Angélique Bullion
Angélique Bullion was a French benefactress influential in the foundation of Quebec.
Life
She was born in Paris, at the beginning of the seventeenth century; her parents were Guichard Favre and Madeleine Brulart de Sillery. Claude de Bullion fr:Claude de Bullion, her husband, was Keeper of the Seals and Superintendent of Finances under Louis XIII; Cardinal Richelieu annually rewarded him with a bonus of 100,000 livres. After his death (1640), her four children being well provided for, she followed the advice of the Recollet Father Rapin, and contributed in 1641-42, 60,000 livres to the foundation of Ville-Marie, now the city of Montreal, Canada. She founded and endowed (1643) a Hotel-Dieu in honour of St. Joseph, begun at Ville-Marie (1642) by Jeanne Mance, and confided in 1657-59 to the care of the Religious Hospitallers of St. Joseph, an order instituted at La Flèche by Jérôme le Royer de la Dauversière, one of the founders of Montreal. She also contributed more than 20,000 livres for the defence of the settlement against the Iroquois.[1]
She insisted on being mentioned in the deeds ratifying her donations as "An unknown benefactress". Her identity was revealed only after her death.[1]