COTE, Jean
1614 - 1661 (47 years)
Set As Default Person 
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Name COTE, Jean Birth 1614 Mortange Au Perche, France 
Gender Male Differentiator Among the first 17 families that settled Quebec City (New France); contemporaries and acquaintances of Samuel Champlain Death 27 Mar 1661 Canada Patriarch & Matriarch 
COTE, Abraham, b. 7 Mar 1577, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, Franced. 13 Jun 1673, Beauport, Quebec, Canada (Age 96 years) (Father) 
LOISEL, Francoise Genevieve, b. 15 Apr 1581, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, Franced. 12 Dec 1684, Montmagny, Quebec, Canada (Age 103 years) (Mother) Person ID I20251 My Genealogy Last Modified 15 Jul 2024
Father COTE, Abraham, b. 7 Mar 1577, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France d. 13 Jun 1673, Beauport, Quebec, Canada (Age 96 years) Relationship natural Mother LOISEL, Francoise Genevieve, b. 15 Apr 1581, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France d. 12 Dec 1684, Montmagny, Quebec, Canada (Age 103 years) Relationship natural Marriage 1610 Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Family ID F13758 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family MARTIN, Anne, b. 23 Mar 1619, La Rochelle, Manche, Basse-Normandie, France d. 4 Dec 1684, Quebec, Canada (Age 65 years)
Marriage 17 Nov 1635 Québec, Quebec, Canada Children 1. CÔTÉ, Martin, b. 12 Jul 1639, Quebec, Canada d. 30 Aug 1710, Saint-Pierre-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, L'Île-d'Orléans, Quebec, Canada (Age 71 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural]2. COTE, Simone, b. 1637 d. 1700 (Age 63 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 3. COTE, Mathieu, b. 1642 d. 1710 (Age 68 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 4. COTE, Jean, b. 1644 d. 1722 (Age 78 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 5. COTE, Jean-Noel, b. 1646 d. 1701 (Age 55 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 6. COTE, Marie, b. 1648 d. 1648 (Age 0 years) [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] 7. COTE, Louise, b. 1650 [Father: natural] [Mother: natural] Family ID F13757 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 15 Jul 2024
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Event Map 
Death - 27 Mar 1661 - Canada 
= Link to Google Earth
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Photos Plaque with founding families of Quebec City (New France)
Albums Founding Families of New France (2)
New France, or Nouvelle-France in French, was an extensive area in North America colonized by France. It began with Jacques Cartier's exploration of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence in 1534 and ended in 1763 when it was ceded to Great Britain and Spain under the Treaty of Paris. The territory stretched from Newfoundland to the Rocky Mountains and from Hudson Bay to the Gulf of Mexico, including the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Valley.
The most developed part of New France was Canada, divided into Québec, Trois-Rivières, and Montreal districts. The French colonization was driven by trade (notably fur), religious missions, and the ambition to expand France's influence. The French Crown significantly shaped New France's development, particularly in 1663 when King Louis XIV integrated it into the royal domain and established the French West India Company.
New France operated under the seigneurial system, where settlers farmed land granted by a seigneur and paid dues. Despite its vast territory, New France's population was sparse compared to English colonies, partly due to limited economic reasons for French peasants to emigrate and the French Crown's focus on other colonies.
Culturally, New France was predominantly French-speaking and Catholic, maintaining its civil code and religious practices even after British conquest. This heritage strongly influenced the culture of Quebec, blending European traditions with North American elements and emphasizing the preservation of the French language and identity.
There were 17 families settled in Quebec City from the establishment of the city by Samuel de Champlain in 1608 until his death in 1635. This era marks the formative years of New France and the foundation of French-Canadian culture. By the end of 1636 there were 47 families living in the colony. We can trace our ancestry directly to 10 of the original 17 (58%) families and a total of 18 of the 47 (38%).
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Notes - HIGHLIGHTS:
Governor Montmagny granted Jean and Anne an arpent of frontage on la Grande-Allée near Quebec, while Giffard provided them with land in Beauport. However, the threat of Iroquois raids made them hesitant to settle their Beauport concession immediately. Instead, they initially rented a small parcel of land from Noël Langlois, Anne's step-uncle, to be closer to other settlers for mutual protection.
Jean built a cabin on this rented land and began farming. Over time, they developed their properties, including a house in Upper Town, Quebec.
Jean was known to be a diligent farmer and businessman, selling hay and engaging in various transactions with other settlers.
CONNECTIONS:
Jim's 10th GGF on the Vermette line
LIFE STORY:
Jean Côté, born around 1605 in Perche, France, was among the early settlers recruited by Robert Giffard to help establish the colony of New France. He arrived in Quebec on July 20, 1635, as part of the wave of Percheron immigration that would shape the future of French Canada.
Anne Martin, born on March 23, 1614, in La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime, France is often attributed as the daughter of Abraham Martin, but there is no evidence that this is true.
Jean and Anne's paths crossed in the summer of 1635, and they were married on November 17, 1635. The ceremony, performed by Jesuit priest Charles Lalemant, took place at the home of Robert Giffard, with Guillaume Couillard and Giffard himself serving as witnesses. This union would prove to be one of the foundational marriages of French-Canadian society.
The young couple's early years were shaped by the realities of colonial life. In 1636, Governor Montmagny granted them an arpent of frontage on la Grande-Allée near Quebec, while Giffard provided them with land in Beauport. However, the threat of Iroquois raids made them hesitant to settle their Beauport concession immediately. Instead, they initially rented a small parcel of land from Noël Langlois, Anne's step-uncle, to be closer to other settlers for mutual protection.
Jean built a cabin on this rented land and began farming. Over time, they developed their properties, including a house in Upper Town, Quebec. Jean was known to be a diligent farmer and businessman, selling hay and engaging in various transactions with other settlers.
Throughout their lives, Jean and Anne were active members of the growing colony. They had nine children together, eight of whom survived to adulthood:
Louis (1636-1669)
Simone (1637-c.1700)
Martin (1639-1710)
Mathieu (1642-1710)
Jean (1644-1722)
Jean-Noël (1646-1701)
Marie (1648-1648)
Louise (1650-?)
These children would go on to play significant roles in the development of New France, with their descendants spreading throughout the colony and beyond.
Jean Côté passed away on March 28, 1661, in his home in Quebec City. He was buried in the church of Notre-Dame de Québec, an honor that reflected his status in the community. Anne survived him by more than two decades, continuing to manage their affairs and see to the establishment of their children. She died on December 4, 1684, and was also buried in Quebec City.
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