Marie-Geneviève Hervieux, daughter of Isaac Hervieux and Marie-Anne Pinguet, was born in Québec on February 15, 1686. Her mother died shortly after her birth and, two years later, her father married Mademoiselle Geneviève Gariépy, sister of Sisters Saint Augustin and Saint Ursule.

Mademoiselle Hervieux entered the novitiate in 1707 at the age of 21. When her period of probation was over she was admitted to profession... The ceremony was set for February 5, 1709; her entire family had been notified and invited when, on January 18, Sister Charly, who was superior at the time, received a decree from the court forbidding her to receive any novice for profession. The candidate and the Community were both very disappointed. Sister Charly decided speak to M. Raudot, intendant of Canada, regarding this matter, and he answered her: "I have no doubt that Bishop de Pontchartrain will not leave you in the position you are in about making vows after he has heard your reasons. Therefore, this should not frighten those who wish to give themselves to your Community, and you may continue to admit them, as you have done up until now. In all this, only their novitiate will be longer than that of the sisters who preceded them." According to this response, candidates were admitted without vows or public ceremony and were simply required to resolve to submit themselves to whatever solution was reached. Sister Saint Gertrude was the first to be received in this way.

In 1730, Sister Saint Gertrude was a teacher in Boucherville with Sister Saint Raphael (Têtu), who was superior; both signed a contract regarding a donation made by M. de la Soudrays.

In 1734, Sister Saint Joseph, already superior of the mission in Louisbourg for a year, wrote to Sister Saint Barbe, superior of the Institute, to request new companions, because the three who were assigned were not sufficient for the needs. Sister Saint Gertrude, who was twenty-five years professed at the time, was chosen for this difficult position together with Sister Saint Placide (Montbrun); and a secular woman was sent with them who later became Sister Saint Louis des Anges.

Our six missionaries worked together until 1744; that is to say for 10 years, until Sister Saint Joseph, a septuagenarian and not well, was recalled to the Mother House at her own request. The departure of this revered sister, who had been their superior in Ville-Marie, was a hard blow for each sister, and their pain increased even more when they learned that she was not able to reach the desired goal of her voyage as she died on the ship opposite Québec City.

The following year, Sister Saint Gertrude and her companions were victims of the horrors of the siege of Louisbourg, that is to say, turned out of their house and sent to La Rochelle.

They had only just arrived when they had the sorrow of seeing Sister Saint Placide die. They themselves felt sick following the fears, hardships and fatigue they had suffered. Since the hospital for orphans had trouble satisfying its own needs, it asked the sisters to pay board and lodging but they had nothing to pay it with. We can imagine their embarrassment and the privations they must have imposed on themselves, even in the case of illness.

In 1748, Ile Royale having been returned to the French, the sisters from Louisbourg left La Rochelle, and it was not without strong emotion that Sister Saint Gertrude paid a last visit to the grave of her companion Sister Saint Placide. They had only just arrived in Louisbourg when Sister Saint Gertrude became paralysed and Sister Saint Arsène sent her back to Montreal with a lay person to take care of her during the voyage. She lived a few years more, suffering and infirm. When she died on December 1, 1753, a century after the foundation of the Institute, she was fifty-seven years old.

Sister Saint Gertrude's eldest brother, Léonard, married Catherine Magnan, settled in Pointe-aux-Trembles in Montreal where he died in 1747 during his sister's captivity in La Rochelle, leaving behind several children who were united by marriage to the Trottier, Hertel, de la Corne, Lecompte, Dupré, etc. families. Another one of her brothers, settled in Repentigny, commanded a regiment of Canadian volunteers in 1751. Her eldest sister, Marie-Anne, married Jean Molay of Québec. Another, named Ursule, died at the age of eleven.