B. about Jun 1625 in Daumeray, Anjou, France
M. 26 Oct 1659 in Montreal, New France
Wife: Elisabeth Le Camus
D. 8 Dec 1687 in Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France
Louis Guertin dit Le Sabotier had a name that revealed his occupation—“Le Sabotier” is French for “the clog maker.” This was apparently a skill he brought to Montreal during its earliest days.
Louis was born to Louis Guertin and Georgine Leduc, and baptized on June 28, 1625 in Daumeray, Anjou, France. As a young man, he must have learned the craft of sabot-making, carving blocks of solid wood into sturdy footwear. During the 17th century, sabots were worn by peasants in northern France (both men and women), and they made good work shoes.
On April 24, 1653, Louis' life changed when he agreed to relocate in America. That year, the governor of Montreal, Sieur de Maisonneuve, traveled to parts of France in an effort to recruit people who would settle there. Montreal was on the western frontier of New France and its existence was threatened by warring Iroquois tribes to the south. Without a larger population, the setters were outnumbered, and individuals like Louis were needed. In addition to skills like shoe-making, the recruiters wanted men who could clear raw wilderness for farms, so Louis was judged to be strong enough to do that.
Getting to Montreal wasn’t easy. Louis and his fellow migrants, which also included 14 single women, sailed out of France on June 20th, only to have to turn back when the ship sprung some leaks. Sieur de Maisonneuve saw to it that the ship landed at an island and not the mainland, so that the passengers wouldn’t be tempted to go back home.
Another ship was found and the recruits left again on July 20th. This time they made it to Quebec City, but it was a terrible crossing that took over three months. Worse than that, an epidemic broke out onboard; many of the recruits became very sick and a few died. After arriving in Quebec City on September 22nd, Louis and the others still had to travel to Montreal. There were problems getting the small boats they needed, and it wasn't until November 16th that they finally arrived at their new home.
Louis acquired land in Montreal three years later. The grant was made on December 10, 1656, giving him property that had 2 arpents of river frontage and was 15 arpents deep. There was a shortage of women in Montreal, though, and he didn't find a wife until 1659. At the end of September of that year, a new group of settlers arrived from France, and among them was Elisabeth Le Camus, a 15-year-old girl. The two were married at Montreal on October 26th. The couple’s first child was born in February of 1661, and they had ten more by 1680.
As Montreal became more populated, the town continued to have problems with the Iroquois, and in 1663, nearly all men were assigned to serve in the militia. Louis was on a squadron with six other settlers (there were a total of 20 such squadrons in the community). The militia was disbanded by 1666 after the Carignan-Salières regiment arrived from France.
Louis’ wife Elisabeth died on July 20, 1680, only a couple of months after the birth of their youngest child. This left Louis with several young children to raise alone, but he may have had help from his oldest daughters, who were already married and living nearby. Seven years later, Louis passed away on December 8, 1687 at Pointe-aux-Trembles, a settlement north of Montreal.
As a tribute to Louis and his shipmates of 1653, their names are on a plaque at Place de la Dauversière, a park in Montreal. The migration is known today as "Le Grande Recrue." He was an ancestor of Alex Trebek.
Children:
1. Marie-Élisabeth Guertin — B. 6 Feb 1661, Montreal, New France; D. 21 Mar 1714, Montreal, New France; M. Eustache Prévost (1646-1730), 13 Nov 1673, Montreal, New France
2. Marie Guertin — B. 29 Mar 1662, Montreal, New France; D. 27 Dec 1712, Montreal, New France; M. Pierre Andegrave (1652-1703), 26 Nov 1675, Montreal, New France
3. Catherine Guertin — B. 26 May 1664, Montreal, New France; D. 2 Oct 1730, Chambly, New France; M. (1) Pierre Caillonneau (1646-1687), 29 Oct 1681, Montreal, New France; (2) Denis Veronneau (~1634-1730), 20 Jan 1689, Pointe-aux-Trembles, New France
4. Marie-Marguerite Guertin — B. 20 Jul 1666, Montreal, New France; D. 12 Nov 1718, Montreal, New France; M. (1) Jean Sauviot (~1647-1693), 16 Nov 1679, Montreal, New France; (2) Pierre Gareau (1673-1740), 23 Sep 1696, Montreal, New France
5. Louis Guertin — B. 3 Jan 1688, Montreal, New France; D. 7 Jan 1733, Verchères, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Chicone (1672-1745), 6 Aug 1688, New France
6. Madeleine Guertin — B. 18 Oct 1669, Montreal, New France; D. 21 Oct 1734, Boucherville, New France; M. (1) Georges Laporte (1662-1693), 1689, Contrecoeur, New France; (2) René Bau (1673-1726), 11 Feb 1694, Boucherville, New France
7. Pierre Guertin — B. 11 Jun 1671, Montreal, New France; D. 11 Mar 1742, Sainte-Sulpice, New France; M. Marie-Anne Giard (1672-?), 11 Apr 1695, Montreal, New France
8. Eustache Guertin — B. 28 Aug 1673, Montreal, New France; D. after Sep 1696
9. Marie-Angelique Guertin — B. 11 Nov 1675, Montreal, New France; D. (probably) young
10. Marie-Françoise Guertin — B. 12 Dec 1677, Montreal, New France; D. 6 Oct 1757, Montreal, New France; M. Charles Viger (1668-1750), 29 Jun 1694, Montreal, New France
11. Paul Guertin — B. 2 May 1680, Montreal, New France; D. 12 Mar 1755, St-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, New France; M. Marie-Madeleine Plouffe (1683-1760), 19 Mar 1702, Contrecoeur, New France
Sources:
Généalogie du Quebec et d’Amérique française (website)
Sabot (shoe) (Wikipedia article)
WikiTree
