Jacques Hertel

http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=337&interval=20...

HERTEL DE LA FRESNIÈRE, JACQUES, soldier, interpreter, and settler, father of the famous François Hertel*; b. at Fécamp (Normandy), son of Nicolas Hertel and Jeanne Miriot; d. 10 Aug. 1651 at Trois-Rivières.

It is probable, although there is no written proof of it, that he arrived in the country about 1626, as a soldier. He spent among the Algonkins the years during which Quebec was occupied by the Kirke brothers. No doubt as a reward for the good relations that he had maintained with the Indians, the Compagnie des Cent-Associés granted him, by a title-deed dated 16 Dec. 1633 at Paris, a 200-acre tract of land at Trois-Rivières; with Jean Godefroy de Lintot he was the first settler there, before the official founding of that post. Hertel served as an interpreter for the Jesuits among the Indians, and was the settlers’ syndic in 1647. He died 10 Aug. 1651 in the prime of life, it is believed accidentally. On 23 Aug. 1641 he had married Marie Marguerie, a sister of the interpreter, by whom he had had three children: François, nicknamed the “hero of Trois-Rivières,” who was baptized by Father Brébeuf 3 July 1642, whose godfather was François Marguerie, and whose godmother was Marguerite Couillard, the wife of Jean Nicollet; Madeleine, b. 2 Sept. 1645, who on 29 Aug. 1658 married Louis Pinard, the surgeon of the fort at Trois-Rivières; and Marguerite, b. 26 Aug. 1649, who became the wife of Jean Crevier, the seigneur of Saint François, in 1663. In 1652 Marie Marguerie remarried; her second husband was Quentin Moral de Saint-Quentin.

Interpreter to Samuel De Champlain.

He came to Canada circa 1615, learned the idioms of the Indians and became an eminent interpreter. In 1627, he took refuge with the Indians and lived their way of life until Champlain came back (in 1633). The latter then granted a lot to him in Trois-Rivieres.

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Came to New France with Samuel De Champlain in 1613. It was a common practice for Champlain to put young boys into the native tribes for a year or two to learn the language and customs so they could be his interpreters as young men, and that is what happened to Jacques. He was an interpreter until 1629 when New France fell to the Kirk brothers. Then he and the other interpreters fled to their tribes of their youth, where they lived till 1633 when Champlain was back and New France returned to the French.

In 1633 Jacques was granted land at Trois-Rivieres, PQ, Canada and was the first settler there. He married a French girl in 1641 and had 3 children before his death in 1651.

Fecamp is a town on the coast of France on the English Channel, just north-east of Le Havre, in Normandy. It is about half-way between LeHavre and Dieppe, being slightly closer to LeHavre. About 25 km. or less from LeHavre.

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BIOGRAPHY: TRUE STORIES OF NEW ENGLAND CAPTIVES HERTEL De ROUVILLE.COMMANDER OF THE FRENCH AND INDIANS IN MANY EXPEDITIONS AGAINST NEW ENGLAND.BIOGRAPHY:

In that part of Normandy, known as the Pays De Caux in the picturesque town of Fécamps by the sea, lived Nicholas Hertel and his wife Jeanne. Early in the seventeenth century we find the name of their son, Jacques Hertel in Canada, where the rank of a lieutenant gave him the entrée to the best society. Here he devoted himself to the study of the Indian language and became known as one of the most skillful interpreters. The interpreter was then a man of high consideration and authority in intercolonial affairs. His position as mediator between the savage and the white man required the possession of unusual courage and intelligence. Mr. Parkman mentions Hertel as one of the four most [p.308] famous interpreters of New France in the decade following 1636, and says of the class, "From hatred of restraint and love of a wild and adventurous independence they encountered privation and dangers scarcely less than those to which the Jesuit exposed himself from motives widely different,he from religious zeal, charity and the hope of Paradise; they, simply because they liked it. Some of the best families of Canada claim descent from this vigorous and hardy stock.

On the 23rd of August, 1641, Jacques Hertel married at Three Rivers, the daughter of François Marguérie, another of the quartette of renowned interpreters. Three Rivers was then a fur-trading hamlet surrounded by a square palisade. Between it and Montreal, on both shores of the St. Lawrence were clearings, marking the sites of future seigniories. Among the early settlers of Three Rivers, are names connected with some of the most romantic episodes in the history of Canada.

One of the neighbors of a Jacques Hertel and Francis Marguérie was Christophe Crévier, whose eldest daughter later married Pierre Boucher, Governor of Three Rivers. Their daughter, when but twelve and a half years of age married René Gaultier De la Varennes, a lieutenant of the Carignan regiment, and became the mother of La Verendrye, the discoverer of the Rocky Mountains.

Jacques Hertel, at his death left two daughters and a son. The son, François Hertel, was born at Three Rivers about 1643, and early distinguished himself as a soldier. Charlevoix calls him "one of the most valiant warriors of his time." A later French writer says, "By his boldness and success he deserves to be called the most intrepid champion of New France against its eternal enemies, the Iroquois and the colonists of New England.

According to some writers this attack on Salmon Falls was led by Hertel De Rouville, son of François Hertel.

One summer afternoon in the year 1661, François Hertel, [p.309] then a youth of eighteen, was made prisoner by the Mohawks, and with two of his comrades carried to one of their towns, where they were cruelly tortured. With his poor, mutilated hand the brave boy wrote on birch bark and cartridge wrappers a letter to his mother and two to Father Le Moyne, a Jesuit priest, who had been sent a little before to Onondaga on a political mission during a truce with the Iroquois.1 In them not one word of complaint of his own sufferings escapes the heroic youth."

Jacques Hertel was a French trapper who married a Mohawk woman, supposedly the daughter of a chieftan.

• New France is now the Province of Quebec, Canada.

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After a great deal of research on my part and that of Dale Alexander in Vancouver, we have become convinced that Ots-Toch's father is Jacques Hertel b ca 1603 Fecamp, Normandy to Nicholas Hertel & Jeanne Miriot. Jacques came to New France when it was first being settled by Samuel De Champlain - again, conflicting dates as to his arrival, from 1613 to as late as 1626 but since Champlain himself states 1613 that's the date Dale and I use. It was a common practice of S.de C. to put young French boys into the native tribes for a year or two to learn the language and customs so they could be his interpreters as young men, and that is what happened to Jacques. He was an interpreter until1629 when New France fell to the Kirk brothers. Then he and the other interpreters fled to their tribes of their youth, where they lived till 1633 when Champlain was back and N.F. returned to the French. In 1633 Jacques was granted land at Trois-Rivieres, PQ and was the first settler there. He married a French girl in 1641 and had 3 children before his death in 1651 in T.-R.

Buried: He is buried in the side chapel of the parish church that he had constructed at his expense two years before his death in deference to the fulfillment of a vow: the resistence of the Trois-Rivieres post against an Indian attack. [Notes from Lorine McGinnis Schulze .

Fecamp is a town on the coast of France on the English Channel, just north-east of Le Havre, in Normandy. It is about half-way between LeHavre and Dieppe, being slightly closer to LeHavre. About 25 km. or less from LeHavre.

Jacques HERTEL was born circa 1603 in Fecamp, Normandy.

The "Monumenta Novae Franciae," Vol II, (Etablisement a Quebec, 1616-1634), by Lucien Campeau, S.I. (Quebec: Laval U Press, 1979) gives Jacques HERTEL's mother as Jeanne MIRIOT.

Campeau, in MNF says that Jacques came to Quebec in 1626 (much too late according to other records, including Champlain's census'). The account goes on to say that Jacques died 10 Aug 1651 and that he died suddenly, perhaps accidentally.

Jacques HERTEL 1603 Fr. - 1651 Trois-Rivieres, PQ, was one of several interpretors working for Samuel De Champlain in the newly formed New France. Champlain's method of training his interpreters was to choose young boys or men who he would send to live with the Indians for a year or two, often accepting an Indian boy in exchange who was to learn French language and customs. Most of the interpreters have their whereabouts recorded; so far, I have not found a source showing what tribe HERTEL was sent to.

From _Jacques HERTEL (de La FRESNAYE)_by Madeline H. Carey, Scot Vandelinder, Arlene Coppernoll Cuba [all desc. of Cornelise VAN SLYKE and Ots-Toch], no date

"The object of CHAMPLAIN in enlisting BRULE, NICOLET,MARSOLET, HERTEL, MARGUERIE and other grown-up boys for service in Canada from 1608 to 1620 was to educate them as interpreters. They could all read and write; some of them were perfect scholars" _Annals of the Ottawa_ in Ottaw Evening Journal 12 Jan. 1889, copied from _The History of Brule's Discoveries and Explorations_

The Jesuit Relations V.IX states that Jacques HERTEL, a native of Normandy, came to Canada in 1615 [Champlain's account says 1613] and was employed by C. as an interpreter. Champlain speaks of the arrival of three interpreters, Nicolas du VIGEAU, Jacques HERTEL and Thomas GODEFROY, in 1613. In J-R, HERTEL and others were identified as being from Normandy. Jacques HERTEL also appears on the Census' of 1624, 1629 and 1635. In the last two, his date of arrival is given as 1615.

_Histoire De la Nouvelle-France_ V.II Le comptoir 1604-1627: There is mention of several of the interpreters and the tribes they were sent to live with. Etienne BRULE was a Huron interpreter; Jean NICOLLET, Jean MANET and Jean RICHER were Nipissing interpreters; Nicolas De VIGNAU and Thomas GODEFROY were Algonquin interpreters; Nicolas MARSOLET and Olivier LETARDIF were interpreters for the Montagnais. A footnote adds that Dionne in _Samuel Champlain_ V.II adds to the list of interpreters the names of Jacques HERTEL, LeBAILIF, Du VERNET, Jean-Paul GODEFROY and LAMONTAGNE. The footnote goes on to add that these named individuals were not qualified interpreters in the time period of interest and that just living with the Indian tribes was not enough to be given the title interpreter.

Etienne Brule was sent to live with the Hurons in 1610, and Nicolas De Vignau went to live with the Algonquins in 1611. Champlain may have sent these young boys/men to live with many different tribes and Jacques may have been with a tribe who somehow interacted with the Mohawks. Ots-Toch and her mother were very anti-Christianity, so it is not as if they were among the group of Mohawks who did convert at some point. It is almost as if Jacques led two separate lives.

It is not known where Jacques HERTEL was, and what he did, from the time of his arrival in New France in 1613 [CHAMPLAIN's] or 1615 [other sources] until 1629 when the KIRKE brothers seized control of New France. Mention is made in the Jesuit Relations that Jacques "took refuge with the savages"

Although we cannot at this point determine where Jacques spent the years 1613 to 1629 we have mention of the interpreters and their way of life, in general.

From _Long Journey to The Country of The Hurons_ by Father Gabriel Sagard with an introduction and notes by George M. Wrong, translated by H.H. Langton, originally published as Champlain Society Publication XXV, Toronto, 1939:

"We know little of the mode of life of the armed men who went to Huronia. Usually the missionaries lived apart in their own cabins of bark, but these men, and also traders who went to Huronia, seem to have lived with the natives in their lodges. Here were dirt and squalor, lounging men, lascivious scenes, and no restraint from civilized traditions. It was easy to adopt native manners. The visitors hunted for their food as did the natives, or bought it from them. Intercourse with native women brought a race of half- breeds. Champlain said that such men cared only to hunt, fish, get drunk and sleep" [pp xxx, xxxi]

'Robberies, murders, assassinations, lust and blasphemy were only too common among the factors and interpreters' [Sagard Ch.xiii; H.P. Biggar p.117]

In 1623 there is mention of a Recollet mission to Huronia and the fact that there were three Recollet priests and "a rather motley force of thirteen so-called interpreters, hardy men, used to the life of the forest, and ready for any service" [Sagard:p xxxiii]

In 1629 the KIRKE brothers seized Quebec, and the French were no longer in control. Mention is made in several sources of the interpreters returning to live with the Indians and Jacques is specifically mentioned by Benjamin SULTE:

"At the return of Champlain, he [Jacques] returned to Quebec with a thorough knowledge of the languages and customs of the Savages, having contracted some extremely useful friendships among the far distant tribes still unknown to the French. Meanwhile, information is sufficiently vague that we have reached the point of allowing ourselves to suppose that Jacque [sic] Hertel settled in T-R before the year 1636; we know that he must have frequently gone on the trading trips which were made each summer."

Sulte states that Jacques lived with tribes during the years Quebec was occupied by the KIRKE brothers.[1629-1633]

HERTEL had acquired a taste for "la vie des bois" during his 14 years of service. [this would imply that Jacques had been in New France since 1615] HERTEL returned to CHAMPLAIN in 1633. [_Dictionary of Canadian Biography_ and _History of Trois-Rivieres_ by Benj. Sulte]

From _The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents_Travels and Explorations of the Jesuit Missionaries in North America, 1610-1791

V. IX, p. 305: Jacques HERTEL.."He was long employed by Champlain as an interpreter and, upon the capture of Quebec, took refuge with the savages..."

On Dec.3, 1633, the Hundred Associates Company granted Jacques HERTEL 200 acres of land in Trois-Rivieres, making him the first land-owner there. At this time HERTEL was granted the seigneury De La Fresnaye [_D. of Cnd. Biog_ and _Hist. of T-R_by Benj. Sulte]

From _Word From New France: The Selected Letters of Marie De l'Incarnation_ translated and edited by Joyce Marshall:

"As early as 1633 Jacques HERTEL, a soldier who had spent the years of English occupation among the Indians, and Jean GODEFROY, an interpreter, had been established at Trois-Rivieres, and in 1635 CHAMPLAIN built a habitation there to help defend the little settlement. The Jesuits also established a permanent mission." [p.48]

Is it significant that she refers to J. as a soldier while referring to Godefroy as an interpreter? Or just that J. had taken up a new profession? In _The French Canadians 1600-1900 V.2_ ed. by Noel Montgomery Elliot, J. is referred to as "interpreter living in 1629 in Quebec (ville)" and the reference for this is _La Ville De Quebec Sous le Regime Francais_ par Pierre Georges ROY, Vol. Premier, p.109.

J. was granted two other parcels of land by Montmagny in 1636.

In the records for Three Rivers, Jacques HERTEL attended the baptisms of many children, including numerous Indians (children and adults) as early as 1636 (the Three Rivers bpt records begin in 1635). A 30 yr old Indian, Jacques OUIJAPISIT was bpt 23 Apr 1636 and a 6 yr old Indian boy, Jacques (father named Pietratinat), was bpt 30 Apr 1636. Jacques HERTEL attended at both. Another boy, Jacques (grandfather named Nipinoucoueau), was bpt 31 Aug 1637. Another Jacques was Jacques HERTEL was present.

In 1637, 2 days after Easter, HERTEL; Sa. Ondionshens, a Huron from the village of Conception, who had wintered here [T-R] was baptised; his godfather was M. De la FRESNAYE, who named him Charles. [Vo. 9 Jesuit Relations]

We next hear of J. in the spring or summer of 1637 when mention is made in the J-R of Jacques being on the River des Prairies with NICOLET and St. JEAN. Story follows, as told by Saint Jean:

They perceived a canoe prowling around the Islands on the lookout for some Hiroquois [sic]; they immediated fired several shots from the arquebuses to summon it to them. The Savage who was in it, seeing the bark, brought his canoe alongside. After he had been questioned about various things, he was asked if he would not like to go down to the three Rivers, as Monsieur De St. Jean and sieur HERTEL desired to go there. He replied that he greatly wished to go there, but that the Hiroquois [sic] would be sure to kill him on the way. Sieur NICOLET rejoined that he ought to fear nothing when these two young men, both of them courageous, and children of brave Captains, were with him.

The outcome was that the Indian went with them, they saw nothing but forest and water, and all were fine.

Jacques HERTEL, already a Lieutenant in the troops was elected syndic [mayor] of Trois-Rivieres [_Dict of Cdn. Biog_ and _Hist. of T-R_ by Sulte]

In 1641 J md. Marie MARGUERIE, age 15, the sister of his friend and fellow interpreter, Francois MARGUERIE.

Here is the marriage contract for Jacques HERTEL, from the notarial records (Vol 6, 1980), signed on 23 Aug 1641.

Jacques HERTEL, res: Trois-Rivieres. Origin: France, Normandy, Rural
Marie MARGUERIE, res: Trois Rivieres. Origin: France, Normandy, Urban
Nicolas HERTEL, res: France, Normandy, Rural. Father of groom, married, deceased. Jeanne MIRIOT, res: France, Normandy, Rural. Mother of groom,married, deceased. / MARGUERIE, res: France, Normandy, Urban.

Father of bride, married Marthe ROMAIN, res: France, Normandy, Urban.
Mother of bride, married. Martial PIRAUBE, notary

Following the marriage of Jacques HERTEL to Marie MARGUERIE on 23 Aug 1641, both of their names begin to appear together in numerous Three Rivers' baptism records. Most of these were Indian baptisms. Their own children were bpt at Three Rivers, as follows: Francois HERTEL bpt 3 Jul 1642. His uncle, Francois MARGUERIE was the godfather. Father Jean De Brebeuf himself officiated. Marie Madeleine HERTEL, b 2 Sep 1645, bpt 2 Sep 1645. Marguerite HERTEL, b 26 Aug 1649, bpt 26 Aug 1649

In SULTE's "Histoire De la...T-R" There is more info in the account about HERTEL's being elected official receiver for T-R for the Compagnie des Habitants in 1645 and about his building a small house on his property at l'Arbe-a-la-Croix in 1644, but abandoned in 1647 because of the fear of Indian attack. He lived at T-R until his sudden and accidental death at the home of Antoine DEROSIERS on 10 Aug. 1651.

Jette: Gives marriage to Marie Marguerite, d/o Francois and Marthe Romain, b. 12-09-1620 St-Vincent, v., ar. et archev. Rouen, Normandie (Seine-Maritime); soeur De Francois m. Louise Cloutier; aux rc. 66, 67, et 81, a Trois-Rivieres; rem. 1652 Quentin Moral.

Sieur De LaFresniere, (Nicholas, probablement cite 20-12-1637 au 01-07-1639 TroisRiviers, & Jeanne Miroit) De Fecamp, ar. Le Havre, archev. Rouen, payd De Caux, Normandie (Seine-Maritime): d 10-08-1651 Trois-Riviers; arrive vers 1626; serviteur des Jesuites aux Trois-Rivieres; interprete; concession du fief Hertel (aux Trois-Rivieres) 03-12-1633; concession De larriere-fief De lArbre-a-la-Croix 05-04-1644, dans le Cap-de-la Madeleine, dont sa feme herite De la moitie et ses enfants De lautre moitie; concession De la seigneurie De Cournoyer (pres Gentilly) 16-04-1647.


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@R1050710867@ Family Data Collection - Births Edmund West, comp. Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,5769::0

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@R1050710867@ Millennium File Heritage Consulting Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,7249::0

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1,7249::109911854

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@R1050710867@ Family Data Collection - Births Edmund West, comp. Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,5769::0

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1,5769::2112714

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@R1050710867@ Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2177::0

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Volume: Vol. 1 Sect. 2 : Hem-Zap; Page: 305 1,2177::87530

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@R1050710867@ Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2177::0

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Volume: Vol. 1 Sect. 2 : Hem-Zap; Page: 305 1,2177::87530

GEDCOM Source

@R1050710867@ Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2177::0

GEDCOM Source

Volume: Vol. 1 Sect. 2 : Hem-Zap; Page: 305 1,2177::87530

GEDCOM Source

@R1050710867@ Family Data Collection - Births Edmund West, comp. Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,5769::0

GEDCOM Source

1,5769::2112715

GEDCOM Source

@R1050710867@ Millennium File Heritage Consulting Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,7249::0

GEDCOM Source

1,7249::109911854

GEDCOM Source

@R1050710867@ Family Data Collection - Births Edmund West, comp. Ancestry.com Operations Inc 1,5769::0

GEDCOM Source

1,5769::2112714

GEDCOM Source

@R1050710867@ Quebec, Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian Families (Tanguay Collection), 1608-1890 Ancestry.com Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. 1,2177::0

GEDCOM Source

Volume: Vol. 1 Sect. 2 : Hem-Zap; Page: 305 1,2177::87530

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@R1050710867@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

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Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=113334805&pi...

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Sieur de LaFreniere
(CT 23-08-1641 Piraube) avec Marie Marguerie

Arrivé vers 1626, serviteur des Jésuites aux Trois-Rivières

Interprète

Concession du fief Hertel (Trois-Rivières) le 3-12-1633

Concession de l'arrière-fief de l'Arbre-à-la-Croix le 5-4-1644, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, dont sa femme hérite de la moitié et ses enfants de l'autre moitié

Concession de la seigneurie de Cournoyer (près de Gentilly) le 16-4-1647

[Source: DBC I 379, NF (5): 156-169, T-27]