I found this posting at the genforum pages and thought it may be helpful. It was helpful for me. My husband descends from Jean Girard (Girardin) originally from Holland.

For those interested in the Girard namesake in the new world (new-france) I would like to

share an article in the La Press, from Montreal that was published in 1993 by Robert Prevost.

Girard: eight pioneers are the roots of the families established in New-France (nouvelle France) but only 5 had decendants. (the article focused on these 5 ancestors and not the 3 others sorry).

1. Joachim Girard
2. Pierre Girard
3. Pierre Girard
4. Léon Girard
5. Jean Girard

It allowed me to trace back my ancestry, with very little blanks. The translation from french is my own and will mostly outline: names, dates and history.

1. Joachim Girard, from the parish of Saint-Cyr du Vaudreuil, close to Rouen, France. Son of Michel and Francoise Anceaume, established his family (married) on September 27 1660 in Quebec city, Quebec with Marie Haley, daugther of Jean-Baptiste and Mathurine Valet. The preceeding January, Marie-Madeleine Legardeur from Repentigny, wife of Jean-Paul Godefroy had given land to the young man (Joachim Girard) 2 x 15 "arpents" (about 382 by 2865 feet) along Sainte-Genevieve, Quebec city. Thus far Joachim was working for his uncle: Jean Jobin. Joachim and Marie had 7 children.

At the census of 1667, 5 were already born, and 1 girl had died. in 1667 he is the proud owner of 10 "arpent" of land, 2 cows. 2 more children will be born before his wife passes away. He will sell his land in 1672, (the article mention his mourning his wife may have precipitated the selling of the land). He then moves to the village of Saint-Bernard, in Charlesbourg. It is there that he re-marries in 1676 with Jeanne Chalut, daugther of Pierre and Marie Bonin. She was the widow of Nicholas Hévé. The new marriage will give life to 9 children.

Four sons, 2 of each marriages will get married and start their own families. Jacques Girard will wed Mathurine Poiré in 1687. Antoine Girard will wed Agnès Trottier also in 1687. Joachim (jr) Girard will wed Marie-Louise lefebvre in 1708 and finally Jean-Baptiste will wed Madeleine Aumier in 1715. The daughters on the other hand will contribute to the lineages of the Fournier, Lemay, Lefebvre and Laporte families.

In 1681, Jaochim Girard, still resides on his land in Charlesbourg. He now has 10 "arpents" and 4 cows. He passes away between 1708 and 1712 (the article mentions that they could find his death certificate). The article mention these facts about the cathedreal in Vaudreuil which still stands today.

It's main portal has double roman style columns. It is situated in a "boulce" along the Seine river, about 20 kilometers south-ouest of Rouen along the shores of the Eure.

There are 2 Pierre Girards

2. Pierre Girard, son of René and Marie Bosnarde from Bures, parish of Sées in Normandy, France. Pierre Girard fathered 2 families in Varennes. Firsty married to Francoise Gratiot around 1681 in Repentigny. She was the daugther of Jacques and Madeleine Michelande. Pierre Girard and Madeleine had 5 children, 3 of which died at birth. His son Jacques Girard wed Francoise Petit in 1710.

He married a second time with a girl called Marguerite Bouchard, daugther of Claude and Marguerite Bénard. They had seven children, which again 4 did not survive... 2 sons did wed: Pierre (jr) Girard wed Marie-Therese Tétreau in 1723 and Jean-Baptiste wed Marguerite Choquet in 1726.

3. The other Pierre Girard (my ancestor)
Son of a farmer: Etienne Girard and Marguerite Gibouleau from "des Sables D'Olonne", in Poitou, France. (the article expands that this area Poitou is a bourg that will eventually become an important touristic area in France due to it's 3 kilometers beach on the Atlantic).

In 1666 the census noted that Pierre Girard working for the Jesuits. He married in 1669 the widow Suzanne Lavoie (also researh showed DeLavoye). Possibly choosing to marry rather than returning to sea, seems he was a naval notary. First 2 sons are born in Quebec city, he then settles in the seignory of Maur (today called

Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures). There 6 other children are born (one in Neuville). Three sons will start their own families. Francois Girard will wed Antoinette Lemay in 1709.

Jean-Pierre Girard will wed Angelique Huard in 1710. Pierre-louis Girard (my great grand father 7 generations ago) will wed Rosalie Tremblay in 1711.

The article end here but the following is what we have as records (and more) our own research also shows he married again in 1714 to Marguerite Tardif... this is accurate, but I do not have the "blanks" between the 3 years: did Rosalie die? Did they have children? What we do know from there:

Pierre-Louis Girard wed Marguerite Tardif April 10, 1714
Son Jerome Girard wed Marie-Catherine Tremblay January 17, 1747
Son Jerome (jr) Girard wed Marguerite Tremblay November 16, 1784
Son Zacharie Girard wed Judith Coté, Februiary 16, 1819
Son Frtnacois Girard wed Mina Tremblay April 21, 1857
Son Alexandre Girard wed Elodie Tremblay, February 10, 1896
Son Charles Edouard Girard wed Carmen Villeneuve August 27, 1941 (my grand father)
Son Gilles Edouard Girard wed Pierrette Berger, September 10 1966 (my parents)
me

4. Leon Girard
Léon Girard, son of Jean and Marie Martin, from Aujac close to Saint-Jean-d'Angély. In 1688, Léon Girard will wed Clémence Beaune, daugther of Jean and Marie-Madeleine Bourgery.

They will have eight children, all born in Lachine, Quebec. The 4 sons had no male children, the 4 daugthers married into the families of Quesnel, Valois, Brunet and Cécire.

In 1704 Léon Girard lost his wife (Clémence) to sickness, he re-married in 1705 but had no children. He was captain of the milicia then.

5. Jean Girard
The dutch connection.... Jean Girard, dutch sailor from Harlem, close to Amsterdam, Holland.

Was briefly engaged to an unammed widow, but the marriage contrat was annulled. Arrived in the new-france. Jean Girard wed Dorothée Rancin, daugther of Charles and Francoise Conflan in 1694, in Quebec city.

Jean Girard had 6 children, 3 sons and 3 daugthers. Two sons married and had children of their own. Francois Girard wed Marie-Reine Lachaine in 1722 and Louis Girard wed Catherine

Rouillard in 1727. Jean Girard was widowed in december 1702 but re-married in April 1703 in Charlesbourg with Catherine Bourret, daugther of Gilles and Marie Bellehache. Catherine already had 9 children when they wed, 2 sons carried the Girard name from this union.

Jean Girard wed Genevieve Delage in 1742 and in 1747, his brother Joseph-Marie Girard wed

Marie-Angélique Dasylva, daugther of Pedro Dasylva (the article mentions that Pedro Dasylva was French Canada's first mailman...)

The four sons: Francois, Louis, Jean and Joseph-Marie had 40 some children, of which 30 or so were boys... many of which died before starting families of their own but the article

suggests that with such high numbers, many of the Girard descendants may be linked to this Dutch ancestor.

The Girards have given many children to the church callings. In the "Mémoires de la Société généalogique canadienne-francaise (vol. XII p.171) it is noted that the family of

Jean-Baptiste Girard (5th genaration descendant of Joachim Girard) and his wife Francoise

Maranda, was noted in the 1959 that this family had "produced" 15 priests, 2 missionaires, 5 monks or brothers and 65 nuns."

The article end there. I hope you enjoyed this.

***This was posted on the genforum.genealogy.com by a Charles Girard.

As I mentioned before my husband descends from the Jean Girard line and I would be interested in corresponding with others who descending from that line.