Sailor
Cliquez ici pour la version française
Le Matelot | The Sailor
"French navy sailors, circa 1690" (unknown artist), Canadian Military History Gateway.
On sailing ships, the matelot, or sailor, trimmed the sails and, under the master's orders, performed all the operations of the masts and yards, the rigging and the maneuvers.
In New France, however, the role of the sailor went beyond the traditional. Some of the sailors' engagement contracts specified that they were expected to serve as labourers or perform any other duty the governor ordered. They were asked to cut wood and work the fields. At times, the sailors performed the same duties as soldiers. They worked side by side to arm the colony's forts and use the cannons. Many sailors eventually became soldiers.
Known men who had this occupation: Pierre Aigron, François Allaire, Jean Alouette, Jean Arrérat, Jean Aulonne, Richard Avoine, Nicolas Baillargeon, Simon Balets, Jean Barault, Jacques Biort, Joseph Biort, François Blouin, Jean Boeuf, Charles Bois, Jacques Boulard, Pierre Boulet, Gabriel Bourget, Mathurin Brault, Jean Brière dit Perigourdin, Louis Brousseau, Jacques Cadou, Jean Cailleteau, Jean Caseau, Nicolas Certain, Guillaume Chaumeau, Simon Chef, Jean Cheneleau, Jacques Chevalier, Olivier Chotart, Jean Clouet, Jacques Cochu, Raymond Cornu, Guillaume Corruble, Joannis de Clausset, Sébastien de Rosmadeq dit Lachenaye Courtebotte, Pierre Denon, Jean Derome dit Descarreaux, Étienne Domingo dit Caraby, Jean Dudouet, Gaspard Dujean, André Dutault, Jean Fernand, Jacques Figer, Jean Fleury, Louis Fontaine, Antoine Forestier, Pierre Foucher, Jean Fougereau dit Petitjean, Joseph Galerno dit Vilmer, Gilles Gallien, Jean Gauthier, Jean Gautron, Jean Glinel, Jean Goron, Charles Goury, Jean Gouvreau, Pierre Guérin, Pierre Héraut, Pierre Hubé, François Janus, Joseph Joly, Raphaël Lafontaine, Jacques Lalande, Bernard Landron, Germain Langlois, Jean Larose, Guillaume Lasue, Jean-Baptiste Laurent, Jacques Lauzin, Pierre Lavaux, Pierre Lefebvre dit Lajeunesse, Antoine Lemoine, Jacques Lozier, Charles Martin, Henri Martin dit Provençal, Jean Massé, Jacques Massie, Julien Mathieu, Thomas McKermic, Pierre Mosnier, Pierre Nicolet, Charles-Alexandre Parin, Jacques Payant, Louis Pépin, Jacques Perrotin, Antoine Picot, Daniel Pilotton, François Poingreau, Jean-Baptiste Raimbault, Jean Rateau, Élie Rémy, François Renoulau, Jean Ribreteau, François Rodrigue, Jacques Roguet, Jean Roussin, Michel Roy, Isaac Salomon, Olivier Santier, Augustin Savay, Guillaume Simon, Jean Soudain, François Thaumur dit Nantois, Jean-Jacques Thierry dit Paris, Jacques Turbay, Charles Turgeon, Joseph Villemers, Élie Voisin, Geffin Voisin
Source: G. Debien, “Engagés pour le Canada au XVIIe siècle vus de La Rochelle”, Revue d’histoire de l’Amérique française (Sep 1952), Volume 6, numéro 2; electronic edition, Érudit (https://doi.org/10.7202/301517ar).