Confirmation documents verify that Jacques II had immigrated from France to Saint-Augustin, Quebec, Canada by 5/1/1662, although his exact date of arrival is unknown. It is likely that he arrived during a period of relative peace between England and France, when ships carrying men and supplies were allowed into Canada to replenish growing, Jesuit-governed settlements. Jacques obtained land from the Jesuits in 1665, and for five years appeared to make his living buying and selling woodlands. On 3/4/1670, Jacques bought farmland on the Riviere-aux-Roches, and in 1677 he married the widow of his neighbor, Michel L'Homme. She brought eight children to the marriage, which Jacques raised as his own. Jacques is the only Lemeilleur that came to Canada at the beginning of the colonial period and stayed, thus becoming the only root of all the Lemeilleur's or Meilleur's in Canada. A cousin, Pierre Lemeilleur, originating from Normandy, appears in some records, but he was childless and none of his descendents are found in any record. Jacques was a settler, land-clearer and ploughman, owning or co-owning four farms.
Jacques married Marie-Barb VALADE, daughter of Andre VALADE and Sarah COUSSEAU, on 28 Jan 1677 in Notre-Dame-Des-Anges, Quebec, Canada.1 (Marie-Barb VALADE was born in 1641 in La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, France, died in Mar 1724 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada and was buried on 8 Mar 1724 in Notre Dame, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada 6.)
Register of Notre-Dame-des-Anges, Quebec (Parish record). Surety: 4. M - 843 The twenty-eight day of the month of January, sixteen-hundred seventy-seven after the engagement and publication of three wedding bans made on the tenth seventeenth and twenty- fourth of the month of January between Jacques LeMeilleur residing in the coste St-Anges, son of Jacques LeMeilleur and Catherine Boulanger his father and mother from one part and marie valade widow of deceased Michel L'Homme farmer residing at the Coste St-Anges, and having uncovered any impediment Mgr. Cyprien DeFort missionary priest from Québec Seminary married them in the Coste St-Anges in the presence of Mathieu Amyot Sr de Villeneuve Charles Amyot his son, Tubal Cotin (Dugal) and François Mutran known witnesses all farmers of the Coste st-Anges.
H. de Bernières
Meilleur, Viateur [translated by Simone Bernier Meilleur], Meilleur Family Genealogy (Publishing info unknown). Surety: 3. The Census of 1681 gives the following indication:
Québec, Seigneurie De Maure:
Jacques Lemeilleur, 45 years, Marie Valade, his wife (widow of Michel L'Homme) 40 years; children: Michel (L'Homme) 21 years; Barbe (L'Homme) 11 years; Marie (L'Homme) 9 years. Six "arpents in value".
The Census gives Jacques Lemeilleur, 45 years of age, which is an error, having been born in 1630; he would be 51 years in 1681. He must of established his residence - at least for a while - at Charlesbourg (which made part of the Jesuit's Seigneurie of Notre-Dame-des-Anges) as his two children were born in this locality in 1678. On the other hand, he without a doubt, stayed long enough at the Seigneurie De Maure at Cap Rouge, as attests the marriage contract of Barbe L'Homme, one of his wife's daughters, taking place in front of H.R. Genaple n.r. September 3, 1690 where it is said that:
Jacques Lemeilleur and Marie Valade, farmers from the Seigneurie De Maure. They promise to lodge with them, in their home, for six months and to "square-off>" some wood for next winter, to build a house 26 feet by 16, to render "this" wood on the edge of the river "ready to make" Cajeux.
Ibid. Surety: 3. It [Jacques] is the only Lemeilleur that came to Canada at the beginning of the colony and stayed. He is then the only root of all the Lemeilleur's or Meilleur's in Canada.
Emile Vaillancourt, in "La Conquête du Canada par les Normands" mentions about a Pierre Lemeilleur, originating from Fécamp, Normandy, who would of come to Canada and would of been confirmed at Québec on May 1, 1662 at the same time as Jacques but he was without marriage and none of his possible descendants were ever found in the Registers. He was probably a cousin of Jacques but he must of returned to France.
Ibid. Surety: 3. Jacques Lemeilleur had, with Marie-Barbe Valade two children, of which here are their Baptism Certificates:
Marguerite: B. - 9 January 1678 born before yesterday baptised in the house of hats, côte de la ferté Charlesbourg. Godfather: Laurent Herman, Godmother: Marguerite Grattebon. Shed died the same day.
Jean: B - 29 December 1678. Born the 13 baptised at cap à goulet (Notre-Dame-des-Anges register). Jacques a cap à goulet farmer.
Until today, it has been impossible to locate exactly the "cote de la ferté", and the "cap à goulet".
We see that Marguerite's godfather was called Laurent Herman dit Armand which, while Jacques occupied his farms from the côte St-Michel, was found to be his fourth neighbour until 1667. His farm has previously belonged for two months (March 4, 1663 - May 25 1663) to Jean Lebouleteux. This Jean Lebouleteux (or Bouleteau) dit Leclaire dwelled L'île d'Orléans and was known by the name Leclaire dit Bouteleau.
5 Ibid. Surety: 3. What date did he die? It is difficult to say, positively, the Charlesbourg registers having burnt for the years 1696-1699. In any case, he was present at Barbe L'Homme's marriage, September 3, 1690; on November 23, 1694, he was witness at his niece's marriage, Marie Valade, daughter of Guillaume and Françoise Asselin and married to Jacques Baillard, soldier, at Notre-Dame of Québec. But after recents researches from Montreal's University, Jacques LeMeilleur would have died at Hotel-Dieu Quebec Hospital at 70 years old, may 19, 1700 (vol. 8).
Notre Dame, Quebec Burial Register. Surety: 4. On March eight, 1724 buried in the cemetery of this locality, Marie....... widow of ...... Lemeilleur, deceased the previous day aged approximately 80 years after having received all the Sacraments, present François le Vitre and others.