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CLOUTIER, Zacharie

CLOUTIER, Zacharie

Male 1590 - 1677  (87 years)

 Set As Default Person    

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  • Photos
    Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890
    cloutier-zacharie-plaque
    Mark of Zacharie Cloutier
    acaplparc20cloutier_0
    zacharie cloutier street sign
    Cloutier Zacharie - plaque Canada 1634 en Mortagne-au-Perche (cl)
    Plaque with founding families of Quebec City (New France)

    Documents
    Zacharie Cloutier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia    		Zacharie Cloutier - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
    Biography – CLOUTIER, ZACHARIE – Volume I (1000-1700) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography    		Biography – CLOUTIER, ZACHARIE – Volume I (1000-1700) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography
    Story about Zacharie Cloutier in Canada    		Story about Zacharie Cloutier in Canada

    Histories
    history    		history
    History of the Cloutiers; gen 1    		History of the Cloutiers; gen 1

    Albums
    Founding Families of New France    		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%).

  • Name CLOUTIER, Zacharie  [1, 2, 3, 4] 
    Baptism 1590  Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [4] 
    Birth 18 Jul 1590  Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 3] 
    Gender Male 
    Differentiator Common ancestor of Jim and Michelle; Among the first 17 families that settled Quebec City (New France); contemporaries and acquaintances of Samuel Champlain 
    Web Address https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zacharie_Cloutier 
    Occupation Master Carpenter 
    Death 17 Sep 1677  Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [1, 2, 4] 
    Burial 17 Sep 1677  Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location  [2, 4] 
    Patriarch & Matriarch
    CLOUTIER, Denis,   b. 1565, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Mar 1633, St Jean-de-Mortagne-au-Perche, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 68 years)  (Father) 
    BRIÈRE, Renée,   b. 1 Jan 1570, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 May 1608, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 38 years)  (Mother) 
    Person ID I5201  My Genealogy
    Last Modified 15 Jul 2024 

    Father CLOUTIER, Denis,   b. 1565, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 2 Mar 1633, St Jean-de-Mortagne-au-Perche, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 68 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Mother BRIÈRE, Renée,   b. 1 Jan 1570, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 May 1608, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 38 years) 
    Relationship natural 
    Marriage 1585  St Jean, Mortagne-au-Perche, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F1390  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family 1 DUPONT, Xainte,   b. 1595, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Parish Cemetery, Mortagne-au-Perche, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 13 Jul 1680, Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 85 years) 
    Marriage 18 Jul 1616  St Jean, Mortagne-au-Perche, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location  [3] 
    Children 
     1. CLOUTIER, Anne,   b. 19 Jan 1626, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Feb 1648, Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 22 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    ▻ DROUIN, Robert  m. 12 Jul 1637
     2. CLOUTIER, Charles,   b. 3 May 1629, Mortagne, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 5 Jun 1709, Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 80 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    ▻ MORIN, Louise  m. 20 Apr 1659
     3. CLOUTIER, Zacharie,   b. 15 Aug 1617, St-Jean, Montaigu, Allier, Auvergne, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 3 Feb 1708, Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    ▻ AYMARD, Madeleine Barbe  m. 1640
     4. CLOUTIER, Xainte,   b. 1 Nov 1622, St-Jean-Baptiste-de-Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 19 Sep 1632, St-Jean-Baptiste-de-Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 9 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     5. CLOUTIER, Jean,   b. 13 May 1620, Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 16 Oct 1690, Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 70 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     6. CLOUTIER, Marie Louise,   b. 18 Mar 1632, Montagne-au-Perche, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 22 Jun 1699, Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 67 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
     7. CLOUTIER, Louise,   c. 1631   d. Abt 1684 (Age ~ 53 years)  [Father: natural]  [Mother: natural]
    Family ID F1388  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 15 Jul 2024 

    Family 2 GAUTHIER, Jeanne Rahir,   b. 1580, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1640, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 60 years) 
    Marriage 3 Nov 1609  Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F1389  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 15 Jul 2024 

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBaptism - 1590 - Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBirth - 18 Jul 1590 - Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 3 Nov 1609 - Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsMarriage - 18 Jul 1616 - St Jean, Mortagne-au-Perche, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDeath - 17 Sep 1677 - Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBurial - 17 Sep 1677 - Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 

  • Notes 
    • HIGHLIGHTS:

      In March 1634, Zacharie signed a contract with Robert Giffard, seigneur of Beauport, to work as a master carpenter and land clearer in New France for three years. This decision, likely influenced by the promise of land and opportunity,

      Zacharie's skills as a carpenter were immediately put to use. He helped build Giffard's manor, the Château St-Louis (the official residence of the Governor of New France), a Jesuit presbytery, and numerous other structures essential to the growing colony.

      By 1800, Zacharie had 10,850 married descendants, the most of any Quebec colonist according to the Historical Demography Research Program of the Université de Montréal.

      The Cloutier name is commemorated throughout Quebec, with parks, streets, and even a type of cheese bearing Zacharie's name.

      CONNECTIONS:

      Zacharie Cloutier is Michelle's 10th GGF on the Laviolette side and Jim's 10th and 11th GGF on both the Dumas and Vermette/Gilbert lines.

      LIFE STORY:

      Zacharie Cloutier, born around 1590 in Mortagne-au-Perche, Normandy, France, was one of the most influential early settlers of New France. The son of Denis Cloutier and Renée Brière, Zacharie grew up in a family of nine children. His father was likely a joiner and ropemaker, skills that may have influenced Zacharie's future as a master carpenter.

      On July 18, 1616, at the age of 26, Zacharie married Xainte (also known as Sainte) Dupont in the parish of Saint-Jean in Mortagne-au-Perche. Xainte, born around 1596, was the daughter of Paul-Michel Dupont and Perrine, and the widow of Michel Lermusier. This union would become one of the most significant in the history of French-Canadian genealogy.

      The couple had six children in France: Zacharie (1617), Jean (1620), Xainte (1622, died in childhood), Anne (1626), Charles (1629), and Marie-Louise (1632). Their growing family would soon embark on a life-changing journey to the New World.

      In March 1634, Zacharie signed a contract with Robert Giffard, seigneur of Beauport, to work as a master carpenter and land clearer in New France for three years. This decision, likely influenced by the promise of land and opportunity, would shape the future of countless French-Canadians.

      The Cloutier family, along with fellow settler Jean Guyon du Buisson and his family, sailed from Dieppe and arrived in Quebec on June 4, 1634. They were welcomed by Samuel de Champlain himself, marking the beginning of their new life in the fledgling colony.

      Zacharie's skills as a carpenter were immediately put to use. He helped build Giffard's manor, the Château St-Louis (the official residence of the Governor of New France), a Jesuit presbytery, and numerous other structures essential to the growing colony. His work was crucial in establishing the infrastructure of early Quebec.

      On February 3, 1637, Zacharie and Jean Guyon officially took possession of their promised lands in Beauport. Zacharie's property, known as "La Clouterie" or "La Cloutièrerie," comprised 1,000 arpents (about 342 hectares). Despite being illiterate, Zacharie was meticulous about formalizing agreements, using a mark resembling an axe as his signature.

      The Cloutier family's life in New France was not without challenges. In 1646, a dispute arose between Giffard and his recruits over feudal obligations. Zacharie and Jean initially refused to pay homage to Giffard, considering themselves equals. This conflict, which lasted for years, exemplified the tension between Old World hierarchies and New World realities.

      By 1666, the first census of New France shows Zacharie and Xainte, now 76 and 70 years old respectively, living in Château-Richer. They had moved there sometime after 1652 when Zacharie was granted land by Governor Jean de Lauzon. In 1669, they signed over their possessions to their eldest son, Zacharie Jr., in exchange for care in their old age.

      Zacharie Cloutier died on September 17, 1677, at the age of 87, and was buried in the church cemetery of Château-Richer. Xainte followed on July 13, 1680, at the age of 84. Their legacy, however, was just beginning.

      The Cloutier family's impact on French-Canadian society is immeasurable. By 1800, Zacharie had 10,850 married descendants, the most of any Quebec colonist according to the Historical Demography Research Program of the Université de Montréal. Today, it's estimated that a significant portion of French-Canadians can trace their lineage back to Zacharie and Xainte.

      Their descendants include numerous notable figures, from political leaders like Pierre and Justin Trudeau to entertainers such as Céline Dion, Madonna, and Jim Carrey. The Cloutier name is commemorated throughout Quebec, with parks, streets, and even a type of cheese bearing Zacharie's name.

      Zacharie and Xainte Cloutier's story embodies the courage, resilience, and pioneering spirit of New France's earliest settlers. Their legacy lives on not just in the countless descendants who bear their genetic imprint, but in the very foundations of French-Canadian culture and society.

  • Sources 
    1. [S1476] Genealogical Research Library, Ontario, Canada, Canadian Genealogy Index, 1600s-1900s, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2005;).

    2. [S2137] Ancestry.com, Canada, Find a Grave Index, 1600s-Current, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2012;).

    3. [S52] Yates Publishing, U.S. and International Marriage Records, 1560-1900, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2004;), Source number: 8.000; Source type: Electronic Database; Number of Pages: 1; Submitter Code: JBH.

    4. [S1457] Ancestry.com, Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890, (Name: Ancestry.com Operations Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2011;), Volume: Vol. 1 Sect. 1 : A-Hel; Page: 132.
      Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890      		 Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890



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