(1638-1679)
It seems that Marguerite was very beautiful, but also quite a flirt; and when helping her husband clear land on Ile De Orleans, she took a fancy to a young Swiss soldier, Jean Terme. Jean was a bachelor who had recently been granted a three acre lot in the seigneurie of Argentenay, but was then boarding with Jacques De Launay and Catherine Benard. It wasn't long before their affair became known, and though Marguerite's husband repeatedly warned the handsome Swiss to stay away; is was to no avail.
Finally, on July 25, 1665; after finding them walking arm-in-arm on the beach; Serreau exploded, grabbed a stick and beat the young man to death. He was convicted of murder and sentenced to hang, but managed to escape to France, where he pled his case. In February of 1666, he was granted a pardon by the King and returned to Quebec. He and Marguerite must have patched things up, beause two more children were born.
However, their reunion would be short-lived when it was discovered that Jean was occupying his land illegally, and the owner of the property, Madame d'Ailleboust, demanded that he be evicted. He appealed but lost and was demanded to pay 5 sols to the poor of Hotel-Dieu. About the same time he was accused of having traded intoxicating drink to the "Red-Skins", and not wishing to tempt his fate, relocated to French holdings in Acadia, eventually becoming the Seigneur of Passamaquoddy, on Riviere St.-Croix. Marguerite died in Quebec and does not appear to have followed him..
In August of 1692 Jean Serreau was taken prisoner by Colonel Benjamin Church but later returned,
and served under Pierre Lemoyne D’Iberville in Newfoundland between 1696-97. On November 20, 1703; a pass was granted for Sieur St. Aubin by Jacques Francois de Brouillian, then governor of Acadia; that allowed him to pay a visit to France "to give attention to his business" . He died in Acadia on March 29, 1705.
Though Marguerite's story sounds unflattering, we have to remember that her husband was at least 17 years her senior, and in the days of arranged marriages, it was probably not a love match. She obviously did fall in love with someone else, and no doubt his death was devastating to the young woman.
Pierre Serreau St. Aubin - Was born on June 21, 1665 in Ile De Orleans. He later returned to France where he married Judith Van Woest-Winchel at Nantes.
Genevieve Surreau St. Aubin - Was born on August 07, 1667 in Ville De Quebec and died unknown in Acadia. She married Barthelemi Bergeron and the couple had eight children. Many of her descendants went to Louisiana after the expulsion.
Charles Serreau St. Aubin - Was born in 1668 in Chateau-Richer and died unknown in Acadia.
