Individual Details

!The second son of Jean Francois Allard and Genevieve Dauphin was a very adventurous person as you shall note. Because of his adventurous life as a coureur de bois (traveler in the wilderness) as a fur trader, he did not marry until he was thirty-four years old. Gabriel had an adventurous spirit and in his younger days was occupied actively in the fur trade which at one time except for farming was the chief means of employment for the offspring of the numerous families. This trading was done in the area around the Great Lakes reaching as far as Green Bay. This area was claimed by the French at that time and was complete wilderness inhabited by Indians. Forts were located at Detroit, Michillimackinac and Green Bay. The vehicle of travel was the canoe paddled by these hardy woodsmen with the help of Indian guides. Numerous men were needed as paddlers for the canoes, trappers to catch the fur bearing animals or trade with the Indians and to transport the furs, merchandise to trade, provisions, etc. to the trading posts in the far flung wilderness of what is now Wisconsin and Michigan. Weapons, tools and equipment were needed. Forts had to be built, and bundles of pelts had to be brought back to Montreal. The aim of these young men was to earn enough money for the purpose of getting married and getting established near their parents or relatives and to satisfy their appetite for adventure. Our ancestor, Gabriel, made nine expeditions between the years 1736 and 1752. A permit was needed from the Governor before embarking on a fur trading mission, therefore these voyages are recorded. (See "Canadian Passports" at the University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Library-Special Collections Section). May 1736, Gabriel Allard was hired by Sir Antoine Busquet for an expedition to Fort Ponchartain at Detroit. May 1738, Gabriel was again hired by Sir Antoine Busquet for an expedition to Fort Michilimakinac. May 1744, Gabriel was hired by Pierre Celoron, for an expedition to Fort Michilim akinac. June 1745, by permit of the governor to Sirs Pierre Desriveres and charles de Courage, to leave Montreal with three canoes with six men to go to the post at Nipigon and its outpost branches. The hired hands consisted of Etienne Parsien, Joseph Ladouceur, Nicolas Robillard, Gabriel Allard, of St. Francis, Francis bobert, to La Prairie of Madeleine. July 1746, he was hired by Louis Ailleboust, Lord of coulonge, and a group to go to Michilimakinac. March 1749, he hired out to Lord Jean-Noel Trottier Desrivieres-Lemoinaudere, to go to Michillimakinac. May 1749, a permit from governor de la Galissionniere, to Jean-Noel Des rivieres, to go from Montreal, with one canoe, with seven men to go to the trading post at Michilimakinac. the purpose to trade at this post and its outposts. The hired hands were Pierre Magnan, of Laprairie, Antoine Bouteller, of Longueuil, Gabriel Allard Francois, Lavigne of Chateauguay, Chaton of Longueuil, an Iroquis of Sault. June 1750, a permit from Governor Jonquiere to Sir de la Corne Saint Luc, lieutenant of the infantry and farmer of the post of Nipigon, to depart from Montreal, with Jean-Baptiste Ladouceur, as guide, with two canoes with six men, each to go to the post at Nipigon, to depart from Montreal, with Jean-Baptiste Ladouceur, as guide. the purpose to do trading necessary at the post. The list of the men and two canoes: Jean-Baptiste Ladouceur, guide; Pierre Ladouceur and Joseph Trottier, of the Bout de I’lle (end of the island), Gabriel Allard, and Joseph Giguere of St. Francois, Antoine and Joseph Latravers, of Sorel, Piere Gagnier and J. Bte. Lafleur, of Laprairie, Joseph Picot, of Assomption, Jean Baptiste Grignon, of Montreal, Francois Quintal, of Boucherville. May 1752, the hiring of Gabriel Allard to Mr. De la Corne of la Colombiere and a group to go to the post of Michilimakinac. If we note the dates of these expeditions, we realize that Canada and the Great Lakes Region were still claimed by France, and the United States only came to be in 1776. Therefore, England was still in control of the colonies of America. We can thus appreciate that our ancestors played a part in opening up civilization in our part of the country with was at that time a wilderness of forests, lakes and rivers, inhabited by the Indians. In 1761, with the family growing up, they moved to Baie-du-Febvre because there was a resident priest stationed there. His name was Jacques Philippe Serrand. On 5 August, 1773 a tragedy occurred. Gabriel's wife, Elizabeth Proulx and their twenty year old daughter, Marguerite, were drowned in the Nicolet River. They were buried in the Nicolet Cemetery. On 30 April 1777, our hardy pioneer died at the age of sixty-three. He was buried in the cemetery at St-Francis-du-Lac. It is no wonder that this hardy background and adventurous spirit is to be found in future generations. http://www.uwgb.edu/wisfrench/family/history/allard/allard.htm

Birth	4 Aug 1714	Beauport, Québec, Canada
Christen	4 Aug 1714	Beauport, Québec, Canada, New France
Marriage	12 Feb 1748	Baie-Du-Febvre, Québec, Canada - Elizabeth Proulx
Death	29 Apr 1777	St-François-Du-Lac, Québec, Canada
Burial	30 Apr 1777	Saint-François, Lac Saint-Pierre, Lower Canada, British Colonial America

Spouse

Elizabeth Proulx (1730 - 1773)