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Louise-Thérèse Petit (dit Grandchamp) (1683-1753)
Auberge (Innkeeper)
Louise-Thérèse Petit married Julien Auger (dit Grandchamp) and had at least two children, the eldest Marie-Catherine and a second, Marie-Angélique. Their family came to Louisbourg in 1720, built their house along the quay and bought the adjoining lot for 2 300 livres. This they would turn into a tavern and then renovate their home to make an inn. Mme. Petit had another child in 1726 when she was 43 years old. At this time it was thought that having a child this late in one's life would cause grave complications, however it appears she had no trouble giving birth and lived for another 27 years.
After the death of her husband, Mme. Petit kept the inn and tavern open. She had been the main hand in running the business when he was alive so there was no doubt that she could handle this task without him. In any case she had help from her daughters Jeanne-Thérèse, Marie-Catherine and son-in-law Jodocus Koller. Mme. Petit was deported to France after the siege of 1745.
During her years of exile, her eldest daughter, Marie-Catherine and her son-in-law died at Rochefort. In 1749, their two orphaned children, Gregoire (age 10) and Catherine (age 5) journeyed to Louisbourg to live with Mme. Petit. At this time she would have been 66 years old. Upon their arrival Louise-Thérèse Petit arranged a tutor for them, Jean-Baptiste Guion.
On May 29, 1752 Jean-Baptiste Guion accused Mme. Petit of abuse and neglect toward the education of her granddaughter. No mention was made about the treatment of her grandson. The matter was taken to court. Guion called upon seven witnesses, two of which denied seeing anything. The other five testified in favor of Guion, testifying of the brutalities they saw Mme. Petit inflict upon the child. One witness said that the child was given only dry bread for dinner and supper. In another testimony, the child was said to have been tied to a fence. She had also been enclosed in a barrel and poked with a fork and knife which was added to kicks, punches, and pinching.
Even with all these testimonies, the court decided in favor of Mme. Petit and the child remained with her until she was enrolled in a Canadian convent.
A year and a half after the proceedings, on September 7, 1753 Louise-Thérèse Petit (dit Grandchamp) died at the age of 70. She left everything to her daughter Marie Angélique and granddaughter Catherine Koller, who was at this date only ten years old.