Settlers & Colonists of New France

The Company of One Hundred Associates (Compagnie des Cent-Associés) was obligated by its charter to transport and establish 4,000 settlers in New France between 1628 and 1643. While the company fell far short of this goal, it did facilitate the immigration of several hundred colonists who formed the core of French settlement in North America.

Early Settlement Patterns

The First Families

Louis Hébert (1575-1627) and Marie Rollet (1580-1649)

Though they arrived before the Company of One Hundred Associates was formed, the Hébert family is considered the first permanent French farming family in Quebec. Louis was an apothecary who became a farmer in Quebec, arriving in 1617. After Louis’s death, Marie remained in the colony, remarried, and continued to farm their land. Their descendants are numerous in North America today.

Guillaume Couillard (1591-1663) and Guillemette Hébert (1606-1684)

Couillard arrived as a carpenter and shipbuilder in 1613 and married Louis Hébert’s daughter. After Hébert’s death, Couillard took over much of his father-in-law’s land and became a prominent farmer. The couple had ten children who married into other pioneer families, creating an extensive network of relationships.

Abraham Martin (1589-1664) and Marguerite Langlois

Martin, a river pilot, and his wife were among the earliest settlers who remained through the difficult early years. The Plains of Abraham, where the decisive 1759 battle between British and French forces was fought, were named after him as he had grazed his cattle there.

Nicolas Marsolet (1601-1677)

Arrived as a young man with Champlain in 1613 and became an interpreter, working with the Montagnais (Innu) and Algonquin peoples. He later received land grants and became a merchant.

The Percheron Immigration

A significant group of early colonists came from the French province of Perche, beginning in the 1630s. Robert Giffard, a physician who had previously visited New France, received a seigneury at Beauport in 1634 and recruited settlers from his home region.

Robert Giffard (1589-1668)

Received one of the first seigneuries and actively recruited settlers from Perche. As a seigneur, he was responsible for developing his land grant by bringing in tenants (censitaires).

Jean Guyon (1592-1663) and Mathurine Robin

Master masons who arrived in 1634 as part of Giffard’s recruiting efforts. Guyon received a large land grant within Giffard’s seigneury and established a prominent family line.

Zacharie Cloutier (1590-1677) and Xainte Dupont

A master carpenter who came to New France in 1634. Like Guyon, he was recruited by Giffard and received land within the Beauport seigneury. His descendants are numerous in North America.

Noël Langlois (1607-1684) and Françoise Grenier

Arrived in 1634 as part of the Percheron immigration. Langlois was a ship’s carpenter who became a farmer in Beauport.

Key Settlement Initiatives

The Montréal Project (1642)

Founded by the Société Notre-Dame de Montréal, a religious organization, rather than directly by the Company of One Hundred Associates, though they operated under a land grant from the company.

Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve (1612-1676)

First governor of Montreal and led the initial colonizing expedition in 1642. He remained governor until 1665, guiding the settlement through its precarious early years.

Jeanne Mance (1606-1673)

Co-founder of Montreal who established the Hôtel-Dieu hospital. She was both an administrator and a nurse who provided essential medical care to colonists and Indigenous allies.

Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700)

Arrived in 1653 to establish schools in Montreal. She founded the Congregation of Notre Dame, which focused on educating young women. Her educational initiatives were crucial for the colony’s development.

Social Structure and Demographics

Population Growth

1627: Approximately 100 French colonists in New France
1641: About 300 colonists
1663 (end of company rule): Approximately 2,500 colonists

Professional Background of Settlers

The colonists brought a variety of skills essential to establishing a self-sufficient settlement:

Artisans and Craftsmen

Carpenters: Essential for building homes, furniture, and boats
Masons: Constructed stone buildings and fortifications
Blacksmiths: Produced and repaired metal tools and weapons
Coopers: Made barrels for storing and shipping goods
Tailors: Created and repaired clothing
Shoemakers: Produced footwear adapted to the harsh climate

Agricultural Workers

The majority of settlers eventually became farmers, even if they had other skills. They adopted cultivation techniques suitable for the North American climate and soils.

Servants (engagés)

Many colonists came as indentured servants under a three-year contract (36-month engagement), after which they could receive land and establish their own farms.

The Filles du Roi (King’s Daughters)

Though they arrived after the Company of One Hundred Associates period (between 1663 and 1673), the approximately 800 women sent by Louis XIV to address the gender imbalance in the colony married many of the men who had arrived during the company’s tenure and were crucial to population growth.

Settlement Challenges

Harsh Climate and Difficult Adaptation

Many early settlers were unprepared for the severe North American winters, which led to illness, frostbite, and sometimes death.

Iroquois Threats

Particularly from the 1640s onward, Iroquois raids posed a constant danger to outlying settlements, restricting agricultural development and causing many casualties.

Supply Challenges

The company often failed to provide adequate supplies, leaving colonists to face shortages of essential goods.

The Great Recruitment (1653)

By the early 1650s, the colony was in such danger from Iroquois attacks that a special recruitment effort was organized. Maisonneuve returned to France and recruited about 100 men who arrived in 1653 to bolster Montreal’s defenses.

Land Distribution System

The Seigneurial System

The company granted large tracts of land (seigneuries) to individuals who would recruit settlers. These seigneurs then subdivided their lands among censitaires (tenant farmers) who paid modest annual dues.

Notable Seigneuries Established

Beauport (granted to Robert Giffard, 1634)
Beaupré (granted to the Company of Beaupré, 1636)
Île d’Orléans (granted to various seigneurs from 1636)
Cap-de-la-Madeleine (granted to the Jesuits, 1651)
Lauzon (granted to Jean de Lauzon, 1636)

Land Use Patterns

Settlers typically received long, narrow lots with frontage on the St. Lawrence River, creating the distinctive “long lot” pattern still visible in the Quebec countryside today.

Early Settlement Areas

Québec

The primary settlement and administrative center, established by Champlain in 1608.

Trois-Rivières

Founded in 1634 as a fur trading post and farming settlement.

Montreal (Ville-Marie)

Established in 1642 as a missionary outpost and became a key defense point and trading center.

Rural Settlements

Côte de Beaupré

One of the earliest areas of rural settlement, extending northeast from Quebec along the St. Lawrence.

Île d’Orléans

Island near Quebec that became an important agricultural center with several parishes.

Côte de Lauzon

Area south of the St. Lawrence, opposite Quebec.

Cap-de-la-Madeleine

Settlement near Trois-Rivières developed by the Jesuits.

Daily Life and Material Culture

Housing

Early settlers initially lived in temporary shelters before constructing more permanent homes. Housing styles evolved from simple wooden structures to more substantial stone buildings as the colony developed.

Early Structures

Temporary bark or wood cabins
Single-room wooden houses with thatched roofs
More substantial timber-frame houses as settlement progressed

Later Development

Stone houses for wealthier colonists and institutions
Distinctive Norman-influenced architecture with steep roofs for snow shedding
Adaptation of French regional building styles to North American conditions and materials

Agriculture

Settlers adapted European farming techniques to the North American environment, growing crops suitable to the shorter growing season.

Major Crops

Wheat: The principal grain crop for bread
Peas: An important protein source and rotation crop
Root vegetables: Turnips, carrots, and cabbage that could be stored through winter
Flax: Grown for making linen

Livestock

Cattle: Imported from France for dairy and meat
Pigs: Valued for their adaptability and complete utilization
Sheep: Raised for wool and meat
Poultry: Chickens for eggs and meat

Diet and Nutrition

The colonists’ diet combined imported French foods with locally available resources.

Bread was the staple food
Pea soup became a characteristic dish
Fish provided protein, especially during Lent
Wild game supplemented the diet
Preserved foods were essential for winter survival

Clothing

Colonists initially imported textiles from France but gradually developed local production.

Adaptation of French styles to the colder climate
More substantial footwear and outerwear
Some adoption of Indigenous clothing elements, particularly for winter

Tools and Technology

Settlers brought European technology but adapted it to local conditions.

Agricultural implements: Plows, scythes, hoes
Carpentry and woodworking tools
Blacksmithing equipment
Domestic implements for food preparation and textile production

Cultural and Social Life

Family Structure

The family was the basic social unit, with complex kinship networks developing over generations.

Relatively high birth rates compared to France
Extended family households were common
Strong patriarchal structure reflecting French customs

Religious Practices

Catholicism was central to colony life, with the church calendar structuring the year.

Regular mass attendance was expected
Religious festivals marked the seasons
Sacraments (baptism, marriage, burial) marked life passages
Parish priests served as community leaders and record keepers

Education

Limited formal education was available, primarily through religious institutions.

Boys might receive basic education from Jesuit colleges
Girls could be educated by the Ursulines
Most practical skills were learned through apprenticeship or family instruction
Literacy rates were relatively low but higher than in many parts of rural France

Community Organizations

Various institutions helped structure community life.

Parish councils (fabriques) managed church affairs
Local militia units organized defense
Mutual aid societies helped in times of hardship

Legacy of the Early Colonists

The settlers who came to New France during the Company of One Hundred Associates period (1627-1663) established the foundation of French culture in North America. Despite their small numbers, their cultural, linguistic, and religious traditions proved remarkably resilient.

Demographic Impact

Studies have shown that a significant proportion of French Canadians today can trace their ancestry to the settlers who arrived before 1680. This “founder effect” has influenced both the genetic and cultural makeup of Quebec society.

Cultural Continuity

Many traditions, linguistic features, and social practices established by these early colonists persisted for generations, some continuing to the present day.

Key Family Lines

Several families from this period became especially numerous and influential in later generations:

Hébert/Couillard
Guyon
Cloutier
Gagnon
Langlois
Côté
Paradis
Tremblay

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