All Vachons and Pomerleaus in North American are direct descendents of Paul Vachon, who was born in the village of La Copechagniere in the parish of La Roche-sur-Yon, Diocese of Lucon, in Poitou (now Vendee) France in 1630. He was a Mason or Brick layer who became a Notaire Royale probably as a result of his partial literacy; apparently his script was illegible. At age 20 he sailed to New France (Canada). On October 22, 1653 at age 23, he married Marguerite Langlois, aged 14 in the Basilica of Notre Dame de Quebec.

They had 12 children (5 boys and 7 girls). One became a priest, one did not marry. The other three sons, as was the custom of the time, was to take a second last name thus creating new branches. The eldest son retained the family name. The three sons became Vachon dit Desfouchette, dit Laminee, dit Pomerleau.

Paul Vachon's second son was Noel Vachon dit Pomerleau. He married Monique Giroux. Their descendants eventually became Vachon or Pomerleau, from whom all of us are descendants. Nous sommes tous Beaucerons.

VACHONS IN NORTH AMERICA

• Paul Vachon's vital statistics.
• Paul's life, from "Our French-Canadian Ancestors".

LINKS

• Ovide Pomerleau's In Search of Pomerleau Genealogy.
• Andrew Littlefield's Vachon Family genealogy.
• Pierre Vachon's Vachon Family Home Page. Pages on this site are produced in cooperation with the L'Association des descendants de Paul Vachon and is the best place to learn more about the Vachon family.
• Vachon Family Genealogy Forum.