5It is difficult to follow Claude‘s tracks for awhile thereafter. Perhaps he worked for his friend Louis Gagné as a farmer on some land called the Saint-Charles domain, nearby Cap Tourmente. Since Gagné also had land at Beaupré, perhaps Claude worked there too. We do know that on 30 October 1653, at the home of Louis Gagné, where Jean Crevel and Julien Le Noble lived, the notary Auber read a contract of marriage between Claude Bouchard and Louise Gagné, a minor. Claude signed in the presence of his friends Letardif, Toupin and Lessard; then Louise made her mark. The baptismal record of Louise is not in the Québec registry. Born around 1642, the year of the founding of Ville-Marie (Montréal), she was the eldest daughter of Louis Gagné and of Marie Michel, who were married about 1638 in France. Louis Gagné, baptized at Igé on 13 September 1612, was the son of Louis and of Marie Launay. The nuptial blessing of Claude and Marie was delayed until 25 May 1654, finally taking place at the home of the Gagné's. It was given by Father Paul Ragueneau, S.J. The couple settled down at Sainte-Anne for some time, near to the home of the Gagné's.
Claude enjoyed life but had no stomach for a fight, especially with the Indians. On 18 June 1661, the Mohawk Iroquois began to terrorize the region. They descended on Claude's farm too. At the same time, father-in—law Louis Gagné mysteriously disappeared from the land of the living. Shocked beyond belief, Claude and his family departed the area in haste. On 6 October 1661, Letardif noted that "the said Bouchart has been constrained to depart and abandon the Saz'nt—Charlesfarm. .. and to set himself up at Chateau-Richer, which he did, following the orders of Monsieur d 'Argenson,actingfor the Governor... "