Mathieu Amiot (1628-1688), Amyot, Sieur de Villeneuve

Early Life and Migration to New France

Mathieu Amiot was born around 1628 in Estrées, Île-de-France, France. He was the son of Philippe Amiot and Anne Couvent[^1]. In the summer of 1635, Philippe Amiot and his family, including Mathieu and his elder brother Jean, migrated to New France.

Career

For several years, Mathieu and his brother Jean served as interpreters for the Jesuits in Trois-Rivières and Huronia. Later, Mathieu established himself as a settler in New France.

Marriage and Family

On November 19, 1650, Mathieu Amiot (then about 22) signed a marriage contract before notary Guillaume Audouart[^2]. He married Marie Miville (aged 17) on November 22, 1650, at the Notre-Dame de Québec church[^3]. Marie was the daughter of Pierre Miville and Charlotte Maugis. Marie Miville brought a property in Quebec City as her dowry.

Marie Miville was born on December 13, 1632, in Notre-Dame de Brouage, France, and was baptized the same day[^4][^5][^6].

Children of Mathieu Amiot and Marie Miville (Total 16):[^7]

1. Charles Amiot dit Villeneuve (1651-1711); married Rosalie Duquet (1677).
2. Pierre Amiot dit Villeneuve (1653-1714).
3. Anne Marie Amyot (1654-1737); married Jean Huar (1670).
4. Marguerite Amyot (1656-1724); married Jean Joli (1670).
5. Sieur Jean Baptiste Amyot (de Neuville) (1658-1685).
6. Françoise Amyot (b. 1660); married Charles Gingras (1675).
7. Jean Amyot (b. 1662); married Geneviève Guyon (1682).
8. Catherine Ursule Amyot (1664-1715); married Jean Duquet dit Derocher (1683).
9. Daniel Joseph Amyot (dit Villeneuve) (1665-1725); married Marie Kapeouapnokoue (Outaouais) (1709).
10. Mathieu Amyot (1667-1684).
11. Philippe Amyot (de l'Erpinière) (1669-1722); married Marie Harnois (1694).
12. Jeanne Amyot (1670-1749); married Paul Tessier (1691).
13. Étienne Amiot (dit Villeneuve) (1672-1730); married Jeanne Campagna (1708).
14. Marie Amiot (1673-1714).
15. Marie Françoise Amyot (dite Villeneuve) (1676-1758); married Jean Baptiste Tibault (1699).
16. Geneviève Amyot (1678-1678), died as an infant.

Property and Possessions

Mathieu Amiot accumulated significant property, including:

• A land grant in Trois-Rivières (1649).
• A lot and house in Sillery (1661).
• A concession in the seigneurie of Maur from Jean Juchereau de Maur, which he expanded in 1677 and 1685[^8][^9].
• A domain at Pointe-aux-Bouleaux granted as a fief and seigneury by Intendant Talon on November 3, 1672[^10]. This grant was increased in 1687.

Census Records

• 1666 Census (Quebec): Mathieu Amiot dit Villeneuve (37), Marie Miville (33), 9 children, and one domestic[^11].
• 1667 Census (Sillery): Mathieu Amyot (40), Marie Miville (35), 11 children, two domestics, 9 livestock, and 27 arpents under cultivation[^11].
• 1681 Census (Seigneurie de Maur): Mathieu Amyot (53), Marie Miville (50), 9 children, 3 guns, 3 horned beasts, and 30 arpents under cultivation[^12].

Letters of Nobility

In 1667, King Louis XIV approved Intendant Talon's request to grant Mathieu Amiot letters of nobility. However, due to confusion over registration—and subsequent royal ordinances abolishing unregistered titles in 1669—Mathieu Amiot's title was permanently canceled as he made no further claim.

Later Life and Death

Mathieu Amiot, Sieur de Villeneuve, was buried in the cemetery of Notre-Dame de Quebec on December 19, 1688, aged about 62[^13].

He left his heirs more debts than assets. In 1703, the estate's debts still amounted to 700 livres.

Marie Miville's Later Life and Death

On April 5, 1701, Marie Miville, widow of Mathieu Amiot, sold the seigneury of Pointe-aux-Bouleaux. She died in distress caused by a lawsuit brought by her eldest son Charles. She was admitted to the Hôtel-Dieu hospital in Quebec on September 4, 1702, and died there the following day[^14][^15].

Credits and Licensing

Compiled by Mark Rabideau, Opa & Professional Genealogist.

All materials licensed: CC BY-ND 4.0 by eirenicon llc.

Sources

[^1]: Anne Couvent - Mathieu's mother: http://habitant.org/couvent/index.htm [^2]: BAnQ Notarial acts index Inventaire des greffes des notaires du régime français, par Pierre Georges Roy et Antoine Roy; 27 Vol + index 1-8 Vol I pg 41 notaire Guillaume Audouart, Contrat de mariage de Mathieu Amiot et Marie Minville (19 novembre 1650). [^3]: FamilySearch, Marriage, Mathieu Amiot dit Villeneuve and Marie Miville. [^4]: Fichier origine Marie Miville - Baptism Church record. [^5]: Baptism image File. [^6]: 1632 Baptism Record Archives départementales de Charente-Maritime, Fonds de l'état civil numérisé. État civil de la commune de Brouage. Registres paroissiaux (baptêmes), 1616-1634, p. 112a (Image 206/242). [^7]: Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1997 - Drouin IGD [^8]: Concession par Jean Juchereau de Maure a Mathieu Amiot [^9]: sphslotbiniere.org, seigneurie de Bonsecours [^10]: La Mémoire du Québec, seigneurie de Bonsecourt / Lotbinière [^11]: Wikisource: Recensements 1666-1667 Censuses selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 4, chap. 4 [^12]: Wikisource Recensement 1681 Census selon Benjamin Sulte Histoire des Canadiens-français, Tome 5, chap. 4 [^13]: FamilySearch, Burial, Mathieu Amyot, le Sieur de Villeneuve [^14]: BANQ Résultat de recherches. [^15]: Registre de l'Hôtel-Dieu de Québec pg 526