Jean NICOLET

Our ascent by the women bring us to Jean NICOLET of Belleborne one of the pioneers of Quebec.

Jean NICOLET was put at the service of the Hundreds Associated liaison officer between the French and the Indians. Large explorer and interprets recognized of all, it was born in Cherbourg vers1598. He is the son of ordinary Thomas NICOLET postal messenger of the King between Cherbourg and Paris and of Marguerite De La Mer. Jean Nicolet arrived at Canada in 1618 at the service of the company of the Merchants of Rouen and St Malo. Like Marsolais and Brûlé, one intended it to live among the Allied Indians so that it learned their language, their habits and to explore the areas which they lived. One except knows nothing of his education nor of his temperament this remark of the Vimont father in 1643: "Its mood and its excellent memory made hope for something of good of him".

Its ambition, not hidden, with the agreement and the assistance of Champlain, his large Friend, was to discover a road towards the Indies while trying to find another sea. It did not think the so large continent. It is besides with him that we owe the discovery of Wisconsin. Champlain, at the time of its explorations had entered in relation to Algonquins of higher Outaouais. It is supposed that eager to consolidate an alliance to hardly outline it is him which charges Nicolet, the year of its arrival, to go to winter in the Island with the Matches. This place was the center of rallying of the great algonquine family ordered by Tessouat died in 1636. The island being located on a strategic place, (Road of the Furs) it discharged extremely well its mission, learned Huron and the Algonquin, lived their precarious life, was initiated with their habits and explored the area. Algonquin appreciated it like one as of their and appointed it captain. They enabled him to attend their Council and took along it even to Iroquois to negotiate a Peace treaty.

          

              Etienne BRULE

Nicolet returned to Quebec in 1620 after having returned account of its mission, it accepted another from them: To enter in connection with Nipissing, these Indians who occupied each year a more important place in the transactions of the trade of the furs between the Indian tribes of the West and those of Hudson Bay with the French and to prevent that the furs go on the English side

As of the summer 1620, Nicolet went to Nipissing. Last nine years lasting it shared the life of the Indians. It had its hut with share and a store which enabled him to treat with all the tribes which went on the edges of the Lake of Nipissing. Conversing with them in order to better know their country, their practices  and the evening it noted all that. It goes without saying that its Indian marriage with Nipissing like of the Country of in Top in 1623 enabled him to better manage its transactions and its contacts with the Indian tribes. It had a girl of this union, Madeleine Euphrosine our ancestor. The written memories of Nicolet were lost and it is only by the intermediary of the Father Paul Lejeune and his book "Relations" which was inspired some to describe the manners of Indians of this area.

At the time of the first catch of Quebec by the English, the brothers Kirke, Jean Nicolet refused to serve the English and joined to Alconquins to prevent any trade with English. Quebec fell to the hands from English on July 19, 1629 and Champlain thus that major the part of the French population of the time had to leave the places and to turn over to France. They returned to settle only with the signature of the treaty of St Germain en Laye  3 years later. Only some French remained on places or among Algonquins. We find among those: The widow of Louis Hébert, Marie Rollet, Guillaume Couillard, Nicolas Marsolet and Jean Nicolet.

Its fine tragedy is told to us by Mrs Rina Auger in a historical novel heading "Eléonore de Grandmaison seigneuress of News-France"

Eléonore de Grandmaison is one of our ancestors in the line of Richer-Laflèche by the women. Jean Nicolet was contacted at the end of the afternoon of October 27, 1642 by a messenger of the governor, asking him for his immediate assistance. Of Algonquins wanted to put dead to a Agnier prisoner. This execution endangered the life of all the inhabitants of the surroundings because Iroquois threatened to be avenged on the population. Jean Nicolet having the confidence of the Indians, him only could make them hear reason and make release the prisoner. In front of going as possible as quickly to the Three-Rivers, it asked François de Chavigny, husband of Eléonore de Grandmaison, who left the following day to precede his departure and to even leave the evening. Jean known to convince the reticent wife of Chavigny and they left with Jean Ferré and Noël Girardeau. Badly in taken to them the bus in court of road close to Sillery occurred a violent storm, the launch capsized in spite of the efforts of the four men, Jean Ferré, Noël Girardeau and Jean Nicolet lost the life, only was saved bus knowing to swim, François de Chavigny, but it was of extreme accuracy thanks to the Jesuits of the place.

A touching ceremony took place in memory of the three men. All the colony attended the funeral like François supported by his wife Eléonore and Antoine his trusty servant. Marguerite Couillard, the young widow of Jean Nicolet, only sixteen years old was present holding in her arms her small Marie-Marguerite. It is Marguerite Couillard who raised Madeleine the girl that Jean Nicolet had had with the Nipissing princess