Thérèse de Couagne

Thérèse de Couagne, born on January nineteenth, sixteen ninety-seven in Montreal, New France, emerged as a significant figure in the early capitalist landscape of the region. As the daughter of Charles de Couagne, a merchant trader, and Marie Gaudé, she was well-acquainted with the intricacies of commerce from a young age.

Her life took a pivotal turn when she married François Poulin de Francheville on November twenty-seventh, seventeen eighteen. However, her husband passed away just fifteen years later, leaving her a widow on November twenty-eighth, seventeen thirty-three. This loss ignited her interest in business, leading her to take an active role in the economic affairs of New France.

In addition to her entrepreneurial pursuits, Thérèse inherited ownership of a slave named Marie-Joseph Angélique. This individual became embroiled in a notorious incident in seventeen thirty-four, when she was convicted of setting de Couagne's house ablaze, an event that contributed to the Great Fire of Montreal. Although Angélique was executed for her alleged crime, the true circumstances surrounding the fire remain a topic of debate among historians.

Thérèse de Couagne's legacy is marked by her involvement in the complexities of commerce and the moral implications of slavery during her time. She passed away on February twenty-sixth, seventeen sixty-four, at the Hôtel-Dieu de Montréal, leaving behind a complicated yet impactful history.