Germain Morin

Notes:

First Canadian-born Roman Catholic priest.

From the Dictionary of Canadian Biography:

MORIN, GERMAIN, first Canadian to be ordained priest, secretary of the bishopric of Quebec, parish priest, canon; baptized 15 Jan. 1642 at Quebec, son of Noël Morin, master wheelwright, and of Hélène Desportes, widow of Guillaume Hébert; d. 20 Aug. 1702 at the Hôtel-Dieu, Quebec.

There is documentary evidence of Germain Morin’s presence at the Jesuit college on 15 Nov. 1659. He was one of the four pupils whose board was paid by the parish of Quebec, to ensure that masses were served and that there were choirboys to sing at mass. Bishop Laval even judged it fitting to confer the tonsure and the minor orders on him, despite his youth. This was done on 2 Dec. 1659, and was the first ceremony of its kind in Canada. After receiving the subdiaconate on 6 Aug. 1662, Morin continued to live with the Jesuits and served as sacristan for the parish. When Morin was old enough, Bishop Laval conferred the diaconate on him on 21 March 1665 and the priesthood on 19 September.

From the time of his entry into the ecclesiastical state in 1659 he was secretary to the bishopric, then from 20 Oct. 1663 clerk to the officiality of the diocese. In this capacity he was responsible for keeping the official registers and for transcribing and initialling the bishop’s pastoral letters. He continued to hold these offices until at least 1665, for until 1670 he is not known to have had any other ministry but that of vicar at the cathedral. After that he served the parishes of Champlain, Neuville (Pointe-aux-Trembles), Repentigny, Saint-Joseph de la Pointe-de-Lévy, Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, and Saint-Michel. He was rewarded for this missionary life by being appointed a canon on 20 Sept. 1697. He died in 1702.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Alternate birth: 1616

Notes:

Cartwright, wheelwright (charron). Called by the Dictionary of Canadian Biography "one of the early pioneers of Montmagny."

Noël married Hélène Desportes on 9 Jan 1640 in Notre-Dame-de-Québec, Québec City, Québec. Hélène (daughter of Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois) was born in Québec City, Québec; was christened after 7 Jul 1620; died on 24 Jun 1675 in Québec City, Québec; was buried on 24 Jun 1675 in Québec City, Québec. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She was a godchild of Hélène Boullé, the wife of Samuel Champlain. In his will, Champlain left her 300 livres, equivalent to about $15,000 in modern money.

From the Dictionary of Canadian Biography:

DESPORTES, HÉLÈNE (Hébert; Morin), said to be the first white child born in New France, daughter of Pierre Desportes and Françoise Langlois; m. Guillaume Hébert in October 1634; m. secondly Noël Morin 9 Jan. 1640 at Quebec; d. 24 June 1675.

The date of Hélène’s birth has not been definitely fixed. Dionne says that she came to Quebec with her parents in 1613, Sulte that she was born in Quebec about 1622. Statistics from other sources indicate that she was 14 years old in 1634, 38 in 1659, 46 in 1666, and 48 in 1667. Anne Hébert, according to Champlain, had died in childbirth prior to 1620; but since there is no further mention of her child, it was presumably still-born. Eustache Martin was born in October 1621. If, however, we assume Hélène’s birthdate to be 1620, which seems most probable, her claim is established as being the first white child born alive in the St. Lawrence region. (Sulte, to be sure, claims for Guillemette Hébert the honour of being the first-born Canadienne, on the assumption that Louis Hébert had his wife with him in Acadia in 1606, but Lescarbot’s evidence refutes this.) [...]

Notes:

Contract filed with notary Martial Piraubé 27 Dec 1639.

Claude married Jeanne Moreau before 1606 in Brie-Comte-Robert, Seine-et-Marne, Île-de-France, France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

From the Dictionary of Canadian Biography:

Pierre Desportes probably came to Quebec in 1614 with Abraham Martin: their wives were sisters. Desportes’ occupation is not known, but he must have had some standing in the community and sufficient education to be able to write, for he signed on behalf of the inhabitants the document of 1621 appealing to the king. No other facts are known about him. (He is not to be confused with Pierre Desportes de Liguère, to whom the Compagnie de la Nouvelle-France ceded Île Royale (Cape Breton) in 1636.)

Pierre married Françoise Langlois about 1620 in Lisieux, Calvados, Basse-Normandie, France. Françoise (daughter of (Unknown) Langlois and (Unknown)) died after 18 May 1629. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

(Unknown) married (Unknown) before 1608 in France. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]