When the St. Andre brought their passengers to New France the following year, one of these young girls would turn out to be an adultress and murderer; who not only killed her husband to make way for a new man, but also several of her own children, born and unborn.
(1643-Unknown)
(1636-1671)
However, it wasn't until the death of her young daughter; a day after her marriage to Jean Leveille Boulin, that authorities began to become suspicious, since it was obvious that she had been killed at the hands of her mother and stepfather.
The story is best told in the biography of Etienne Bouchard, "resident surgeon" of Montreal, who was asked to look into the matter of Simon's death.
Montreal.
"Bouchard was not finished with his adventures in that affair, because he was found the 7 september 1671, at the arrest of the woman Du Verger, condemned to death for murder, abortion, etc., etc. She had married Simon Galbrun the 18 november 1659 in Montreal. Following her widowhood she remarried a second time the 29 june 1671, also in Montreal, to Jean Boutin dit Leveille.
"Francoise Du Verger was accused of "having taken care of herself on three occassions at different times & with different drugs to make her lose her fruit", and finally of having given birth, killed her infant and immediately buried it the day after her marriage to the said Boutin. Also of having been accessory to the murder of her first husband, Simon Galbrun. Found guilty, she was conducted to Quebec as well as Laliberte, soldier of the Company of the Sieur Dugue, in order "to enforce the matter" because there was no high
executioner in Montreal.
"The papers included the report of the surgeon Bouchard, written up at the time of the discovery of the body of Galbrun, as well as the statement of Francoise Du Verger, accusing the soldier Laliberte of being the murderer of her first husband. At the trial of the accused in Quebec things became complicated, the woman Du Verger was cunning & had plenty of tricks up her sleeve. She pretended to be about two months pregnant. Nevertheless she was condemned 'to be hung & strangled, that her body would be exhibited on the gallows which would be put on the Cap aux Diamants etc.,...' but a reprieve was accorded until the end of october in order that she "would be examined to learn if she was about two months pregnant as she said in which case she would be reprieved until she had delivered.
"In november 1671 a report was submitted by the Sieur Bonnamour doctor of medicine and Roussel, surgeon, attesting that the said Du Verger had been questioned and had "been examined" by Dame Morin, midwife, and that she was not "pregnant". Conclusion, the Council ordained that the sentence of 7 september would be fully executed on the person of the said Du Verger.
Marie Galbrun - Was born on November 28, 1663 in Montreal and died unknown. She married Jean Compairon Lavergne Boiry with whom she had a daughter Therese. He died in 1703 and Marie then married Claude Salois.
Jean-Baptiste Galbrun - Was born on February 24, 1666 in Montreal and died unknown.
Catherine Galbrun - Was born on October 10, 1667 in Montreal and died on January 10, 1744 in Varennes, Quebec. She married Jean Hayot and the couple had six children.
