Abraham Martin dit l'Écossais

Abraham Martin & Marguerite Langlois

Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais[1]

Early Life and Family

Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais was born to unknown parents in France around 1589. He reportedly lived on rue de l’Écosse (Scotland Street) in Dieppe, France, which may explain his nickname “l’Écossais” (the Scotsman). According to other speculations, he may have had Scottish ancestry.

Around 1615, he married Marguerite Langlois in an undetermined location in France, presumably in Dieppe, where their son Jean was baptized in 1616.[2] Two children were baptized in Dieppe (Saint-Jacques church): Jean on September 23, 1616 (with Jehan Filie as godfather and Colette Chignart as godmother); and Pierre on August 1, 1630.[2:1]

Children of Marguerite Langlois & Abraham Martin:

  • Jean Martin (1616-), born in France
  • Eustache Martin (1621-)
  • Marguerite Martin (1624-1679)
  • Hélène Martin (1627-before 1653)
  • Pierre Martin (1630-), born in France
  • Marie Martin (1635-1699)
  • Adrien Martin (1638-)
  • Magdelaine Martin (1640-1688)
  • Barbe Martin (1643-1660)
  • Anne Martin (1645-1717)
  • Charles Amador Martin (1648-1711), priest

Migration to New France

Around 1620, Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais arrived in Canada with his family.

Eustache, son of Marguerite Langlois and Abraham Martin, is believed to be the first “Canadian” boy born in Quebec; his baptism is the first one recorded in the Notre-Dame de Québec parish register, dated October 21, 1621. However, he reportedly died the same year.[3]

In 1629, Hélène Martin, Marguerite Martin, Marguerite Langlois, and Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais were residing in Quebec.

After Quebec was captured by the Kirke brothers, Abraham and his family returned to France in 1629 and then came back to the colony in 1633.[2:2] According to his declaration on December 27, 1647, in his daughter Marie Martin’s (1635-1699) marriage contract[4] before notary Claude Le Coustre, he was a royal pilot in New France.[5][6]

Land Holdings and the Plains of Abraham

In 1635, Abraham Martin was granted a 12-arpent plot of land by the Company of New France. The land was located on the northern slope of Cap-aux-Diamants; the plateau above it would later be called “Plains of Abraham” due to his first name and would become the site of the future Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759, between Montcalm and Wolfe. The land extended from Côte-Sainte-Geneviève (present-day Grande-Allée) downward to Côte-d’Abraham itself and westward to rue Clairefontaine, under the current Grand Théâtre. His property did not cover the Plains of Abraham, but the battle of 1759 took place on the Plains of Abraham and also on Abraham Martin’s former property.[7]

On November 17, 1635, Samuel de Champlain included him in his will with these terms: 600 livres to Abraham and his wife “on the condition that they use them to clear land in this country of New France.” He added: 600 livres to Marguerite, Abraham’s daughter, “to help her marry in this country of New France to a man who will be a resident in this said country and not otherwise”; then, “to Hélène, his other daughter and my goddaughter, 300 francs.”

Adrien Duchesne[8] gave his land to Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais, and on August 15, 1646, this was attested by Jacques de Launay, Robert Giffard (seigneur of Beauport), Guillaume Tronquet, Jean Guitet, François Bissot (sieur de la Rivière), and Olivier Le Tardif of Honnefleur.[9] (pg 4): “We, the undersigned, certify to whom it may concern that last year, sixteen hundred and forty-six, Sieur Adrien Duchesne, surgeon on M. de Repentigny’s ship, being in Quebec, told us that he had given the land that had been given to him in the city of Quebec to Abraham Martin, pilot of the Saint Lawrence River, and that he could work on it with complete assurance. If time had permitted him to execute a deed of gift, he would have done so. This we attest to be true, done this fifteenth day of August, sixteen hundred and forty-six. (Signed) Giffard – Tronquet – Le Tardif – de Launay – Bissot – Guitet.”

Royal Pilot?

On December 27, 1647, Abraham described himself as a royal pilot for the St. Lawrence, as recorded in notary Le Coustre’s registry during the marriage contract of Jean Cloutier and his daughter Marie. With his sons-in-law, he often went fishing for porpoises (seals) to extract oil. They traveled as far as the Gulf of St. Lawrence. It appears he was skilled in navigation on the St. Lawrence. We should not imagine him as the pilot of a large ship but rather of a small boat.

Regarding the claim of being the first royal pilot, some have claimed he was. There is no document that conclusively establishes that he was the very first pilot of the St. Lawrence, that he was even the first “royal pilot” or “pilot of the king.” He may or may not have been, but legend has passed it down.

On December 27, 1647, Abraham did not receive the title of royal pilot for the St. Lawrence as it appears in notary Le Coustre’s records; it was merely a mention of occupation. The notarial entry is for the marriage contract of his daughter, Marie, to Jean Cloustier. Abraham Martin said or was known to be a pilot of the king. It was not an act of appointment.

There is no doubt that Abraham Martin was a competent sailor. It seems fair to think that Abraham could have earned wages and fees as a guide and pilot for the safe navigation of merchant ships on the St. Lawrence. The fact that there was no official declaration that made him a “pilot of the king” does not tarnish his place in history.

Legal Troubles

On January 19, 1649, the execution of a young girl, about fifteen years old, took place in Quebec. On February 15 following, Abraham Martin was accused of raping this girl and was imprisoned in the dungeon. The trial was deferred until the arrival of the boats. This accusation does not seem to have been followed up.[10] The report indicates “improper conduct toward a young girl,” which earned him a prison sentence from February 15, 1649, until the arrival of the boats. It is interesting to note that his victim, a young 16-year-old thief, was formally accused on January 19, 1649, and became the first person to be publicly executed in New France.[10:1] Most of the original documents are missing to determine what happened then and afterward.

Final Years and Death

On September 6, 1664, he made his will before notary Pierre Duquet.[5:1][11][12]

In the records of Notre-Dame de Québec, we find: “In the year 1664, on September 8, Abraham Martin was buried in the cemetery of this parish, aged about 75 years, a long-time resident of this country, after having received the sacraments.”[13][14]

The inventory of Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais’s possessions was made on October 7, 1664, by notary Pierre Duquet.[5:2][15]

Monument

The Canadian Pacific Railway erected a memorial to the memory of Abraham Martin facing the St. Lawrence River in Quebec City. It was designed by Henri Hébert, the well-known French-Canadian sculptor. It is made of granite and shows a pillar crowned with a world globe supported by thistles. Carved in bas-relief, the Lily of France emerges from the sea.

Marguerite LANGLOIS (late 16th/early 17th century ~1602 – 1665)

Parents

The names of her parents are not known, and she has no family relationship with Noël Langlois.[16]

Birth

She was born around the early 17th century – around 1602. She possibly originated from Dieppe, France.[16:1] Some sources indicate that she was the sister of Françoise Langlois.[17][18]

First Marriage

Before 1621,[19] Marguerite Langlois, aged ~19 years, married Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais, aged ~32 years, at an undetermined location in France, presumably in Dieppe where Jean was baptized in 1616.[20][21]

Migration to New France

First mention in Canada: 1619. She arrived with her husband and two children.

In 1629, Hélène Martin, Marguerite Martin, Marguerite Langlois, and Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais returned to France following the capture of Quebec by the Kirke brothers. Her son Pierre was baptized in Dieppe (St-Jacques) on August 1, 1630.

The Martin family returned to New France in 1633, when Canada was returned to France. He supposedly became a royal boat pilot.[22]

Marguerite Langlois was a midwife on at least one occasion, at the birth of Marie Lefebvre in 1657.[23]

Second Marriage

After her first husband Abraham Martin died on September 8, 1664, on January 11, 1665, Marguerite Langlois and René Branche signed a marriage contract before notary Pierre Duquet.[24]

On February 17, 1665, at Notre-Dame de Québec, Marguerite Langlois, aged ~63 years, married René Branche, aged ~24 years, son of Jean Branche (before 1625-) and Jeanne Bardon (before 1625-), of the parish of Notre-Dame de Fontenay in Poitou, in the presence of known witnesses Noël Morin, Pierre Biron, and Jacques Raté, with Father Henry de Bernières officiating.[25][26]

Death

On December 17, 1665, at the age of ~63 years, Marguerite Langlois died in Quebec and was buried on December 19, 1665, at the Notre-Dame de Québec parish.[27]

The inventory of Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais’s possessions was made on October 7, 1664, before notary Pierre Duquet.[28]

Research Note: Marguerite Langlois sister to Françoise Langlois, the evidence

The relevant text from the marriage contract between Marguerite Langlois and René Branche attached in PDF format to Marguerite’s profile reads: “et de la part de ladite future épouse l’honorable homme Noël Morin habitant du pays son nepveu.” (page 1) translated: “and on the part of the said future wife the honorable man Noël Morin inhabitant of the country her nephew.”

The only Noël Morin in the colony at the time being Noël Morin and his son Noël Morin. Any others of this name are born after this marriage contract. It is highly unlikely that this referred to the son, since he would have been only 13, thus not qualifiable as “honorable homme.”

Noël Morin’s parents are known, neither of whom is named either Langlois or Martin. Thus Noël could only be considered nephew of Marguerite by marriage; he was the second husband of Hélène Desportes, who was herself daughter of Françoise Langlois. Thus Marguerite and Françoise are shown to be sisters.

Sources

  1. Tanguay 1886, p. 101 ↩︎

  2. Fichier Origine 290146 Abraham Martin 2015 Fédération québécoise des sociétés de généalogie//Québec Federation of Genealogical Societies: Martin / L’Écossais, Abraham ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  3. Index image 8 / 512 – Baptême / Baptisim image 27 – 512 – Eustache Martin – FamilySearch ↩︎

  4. Mariage de Marie Martin et de Jean Cloustier le 21 janvier 1648 – FamilySearch. ↩︎

  5. BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, par Pierre Georges Roy et Antoine Roy; 27 Vol + index 1-8 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  6. 31° Contrat de mariage de Jean Cloutier et de Marie Martin (27 décembre 1647) Notaire Claude Lecoustre Vol I pg 27 ↩︎

  7. BAnQ: Procès-verbal de mesurage et de bornage de 12 arpents de terre données à Abraham Martin ↩︎

  8. Biographi.ca: Adrien Du Chesne ↩︎

  9. Histoire du notariat au Canada J. Edmond Roy, Lévis IMPRIMÉ À LA REVUE DU NOTARIAT 1899 Vol I PDF ↩︎

  10. Bérubé 2017 ↩︎ ↩︎

  11. Testament d’Abraham Martin (6 septembre 1664). Notaire Pierre Duquet Vol II pg 114 ↩︎

  12. Tanguay 1886, p. 77 ↩︎

  13. familysearch.org, Quebec, Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979 > Québec Notre-Dame-de-Québec > BMS 1621-1679 > Image 229 of 512 > Funeral – Sépulture d’Abraham Martin – FamilySearch ↩︎

  14. Sépulture-Funeral image IGD ↩︎

  15. Inventaire des biens meubles de défunt Abraham Martin (7 octobre 1664). Notaire Pierre Duquet Vol II pg 115 ↩︎

  16. Perche-quebec.com ↩︎ ↩︎

  17. (voir “Françoise Langlois, Pierre [Desportes]’s wife and Marguerite’s sister”) ↩︎

  18. Francogene.com, dossier Inconnu Langlois père de Françoise et Marguerite, avec données ADN: ↩︎

  19. PRDH: Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique (membership): union: 86 ↩︎

  20. Note: Date de mariage vers 1615 ou avant 1621; Lieu du mariage Dieppe (région); Conjointe Marguerite Langlois; Remarques: Il a résidé sur la rue d’Écosse à Dieppe, d’où son surnom. Deux enfants sont baptisés à Dieppe (St-Jacques) : Jean, le 23-09-1616 (Jehan Filie, parrain et Colette Chignart, marraine) ; et Pierre, le 01-08-1630. Abraham retourne en France en 1629 après la prise de Québec par les frères Kirke, puis revient au pays avec sa femme en 1633. ↩︎

  21. Fichier Origine 290146, Abraham Martin ↩︎

  22. Fichier origine 290146 ↩︎

  23. Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1997 – Drouin IGD ↩︎

  24. BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, par Pierre Georges Roy et Antoine Roy; 27 Vol + index 1-8 Contrat de mariage de René Branche et Marguerite Langlois, veuve d’Abraham Martin (11 janvier 1665). Vol II pg 116 Notaire Pierre Duquet ↩︎

  25. FamilySearch, Mariage 2 ↩︎

  26. Mariage IGD ↩︎

  27. Sépulture / Burial, “Canada, Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979,” database with images, FamilySearch (16 July 2014), Québec > Notre-Dame-de-Québec > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1621-1679 > image 231 of 512; Archives Nationales du Quebec (National Archives of Quebec), Montreal. ↩︎

  28. Roy 1899, vol. 1, p. 77 ↩︎

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