The historian
Laforest writing about Robert
Drouin (OFCA Volume #2 Robert
Drouin
pgs 64-73) tells about the unique and somewhat tragic life of 
While doubtless Laforest's chronicle is true and documents support his facts, nevertheless not all of the descendants of Anne were noted and indeed our own book 'Families in Transition' is in error by suggesting (page 13) that one of Anne's daughter Genevieve had as short a life as that of her mother. Further examination of this section will prove the inaccuracy of our earlier statement.
As soon as the family settled down in New France, Zacharie the elder, lost no time in getting organized. He had already begun to plan for the future of his children and on the 27th of July 1636, he arranged for his daughter Anne to take a husband. This was unusual for two reasons. First the marriage contract with Robert Drouin was the first of its kind in Canada, and second, Anne was only ten and one half years old when the contract was signed !
Anne had been born in France on Jan 26, 1626. She was only 8 years old when she came to Canada with her parents 
. Her time of childhood with its attendant freedoms and happiness was short lived. The marriage contract was first drawn up on July 27th. with the intention that the sacrament would not be consummated until a year later. The religious ceremony took place when Anne was eleven but
Robert had to content himself with non -conjugal visits for two more years.
himself was a young man of good character. He had recently arrived from France and was staying with Zacharie and Xainte, who were very impressed with his qualities of honesty and his work ethics. Robert Drouin was thirty years of age at the time.
The marriage of Anne
Cloutier and Robert
Drouin was short-lived.
Roger Cloutier in his book "The Story of the Cloutiers" noted that young eligible women were so scarce in New France at this time that Drouin did not wish to risk not having a wife so he accepted the conditions of the contract. Cloutier goes on to say that the contract also stipulated that the first three years of the marriage had to be spent "under the roof of Zacharie and Xainte".
The years were difficult for Anne. She had her first child when she was but 15 years old herself. She had six children over all - three of whom died at birth. Of the remaining children only two names are known, Genevieve and Jeanne. Genevieve was also married at the age of 13, and her descendants are numerous as her story below will show.
died the 4th of February 1648 at the age of 22 after eleven and a half years of marriage. She was buried in Quebec the next day. Her daughters were brought up by Zacharie and Zainte until their marriages.
Robert Drouin, husband of Anne found himself a widower a the age of 41, but not for long. he married the widow Marie Chapelier on the 29th of November 1649 and fathered eight additional children.
The research for the information presented below should be credited to Rene D. Alvarez of Metairie, Louisiana. He has meticulously documented his family tree. His story is as follows.
" 
the daughter of Anne
Cloutier and Robert Drouin, married 
also a native of Canada. They had four sons, Charles, Francoise, Claude and Jacques. Claude emigrated to the Louisiana territory shortly after the establishment of the city of New Orleans. He is regarded as the father of all 
a name that is fairly common in the state of Louisiana. There is uncertainty as to when the spelling of the name changed but it appears to have been in the early days of the settlement.
Claude married 
and they had seven children, including a son named Francois. Francois was married twice, first to Francoise Antoinette Damaron
with whom he had no children. The second marriage, to 
produced eight children. the sixth child Perrine, married 
who had emigrated from France. These two produced eight children including the ggggg grandfather of Rene Alvarez named Francois Alexander Norbert Boudousquie known as Norbert. Norbert and two brothers, Godefroi and Zenon, fought in the battle of New Orleans in January 1815. It was the last battle of the War of 1812 between the British and the Americans. Andrew Jackson, later the 7th president of the U.S. came to New Orleans with his division and along with local citizens and Jean Lafitte's buccaneers, defeated the seasoned British troops at a plantation just east of the city.
Norbert married Marie Therese Chouriac in 1795 and had eight chidren. Norbert's oldest son, Antoine bought property west of New Orleans and started a sugar plantation. The plantation was called Reserve and there is a small town situated there named after the plantation. Antoine married Sophy Andry, the daughter of Gilbert Andry and the granddaughter of Col. Manuel Andry another wealthy plantaion owner nearby. Manuel's plantation was the site of a major slave uprising in 1811 during which Gilbert was murdered. Col. Andry crushed the rebellion a few days later with the help of other plantation owners. The rebellious slaves were on their way to New Orleans but were stopped 20 miles from the city.
The Reserve plantation was sold after the civil war by Antoine's widow Sophie to pay off significant debts. It was purchased by Leon Godchaux who built one of the largest sugar refineries at the site. The old Reserve plantation house is still standing, although moved from its original location, and is currently being restored by the local historical society. The Woodlands plantation is no longer standing."
Source: From a letter written to David Clutchey by Rene Alvarez, September 16 1997
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