houbart; on November 09, 1653 at Trois-Rivieres.  Jacques too was killed by the Iroquois on September 12, 1659.  They would have two children:

Marie Capel Lepine Lucas - Was born on January 22, 1655 at Trois-Rivieres and died unknown in Batiscan.  She married Louis Fafard; son of Bertrand Fafard and Marie Sedilot; and the couple had eight children: Joseph, Louis, Alexis-Louis, Jacques, Michel, Marie-Francoise, Marguerite-Therese and Alexis.

Francois Capel Lepine Lucas - Was born on February 24, 1658 at Trois-Rivieres and died on March 15, 1699 in Batiscan.  He married Madeleine Beaudoin; daughter of Rene Beaudoin and Marie Raclos; and the couple had three children: Francois, Alexis and Michel.

After the death of her second husband; Francoise Capel would marry for a third time to Jacques Marchand from Caen, Calvedos, Bayeux, Normandy, France; on February 01, 1660; and the couple would have three children.  He died on October 06, 1695 in Batiscan and Francoise followed on April 19, 1699.

Marie-Madeleine Capel Marchand - Was born on December 12, 1660 at Trois-Rivieres and died on December 15, 1722 in Montreal.  She married Jean Maillet from Limoges, Limousin, France; and the couple had a son Jean-Francois.

Marie-Francoise Capel Marchand - Was born in 1663 and died on February 17, 1740 at Trois-Rivieres.  She married Jean-Baptiste Fafard; another child of Bertrand Fafard and Marie Sedilot, and the couple had five children: Baptiste-Bertrand, Alexis, Marie-Francoise, Jean-Baptiste and Marie-Anne.

Alexis Capel Marchand - Was born about 1666 at Trois-Rivieres and died on May 31, 1738 in Batiscan.  He married twice; 2. Marie-Catherine Rivard; daughter of Nicolas Rivard and Catherine St. Pierre; with whom he had four children: Jeanne, Jean-Baptiste, Alexis and Marie-Catherine.  2.  Jeanne Testard; daughter of Charles Testard and Anne Lamarque with whom he had eight children: two infants who died at birth, Alexis-Didace, Marie-Madeleine, Marguerite, Marie-Anne, Louis-Joseph and Louis-Joachim.
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