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Francois arrived in Quebec around 1667, Source: Fr. Jules Romme
The family moved from Quebec to Laprairie between 1677 and 1680
On 14 September 1670 he signed a marriage contract prepared by the notary Duquet and on the 6th of October he married Georgette Richer at Quebec. He was then living in the "seigneurie" of MAUR, today known as St. Augustin de Portneuf. This parish was not established until 1691, prior to that it was serviced by visiting missionaries. In the census of July 1681, the family was still living in the seigneurie de Maur, Francois was listed as 44 years old and Georgette as 34 years old. The same year the family moved to La Prairie where Francois probably worked as a day laborer. On 24 December 1684 Francois settled near the village on a farm of 100 acres in the district called St. Jean, bordering on the St. Jacques River. The contract for the concession by the seigneurs, prepared by the notary Maugue, was signed on 4 September 1693.
On 2 June 1707, Francois Dupuis consulted the notary Michel Lepailleur at Montreal and made his final declarations. He wanted to be buried in the new stone church at La Prairie and bequeathed 150 pounds for his mass, his internment and for masses to be said at the Recollets in Montreal. He decreed that upon his death, his farm of 100 acres located in the St. Joseph district should be divided equally amongst his three children, Rene, Moise and Marie-Ann. The will contains two clauses which declare the intent of the testator and underlines the uniqueness of the document. First, the father (Francois) gives to the children of his eldest son, Rene and Angelique Marie, his wife, all his personal furniture and his livestock "to assure their support and subsistence" and second, "it is understood that Rene Dupuis by his enterprises as a voyageur in which he has had misfortune and finds himself burdened with debt… and to prevent the dissipation of the bequest he is to receive, and to preserve the said bequest for the family and for the advantage of the aforesaid children… it is ordered that the said Rene Dupuis cannot dispose, sell, alienate nor contract away any of these bequests…".
Curiously there does not exist any other example where a father, anxious about his sons enterprises in the high country and concerned about protecting his patrimony, only allows him the use of a well-situated farm, bordering the river St. Jacques, a short distance from the village and the fort. Francois Dupuis owned two adjoining farms with two houses well situated between the St. Jean road and the St. Jacques River.
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