Élisabeth Bégon


Élisabeth Bégon née Marie-Isabelle-Élisabeth Rocbert de la Morandière, was a French-Canadian letter writer. She is known for the correspondence she wrote to her son-in-law that described the daily life of a French laywoman in New France between 1748 and 1753.
Bégon's oeuvre was published in 1935 under the title Lettres au cher fils. The correspondence was mainly addressed to her son-in-law with whom she is thought to have been in love. Lettres au cher fils only include those letters penned by Élisabeth Bégon herself; no return letters have ever been found. Her correspondence is unique to the writings of New France as it is one of the only known works written by a French Canadian laywoman during this period of time.
The original letters can be found at the National Library and Archives of Quebec.