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SORTIE AGAINST THE IROQUOIS AGGRESSOR
On 18 August 1652, Pepin must have participated, along with dozens of other men, commanded by Duplessis-Kerbodot, in a sortie against the Iroquois aggressor. The Governor himself lost his life, as did several of his men. On 21 April 1663, Antoine Desrosiers, Pierre Lepele" dit Lahaie and Guillaume Pepin were called to give testimony relating to the death of Jean Pelerin dit La Grave, killed in this engagement.
The records of notary Severin Ameau contain several acts concerning the pioneer Pepin, notably a concession from Nicolas Marsolet at Cap de l?Arbre-a-la-Croix (3 August 1665); another concession in the arriere-fief belonging to Pierre Mouet de Moras on the south bank of the Saint-Lawrence; land and homestead ceded by his son-in-law Guillaume de le Rue in the seigneury of Champlain (29 August 1675). On 25 August 1679, Pepin ceded to another of his sons-in-law, Jean Herou dit Bour-gainville, all the lands which belonged to him "in the town and territory of Trois-Rivieres, the said beneficiary to enjoy them all his life and to share it after his death with his co-heirs." On 23 February 1678, Guillaume made a similar donation to his sons Jean Pierre and Etienne, of half of the land acquired from Louis Pinard in the vicinity of the town.
ALONE WITH HIS GUN AND ANIMALS
After having led a very active life for more than thirty years - he had even been Mayor in his town in the 1650?s - our ancestor went tranquilly into retirement. He was still mentioned in some acts by Ameau, Jean Cusson and Antoine Adhemar. In 1681, all of his children were settled; the census taker mentioned him all alone, with his gtin, his three head of cattle, his thirty arpents under cultivation and his seventy years of age.
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Abbot Bellemare says that death surprised Guillaume while he was living at the home of his son Pierre, at Pointe-aux-Sables, on the^ other side of the river in the future parish of Saint-Gregoire. On 12 August 1697, his mortal remains were brought to Trois-Rivieres to be buried there in the cemetery of the parish. His death certificate said that he was about ninety years old. As for Jeanne Meschin, we don?t know precisely the date of her death. An act by Severin Ameau drawn up in 1679 said that she was living but the census of 1681 does not mention her. Thus we must believe that she was taken sometime between these two years.
A NORMAL FAMILY FOR THE TIMES
Guillaume and Jeanne were the parents of thirteen children, about average for the times. The sons are listed as follows:
1.	Jacques, born in 1646, married Marie-Jeanne Caiet (Cayer) in 1671. They had 9 children, 4 of whom were boys.
2.	Jean dit Descardonnets, born in 1647, married Madeleine Loiseau in 1685. They had 11 children, 7 of whom were boys.
3.	Guillaume, born in 1651, died before marrying.
4.	Pierre dit Laforce, born in 1652, married Louise Lemire'? in 1681. They had 14 children, 6 of whom were boys.
5.	Etienne, born in 1654, died without marrying.
6 & 7. Twins, Louis and Joseph, born in 1660, died in the cradle.
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Pepin 006
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