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Urbain Tessier dit Lavigne is one of the original settlers of Ville Marie (now Montreal). He was born abt. 1625 in the Province of Anjou, France.It seems he was a determined man who would not allow the Iroquois to squash his dream of settling in New France. He was a worker on the stockade surrounding the fort and helped to build houses and other community buildings from the rough land of bush. He was a sawyer by trade. He was given a land grant in January 1648 in Ville Marie. On September 28, 1648 he wed Marie Archambault with the permission of her parents as she is only 13 years old. She was born on February 24, 1635 in France and imigrated to New France with her whole family. The Archambault family were among the earliest families to emigrate to New France. They arrived in 1645 leaving behind considerable wealth in France. Jacques Archambault dug wells and farmed. He would live a very long life in New France. |  The Coat of Arms for the Provice on Anjou, France |
Jean Tessier dit Lavigne born June 14, 1663 in Montreal after his fathers release from the Iroquois, married three times. First to Jeanne Leber on November 21, 1686 in Laprairie, Quebec. One son, Paul, was born November 5, 1687 to this marriage but died just 4 days later. Jeanne died one month later on December 4, 1687. A tragic year for Jean.
His godparents were Jean Baptiste Bonhomme and Marie Amable Roy dit Lapensee. On February 19, 1791 in Quebec he married Felicite Mallet daughter of Joseph Mallet and Angelique Tabeau dit Lepetitleville. Felicitie was born November 12, 1777 in Lachine. I do not yet know all the children from this marriage. 
Jean Baptiste Tessier dit Lavigne was born September 5, 1794 in Lachine, Quebec. He married Genevieve Amable Balan dit LaCombe on February 12, 1821 in Ste Madeleine de Rigaud. She was born on December 24, 1794 in Pointe Clarie, daughter of Captain Jean Baptiste Balan dit LaCombe and Genevieve Amable Lefebvre dit Laciseray. They lived Rigaud where 10 children were born; Genevieve, Felicite, Jean Baptiste David, Virginie, Francois, Emelie, Augustine, Isidore, Edmond, and an unamed child who died at birth. Jean Baptiste was a farmer and died at the age of 53 on April 17, 1847 in Rigaud and Genevieve followed just 5 years later at the age of 58 on September 25, 1852.
Virginie Courville married Adolphuse Belair on May 2, 1899 in Ste Justine de Newton, Quebec. Adolphuse was the son of Joseph Belair and Salomee Theoret. He was a "ferbantier de la paroisse St-Joachim de la Chute a Blondeau" according to his occupation written in their marriage entry. They would have a few different homes moving across the Ontario/Quebec border likely as jobs came available for Adolphus. 
In around the year 1914 they moved their family to Windsor, Ontario where they raised 4 children. Adolphus for a time had his own shop where he did metal work but after the death of Virginie on July 7, 1935 he moved back to Glen Robertson and remarried his first cousin Rosina Sabourin. Adolphus and Rosina's mothers were sisters. Virginie Courville's spirit lives on in many grandchildren and great grandchildren all over the Canada and the United States. Adolphus picture is on the right>>>
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