Zacharie Cloutier (c. 1590 – 3 May 1677) was a French carpenter who became one of the earliest settlers of New France, the French colony that later became Quebec, Canada.
Early life
Cloutier was born in the town of Domalain, in the province of Brittany (now part of the department of Ille‑et‑Vilaine), France. His exact birthdate is not documented; estimates place it around 1590. He was trained as a carpenter, a trade that was in demand for the construction of the nascent settlements in New France.
Immigration to New France
Cloutier emigrated to the colony in the early 1630s, arriving in Quebec City in 1634 as part of the second wave of settlers organized by the Compagnie des Cent‑Associés. He was among the colonists recruited to provide skilled labor for building houses, fortifications, and other infrastructure.
Activities in the colony
After his arrival, Cloutier worked as a carpenter for both private individuals and the colonial administration. He participated in the construction of dwellings and public buildings in Quebec City and, later, in the surrounding seigneurial lands. In 1637 he acquired a land grant (seigneurie) on the north shore of the Saint‑Lawrence River near present‑day Beauport, where he established a farm and a homestead.
Family
In 1634, the same year of his arrival, Cloutier married Marie Rollet (c. 1590 – 1679), the daughter of another early settler, Louis Rollet. The couple had ten children, many of whom married into other prominent families of New France. Through their descendants, Zachary Cloutier is recognized as an ancestor of a substantial proportion of French‑Canadian families, a fact noted in numerous genealogical studies.
Later life and death
Cloutier remained in New France for the rest of his life, continuing his work as a carpenter and farmer. He died on 3 May 1677 in Quebec City at an estimated age of 87. His burial site is recorded as being in the cemetery of the Notre‑Dame de Québec Cathedral.
Legacy
Zacharie Cloutier is frequently cited in Canadian genealogical literature as a "founding ancestor" due to the extensive number of descendants bearing his surname or tracing lineage through him. His life exemplifies the role of skilled craftsmen in the early development of the French colonial settlement in North America.
