Estienne Racine, often modernized as Étienne Racine, is among the pioneers of Quebec. Arriving after the Kirke brothers returned the colony to the French, he settled in New France, married into one of the founding families and began his own proud lineage. Racine is one of my many French Canadian ancestors, and I’ve often overlooked his story, but it’s just as fascinating as so many others. If you’re a descendant of his, follow along as I explore Etienne Racine’s life and legacy.
Early Life
Racine was born around May 11, 1607, in St-Germain de Fumichon, Lisieux, Normandie, France, to René Racine and Marie Madeleine Loysel. He had four siblings: Marguerite Racine, Marguerin Racine and Jean Racine.
Estienne’s family was the only Racine family living in the commune where he was raised. However, researchers believe he was related to the Racine families of the villages of Morainville and Neuville-sur-Authou.
Unlike his brothers, Etienne received an education and learned how to write and sign his name. He reportedly attended one of the Jesuit colleges in Normandy. This may explain how he developed a close relationship with the Jesuits in New France.
Arrival in Quebec
Etienne Racine arrived in Quebec in 1634 as an indentured servant hired by Guillaume Hubou, who was married to Marie Rollet, the widow of Louis Hébert. Hubou was originally from the village of Mesnil-Durand, which is located near the commune of Fumichon.
From 1644 to 1646, Estienne worked as a carpenter for the Jesuits at Sainte-Marie among the Hurons, the first permanent French mission settlement among the Wendat people. He worked alongside missionaries Jean de Brébeuf and Gabriel Lalemant.
In 1647, Racine accompanied Olivier Le Tardif to France to recruit more settlers for New France. He returned to Québec the following spring. The following year, on April 4, 1648, Etienne was a witness to the marriage of Zacharie Cloutier and Madeleine Esmard.
Estienne Racine’s Marriage and Family
On November 16, 1637, Racine signed a marriage contract with Marguerite Martin, daughter of Abraham Martin dit l’Écossais and Marguerite Langlois. They were married several months later on May 22, 1638. Marguerite was only 14 years old.
Estienne and Marguerite had 10 children; however, only nine of them made it to adulthood. Their children were Anonyme Racine, Louyse Racine, Noël Racine, Marie Madeleine Racine, François Racine, Marguerite Racine, Pierre Racine, Marie Racine, Jeanne Racine and Estienne Racine.
Life in Saint-Anne-de-Beaupré
Following Racine’s return from France in 1647, in 1650, Olivier LeTardif conceded lands to Etienne and Marguerite Martin in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Quebec, making them pioneers of the area. The property was 710 meters wide and 7200 meters deep.
Racine and Martin spend the remainder of their lives in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Marguerite died on November 25, 1679, at the age of 55, while Étienne passed away a decade later on April 24, 1689. He was believed to be 81 years old at the time of his death.
Descendants
Today, Étienne Racine and Marguerite Martin have at least 100,000 descendants across North America. Approximately 15,000 carry the Racine surname, including 8,500 in Quebec, Canada. Through their four sons, the Racine lineage expanded throughout the continent.
Noël Racine
Noël Racine married Marguerite Gravelle in 1667 and had ten children. His descendants are found primarily in Québec, including Québec City, Côte-de-Beaupré, Charlevoix, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Montérégie, Estrie, Beauce and Mauricie, as well as British Columbia and the northeastern United States, particularly Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts.
François Racine
François Racine married Marie Bauchet dit Morency in 1676 and had twelve children. His descendants settled throughout Québec, including Québec City, Côte-de-Beaupré, Montreal, Charlevoix, Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Outaouais, Montérégie, Mauricie, Beauce and Lanaudière, as well as the United States, especially Michigan, Rhode Island, New York, Vermont, Montana, Nebraska, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois and California.
Pierre Racine
Pierre Racine married Louise Guyon in 1682 and had nine children. His descendants are found in Québec, particularly Montreal, Montérégie, and Lanaudière, as well as Ontario, including Russell, Stormont, Prescott, Cornwall and Ottawa, the Prairie provinces and the United States, especially Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York and Vermont.
Étienne Racine
Étienne Racine Jr. married Catherine Guyon in 1683 and had thirteen children. His descendants settled in Québec, including Québec City, Côte-de-Beaupré, Montreal, Laval, Laurentides, Lanaudière, Mauricie, Beauce, Montérégie, Outaouais, Lac-Saint-Jean, Abitibi and Bas-Saint-Laurent, as well as Ontario, particularly Welland and Ottawa, and the United States, especially Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
My Connection to Estienne Racine
So far, I have one connection to Estienne Racine through my mother’s line. My grandmother is one of his many descendants.
- Estienne Racine (abt. 1607 – 1689) and Marguerite Martin (1624 – 1679)
- Marie Madeleine Racine (1646 – 1726) and Noël Simard dit Lombrette (abt. 1637 – 1715)
- François Simard (1678 – 1732) and Ursule Paré (1689 – 1759)
- Marie Madeleine Simard (1713 – abt. 1750) and Pierre Tremblay (1708 – 1763)
- Marie Therese Tremblay (1734 – 1800) and Joseph Seguin dit Laderoute (1717 – 1795)
- Mary Teresa Seguin dit Laderoute (1752 – 1823) and Jean Baptiste Chauvin (1740 – abt. 1804)
- Marie Josephte Chauvin (1777) and Antoine Lesperance (1773 – abt. 1860)
- Elisabeth Lesperance (1800 – 1880) and Joseph Renaud (1800)
- Jean Baptiste Renaud (1828) and Zoé Hersilie Jubenville (1828 – 1870)
- Mary Catherine Higgins (1908 – 1983) and Walter Grondin (1910 – 1998)
- Martha Grondin (Born 1950) and Gary Willis (Born 1946) – my parents
Do you want to know more about the earliest settlers of New France? Check out New France’s Founding Families and Their Fascinating Stories.
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