Generation I

NOTE: In some records Marguerite (1.2) is known as Marguerite Louise Judith DOUCET.

NOTE: Bona Arsenault listed Marie LANDRY and Marguerite LANDRY as wives of Germain DOUCET (1.4). Germain was only married once, to Marie LANDRY.

There are various accounts in print and in the genealogical records of the descendants of Germain DOUCET pertaining to his birth, the name of his wife/wives and the names of his children. Below are four notes pertaining to these issues.

NOTE 1: The birth of Germain Doucet: There are various accounts about the date and place of the birth of Germain:

According to Stephen White, Dictionnaire Genealogique des Familles Acadiennes, published 1999, there isn’t a specific birth year that can be attributed to Germain. It is unknown where the early genealogical researchers came up with the year of 1595. Presuming that they had some basis for their statements, it is proper to either not include a birth year or use “about 1595” rather than a specific year.

Again, according to Stephen White, Germain was born at Couperans en Brie or Conflans en Brye. Researcher/Genealogist F. René; Perron, of Sèvres, France, states that La Verdure, the fiefdom of Germain, is located in Champagne Brie, ten kilometers north of La Ferte-Gaucher. La Ferte-Gaucher is located about 45 miles east of Paris in Seine-et-Marne Department.

NOTE 2: The wife/wives of Germain Doucet: There is speculation as to whether Germain was married once or more than once. Various names/circumstances appear as to his wife or wives:

* He married Marie Bourgeois, daughter of Jacques Bourgeois (and Marguerite Bourgeois).
* He married Marie Bourgeois dit Grandjehan about 1620 in Nova Scotia.
* He married Marie Bourgeois about 1620 in Bue, France.
* He married name unknown, sister of Jacques Bourgeois (or sister of Jacques Bourgeois’s wife).
* He married an unknown Bourgeois.
* He married an unknown Trahan, daughter (or possibly daughter) of Guillaume Trahan.
* He married an unknown Grandjehan.
* He married first an unknown Trahan (about 1620) and married second Marie Bourgeois.

According to Stephen White, the name of the wife or wives of Germain has never been known. Several early writers, such as Bona Arsenault, Histoire et Genealogie des Acadiens, and Adrien Bergeron, Le Grand Arrangement des Acadiens au Quebec, have stated that the wife was Marie Bourgeios, given the documented fact that Germain Doucet and Jacques (Jacob) Bourgeois were brothers-in-law. In his notes, Stephen White states: “It is not possible that the mother of the children of Germain Doucet is a sister of Jacques Bourgeois' wife, as certain authors have proposed, being given that the in-laws of Jacques Bourgeois didn't get married until 1627. There exists the possibility that Germain Doucet nevertheless married, in second nuptials, to a daughter of Guillaume Trahan who gave him no surviving children; but it is as possible that such a second wife is the sister of Jacques Bourgeois and not the sister of his wife. (See SGCF Vol VI, p 372.)

NOTE 3: The parentage of Germain Doucet (born about1641): Bona Arsenault and others list Germain DOUCET (born about 1641) as the son of Pierre DOUCET (born about 1621). However, according to a dispensation granted by the Catholic Church, Germain has to be the brother or half-brother of Pierre rather than his son. Below is a summary from Michele Doucette's web site pertaining to this issue. Her web sites are listed below, where you may see her full article. In a letter from Stephen White, dated May 8, 1992, is where the evidence first comes to light that Germain DOUCET (born about 1641 in Port Royal) is not the son of Pierre DOUCET (born about 1621 in France) as previously thought by many, including Adrien Bergeron and Bona Arsenault. Stephen White proves that Germain is the son of Germain DOUCET as a result of dispensations granted by the Catholic Church when descendants of Germain (1641) intermarried with descendants of Pierre (1621). A dispensation in the 3rd degree was granted Nov 26, 1726, at Port-Royal to Germain DOUCET (grandson of Germain (1641)) to marry Françoise COMEAU (granddaughter of Pierre). In reviewing Le Grand Arrangement Des Acadiens au Québec and Histoire et Généalogie des Acadiens, there are the following individuals named Germain DOUCET:

* Germain DOUCET dit LaVerdure (born about 1595 in France).
* Germain DOUCET (born about 1641 in Port Royal) married 1664 Marie Marguerite LANDRY (René LANDRY and Pérrine BOURG).
* Germain DOUCET (born 1698) married 26 November 1726 Françoise COMEAU (Alexandre COMEAU and Marguerite DOUCET).
* Germain DOUCET (born 1721) married Françoise LaPIERRE in Québec.

Germain DOUCET (1641) and Marie Marguerite LANDRY had a son Charles (born 1665), who married Huguette-Radegonde GUERIN (François GUERIN and Anne BLANCHARD). Charles and Huguette had a son Germain (1698), who married Françoise COMEAU. Pierre DOUCET (1621) and Henriette PELLETRET had a daughter Marguerite (born about 1680), who married Alexandre COMEAU (Étienne COMEAU and Marie LEFEBVRE). Marguerite and Alexandre had a daughter Françoise (born about 1704), who married Germain DOUCET (1698). A Dispensation in the 3rd degree means that the parties involved were second cousins, both parties being of equal descent from a common great-grandparent. The Dispensation granted Nov 26, 1726, at Port-Royal to Germain Doucet (grandson of Germain) to marry Françoise Comeau (granddaughter of Pierre) means that Germain and Françoise were second cousins, having the same common great-grandparent. The common great-grandparent would be Germain Doucet, Sieur de LaVerdure. This granted Dispensation clearly shows, therefore, that Pierre DOUCET (1621) was the brother or half brother of Germain DOUCET (1641), as opposed to what most historians have speculated.

NOTE 4: The children of Germain Doucet: According to Stephen White, the children born to Germain Doucet were as follows:

* Pierre born about 1621; married about 1660 Henriette Pelletret (Simon and Perrine Bourg).
* Marguerite born about 1625; married about 1647 Abraham Dugas.
* daughter; married about 1650 Pierre LeJeune dit Briard.
* Germain born about 1641; married about 1664 Marie Landry (René and Perrine Bourg).

Michele Doucette has two web sites with information pertaining to Germain Doucet:

Michele's Information re Germain Doucet

Michele's Updated Information re Germain Doucet

+	1. Pierre DOUCET	b about 1621		DGFA
		m about 1660	Henriette PELLETRET	DGFA
+	2. Marguerite DOUCET	b about 1625		DGFA
		m about 1647	Abraham DUGAS	DGFA
+	3. girl DOUCET	b		DGFA
		m about 1650	Pierre LeJEUNE dit Briard	DGFA
+	4. Germain DOUCET	b about 1641		DGFA
		m about 1664	Marie LANDRY	Ar(2) v2, p506

GERMAIN DOUCET - GENERATION IUpdated 08/30/2007

GERMAIN DOUCET - GENERATION I
Updated 08/30/2007