Jacques Joseph LeMoyne des Pins 
Parents :
Rene Alexandre LeMoyne and Marie Renee Le Boulanger
Siblings :
Jean Baptiste I, Ignace, Marie Anne, Marie Marguerite, Marguerite Therese, Elizabeth, Antoine, Jean Baptiste II and Marie Catherine
Spouse :
2) Marguerite Charlotte Rocbert de la Morandiere
Offspring :
1) Jacques Alexis, Jean Baptiste
2)Jacques Charles, Marguerite Therese, Joseph
Was born July 16, 1719 at Boucherville, QC. He married on the 24th of April 1747 to Marguerite Guyon, (b. Nicolet QC 1723, daug. of Jean Baptiste Guyon, Escuyer (Squire), Sieur de Montelevault, and a Montreal merchant, who has a feif in Beauport, and his wife, Marguerite Provencher.) Before 1750 he moved to Montreal, and was involved in trade, while at the same time maintaining his fief in Boucherville. He was a captain in the militia. Marguerite Guyon died in May 17, 1752. On November 6, 1755, he married Marguerite Rocbert de Morendiere (b. Montreal, Dec. 19, 1735, daug. of Louis Robert and Marguerite Petit de Livelliers.)
In Montreal he lived in Robineau de Becanour's old residence. He maintained his seigneury in Boucherville and acquired part of the fief Du Tremblay on July 24, 1768 and the seigneuries of Baie-Saint-Antoine (Baie-du-Febvre) on June 19, 1773.
He was involved in the fur trade, with engagements with various trading posts : Nepissingues (1740), Michillimakinak (1747 & 1751), Detroit (1749 & 1754) and Temiscaminque (1757), for which he had 10 contracts in that one year. In 1752 he formed an association with Louis La Corne de Saint-Luc to establish the Post of the West. Together they also invested in the posts of Detroit and Temiscaminque.
He also had other ventures. He had contracts to provide staples to the King's military posts and to civil troops. He set up a company in 1743 (or 1744) with Martel de Saint-Antoine, Varin de La Marre also joined the company in 1748. They were involved in retail trade, in trade with Pays-d'En-Haut (?upper Canada?) and the supply of staples to the troops. The business constantly expanded, Louis Penisseault joined the group in 1755 followed by Joseph-Michel Cadet in 1756. The groups wealth neared 300 000 livres. LeMoine also owned a bakery, and part of a ship. At that time his correspondant (Perrault) in Quebec owed Jacques 50 000 livres ( a very significant amount of money at the time)
Notarized doccuments of the time show he was a Montreal buisnessman and squire, involved in land deals and fur trade.
He was reputed to be the wealthiest man in new France at the time of the British conquest. He had enough gold to purchase all the seigneuries of the country, which he contemplated doing, but deterred because he feared the British would not recognize the feudal system tenure if all, or nearly all the seigneuries were held by one man. Some correspondence gives evidence of this wealth.
Robert LeMoine wrote Sir James McPherson LeMoine :
"Il y avait des services d'or massif. Je l' ay ouidre plus d'un fois et Madame Hy. Lemessurier m'a dit que son pere M. Guerout avait en sa presence affirme, quand il parlait de nos LeMoine, que l'aieul etait l'homme le plus riche et le plus considerable de Montreal qui ne voyait rien de comparable a sa vaisselle d'or et d'argent sur la tale des gouverneurs.
"He had massive gold services. I heard MMe Lemessurier more than once say that her father use to talk about LeMoine a the richest and most considerable man in Montreal, and that he saw nothing comparable to his gold and silver services on the table of goveners."
Furthermore this service was referred to a 1755 letter from Jacques-Joseph to his correspondant Louis Perreault (in the Canadian National Archives (ANC - MG18H50)) :
"J'ai recu La Lettre que vous m'avez fait l'honneur de m'ecrire le 22e aout dernier...et mon argenterie dont je vous fais mes remerciements"
"I received your letter you honoured me by writing on the 22 of august... and my services give their thanks."
Jacques Joseph changed citizinship during has lifetime as the colony exchanged from French to British hands.
The ministers of Louis XV after signing the Paris Treaty of 1763, giving the territory of New France to the English, they named fifty four citizens as scape goats. this was known as the "Afffaire du Canada". They were accused of allowing the demise of New France by being profiteers. Included in this group were the governor-marquis de Vaudreuil, the intendant Bigot, the Marines commisaire Varin, the Marines controller Breard, the souvrain concilman Estebe. Francois- Xavier Garneau wrote :
It is without a doubt that these diversions of funds were committed, but they have been exaggerated, which can be proven by comparing the expenses of Canada to threat of the English Colonies during the war.
A hearing was held in his absence, but LeMoine was now a British subject and had nothing to fear. In 1765, he decided to clear his name and travelled to France where his innocence was recognized. Only he and Pierre Gamelin did this. He spent two years in Paris. It is believed that his portrait was done at this time.
This portrait may have been destroyed but there is a photograph of it in the Quebec Archives.
Also during his time in Europe he passed through England to meet with and establish relationships with London merchants. It has been suggested that at this time he was initiated into the freemasonry.
He was chosen with seven others, at a meeting held by the people of Montreal (May 20,1775 dans la Plaine de Ste. Anne) to enrol citizens for defense against invasion by the Bostonians. He commanded a company during the invasion. He died January 16, 1787.
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Life Statistics of his Children