The Old Occupation of Gunsmith
Was your ancestor an “armurier,” or gunsmith? Learn more about this occupation in the time of New France.
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L’Armurier | The Gunsmith
The armour-maker ("Le fabricant d’armures," 1568 drawing by Jost Amman, Wikimedia Commons).
Traditionally, the armurier, or gunsmith, was a person who made or sold weapons.
The complex firing mechanism of a firearm required the cooperation of different trades. Many craftsmen united their knowledge and efforts to shape the pieces of a weapon. Often, one craftsman practiced two trades. In Europe, for example, a gunsmith might also be a blacksmith. For ceremonial weapons, the embellishments could require the work of an artisan sculptor, a goldsmith, and even a jeweller.
In New France, however, the manufacture of firearms was almost non-existent. Gunsmiths here did not have the same role as their European counterparts. Instead, these craftsmen focused on repairing and cleaning firearms. Repairing entailed the manufacture of parts but excluded the production of complete firearms. While it is possible that some gunsmiths attempted to manufacture entire firearms, such practices were very limited. Essentially, the gunsmiths of New France used a variety of small instruments to manufacture and repair different parts of the firearm.
Three categories of craftsmen were involved in gunsmithing in New France: locksmiths, toolmakers and the gunsmiths themselves. Additionally, each of them was almost always supported by a blacksmith.
In 1663, New France had only three gunsmiths and four master gunsmiths. In the 1744 Québec census, only three men were recorded as gunsmiths. One possible reason for the scarcity of gunsmiths was the long apprenticeship required—usually five years of learning alongside a master, much longer than that of a blacksmith or shoemaker.
"A gunsmith at work, 1613" (unknown artist, Wikimedia Commons).
Eventually, some gunsmiths became merchants. They became the main importers of guns and gun parts, which they assembled and sold. Others became voyageurs. In several forts and trading posts along fur trade routes, gunsmiths practiced their trade, repairing guns in exchange for furs, which they sold once they returned home. They also became specialists in all matters of ironwork in the absence of an edge-tool maker or locksmith.
In the 17th century, the gunsmith was sometimes called an arquebusier, likely because he was responsible for repairing this type of firearm.
The "king's gunsmith" was in charge of the weapons in the king’s stores in Québec, Trois-Rivières, Montréal, and other posts.
The gunsmith was one of seven main occupations in New France relating to metalwork, the others being the locksmith, blacksmith, tinsmith, coppersmith, edge-tool maker, and arquebusier.
Known persons who had this occupation: Augustin Balard, René Barsalou, Jean Barthe dit Larivière, Théophile Barthe dit Bardet, John Barnsley, Théophile Barthe, Charles (Claude) Beaudry, Guillaume Beaudry dit Desbuttes, Jean Baptiste Beaudry dit Desbuttes, René Beaudry dit Desbuttes, René Beaudry dit Soulard, Jean-Baptiste Beaudry dit Saint-Martin, Henri Belisle, Sion Belisle, Jean Benoît, Barthélemy Bertault, Louis Bourbeau, Joseph Bousseau, William Boyd, Jean Bréhier, Philippe Brown, Louis Brunet dit Bourbonnais, Charles Cadieu, Gilles Cahouet/Caillouet, Vital Caron, Guillaume (Le) Cavelier, Jacques (Le) Cavelier, Robert Cavelier dit Deslauriers, Jean-Baptiste Cazellar, Jean Césire, Barthelémy Chasteau, Charles Chauvin, Jean Chevalier, Joseph Chevalier, Simon Chèvrefils dit Bellisle, Nicolas Cliche, Jean Baptiste Cochois, Louis Coton dit Fleurdépée, William Cross, Claude David, Jean de Lespinasse, Charles Vital Derainville, Louis Deschamps, Jean Desnoyers, Nicolas Doyon, François Dupont dit LeBlond, Jérome Dupuis, Jean Dutasta dit Liborne, Laurenz Ermatinger, Denis Fayet, René Fezeray, Joseph Fût/Hu/Lehus dit Laforge, Jean Baptiste Gadois, Jean Baptiste Gadois (fils), Pierre Gadois, Félix Gausselin, Nicolas Gauvreau, Pierre Gauvreau, Pierre Goüette dit Lalime, Simon Guillory, Denis Guion, François Haley, Georges Héroux, Barthélémy Hervieux, Georges Hove, Mathieu Hubou dit Deslongchamps, Louis Jegadeau, Jacques Joyal dit Bergerat, André Lagroix, Jean Lamaison, Augustin Latour, François Lamoureux dit Saint-Germain, Antoine Lebohême/Leboesme dit Lalime, Jacques Lebou, Guillaume Lecavelier, Antoine Lemire, Joseph Lemire, Louis Lemoine, Paul Martin, Jean-Baptiste Montauban, François Morneau, Jean Morneau, Abraham Mussy, Charles Nolin, Mathurin Orin, Nicolas Panis, Jacques Paradis, Joseph Parent, François Patoile dit Desrosiers, Louis Joseph Payan, François Pépin, Jean Baptiste Petit, Yves Pinet, Michel Poirier dit Langevin, Jean Baptiste Poitras, Nicolas Pré, Pierre Prudhomme, Joseph Quesnel, Olivier Quesnel, Pierre Quesnel, Michel Quintal, Joseph Rainville, Geoffroy Robert, Gabriel Royer/Royé, Étienne Saintes, André Soulard, Jean Baptiste Soulard, Paschal Soulard, Jean Tavernier dit Laforest, Jacques Thibierge, George Treyvoux/Theroux/Traivo, Laurent Truteau, Jean Valiquet dit Laverdure.
Sources:
Russel Bouchard, Les Armuriers de la Nouvelle-France, Série Arts et métiers, Ministère des Affaires culturelles (Québec, Bibliothèque nationale du Québec, 1978), 7-20.
Jeanne Pomerleau, Arts et métiers de nos ancêtres: 1650-1950 (Montréal, Guérin, 1994), 31-35.