Urbain Baudreau dit Greveline

Urbain Baudreau dit Greveline was born on 3 May 1633. The supplied family account identifies his parents as Jean Beaudreau and Marie Chaveau and places his birth at Gravelines, France. It further explains that variants of his later name, including Graveline and Gravelines, were associated with that place; the reason for the differing spellings is not known.

Genealogist René Jetté records that Urbain was engaged at La Flèche on 20 May 1653 and arrived at Montréal on 16 November 1653. A family-history essay gives a more detailed account of the voyage, stating that he was one of the recruits brought to New France for Montréal in 1653, traveled aboard the St Nicholas, and assisted Sister Marguerite Bourgeoys and others in caring for ill passengers. That account also says that he returned to France when his five-year engagement ended in 1658 and came back to Montréal in 1659 to settle permanently. These details should be treated as the account’s presentation unless supported by additional records.

The supplied notes state that Urbain was chosen as a corporal in the Holy Family Militia in 1663. Jetté identifies him as syndic of the inhabitants of Montréal in 1664 and 1666. A family-history account additionally describes him as a trustee and procurator for the colony during the 1660s.

On 20 October 1664, Urbain married Marguerite (Mathurine) Juillet. The supplied account identifies her as the daughter of Blaise Juillet and gives her age at marriage as about fifteen. Their eight named children were Gabriel, born 24 July 1666; Marie Ursula, born 8 December 1668; Jean Baptiste dit Graveline, born 18 May 1671; Elizabeth, born 3 May 1673; Marie Ann, born 29 August 1675; Paul, born 19 May 1682; Marie Madeline, born 9 June 1686; and Jean, born 13 June 1690.

The family-history essay states that Urbain and his sons were involved in the fur trade and that he acquired several properties. It reports that in 1687 he purchased two lots on Notre Dame Street near the present Bonsecours Chapel and built an in-town house there. It also places him on a rural farming property known in the account as the Hills of St Francis, east of Montréal. In December 1689, according to that account, he bought land on the east side of St Gabriel Street between Notre Dame and St Therese streets and later sold it to his future son-in-law, Pierre Ducharme.

Urbain died on 18 January 1695, according to the supplied family account. The life dates provided for this profile give his death year as 1695.