Martin Prévost
Identity and Origins
Martin Prévost (1611 – 1691), variant spelling: Provost
- Birth: Born on January 4, 1611, in Montreuil (Seine-Saint-Denis), France, and baptized the same day at the Church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Montreuil. [1]
“In the Year of Grace one thousand six hundred and eleven, on the fourth day of January, Martin, son of Pierre Prevost and Charlotte Vien his wife, was baptized and held over the holy baptismal font by Germain Mainguet, assisted by Raphael Cornu and Thomasse Cambrey, done as above.”
- Parents: Pierre Prévost and Charlotte Vié (Vien). [2]
Migration and Career
- Migration to New France: Embarked for Canada around 1639.
- Profession: He worked as a master valet and storekeeper for the Company of One Hundred Associates.
- His presence was noted in Quebec in the records of notary Martial Piraube.
- He later settled in the seigneury of Beauport as an “habitant” (permanent resident). [JR (Thwaites), IX: 103]
First Marriage (The First Intercultural Marriage)
This marriage was the first in Canada between an Indigenous person and a European Canadian immigrant mentioned in the annals of Canada.
- Date: November 3, 1644
- Location: Notre-Dame Parish in Quebec, Canada
- Groom: Martin Prévost, aged 33.
- Bride: Marie Olivier Sylvestre (Ouchistaouichkoue Manitouabe8ich), aged 20, daughter of Roch Manitouabe8ich and Outchibahanoukoueou. The bride had been given to interpreter Olivier Letardif as a child and raised in the French manner. [3, 4, 5, JR (Thwaites), IX: 103]
- Witnesses: Sieur Guillaume Couillard de l’Espinay, Father Barthélemi Vimont, and Sieur Olivier Le Tardif de Honnefleur (the bride’s godfather).
- They subsequently settled in the seigneury of Beauport.
Children of Marie-Olivier Sylvestre & Martin Prévost
The couple had nine children, all baptized in Quebec:
- Marie Magdeleine Prévost (ca. 1647 – ca. 1648)
- Anonymous Prévost (1648 – 1648)
- Ursule Prévost (1649 – 1661)
- Louis Prévost (ca. 1651 – 1686)
- Marie Magdelaine Prévost (1655 – ca. 1662)
- Antoine Prévost (1657 – 1662)
- Jean Pascal Prévost (1660 – before 1710)
- Jean Baptiste Prévost (1662 – 1737)
- Marie Thérèse Prévost (1665 – 1743)
Property Transaction Note
On June 5, 1656, Martin Prévost appeared before notary Guillaume Audouart de Saint-Germain to purchase a house in the lower town of Quebec from René Maheu. Ten days later, he declared that he had acted “for and to the benefit of Jean Baillargeon” (ca. 1612–1694), who agreed to respect all conditions in the deed.
Second Marriage
- Date: November 8, 1665
- Location: Chapel of Beauport, Canada
- Groom: Martin Prévost, aged 54.
- Bride: Marie d’Abancourt “dit” Lacaille, aged 47, daughter of Adrien d’Abancourt “dit” Lacaille and Simone d’Orgeville. She was the widow of Jean Jollyet (Jolliet) and of Godfroy (Guillot) Guillot dit Lavallée. [6, Honorius Provost]
- The marriage was registered at Notre-Dame-de-Québec Parish.
- There were no children from this marriage.
Census Records
| Census | Location | Martin's Age | Family Members | Property/Livestock/Cultivation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1666 | Beauport | 55 | Marie d’Abancourt (wife), Louis (15), Jean (6), Jean-Baptiste (4), Thérèse (7 months), Elizabeth (9), Marie Houarlin (domestic servant), Pierre Rouziliet (servant). | N/A |
| 1667 | Coasts of Beauport, Notre-Dame-des-Anges | 58 | Marie Dabancour (wife, 48), Louis (17), Jean (8), Jean-Baptiste (6), Thérèse (3), Marin Arlin (30), La Fontaine (24). | 9 animals, 45 arpents under cultivation. |
| 1681 | Seigneury of Beauport | 71 | Children: Jean Paschal (22), Jean (20), Marie (17). Servants: Jean Proust (25), Antoine Lesieur (16). | 2 firearms, 10 horned animals, 46 arpents under cultivation. |
Death and Legacy
- Death: Died on January 26, 1691 (The burial record is dated January 27, 1691) [Honorius Provost]
- Burial: Buried the following day, January 28, 1691, in Beauport, Canada, at the age of 80. [7]
- Legacy: He is one of the pioneers of French Canada and the ancestor of a large portion of the Prévost/Provost families in North America. Toward the end of his life, he signed his name as “Provost,” and his descendants have adopted either spelling.
Sources
- [1] Baptism – Martin Prévost – Fichier origine 243404. ↩︎
- [2] Tanguay Vol. 1, p. 499. ↩︎
- [3] Marriage Register Index – FamilySearch. ↩︎
- [4] Marriage of Martin Prévost & Marie Olivier Sylvestre – FamilySearch. ↩︎
- [5] Marriage of Martin Prévost & Marie Olivier (Silvestre) Manitouabeouich – PRDH. ↩︎
- [6] Marriage of Martin Prevost & Marie Dabancour – FamilySearch. ↩︎
- [7] Burial of Martin Prévost – FamilySearch. ↩︎
- Honorius Provost, Dictionary of Canadian Biography [PRÉVOST (Provost), MARTIN].
- JR (Thwaites), IX: 103; XI: 93. (The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents).
- Land register of the Compagnie des I. O. (P.-G. Roy).
- Jean Langevin, Notes sur les archives de Notre-Dame de Beauport (Quebec, 1860).
Credits and Licensing
Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.
All materials licensed: CC BY-ND 4.0 by eirenicon llc.