Marie Marguerite Dufrost de Lajemmerais was born at Varennes, Quebec on October 15, 1701. Marguerite was no stranger to suffering starting with the death of her beloved father when she was only seven. More suffering came her way when her husband Francoise d’Youville, turned out to be a gambler and bootlegger. Four of Marguerite’s six children died in infancy and at the age of 28, she became burdened with her husband’s debts. She saw to the education of her two sons who became priests.
