Pierre Maillard
Encyclopedia
Abbé Pierre Antoine Simon Maillard (c. 1710 – 12 August 1762) was a French-born Roman Catholic priest
. He is noted for his contributions to the creation of a written language for the Mi'kmaq indigenous people of Île Royale, Cape Breton Island
, Canada.
, France around 1710. He received his ecclesiastical training at the Séminaire de Saint-Esprit in Paris
. In 1734 the Abbé de L'Isle-Dieu selected Maillard in a group of seminarists lent to the Séminaire des Missions Étrangeres, which was short of personnel. After eight months in that institution, Maillard was selected (1835) for the Mi'kmaq missions on Cape Breton Island
(called Île Royale at that time). His recommendation letter stated "he is a young priest who has greatly edified us . . full of zeal and piety."
Maillard quickly immersed himself in learning and becoming proficient in the language of the natives. He also devoted himself to missionary work, visiting all the settlements on Île Royale, Île Saint-Jean (now called Prince Edward Island
) and English Acadia
(now called Nova Scotia
). He pleaded for additional assistance from his French superiors, who responded by sending Jean-Louis Le Loutre
. The two worked together on developing the written language.
In 1740 Maillard was appointed Bishop of Quebec's vicar-general for Île Royale. In 1742 this position created friction between his superiors and the provincial of the Recollets of Brittany, who wanted his men to be independent of Maillard's control. Maillard took every opportunity to criticize the conduct of those workers; his severity led Duquesnel (Le Prévost) and François Bigot
to demand Maillard's recall, but Maillard's superior (Bishop Pontbriand) reached a compromise by dividing the vicar general's powers between Maillard and the superior of the Recollets in Louisbourg. This arrangement continued until 1754, when Bishop Pontbriand confirmed Maillard in his functions as vicar general, which he exercised alone from that point on.
Along with his ecclesiastical duties, Maillard became increasingly involved in political matters during the sunset of French control of the area. The ongoing hostilities between France and England, which began in 1744, spilled over into Canada, and affected Maillard's activities. He was present when Annapolis Royal
was under siege
, and after the fall of Louisbourg in June 1745, Maillard encouraged Micmaq warriors to mount raids against British forces.
To assist the religious efforts Maillard self-financed construction of buildings (beginning 1754) on Île de la Sainte-Famille (now called Chapel Island
) in the south of Grand Lac de La Brador
, where his main mission was located (he did receive a reimbursement of 3,000 French livre
s in March 1757).
In the closing months of 1745 the British captured Maillard and sent him to Boston
. From there he was deported to France. However, he quickly (1746) returned to Acadia
on a fleet commanded by the Duc d'Anville
. He took active part in military campaigns during the winter of 1746-47 directed by Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas-Roch de Ramezay.
Maillard was involved with the founding of Halifax, Nova Scotia
in the summer of 1749. In an attempt to remove his influence from the ongoing events in the area, Halifax Governor Edward Cornwallis
tried to persuage Maillard to retire to Minas Basin
. In apparent response to this pressure, the French King awarded Maillard an 800 livre annual pension in 1750, and another assistant (the Abbé Jean Manach) was dispatched to assist Maillard with his workload. From his mission on Île de la Sainte-Famille, Maillard continued to incite his Mi'kmaq contacts to a state of war until 1758.
) in order to escape the ever-increasing British presence. He was still there on 26 November 1759, when he and several other French missionaries accepted an offer of peace from British Major Schomberg
, In light of this acceptance, French military officer Jean-François Bourdon de Dombourg dispatched an accusatory dossier against the missionaries to the French Governor of the Canadian Territories, who thereupon accused the missionaries of treason
and dispatched (spring 1760) a military officer to Restigouche
to investigate. To this officer Maillard sent a letter detailing the near-hopeless situation of the Mi'kmaq, in which he opened "by summing up 23 years . . spent in this country in the service of our Religion and our Prince." He had indeed treated for peace with the British because of the hopeless situation, as he tried to explain.
Shortly afterward, Maillard accepted an invitation from Nova Scotia Governor Charles Lawrence to travel to Halifax and assist in pacifying the Mi'kmaq peoples. He became a British official ("Government Agent to the Indians", with an annual salary of £150). He asked for (and received) permission to maintain an oratory at a Halifax battery, where he held Catholic services for Acadians and Mi'kmaqs in the area. In his official capacity Maillard was able to obtain agreement from most of the tribal chiefs to sign peace treaties with the British in Halifax.
, so his followers might learn them more readily. In this development he was greatly aided by Jean-Louis Le Loutre
, another French missionary. Le Loutre marveled at Maillard's achievements in his later reports:
Scholars generally agree that Maillard did not invent the Mi'kmaq hieroglyphics. In 1691 Father Chrétien Le Clercq
reported that he had devised a similar method to catechize the Mi'kmaq inhabitants of the Gaspé Peninsula
; apparently he had systemized and expanded the Mi'kmaq custom of setting down short messages by using pictograms. There is no direct evidence that Maillard was aware of Le Clercq's work; in any event Maillard's work is outstanding in that he left numerous works in the language, which continued in use among the Mi'kmaq into the 20th century.
clergyman Thomas Wood. Maillard was accorded a State Funeral by the Nova Scotia Governor; his pallbearer
s included the Council President and the Speaker of the Assembly. The government thus recognized his role in pacifying the inhabitants, and his forceful personality.
Bishop Wood wrote of Maillard:
Maillard gave all his belongings away prior to his death. Most of his books were donated to recognized collections of the time. His other belongings were bequeathed to Louis Petitpas, his only companion and confidential agent since 1749, and in whose home he lived while in Halifax.
Priesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. He is noted for his contributions to the creation of a written language for the Mi'kmaq indigenous people of Île Royale, Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
, Canada.
Biography
Maillard was born in the diocese of ChartresChartres
Chartres is a commune and capital of the Eure-et-Loir department in northern France. It is located southwest of Paris.-Geography:Chartres is built on the left bank of the Eure River, on a hill crowned by its famous cathedral, the spires of which are a landmark in the surrounding country...
, France around 1710. He received his ecclesiastical training at the Séminaire de Saint-Esprit in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1734 the Abbé de L'Isle-Dieu selected Maillard in a group of seminarists lent to the Séminaire des Missions Étrangeres, which was short of personnel. After eight months in that institution, Maillard was selected (1835) for the Mi'kmaq missions on Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island
Cape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
(called Île Royale at that time). His recommendation letter stated "he is a young priest who has greatly edified us . . full of zeal and piety."
Service in Canada
Maillard arrived at Fortress Louisbourg on the ship Rubis on 13 August 1735. He worked extensively with the Mi'kmaq people. He became a witness to, and eventually a reluctant participant in the ongoing struggles between French and British forces for control of the area.Maillard quickly immersed himself in learning and becoming proficient in the language of the natives. He also devoted himself to missionary work, visiting all the settlements on Île Royale, Île Saint-Jean (now called Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
) and English Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
(now called Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
). He pleaded for additional assistance from his French superiors, who responded by sending Jean-Louis Le Loutre
Jean-Louis Le Loutre
Abbé Jean-Louis Le Loutre was a Catholic priest and missionary for the Paris Foreign Missions Society...
. The two worked together on developing the written language.
In 1740 Maillard was appointed Bishop of Quebec's vicar-general for Île Royale. In 1742 this position created friction between his superiors and the provincial of the Recollets of Brittany, who wanted his men to be independent of Maillard's control. Maillard took every opportunity to criticize the conduct of those workers; his severity led Duquesnel (Le Prévost) and François Bigot
François Bigot
François Bigot was a French government official. He served as the Financial Commissary on Île Royale and as Intendant of New France. He was the last official ever to hold the latter position, losing it on the occasion of the British Conquest of Québec in 1759...
to demand Maillard's recall, but Maillard's superior (Bishop Pontbriand) reached a compromise by dividing the vicar general's powers between Maillard and the superior of the Recollets in Louisbourg. This arrangement continued until 1754, when Bishop Pontbriand confirmed Maillard in his functions as vicar general, which he exercised alone from that point on.
Along with his ecclesiastical duties, Maillard became increasingly involved in political matters during the sunset of French control of the area. The ongoing hostilities between France and England, which began in 1744, spilled over into Canada, and affected Maillard's activities. He was present when Annapolis Royal
Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia
Annapolis Royal is a town located in the western part of Annapolis County, Nova Scotia. Known as Port Royal until the Conquest of Acadia in 1710 by Britain, the town is the oldest continuous European settlement in North America, north of St...
was under siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
, and after the fall of Louisbourg in June 1745, Maillard encouraged Micmaq warriors to mount raids against British forces.
To assist the religious efforts Maillard self-financed construction of buildings (beginning 1754) on Île de la Sainte-Famille (now called Chapel Island
Chapel Island First Nation
The Chapel Island First Nation is a Míkmaq First Nation located in northeastern Nova Scotia. It is situated on Chapel Island in Bras d'Or Lake....
) in the south of Grand Lac de La Brador
Bras d'Or Lake
Bras d'Or Lake is a large body of salt water dominating the centre of Cape Breton Island in the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. Bras d'Or Lake is sometimes referred to as the Bras d'Or Lakes or the Bras d'Or Lakes system, however its official geographic name is Bras d'Or Lake as it is a singular...
, where his main mission was located (he did receive a reimbursement of 3,000 French livre
French livre
The livre was the currency of France until 1795. Several different livres existed, some concurrently. The livre was the name of both units of account and coins.-Etymology:...
s in March 1757).
In the closing months of 1745 the British captured Maillard and sent him to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. From there he was deported to France. However, he quickly (1746) returned to Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
on a fleet commanded by the Duc d'Anville
Jean-Baptiste Louis Frédéric de La Rochefoucauld de Roye
Jean-Baptiste Louis Frédéric de La Rochefoucauld de Roye was made duc d'Anville by King Louis XV of France and pursued a military career in the French navy...
. He took active part in military campaigns during the winter of 1746-47 directed by Jean-Baptiste-Nicolas-Roch de Ramezay.
Maillard was involved with the founding of Halifax, Nova Scotia
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
in the summer of 1749. In an attempt to remove his influence from the ongoing events in the area, Halifax Governor Edward Cornwallis
Edward Cornwallis
Lieutenant General Edward Cornwallis was a British military officer who founded Halifax, Nova Scotia with 2500 settlers and later served as the Governor of Gibraltar.-Early life:...
tried to persuage Maillard to retire to Minas Basin
Minas Basin
The Minas Basin is an inlet of the Bay of Fundy and a sub-basin of the Fundy Basin located in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is known for its extremely high tides.- Geography :- Boundary :...
. In apparent response to this pressure, the French King awarded Maillard an 800 livre annual pension in 1750, and another assistant (the Abbé Jean Manach) was dispatched to assist Maillard with his workload. From his mission on Île de la Sainte-Famille, Maillard continued to incite his Mi'kmaq contacts to a state of war until 1758.
Peace with the British
In 1758 Maillard relocated to Malagomich (now known as Merigomish, Nova ScotiaMerigomish, Nova Scotia
Merigomish is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in Pictou County .-References:*...
) in order to escape the ever-increasing British presence. He was still there on 26 November 1759, when he and several other French missionaries accepted an offer of peace from British Major Schomberg
Alexander Schomberg
Captain Sir Alexander Schomberg was an 18th century Royal Navy officer.-Life:His father, Meyer Löw Schomberg , was a German-Jewish doctor and settled in England c. 1720 and set up a flourishing practice in Fenchurch Street, London...
, In light of this acceptance, French military officer Jean-François Bourdon de Dombourg dispatched an accusatory dossier against the missionaries to the French Governor of the Canadian Territories, who thereupon accused the missionaries of treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
and dispatched (spring 1760) a military officer to Restigouche
Restigouche County, New Brunswick
Restigouche County is located in north-central New Brunswick, Canada. The county is named for the Restigouche River which flows through the county and is famous for its salmon pools, which have attracted wealthy American and Canadian tourists to the region's summer colonies for decades...
to investigate. To this officer Maillard sent a letter detailing the near-hopeless situation of the Mi'kmaq, in which he opened "by summing up 23 years . . spent in this country in the service of our Religion and our Prince." He had indeed treated for peace with the British because of the hopeless situation, as he tried to explain.
Shortly afterward, Maillard accepted an invitation from Nova Scotia Governor Charles Lawrence to travel to Halifax and assist in pacifying the Mi'kmaq peoples. He became a British official ("Government Agent to the Indians", with an annual salary of £150). He asked for (and received) permission to maintain an oratory at a Halifax battery, where he held Catholic services for Acadians and Mi'kmaqs in the area. In his official capacity Maillard was able to obtain agreement from most of the tribal chiefs to sign peace treaties with the British in Halifax.
Achievement in Mi'kmaq language
As soon as Maillard arrived in Louisbourg, he immersed himself in studying the native language, under the tutelage of his predecessor the Abbé de Saint-Vincent. Having a remarkable talent for languages, he succeeded within a few months in mastering the difficult-to-pronounce oral language, and during the winter of 1737-38 perfected a system of hieroglyphics to transcribe Mi'kmaq words. He used these symbols to write formulas for the principal prayers and the responses of the faithful, in the catechismCatechism of the Catholic Church
The Catechism of the Catholic Church is the official text of the teachings of the Catholic Church. A provisional, "reference text" was issued by Pope John Paul II on October 11, 1992 — "the thirtieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Ecumenical Council" — with his apostolic...
, so his followers might learn them more readily. In this development he was greatly aided by Jean-Louis Le Loutre
Jean-Louis Le Loutre
Abbé Jean-Louis Le Loutre was a Catholic priest and missionary for the Paris Foreign Missions Society...
, another French missionary. Le Loutre marveled at Maillard's achievements in his later reports:
- " . . a naturalized Indian as regards language . . [he succeeded in acquiring the gift of rhyming at each member of a sentence, being able to] . . speak Micmac with as much ease and purity as do their women who are the most skilled in this style."
Scholars generally agree that Maillard did not invent the Mi'kmaq hieroglyphics. In 1691 Father Chrétien Le Clercq
Chrétien Le Clercq
Father Chrétien Le Clercq , a Franciscan Récollet, and a zealous Roman Catholic missionary to the Mi'kmaq on the Gaspé peninsula in the mid-17th century, was also a distinguished historiographer of Nouvelle France who wrote two early histories and adapted an apparently native mnemonic glyph system...
reported that he had devised a similar method to catechize the Mi'kmaq inhabitants of the Gaspé Peninsula
Gaspé Peninsula
The Gaspésie , or Gaspé Peninsula or the Gaspé, is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, extending into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
; apparently he had systemized and expanded the Mi'kmaq custom of setting down short messages by using pictograms. There is no direct evidence that Maillard was aware of Le Clercq's work; in any event Maillard's work is outstanding in that he left numerous works in the language, which continued in use among the Mi'kmaq into the 20th century.
Death
In July 1762 Maillard fell seriously ill. On 12 August he died, attended (at his request) by AnglicanAnglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
clergyman Thomas Wood. Maillard was accorded a State Funeral by the Nova Scotia Governor; his pallbearer
Pallbearer
A pall-bearer is one of several funeral participants who helps carry the casket of a deceased person from a religious or memorial service or viewing either directly to a cemetery or mausoleum, or to and from the hearse which carries the coffin....
s included the Council President and the Speaker of the Assembly. The government thus recognized his role in pacifying the inhabitants, and his forceful personality.
Bishop Wood wrote of Maillard:
- "He was a very sensible, polite, well bred man, an excellent scholar and a good sociable companion, and was much respected by the better sort of people here as it appeared."
Maillard gave all his belongings away prior to his death. Most of his books were donated to recognized collections of the time. His other belongings were bequeathed to Louis Petitpas, his only companion and confidential agent since 1749, and in whose home he lived while in Halifax.