MARSOLET, Joseph

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: Among the first 17 families that settled Quebec City (New France); contemporaries and acquaintances of Samuel Champlain

Notes:

HIGHLIGHTS:

Was one of the very first interpreters between the French and the indigenous people, particularly the Montagnais and Algonquin.His experience and knowledge of Indigenous languages and cultures made him an important figure in the development of New France.

After he married, he became a clerk for the Company of One Hundred Associates and later operated his own trading business. His influence in the fur trade earned him the nickname "the little king of Tadoussac

CONNECTIONS:

Michelle's 10th GGF on the Laviolette side.

LIFE STORY:

Nicolas Marsolet, born in Rouen in 1601, was among the first and most influential interpreters in New France. His arrival in the colony, likely in 1613 with Samuel de Champlain, marked the beginning of a long and complex career that spanned the formative years of French settlement in North America.

As one of the earliest interpreters, Marsolet played a crucial role in bridging the cultural and linguistic gap between the French and Indigenous peoples, particularly the Montagnais and Algonquin. His activities took him to various key locations in New France, including Tadoussac, Quebec, Trois-Rivières, and Algonquin villages along the Ottawa River.

Marsolet's reputation was not without controversy. Champlain accused him of living among the Indigenous people "in the greatest licence" and pursuing profits at any cost. These accusations culminated during the Kirke brothers' occupation of Quebec from 1629 to 1632, when Marsolet chose to remain and work with the English. Displeased by this 'treachery', Champlain met Marsolet at Tadoussac and, according to Champlain's diary, Marsolet and another interpreter and also deserter, Étienne Brûlé, both said, "We know quite well that if they had us in France they would hang us; we are very sorry for that, but the thing is done; we have mixed the cup and we must drink it, and make up our minds ever to return to France; we shall manage to live notwithstanding" While Champlain viewed this as betrayal, some historians, like Dionne, suggest that Marsolet's decision may have been motivated by a desire to maintain continuity in the colony's development rather than abandon it entirely.

A notable incident involving Marsolet occurred when he intervened in Champlain's plan to take two Indigenous girls, Charité and Espérance, to France. Marsolet conveyed a request from Indigenous elders to return the girls to their village, likely agreeing that a life in Paris would not be in their best interests. This action, while angering Champlain, demonstrated Marsolet's deep understanding of and respect for Indigenous cultures.

After the French regained control of Quebec, Marsolet initially maintained his distance from the colonial authorities and missionaries. He was known for his reluctance to share his linguistic knowledge, with the Jesuit Paul Le Jeune noting in 1633 that Marsolet had sworn never to teach the "Savage tongue" to anyone. This stance reflected the complex dynamics between fur traders, settlers, and missionaries in the colony.

However, following Champlain's death in 1635, Marsolet's approach changed. He began to settle into colonial life, marrying Marie Le Barbier in 1637 and receiving the seigneury of Bellechasse. Over time, he acquired numerous land grants, though his primary focus remained on the fur trade and commerce.

Marsolet's career continued to evolve. He became a clerk for the Company of One Hundred Associates and later operated his own trading business. His influence in the fur trade earned him the nickname "the little king of Tadoussac." Despite his commercial success, Marsolet showed little interest in developing most of his land grants, with the exception of his property on the Sainte-Geneviève hill.

Throughout his life, Marsolet maintained his role as an interpreter, a skill that remained valuable to both civil and religious authorities. His experience and knowledge of Indigenous languages and cultures made him an important figure in the development of New France.

Nicolas Marsolet died in Quebec City on May 15, 1677, leaving behind a complex legacy. As one of the last living links to the earliest days of French settlement in Canada, his life story embodies the challenges, contradictions, and adaptations required of those who bridged two worlds in the creation of New France. Despite the controversies surrounding some of his actions, Marsolet's contributions as an interpreter and his role in the early fur trade were instrumental in shaping the foundations of French-Indigenous relations in North America.

Nicolas married LEBARBIER, Marie on 19 Mar 1637 in Rouen, Seine-Maritime, Haute-Normandie, France. Marie was born on 20 May 1619 in Rouen, Basse-Normandie, France; died in 1688. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: Among the first 17 families that settled Quebec City (New France); contemporaries and acquaintances of Samuel Champlain

Notes:

Marie Le Barbier, born on May 20, 1619, in St. Cande le Viel, Rouen, Normandy, France, was the daughter of Henry Le Barbier and Marie Le Villain. Her life took a significant turn when she married Nicolas Marsolet on March 19, 1637, in the parish of Saint-Sauveur, Rouen. Shortly after their marriage, the young couple crossed the Atlantic to New France, becoming one of the first French families to arrive after Quebec was returned to French control by the British.

At just 18 years old when she married the 36-year-old Marsolet, Marie adapted quickly to life in the New World. She gave birth to their first child on February 22, 1638, less than a year after their marriage. Over the years, Marie and Nicolas had a total of ten children, though only six survived to adulthood. Throughout their nearly 40-year marriage, Marie managed their household and raised their family while Nicolas pursued his various business and interpreting activities.

After Marsolet's death in 1677, Marie, then 58, remarried four years later to Denis Le Maistre (or Lemaitre) on May 8, 1681. This second marriage produced no children. Marie Le Barbier died on February 20, 1688, in Quebec, having spent almost five decades in the colony she had come to call home.

Living + Living. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]