Abraham Martin

Who was Abraham Martin?

Abraham Martin was born in Dieppe, France, a seaport town in Normandy. Details of his background, his parents’ names and his date of birth are unknown, although he was likely born in about 1589. The origins of his byname “l’Écossais” — the Scot — are likewise uncertain. It might refer to possible Scottish roots, frequent visits to Scotland in his youth or to the name of a street in Dieppe (rue de l’Écosse) where he lived. It could also indicate desertion from military service or even membership in an illegal organization, as such aliases were common to avoid detection by the authorities.

Martin was a fisherman and mariner. He married Marguerite Langlois around 1615. Their first son, Jean, was baptized at St. Jacques’ parish in Dieppe on 23 September 1616, but there are no records of him surviving infancy. In 1620, the couple sailed to Quebec with Marguerite’s sister and brother-in-law: Françoise and Pierre Desportes.

Pioneers in New France

Quebec City became a permanent settlement in 1608 when Samuel de Champlain founded a fortified trading post on the Cap Diamant promontory. Abraham Martin and his wife arrived just over a decade later and were among the first inhabitants of the new pioneer town. Their son Eustache, who was born in 1621, was the first French-Canadian boy born in Quebec; however, he only lived a short time. He and his sister Marguerite, born in 1624, were the first two baptisms recorded at the newly established parish of Notre-Dame. In 1627, another daughter, Hélène, was born, with Samuel de Champlain listed as godfather.

After the Kirke brothers captured Quebec for the English crown in 1629, the Martin family returned to France in 1630, where their son Pierre was born (he likely did not survive childhood). However, they made the voyage back in 1633 after the Treaty of Saint-Germain was concluded; Samuel de Champlain also returned that year. The friendship between the Martins and Champlain is evident in the latter’s last will and testament: when Champlain died in 1635, he bequeathed a substantial amount of money, roughly equivalent to a year’s wages for a low-ranking official at the time, to Martin and his wife to support their future work for the colony. He also left money to Martin’s daughters to help them start their own families.

The Plains of Abraham

In 1635, the Company of New France gave Abraham Martin 12 arpents (acres) of land on the northern slope of the Cap Diamant promontory. The Company (also known as the Company of One Hundred Associates) was established in 1627 by a group of French investors who wanted to expand the French colonies. There are anecdotal stories of Martin descending what is now the road Côte d’Abraham with his cows, leading them to drink at the Saint-Charles River. Ten years later, Adrien Duchesne, the colony’s surgeon and interpreter who also came from Dieppe, gave Martin another 20 arpents he had previously received from the Company. This latter area overlaps with the site of the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham. In 1667, after the deaths of both Martin and his wife, the family sold the lands to the Ursuline nuns.

The exact origins of the name “Plains of Abraham” are unclear, but the land was likely associated with Abraham Martin early on. The designation Côte d’Abraham, referring to the northern slope of the promontory, appears in early 18th century legal documents delineating property boundaries; a Rue d’Abraham is included in a 1734 map. François-Gaston de Lévis, the Chevalier de Lévis, and British captain John Knox were the first to record the names Hauteurs d’Abraham “Heights of Abraham” and “Plains of Abraham,” respectively, in their accounts of the 1759 campaign. The British may have popularized the name deliberately, as its religious association legitimized their victory as a sacred quest. (Abraham, the first Hebrew patriarch, is revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims.) In subsequent years, the name’s reference varied until it came to designate the park known today as the Plains of Abraham, although this area is not part of Martin’s original property.

Legal Issues and Death

Abraham Martin likely worked as a river pilot on the St. Lawrence River. He referred to himself as a “royal pilot” in the 1647 marriage contract between his daughter Marie and Jean Cloutier. However, there is no record of this title being appointed to him, even though many later sources misinterpret the date of the marriage contract as that of an official appointment.

In 1649, a rape accusation sent Martin to prison, but there are no subsequent records of a trial. This lack of legal documentation leaves the question of his guilt or innocence unanswered. He appeared in court once more, in 1664, on behalf of one of his servants who was accused of assault. This time a trial took place, and Martin had to pay compensation to the victim.

Martin died on or around 8 September 1664, in Quebec City; 8 September is the date of his funeral in the records of Notre-Dame de Quebec. His wife Marguerite Langlois remarried in February 1665 but died soon after on 17 December 1665.

Legacy

As one of the first settlers in French Canada, Abraham Martin was an important pioneer. He and Marguerite Langlois had eleven known children, most of whom survived into adulthood. Among those was one son, Charles Amador Martin (1648–1711), who was one of the first Canadians ordained as a priest. The surviving daughters all married and had many descendants. By 1800, Langlois and Martin’s married descendants numbered 7,765. Martin is thus the ancestor of countless Canadians alive today. In addition, his association with the site of one of the most formative battles to modern Canada makes him a noteworthy figure in Canadian history.