The ancestor ABEL TURCOTTE
(The first TURCOTTE to come to New France)

Abel Turcotte arrived in the country in 1662. He came from Mouilleron in France, Fontenay-le-Comte District, bishopric of Maillezais, Poitou (Vendée). He sailed for New France from the port of Larochelle. He was a miller by trade. He settled at Château-Richer, near Quebec City. In the fall of the same year, he married Marie Giroux, a native of the Tremblade, Diocese of Larochelle in Aunis. The marriage took place on November 27 at Notre-Dame de la Visitation Church in Château-Richer. He was 31 years old, Marie was only 21.

They stayed a few years at this location, then in 1666, they moved to the isle of Orleans, the parish of Sainte Famille. He acquired a lot of goods and animals, but suddenly found himself faced with a huge debt to pay. To help him, the Bishop of Laval named him launderer to priests and their servants. A man of honor, he worked hard, paid off his debt and died leaving assets, not debt.

Abel and Marie had several children: six girls and two boys. Their descendants settled mainly on the isle of Orleans. A number, however, soon moved to the Beauce, they became numerous. One can say that today Turcottes are prevalent throughout Canada and the United States.

It was one of his descendants, Louis-Philippe who, following an accident that almost cost him his life, in his spare time, wrote about historical event on Isle of Orleans for the newspaper. Two interesting volumes: THE HISTORY OF L'ILE D'ORLEANS and CANADA UNDER THE UNION are the result of his research and his work.

In the third centenary of Quebec City, two Turcotte families were officially honoured. François-Xavier of Sainte Famille and Joseph of Saint Jean. They were awarded medals for owning the same land, which had been passed down from father to son for two hundred years.

On June 17, 1979, all Turcottes were invited to a family reunion on the ancestral farm. A monument was unveiled, on the side of the road, a distance from the village of Ste Famille.

Abel was buried at Sainte Famille, Isle of Orleans, on September 17, 1687. (At 55 years old). Marie died on February 23, 1713 at 73 years of age.