MARTIN, Abraham

Other Events and Attributes:

• Differentiator: Among the First Settlers of Quebec; contemporaries and acquaintances of Samuel Champlain
• Web Address: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plains_of_Abraham
• Web Address: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/abraham-martin
• Web Address: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Martin-2179
• Occupation: Fisherman, mariner, and river pilot

Notes:

Plains of Abraham are believed to have been named after him

Abraham Martin was born around 1589 in Dieppe, Normandy, France. His early life is largely unknown, including the origins of his nickname "l'Écossais" (the Scot), which could suggest Scottish ancestry or connections.

Around 1615, Abraham married Marguerite Langlois. Their first son, Jean, was baptized in Dieppe in 1616 but did not survive infancy. In 1620, Abraham and Marguerite, along with Marguerite's sister Françoise and her husband Pierre Desportes, sailed to Quebec, which had been established as a permanent settlement by Samuel de Champlain in 1608.

Abraham was a fisherman and mariner by trade. He and Marguerite were among the first European inhabitants of Quebec City. Their son Eustache, born in 1621, was the first French-Canadian boy born in Quebec, though he lived only briefly. Their daughter Marguerite (1624) and son Pierre (1630) were among the first children baptized at the newly established Notre-Dame parish.

In 1629, when the Kirke brothers captured Quebec for England, the Martin family returned to France. They came back to Quebec in 1633 after the territory was restored to France. Champlain's will included a substantial bequest to the Martin family, indicating a close relationship.

In 1635, the Company of New France granted Abraham 12 arpents (acres) of land on Cap Diamant's northern slope. This land, which Abraham cleared by hand, became known as the Plains of Abraham. In 1645, he received an additional 20 arpents from Adrien Duchesne.

Abraham likely worked as a river pilot on the St. Lawrence River, referring to himself as a "royal pilot" in 1647, though no official record of this title exists. He faced legal troubles in his later years, including imprisonment on a rape accusation in 1649 and an assault case in 1664.

Abraham Martin died around September 8, 1664, in Quebec City. Marguerite remarried in February 1665 but passed away later that year.

Abraham and Marguerite had eleven children in total, most of whom survived to adulthood. Their son Charles Amador Martin became one of the first Canadian priests. By 1800, their descendants numbered 7,765 married individuals.

The Plains of Abraham, named after Martin, later became the site of the famous 1759 battle between British and French forces, cementing his place in Canadian history. Today, the Plains of Abraham is a park. Abraham Martin is remembered as one of the founding pioneers of New France, his legacy living on through his numerous descendants and the historical significance of the land that bears his name.

Family/Spouse: LANGLOIS, Marguerite. Marguerite was born in 1592 in Montpellier, Hérault, Languedoc-Roussillon, France; died on 17 Dec 1665 in Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada; was buried in Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Jean Cloutier, baptized on May 13, 1620, in the church of Saint-Jean de Mortagne in Perche, France, was the son of Zacharie Cloutier and Sainte Dupont. His journey to New France began early in life when he arrived in Quebec on June 4, 1634, with his father. The rest of the family, including his mother and siblings Louise, Charles, and Anne, joined them in 1635 or 1636.

Marie Martin, born in 1635, was the daughter of Abraham Martin dit l'Écossais (after whom the Plains of Abraham are named) and Marguerite Langlois. She was born into one of the earliest French families in Quebec, her parents having arrived in the colony around 1620.

On January 21, 1648, Jean Cloutier, at 27 years old, married Marie Martin, who was only 12 at the time. Their marriage contract, drawn up by notary Claude Lecoustre on December 27, 1647, preceded their wedding ceremony at Notre-Dame de Québec. This union, though shocking by modern standards, was not uncommon in the early days of New France, where the need to establish families and populate the colony often led to marriages between older men and very young women.

Jean and Marie settled in Château-Richer on the Côte de Beaupré. Jean officially received his land concession on July 16, 1652, though his name appears on Jean Bourdon's 1641 map of the Côte de Beaupré. The 1680 map of Château-Richer shows their land, numbered 68, located just east of Sault à la Puce, with a flour mill near the river.

Over their long marriage, Jean and Marie had fourteen children:

An unnamed child (1650-1650)
Jean (1652-1709)
Marie (1655-1713)
Marguerite (1656-1727)
Louise (c.1657-1733)
Anne (1659-1714)
Sainte (c.1661-1725)
Joseph (1663-1671)
Pierre-Paul (1665-1665)
Pierre (1667-1703)
Françoise (1669-1721)
Angélique-Geneviève (1672-1699)
Agnès (1673-1761)
Marie-Madeleine (1676-1699)

Jean Cloutier was confirmed in the Catholic faith on February 2, 1660, at Château-Richer by Bishop Laval, alongside his parents. As a master carpenter, Jean played an important role in the construction and development of the growing settlement.

The family appears in several censuses, providing snapshots of their life over the years:

In 1666, Jean is listed as a 47-year-old carpenter with six children and a domestic servant.
The 1667 census shows the family with eight children, 12 head of cattle, and 22 arpents of cultivated land.

By 1681, Jean is 60 years old, with seven children still at home, 2 guns, 14 head of cattle, and 15 arpents under cultivation.

Jean Cloutier died suddenly on October 16, 1690, and was buried the same day in the cemetery of La Visitation-de-la-Bienheureuse-Vierge-Marie parish in Château-Richer. The burial record states he was 79 years old, though this appears to be an overestimation based on his baptismal record.
Marie Martin survived her husband by many years, though her exact date of death is not provided in the given information.

Family/Spouse: CLOUTIER, Jean. Jean (son of CLOUTIER, Zacharie and DUPONT, Xainte) was born on 13 May 1620 in Mortagne, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France; was christened in 1621 in Moutiers, Orne, Basse-Normandie, France; died on 16 Oct 1690 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada; was buried on 16 Oct 1690 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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, was already a resident of New France when Jean arrived. She was the daughter of Abraham Martin (after whom the Plains of Abraham would be named) and his first wife, Guillemette Couillard. Anne's early life was marked by the challenges of the fledgling colony. Her mother died when she was an infant, and her father remarried Marguerite Langlois in 1620. Growing up in the small trading post of Quebec, Anne was exposed to a unique blend of cultures on the frontier of New France.

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.

The legacy of Jean Côté and Anne Martin is immense. Their numerous descendants have played crucial roles in French-Canadian history, and today, a significant portion of French Canadians can trace their lineage back to this pioneering couple.

Anne married COTE, Jean on 17 Nov 1635 in Québec, Quebec, Canada. Jean (son of COTE, Abraham and LOISEL, Francoise Genevieve) was born in 1614 in Mortange Au Perche, France; died on 27 Mar 1661 in Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jean married BELANGER, Louise on 14 Nov 1679 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. Louise (daughter of BELANGER, François and GUYON, Marie Madeline) was born in 1657 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada; was christened in 1657; died on 5 Jul 1726 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada; was buried on 5 Juil 1726 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Marie married TOUPIN, Antoine on 24 Oct 1679 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. Antoine was born on 5 Feb 1655 in Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada; died on 1 Jun 1711 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: PAGÉ, Susanne. Susanne was born on 30 Apr 1654 in Quebec, Canada; died on 16 Sep 1719 in St. Pierre, Ile D'orlean, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Marie-Anne-Anges married LACROIX, Gabriel on 19 Jul 1716 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. Gabriel (son of LACROIX, David and MAILLOU, Barthélemie) was born on 19 Oct 1694 in Saint-Michel, Bellechasse, Quebec, Canada; was christened on 19 Oct 1694 in Saint-Michel, Bellechasse, Quebec, Canada; died on 26 Nov 1776 in Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse, Bellechasse, Quebec, Canada; was buried in Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse, Bellechasse, Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Marguerite married CORDEAU DESLAURIERS, Jacques on 22 Aug 1702 in Chateau Richer, La Côte-de-Beaupré, Quebec, Canada. Jacques (son of DIT DESLAURIERS, Jean Cordeau and LATOUR SIMONET, Catherine) was born on 13 Sep 1671 in Sainte-Famille, L'Île-d'Orléans, Quebec, Canada; died on 21 Jan 1747 in Quebec (Urban Agglomeration), Quebec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Jean married LANGLOIS-TRAVERSY, Anne on 8 Feb 1694 in Beauport, Québec, Canada. Anne was born in 1675 in Beauport, Québec, Canada; died on 30 Sep 1741 in Québec, Québec, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]