| Notes |
- Martin Prévost and Marie Olivier Sylvestre Manitouabewich's union stands as a significant milestone in Canadian history, representing the first officially recorded marriage between a French colonist and an Indigenous woman in New France.
Born on January 4, 1611, in Montreuil-sous-Bois near Paris, Martin Prévost was the son of Pierre Prévost and Charlotte Vien. Seeking new opportunities, he immigrated to New France in the late 1630s, with his presence first noted in Quebec in 1639. He found employment as a storekeeper for the Company of One Hundred Associates, immersing himself in the bustling fur trade of the new colony.
Marie Olivier Sylvestre Manitouabewich entered the world around 1624 as a member of the Algonquin nation. Her parents, Roch Manitouabewich and Outchibahanoukoueou, made the significant decision to entrust their young daughter to Olivier Le Tardif, a respected interpreter and intermediary between the French and Indigenous peoples. This act was likely a strategic move to strengthen alliances between their people and the French colonists, a common practice in Indigenous cultures of the time.
Under Le Tardif's guardianship, Marie's life underwent a dramatic transformation. She was baptized with the name Marie Olivier Sylvestre and received a French education, first with the Ursuline nuns in Quebec and later with the Hubou family. This upbringing immersed her in French language, customs, and Catholic faith, while likely retaining some connection to her Algonquin heritage.
Martin and Marie's paths crossed in this colonial setting, possibly through Martin's connections in the fur trade or through mutual acquaintances like the Hubou family. While we can't know for certain, it's possible that Martin was drawn to Marie's unique bicultural background, her education, and her ability to navigate both French and Indigenous worlds. For her part, Marie may have seen in Martin a chance for stability and acceptance in the French colonial society she had been raised to join.
Their wedding took place on November 3, 1644, at Notre-Dame de Québec, witnessed by prominent colony members including Olivier Le Tardif and Guillaume Couillard. This high-profile ceremony suggests that their union had support from influential figures in the colony.
While we can't definitively state that theirs was a love match, the fact that they chose to marry despite potential social challenges suggests a strong personal connection. Martin, at 33, was choosing to marry outside his own culture, which would have been a significant decision. For Marie, at about 20 years old, Martin possibly represented a bridge between the two worlds she inhabited.
After their marriage, the couple settled in Beauport, near Quebec City, where they raised a family of at least eight children between 1647 and 1665. Martin continued his work as a farmer and maintained property in Quebec City, while Marie likely managed their household and cared for their children.
Their life together wasn't without challenges. They likely faced prejudices from both French and Indigenous communities, navigating a complex social landscape. However, the longevity of their marriage and their apparent stability in Beauport suggest they found ways to overcome these obstacles.
Additionally, their union, while groundbreaking in many ways, also reflects the harsh realities of life in 17th-century New France. This is particularly evident in the tragic fate of many of their children.
Martin and Marie had at least nine children between 1647 and 1665, but the records show a heartbreaking pattern of infant and child mortality:
Marie Magdeleine, their firstborn, lived only about two months.
An unnamed child, born and died in 1648.
Ursule, born in 1649, lived until the age of 11, dying in 1661.
Louis, born around 1651, was one of the few to reach adulthood.
Marie Magdelaine, born in 1655, died at about age 7 in 1662.
Antoine, born in 1657, died at age 5 in 1662.
Jean, born in 1660, survived to adulthood.
Jean Baptiste, born in 1662, also survived to adulthood.
Marie Thérèse, their last child, was born in 1665 and survived to adulthood.
This high rate of infant and child mortality was not unusual for the time. In 17th-century New France, it's estimated that about half of all children died before reaching adulthood. The causes were numerous: harsh living conditions, limited medical knowledge, diseases that are now preventable or treatable, and periods of food scarcity all contributed to this grim reality.
For Martin and Marie, the loss of so many children must have been a source of immense grief. The death of their first two children in infancy, followed by the loss of Ursule at age 11, and then two more children (Marie Magdelaine and Antoine) in the same year (1662) would have been particularly devastating.
Despite these tragedies, Martin and Marie persevered, continuing to build their family and their life together. The survival of their later children - Louis, Jean, Jean Baptiste, and Marie Thérèse - to adulthood would have been a source of joy and hope.
Sadly, their union was cut short when Marie passed away on September 10, 1665, at approximately 40 years of age. Martin remarried later that year to Marie d'Abancourt, perhaps out of necessity to care for his younger children. He lived to the age of 80, passing away on January 27, 1691, in Beauport.
The story of Martin and Marie represents more than just a historical first. It embodies the complex cultural interactions of early New France, highlighting both the possibilities for cross-cultural understanding and the challenges faced by those who crossed societal boundaries. Their legacy lives on through their numerous descendants, many of whom still bear the Prévost or Provost name across North America.
|
Abt 1626 - 1665 (39 years)
Set As Default Person 
MANITOUABEWICH, Roch, b. Bef 1600, Canada
