File

This file consists of love letters sent by notary Jean-Marie Richard, of Saint-Ours, to Jeanne Cartier, a native of Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu and the daughter of the seigneur of Contrecœur. This correspondence documents the development of their relationship, which ultimately resulted in their 1907 wedding. Composed primarily of letters written by the young notary, the collection also contains a few rough copies of letters that Jeanne wrote in response. The 30 letters written by Jean-Marie cover the period of November 1903 to January 1907. The first missive, in which he initiates the relationship, is accompanied by his business card and written on paper stamped with his notarial seal. Some letters are written on his office letterhead. Although the young man sometimes refers briefly to his professional and family activities, he primarily uses the letters to express his often painful feelings, which range from his increasing affection for Jeanne, to suffering and anxiety caused by her hesitation, to resigned sadness.

The pace of the correspondence quickens as of February 1906, when Jean-Marie openly states his feelings. He appears to have asked Jeanne to commit more fully to the relationship, as evidenced by this passage from a letter dated February 19, 1906: "I cannot help feeling a tremendous anxiety. When I was in Montreal last week to carry out various professional duties, my thoughts very often turned to you. Everything is in your hands. I will honour your objections as if they were orders." The brevity of the few rough copies written by Jeanne contrast with the long missives and increasingly insistent requests of the young notary who suffered due to the many long months of uncertainty. He admits that he is jealous of the happiness of others, particularly when his friend Armand gets married in 1906, and feels very alone in the evening in his new home, which he purchased from the notary Aubin. Though the young woman's hesitations are often mentioned, not much detail is provided. However, they do seem in part related to problems of a material nature: "[...] alas, why are a few acres creating a nearly insurmountable barrier between us[?]" Despite the agony caused by their slowly blossoming relationship, Jean-Marie's letters exhibit the young man's persistence and chronicle his regular visits to Contrecœur to spend time with his beloved. Although the young notary sometimes expresses his distress more directly ("Oh, why won't you accept it!"), the tone of the correspondence remains, overall, very courteous and complies with the social conventions of the era. Although the wait was long, it was not in vain. Jeanne's brief response of January 31, 1907, again fails to address his proposal, once more leaving poor Jean-Marie in limbo. Despite everything, the couple did marry several months later, on June 18 of that year.