Michel Jubinville dit St-Michel
The Soldier from Paris (c.1671 - 1718)
Michel Jubinville chose the life of a soldier over following in his father's footsteps. While we don't know the exact reasons for his choice, he eventually became a part of the Marine Companies (Compagnies Franches de la Marine) sent by the King of France to protect the young colony of New France.
Michel declared he was 35 at his marriage in 1706, placing his birth around 1671. By 1689, he would have been 18 - the ideal age for military service. His captain, Duplessis-Faber, arrived in New France in 1689, making it highly probable that Michel crossed the Atlantic that same year.
A Captain's Witness
When Michel signed his marriage contract before Royal Notary Michel LePailleur on June 7, 1706, his captain, François Lefebvre Sieur Duplessis-Faber, was present as a witness.
Interestingly, records show that Duplessis-Faber was a man of high standing but fiery temper; in 1689, he was imprisoned for a duel with another captain. On the very day he stood as witness for Michel, King Louis XIV was in the process of declining the Captain's request for a promotion - a bit of historical irony Michel likely never knew.
Life as an "Habitant"
After his military career, Michel settled on the island of Montreal and turned his hand to farming. He married Marguerite Barbeau, and together they had seven children - four sons and three daughters - all baptized at Notre-Dame Parish.
- Father Boufendeau, Notre-Dame Parish Record
Michel died on December 15, 1718. He was approximately 47 years old. He was laid to rest in a cemetery near what is now Pointe-à-Callière in Old Montréal - a site that has since been reclaimed by the modern city.