Nicolas Peltier: Who Was This Early Quebec Pioneer?

Nicolas Peltier was an early French Canadian settler who arrived in Quebec City in the 1630s and later settled in Sillery, Quebec. Although he’s not listed among the founding settlers of New France, he’s still considered a pioneer and the most prolific Pelletier ancestor in Canada. Peltier is one of my many French Canadian ancestors. If you’re also one of his descendants, follow along as I explore Nicolas Pelletier’s story.

Early Life in France

Nicolas Pelletier was born on June 4, 1596, in Gallardon, Beauce, France. He was the son of François Pelletier and Simonne Pichereau. Nicolas had several siblings: Simone Pelletier, Philippe Pelletier, Jeanne Pelletier, Marie Pelletier, Marie Pelletier, Jeanne Pelletier, Eloi Pelletier, Pierre Pelletier, Noëlle Pelletier, Marguerite Pelletier, Philippe Pelletier and Simone Pelletier.

Marriage and Family

Peltier married Jeanne de Vouzy in 1632 in Gallardon, Beauce, France. They had nine children: Jean Pelletier, François Pelletier dit Antaya, Marie Peltier, Louise Pelletier, Françoise Pelletier, Jeanne Peltier, Florence Pelletier, Geneviève Pelletier and Nicolas Peltier.

Their first two children were born in Gallardon, Beauce, France, while the rest were born in Quebec.

An Early Arrival in Quebec City

The Pelletiers were amongst the early settlers in Quebec City. Nicolas was the town carpenter from 1637 to 1640 and, in 1640, the master carpenter. One of the projects he worked on was the framework of Guillaume Hébert’s house. 

Early Settlers in Sillery, Quebec

Nicolas Peltier and Jeanne Devoisy were among the earliest settlers in Sillery, Quebec. He was granted fifty arpents of land in the seigneury of Sillery in 1647 and1649. In 1659, Father Jean de Quen granted him another 45 acres in Sillery. 

As a carpenter, Peltier built several early colonial structures, including the roof framework for Château Saint-Louis and Cathedral Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec, a barn for Jacques Sevestre, and houses for Pierre Niel and Jean-Paul Godfroy.

In 1651, Pelletier managed to repel an Iroquois attack on his house. 

Life in Cap-Rouge and Côte de Saint-Ignace

Pelletier first appears in the 1667 census for Cap-Rouge and Côte de Saint-Ignace. He was active in the local community, renting, leasing, selling and acquiring property. In 1669, he rented a house and land at Cap-Rouge from his son, Sieur François Pelletier d’Antaya, and leased his property at Saint-François-Xavier in Sillery to his other son, Jean Pelletier.

In 1671, Nicolas and his son François received a land grant of four arpents of frontage by forty arpents in depth in the seigneury of Orvilliers. That same year, Nicolas rented his Cap-Rouge property to Sieur Denis Ruette d’Auteuil. In 1673, he sold his Saint-François-Xavier property to d’Auteuil for 1,000 livres.

Peltier died on November 7, 1701, and was buried in Sainte-Foy, Quebec.

Nicolas Peltier’s Notable Descendants

Nicolas Peltier has some notable descendants, one of them being the Métis leader Louis Riel. Riel is known for being the founder of Manitoba and the leader in the North-West Rebellion. Angelina Jolie and Justin Bieber are also descendants of Peltier.

My Connection to Nicolas Peltier

I have one connection to Nicolas Pelletier through my maternal grandmother.

1. Nicolas Peltier (1596-aft. Nov 1675) and Jeanne DeVouzy (Abt. 1610-1689)
2. Marie Peltier (1637-1711) and Nicolas Goupil (1625-Bef. 1655)
3. Françoise Goupil (1655-1747) and Cybard Courault (1642-1697)
4.  Angelique Courault (1686-1752) and Pierre Baron (1683-1744)
5. Marie Charlotte Levasseur dit Carmel (1746 – 1781) and Joseph Réaume (1739 – 1796)
6. Marie Anne Reaume (1780 – 1816) and Etienne Meloche (1764 – 1814) 
7. Florence Pouget (1804 – 1857) and Etienne Meloche (1799 – 1839) 
8. Olive Meloche (1828 – 1916) and Patrice Barron (1822 – 1898)
9. Catherine Barron (1854 – 1939) and Antoine Solomon Renaud (1853 – 1926)
10. Mary Zoé Renaud (1878 – 1935) and Abraham Joseph Higgins (1875 – 1950) 
11. Mary Catherine Higgins (1908 – 1983) and Walter Grondin (1910 – 1998)
12. Martha Grondin (born 1950) and Gary Willis (born 1946) – my parents

Are you interested in the earliest settlers of New France? Check out New France’s Founding Families and Their Fascinating Stories.