Jean Amiot, dit Villeneuve

 Jean Amiot, born Abt. 1626 in OF: Picardie, France; died 23 May 1648 in Sillery, Quebec  More About Jean Amiot: Burial: 10 June 1648, Sillery, Quebec Cause of Death: Drowned   Emigrated: Abt. 1636, Arrived New France with parents

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<From Our French Canadian-Ancestors" by Thomas J. Laforest. vol.26 pg.40-48>

JEAN
At an early age Jean Amiot was a donne of the Jesuits, his protectors. The orphan was sent out to the land of the Hurons, where he learned their language. The Amerindians called him Antaiok, a distortion of Amiot, because they held him in esteem.

In 1645, Jean settled at Trois-Rivières, where he lived un-til his death. He often served as an interpreter. Pierre-Georges Roy recounts that Amiot, passing through Québec in 1647, chal-lenged all the young Indian boys to a race, "either with or without snowshoes. Several entered the race against him, but he beat them all".

On 28 May 1648, Jean Amiot and François Margerie crossed the Saint-Lawrence in a bark canoe, across from Trois-Riviêres. A storm rose suddenly and capsized their frail craft. The two interpreters perished in full view of the Frenchmen on the shore who were powerless to help them. Jean's body was found on 10 June, near Sillery, where they buried him.

Jean, greatly devoted to Saint Joseph, had said: "If I should happen to die, I desire that the lumber and materials with which I plan to build a house for myself, be used to build a small chapel in honor of Saint Joseph".

After his death, on 18 October 1649, Jean's property: 50 arpents of land and his building materials were bought by Jacques LeNeuf, for 183 livres.

Jean was an intrepreter. He worked with the Jesuits at Trois-Rivieres in 1645. He drowned along with Francois Marguerie on May 23, 1648 at Trois-Rivieres, QC. He was buried on June 6, 1648 in Quebec, QC.
He spent many years in the area of the Hurons and appears to have stayed at Trois-Rivieres starting in 1645. The Indians called him Antaiok. In 1647, he captured an Iroquois who had assassinated Father Jogues. He was a remarkable athlete, winning all races against the young Indians by foot and snowshoes at Quebec. He was getting ready to marry when he drowned. His body was recovered on June 10th by the Mission Saint-Joseph de Sillery where he was buried. His belongings at Trois-Rivieres were sold to Jacques LeNeuf de la Poterie on October 18, 1649.
The 1648 "Relations" states that Amiot and Marguerie were much regretted in that region, both for their virtue and for their knowledge of the languages. They were, both of them, brave and skillful, and, what is more estimable still, they lived a most blameless life, according to everybody's opinion.