Antoine Fortier
by
Marielle Phaneuf
Antoine, the son of Noel Fortier and Marie-Marthe Golle, was baptized, at Saint-Jacques, in Dieppe, Normandy (France), on June 26, 1644. The exact date of his arrival in New France is unknown. We only know that, he came with his father and that, they first settled, at Beauport. The first mention, in the archives, was confirmed, at the Hotel-Dieu, in Quebec.
In the census of 1667, Noel Fortier was said to be 50 years old and a " sailor working for Charles Bazire." Noel and Antoine both had a trade which, they hoped to put to profit in their adopted country: Noel was a shipwright, that is to say, a specialist in the perforation of holes into which, he fastened different pieces of the frame, whereas, Antoine was more interested in going to sea to fish commercially.
The few years spent at Beauport allowed father and son to evaluate the opportunities which were offered to new arrivals and especially to stabilize their financial situation. Antoine seemed to have an ability to make sound business deals, if we may judge by an act of Notary Rageot, dated October 17 1667. He signed an agreement with three partners, Louis Couillard de L'Espinay, Francois Jacques and Jacques Lozier, for the purpose of equally dividing the profits coming from fishing for sea bass which, they intended to do " near Lisle Rouge in the St. Lawrence River." This was a very lucrative enterprise at the time.
Then, on March 1, 1671, again with Notary Rageot recording, Antoine signed a contract making him the owner of a piece of land, on the Ile d'Orleans, in the parish of Saint-Laurent, at a place named L'Arbre Sec. It concerned three arpents of frontage which, Antoine and his father would make fruitful. It was also the ideal place for them since, a small shipyard already existed on the island.
ANTOINE FORTIER'S MARRIAGE
It was in 1677 that, Our Ancestor decided to take a wife, a certain Marie-Madeleine Cadieux, the daughter of Charles Cadieux, Sieur de Courville and Madeleine Macart, both from a high social class and associated with the richest families in the colony.
The marriage contract was drawn up by Cadieux's neighbor, who was none other than Royal Notary Michel Fillion. The contract was dated, November 21, 1677 and was made at the residence of Charles Cadieux, in the Seigneurie of Beauport. The numerous people present were among the most notable personalities of the era. It is a matter of record that, Antoine's father, Noel Fortier, was not present at the gathering, probably unable to attend because of infirmities of old age.
A COASTAL TRADER
On January 12, 1693, Antoine Fortier concluded a transaction before a notary. At that time, Our Ancestor stated that, he was " Master and Owner of the barge LA SAINTE-ANNE with a displacement of twenty-five tons." By this contract, he was obligated to the Messieurs les Sous-Fermiers de la Traite de Tadoussac and the Sieur Macart, a merchant in the town of Quebec and the principal party concerned, as well as director of the said Company, to make three journeys with his barge and crew.
The first journey was made as soon as the ice broke, from Quebec to Chicoutimi and Papinachois or from Papinachois to the said Chicoutimi, depending on wind conditions since, the barge was so propelled. The second took place at the end of July and the third, eight days after the return from the second.
One important condition of the contract was that " the said Fortier, the sailors of his crew or any other person, could not directly or indirectly trade or sell to Frenchmen or Indians any merchandise, under the penalty of losing his cargo totally." Another condition specified that, Antoine was obligated to maintain the seaworthiness of his craft to prevent it from swamping or keeping the cargo from contamination by sea water. His salary? The sum of one thousand livres tournois " in silver coin of the country." How many journeys did Our Ancestor make? We are inclined to believe that, he worked at this trade his whole life.
By becoming owner of his own ship, Antoine Fortier showed a resourceful spirit, a tenacity for work and a great deal of determination. He was also a man with deep faith. The name which he gave to his ship proves the great confidence which he had in Sainte-Anne.
FAMILY LIFE
Antoine spent very little time with his family during the months of navigation but, his trade brought them an enviable prosperity so that, life on the Ile d'Orleans unfolded calm and serene. He was loved by twelve children, ten of whom were boys, assuring him of numerous descendants.
It was in 1683 that, God called Noel Fortier to Him, at the age of 90 years old. Noel had been a valuable aid to Antoine, especially during the first years of their settling on the island.
A HELPING HAND
Antoine Fortier was a man with very few solid religious convictions, a good-hearted man, loved and respected by all. At the time of his voyages, on the river, the colonists waited for his passing with joy because, they could always count on his judicious advice as well as on his moral and often material help. A document dated October 9, 1703, informs us that, a colonist from the Seigneurie of Beaumont, named Rene Faureau dit Deslauriers, having lost his wife, Elisabeth Boissonneau, was reduced to extreme poverty and could not meet the needs of his four young children. As a result, Antoine Fortier agreed to take charge of the four year old Marie-Francoise , in order to assure her well being and to provide her with what is necessary for her life and her support until the age of 20 years old."
Let us not forget that at that time, Antoine and Marie-Madeleine Cadieux already had eleven mouths to feed: Marie-Madeleine, Antoine, Jean-Baptiste, Charles, Michel, Pierre-Noel, Guillaume, Jean-Francois, Nicolas, Louis and Joseph. On June 11, 1703, the Fortier parents laid to rest their twelfth child, the youngest, the one and a half year old Anne. At the Fortier home, Marie-Francoise Faureau took the place left empty by Anne.
THE CHILDREN OF MARIE-MADELEINE AND ANTOINE
1) Marie-Madeleine was born, on November 7, 1678 and baptized the 11th, at Sainte-Famille, Ile d'Orleans. She married Gervais Pepin, the son of Antoine and Marie Teste, on January 14, 1698, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. They had eleven children, six boys and five girls.
2) Antoine was born, on February 29 and baptized March 10, 1680, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. On February 3, 1706, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans, he married Madeleine Noel, the daughter of Francois and Nicole Legrand. They had nine children, five boys and four girls.
3) Jean-Baptiste was born, on September 7, 1681 and baptized eight days later, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He took for his bride Marie-Madeleine Ruel, on October 15, 1708, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. She was the daughter of Clement Ruel and Marguerite Leclerc. Marie-Madeleine and Jean-Baptiste had nine children, a daughter and eight boys.
4) Charles was born, on May 4, 1683 and baptized the 9th, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He married Francoise Blouin, the daughter of Emery and Marie Carreau, on July 9, 1709, at Saint-Jean, Ile d'Orleans. They had ten children, six boys and four girls.
5) Michel was born, on February 1 and baptized the 5th, 1685, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He married Angelique Manseau, the daughter of Jacques and Marguerite Latouche, on November 19, 1708, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. They had eight children, four boys, two girls and a set of twins that died at birth, gender unknown. Michel died and was buried September 9, 1724, at Quebec. Angelique then took for her husband Francois Rageot, the son of Gilles and Marie-Madeleine Morin and widower of Genevieve Gauthier, on August 1, 1727, at Quebec. They had no children.
6) Pierre-Noel was born November 25, 1686 and baptized the 27th, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He married Anne Leclerc, the daughter of Pierre and Elisabeth Rondeau, on October 13, 1710, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. They had ten children, seven girls and three boys. 
7) Guillaume was born, on January 3, 1689 and baptized the 3rd, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He went on to marry Marie-Madeleine Dumas, the daughter of Francois and Marie-Francoise Gervais, on November 9, 1711, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. They had ten children, six girls and four boys.
8) Jean-Francois was born, on December 27, 1690 and baptized the 29th, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He died May 16 and was buried May 27, 1715.
9) Nicolas was born October 20, 1694 and baptized the 25th, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He died, at Tadoussac and buried October 22, 1715, at Baie-Saint-Paul.
10) Louis was born and baptized, on March 24, 1697, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He married Elisabeth Fontaine, the daughter of Etienne and Marie Conille, on July 19, 1717, at Saint-Jean, Ile d'Orleans. They had seven children, three girls and four boys.
11) Joseph was born, on March 31 and baptized April 2, 1699, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. He married Suzanne Plante, the daughter of Georges and Marguerite Crepeau, on April 9, 1720, at Saint-Jean, Ile d'Orleans. They had seven children, four boys, two girls and one that died in infancy, gender unknown.
12) Anne was born and baptized December 19, 1701, at Saint-Laurent, Ile d'Orleans. She died and was buried, on June 6, 1703.
A REVEALING INVENTORY
A property inventory is a very revealing document of a person's life. It was actually a general review of the family material condition.
Concerning Ancestor Fortier, the inventory made by Notary Jacob, on the morning of October 11, 1708, begins with the statement " the said deceased died at Papinachois at Riviere Assomption during the last Feast of Pentecost." It goes on to reveal an extraordinary amount of detail found nowhere else.
A list of the small objects covers eight pages of a notaries large notebook and the listing of the other property found in the house and the adjoining buildings is equally impressive. Let's not forget the important points. The land that Antoine left to his heirs, now represented 90 arpents under cultivation. The house, thirty to forty feet long by 18 wide, had two rooms on one floor, with cellar and attic. It was covered in part with shingles.
A part of the inventory informs us that, the Fortier sons, namely Antoine, Jean, Pierre-Noel and Michel, were employed to pilot the family barge "LA SAINTE-ANNE," as well as to perform other tasks on this same barge.
We end on a rather sad note concerning the good ship " LA SAINTE-ANNE." In the middle of the inventory is written: " The barge of thirty tons with generally all the gear and rigging was put up for sale by the said nephew and major heirs, through the usual formalities and appraised at present for the sum of two-thousand livres." It is evident that, in the XVIII century, as in the XX century, the tastes and aspirations of the children do not always follow those of the parents.
Marie-Madeleine Cadieux died at Saint-Laurent, on February 26, 1715, a few months before the accidental death of her two sons, Jean-Francois and Nicolas. Mother Fortier was buried inland, on the south side of the island, on February 27. The obituary record states that, she had succumbed to a pain in her side after seven days of illness. What doctor of today would dare report this mysterious diagnosis? Abbot Yves Leriche, the former missionary for the Abenaquis, who was then the pastor of Saint-Laurent, presided at the funeral service.
FAMILY NAME VARIATIONS
The known variations to the family name of Fortier may be listed as follows: Benoit, Farshay, Fartur, Firscier, Forcier, Forestiere, Forkey, Forshay, Forstiere, Forties, Fortifier, Fortin, Fortay, Foster, Frostier, Laprise and McCarthy.
This biography was taken from " Our French-Candian Ancestors " by Thomas J. Laforest; Volume 11- Chapter 6- Page 53 4-15-98