DU BOS, NICOLAS, priest; b. c. 1653 at Abbeville (Picardy), son of Nicolas Dubos and Antoinette Caron: d. 1699 at Quebec.

He came from France when he had finished his theological studies, arriving at Quebec in 1684. Bishop Laval*, who had to leave for Europe in search of a successor and who did not anticipate coming back for some time, quickly conferred holy orders upon him in November 1684. Du Bos was given charge of the parish of Charlesbourg, north of Quebec; he carried out this ministry for six years (1684–90), without living in the parish. Later, under compulsion from Bishop Saint-Vallier [La Croix*], Abbé Du Bos tried to live at Charlesbourg, but his health, which was already poor, was permanently affected as a result. At this place, according to a text of the period, “there is a little wooden chapel without a presbytery, which, being completely rotten, is falling into ruin . . . it carries an extra stipend of 250 livres.” In addition to serving as parish priest at Charlesbourg, Du Bos was given on 9 Nov. 1684 the appointments as chaplain of the altar of Sainte-Anne and vicar of the chapter of Quebec.

From 1686 to 1692 he was a curate of the parish of Quebec. On 14 Aug. 1698 he was named penitentiary. In 1698 the bishop appointed him confessor and chaplain to the Ursulines. Previously, 1 May 1697, he had been appointed an officer of the seminary of Quebec, and he assumed his functions 1 Jan. 1698. He died 2 May 1699.

Arthur Maheux