A coat of Arms

All Vachons and Pomerleaus in North American are direct descendents of Paul Vachon, who was born in the village of La Copechagniere in the parish of La Roche-sur-Yon, Diocese of Lucon, in the Province of Poitou (now The Department of Vendee) France in 1630. He was a Mason or Brick layer who became a Notaire Royale probably as a result of his partial literacy; apparently his script was illegible. At age 20 he sailed to New France (Canada). On October 22, 1653 at age 23, he married Marguerite Langlois, aged 14 in the Basilica of Notre Dame de Quebec.

They had 12 children (5 boys and 7 girls). One became a priest, one did not marry. The other three sons, as was the custom of the time, was to take a second last name thus creating new branches. The eldest son retained the family name. The three sons became Vachon dit Desfouchette, Vachon dit Laminee, and Vachon dit Pomerleau.

Paul Vachon's second son was Noel Vachon dit Pomerleau. He married Monique Giroux. Their descendants eventually became Vachon or Pomerleau, from whom all of us are descendants.

The Family Coat of Arms pictured on the right was developed by the Québec based Association of Decendants of Paul Vachon and is registered in France in their name. The French language maxim "Fiers et laborieux" can be translated into English as "Proud and hard-working", the personal qualities that helped Paul Vachon establish himself successfully around 1650 in that part of Canada now called Québec but which was then part of New France.

Nous sommes tous Beaucerons.