Surname Saturday - Abraham dit Desmarais

Rene Abraham dit Desmarais, 1654 - 1716?

Rene Abraham was born in France to Jean Abraham and Jeanne Brassard. 

Arriving in Quebec sometime before 1671, Rene married his first wife Jeanne Blondeau, a Fille de Roi (Kings Daughter), one of many women sent by the King of France to marry the many male immigrants and to help populate New France.  The marriage took place in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec in November of 1761.  They had at least two sons, Jean-Baptiste born in 1674 and died a young adult in January of 1699, and Rene born in 1678.

Jeanne Blondeau died in November of 1680 just two years after her son Rene was born. It appears that the elder Rene did not marry again until 1690, when he married Marguerite Girard, also a Fille de Roi and the widow of Pierre Forcier, killed in an invasion by the Iroquois in 1689. Interestingly, I am also descended from Pierre Forcier and Marguerite Girard, through their son Joseph.

Marguerite had several children by her first marriage when she became Rene’s wife. Rene and Marguerite went on to have more children, including Pierre born in 1691, and Jean Baptiste who was born in 1696.

 List of King's Daughters

Understanding dit names

Rene Abraham dit Desmarais (1645 - 1716)
7th great-grandfather

Pierre Abraham Desmarais (1691 - 1759)

Joseph Abraham dit Desmarais (1717 - 1785)

Joseph Abraham dit Desmarais (1748 - 1810)
Francois Abraham dit Desmarais (1794 - 1836)

Francois Abraham Desmarais (1826 - 1903)
Gustave Desmarais (1853 - 1922)

Alphee Hubal Desmarais (1886 - 1967)
(My maternal grandfather)
Related post about Alphee Hubal Desmarais