Birtz and Desmarteau genealogy 2016

Etienne BIRTZ (1730 - 1786)
250 years ago, a farmer of Ay sur Moselle put the first steps on the Canadian ground.
Etienne Birtz is born on april 15 1730 at Ay sur Moselle. He is the son of Adrien Birtz, marshal-shoeing (maréchal ferrant), and of Marguerite Neveu.
The origine of his patronym has to be search in Belgium et mostly at Liège country, the birth country of his grandfather.

The childhood of Etienne is lived in a stormy political climate. At that time, France is in war against most of its neighbors and always need new recruits in its armies . On the public place , they knock on drums, they place all kind of announcements, they ask all valid men of age between 20 à 30 years old. The way to enroll is that when you draw a white token , you are exempted, but if you draw a black token then you are enrole immediatly and for 6 years long.
Right at that time they require the signature of this volunteer. It is in this context that on
January 14 1752, at the age of 22 years, the sior Birtz is enroled within the "régiment de Béarn". The inscription's register carries some more useful informations : hits nickname or war name is Démarteau, his size is of 1m64 and and trade job is marshal-shoeing (maréchal-ferrant). His profile proves to be a valuable asset for the officer charged to select his military manpower especially at the time of the lifting of a new company. Indeed Etienne has already the control of edge-tool industry and the marechalery, artisanal trades, traditionally based on Eurpean compagnonnic science.

With the end of the year 1754
, England decides to send troops in America to support its colonist there . Knowing that , Louis XV issues the sending in Nouvelle-France of 3,600 men as well as a great quantity of matérials and armaments in order to defend his possessions. Six battaillions are "drawn with the fate" and the one of Etienne Birtz is then chosen. Those bataillons move then to the Great Brittany and the sior Birtz stations in Morlaix from 2 to 4 avril 1755.
On april 8, 1755 its regiment goes to Brest where is moored a squadron made up of 13 vessels and 3 frigates. With this occasion the troops are equipped with new clothes (But delivered after their unloading) and rifles of the year 1746, obviously badly maintened and badly preserved. Animation is increasingly intense in the city where all lets predict a convoy in departure. We can see in the streets and the taverns of the port , an increasing number of soldiers. But this effervescence is of short duration because the regiments are ready and embark in the tread. The sior Birtz is on the Léopard, vessel of 64 canons, reduced to 22 room to charge the freight. During 25 days, the fleet remains in the port because of the winds. The general finally give the order to set sail in the morning of the may 3 and the ships start to travel under an escort charged to protect them on the high sea.

After a 51 days crossing through the Atlantic Ocean, the Leopard landed near Quebec on the morning of june 23. The following day the provincial police chief of the wars makes unloading the companies that will be living in the house of the local people. A few days later, the commander of Bearn orders the departure of his batailion in the way to Montréal by going up by St Laurent river.
In may 1756, the war of seven-years (1756-1763), the first in a mondial scale, is officially declared. Etienne takes part in a very active way , in all the campaigns which his regiment is battleing during this conflic carries out. Initially it takes share with the attack of the Fort Oswégo , a British base of approximately 1000 men. The battle , gathering 3,000 french soldiers , ends by the catch of this fort , by the Franco-Canadian ones.

After having spent the winter in its districts, the le detachement of Béarn takes part in the attack Fort George as of february 1757. The mission fails and the troops return to Montréal. It is at the time of this return , and more precisely on
april 18 1757 that the sior Birtz married Marguerite Robert at St Famille parish , Boucherville (Québec). Joined with his marriage certificate , a verbal grant to lease a small piece of ground near the church where he create his shop of marshal-shoeing and exerts partially his jog until the time of his demobilisation (1760). Indeed , the instructions of the king of 1755 , give the permission to the soldiers to be established in New-France, either to clean the ground (cut woods, remove stone etc,) or to do usefull jobs that are missing. By doing this, the have grant the pernmission to wed in the colony , understood by doing this, those soldiers must end there military service ,there, until the time of return of the body of the troop to France.

Four months after his wedding , the engagements begin again for the sior Birtz. The French re-attack and captured Fort George. The following year , Etienne fight at Fort Carillon where 15,000 english tried without success to carry attack on the fortifications improvised with cut down trees et defended by only the 3,500 hommes of Montcalm.
At the beginning of 1759, his is affected to the principal force of defense of Quebec where the english force Montcalm to fight battle at the doors of the town. The régiment of Béarn was in the center line of battle. This confrontation end by a crushing demolished French and the death of the 2 generals: Wolf and Moncalm. A few days later , the town of Quebec capitulate after 2 months of combat . The troops return back to Montréal for the winter season . But during the war ,the life of Etienne continue. This Etienne acquier a site in the borough of Boucherville,
on april 8 1760 for the sum of 3,600 livres of which 2,400 were given to the salesmens in lots of "Tresory bound" , money of the country. This big sum of money should have been the fruit of un good fur exchange , done either at the Fort Frontenac in 1755, or at Carillon en 1758. Indeed these soldiers , artisans of iron from France, are attracted by the trade of furs. In addition to the repair of the weapons and tools in the defense's forts and draft (Traite), they are devoted to the trade with the Amérindians. With them, they exchange these same furs against powder for rifles, iron's objects, clothing's parts, or simply food. During the same month of april, Etienne Birtz takes again the weapons in the countryside of St-Foy (Near Quebec) where French make the seat of the city. But the arrival of the english frigates cause the army to beat in retreat towards MOntréal, where on sept 8 , the governor of Canada capitulat in front of the imminent British seat. In november, the majority of the french troops, nonmarried to the canadian women, return to France , and the treaty of Paris, signed on
february 10, 1763 , definitively return Canada to England. Etienne Birtz didn't return to the Kingdom of France. By his determination, Etienne fully satisfie to the conditions prescribed by the King and, with the assent of his superiors, he can thus be established permanently in Canada.

The sior Birtz settle thus definitively with his wife in Boucherville (East of Montréal), where he installed his shop of marshal shoeing 3 years before which is charaterized by a sign of two crossed hamers. Consequently , his activity of blacksmith and his family life,constitue his daily living.
In 1768 the sior Birtz acquire a second residence. In exchange of a "life pay" , Pierre Robert , his father-in-law, give up a smallholding (Métairie) located at Pays Brulé on which there is a good house, a barn in good order and a stable. Some legal contentions followed in this subject. The smallholding (Métairie) remain in possession of Etienne until 1781, date on wich it became the property of Louis Cicot. .

In 1777, Etienne proceed to the sale of his site located at the borough (Bourg) of Boucherville with the adjoined shop for the sum of 1,200 pounds. At that time , the war of American independence (1775-1783) generate a severe economic crisist, not only on the Canadian market of furs, but also on the devaluation of the sterling pounds . This is why Etienne cumulated a loss of 2,400 pounds from the purchase made on april 8, 1760 .

On august 4, 1786 , in Boucherville, Etienne Birtz died at the age of 56. Three months later , an inventory after death, is carried out by the Racicot notary. This inventory prove that it was occupied actively in the negociation related to the trade of furs. The amount of his debts , goes high as 1,388 pounds and only concern the debts contracted with wholesaler, engasists, traders, including the captain of militia at that time. The estimate of his goods is only 300 pounds, the legal heirs dindn't have other choice then to give up the succession. By leaving behind him 9 childrens , the history of Etienne survived the pangs of time. Our highly skilled ensured the succession of the Birtz patronym in the North America through the centuries sealing for ever his history and the bonds which link this family to our village. Among his many descendants , a man deserve to be quoted for his accomplished sporting exploits at the time of international competitions. This is about Etienne Desmarteaux (1873-1905) , policeman of Montréal, which was illustrated as being the first Canadian medal-holder of gold at the time of the Olympic Games of St-Louis in 1904 with the throw of weight. By his performances, this Olympic champion allowed to make known universaly a patronym behind which hide an unusual history of a soldier during the "seven years war".

Sources :
- Archives Départementales de la Moselle (Metz)
- Archives Nationales du Québec (Montréal)
- Collection Lévis, 12 volumes.
- Comte Maurès de Malartic. Journal des Campagnes au Canada de 1755 à 1760.
- Kunster, Maillard et Montgredien. Les régiments sous Louis XIV et Louis XV.
- Service Historique des Armées de Terre (Vincennes)

Research and redaction made by Gilles BIRTZ (Québec) et Florent PIERRON.

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In the commune of Ay sur Moselle in France

In 1630
we can count 35 habitants :
The mayor ,4 alderman of justice, 8 ploughman, 13 handyman. 6 alms asker, 3 poor.

In 1646
there is 66 inhabitants:
Nicolas BOCK and his wife, 4 children, 1 servant, 1 maidservant.
Nicolas CORDONNIER and his wife.
Hans MASSON and his wife.
Haztard DORINAULT and his wife.
Nicolas MUSNIEZ, and his wife and his little children.
Nicolas PROBST and his wife, 2 children, 1 servant.
Nicolas DURA and his wife.
Nicolas BERNHARDT and his wife, his son.
Fridich TRIOUX and his wife, 4 children.
Michel GARFO and his wife, 2 children.
Tallontin GILMIN and his wife, 2 children, 2 servant, 3 maidservant.
Jean LOUP and his wife, 4 children.
Jean BASSOMPIERRE and his wife, 4 children, 1 servant, 1 maidservant.
Jean MANNOURILT and his wife, 1 children.
Nicolas TRIBUND and his wife, 2 children, his servant.

In 1801
we can count 115 inhabitants:
AKERMAN Jean
ATHANASE Jean
AUBERT Bernard
BIRTZ Jean Pierre
BIRTZ Adrien
BIRTZ Bernard
BIRTZ Pierre
BOLSIGNER Dominique
BOLSIGNER Etienne
BOLSIGNER Jacques
BOLSIGNER Victor
BOUVARD Jean Pierre- BOMBARDIER Pierre- CAEN Lazard- CAMUS Nicolas- CHAMPIGNEUL- CHILS Pierre- CHAUFFERT Dominique- CIRE Jean Nicolas- CIRE Nicolas- CLIN Jean- COISPINE Nicolas- COLLIGNON Nicolas- COLLIGNON Catherine- CREPATTE André- CREPATTE Dominique- CUNE Dominique- DAL Michel- DALSTEIN Nicolas- DECKER Henri- DEVILLE François- DEVILLE Jean- DENIS Antoine- DIDRY Charles- DROCQUE Jean- DUCHAT Pierre- DURER Jacques- ELLOY Dominique- FIDRY Jean- FORFERT Jean- GAND Simon- GEANT Jean- GEANT- GILBERT Jean- GILLES François- GILLES Dominique- GILLES Jean François- GILLES Joachim- GILLES Jean Dominique- GIRY Jean- GIRY Michel- GRANDVEAUX Jean- HENNEQUIN Charles- HENNEQUIN Charles- HENNEQUIN François- HENNEQUIN Madeleine- HENNEQUIN Jean- HENNES Jacques- HENNEQUENOT Michel- HOUILLON François- KELNER Jacques- KIFFERT Jeanne- LACOUR Dominique- LANIO Jean- LOVIS François- LOUVEAUX Michel- MAIRE- MANGIN Pierre- MANGIN Jean Antoine- MANGIN Marie Madeleine- MARCHAL Joachim- MARCHAL Joachim- MARCHAL Jean Pierre- MARTIN Jean- MARTIN Marguerite- MIRGUET Jean Baptiste- NASSOY Jean- NEVEUX Jean Nicolas- NOEL Jean Michel- PIERRARD Jean Baptiste- PIERSON Jean Michel- POINSIGNON- REMY Charles- REMY Charles- RENAUX François- RENAUX Jean- RESER Nicolas- RETTEL Michel- ROUGE Jean- SALSECHE Charles- SAUVAGE Jean Pierre- SCHLEITER Jean François- SCHLEITER Jean Nicolas- sCHLEITER Jean Pierre- SCHLEITER Fançois- SEMIN Nicolas- SEMIN Etienne- SILVESTRE- SILVESTRE Georges- SILVESTRE Nicolas- STOUFFLET Julien- STOCQ FRançois- TAILLEUR Jean- THIEL François- THIL Jacques- TISSERANT Michel- TOUSSAINT François- VALENTIN Jean Nicolas- VALENTIN Nicolas- VALENTIN Pierre- WATIER Jean- WOIRHAYE Etienne- ZEGUT Madeleine-

In 1844
we can count 702 habitants:
A school attended by 60 girls et 50 boys. 180 houses, 40 barns, 1 farm, 40 horses, 100 springs/wells/pumps.
Territory producing 450 hectares of ground and meadows , giving income of 75 francs per hectare.
Industry: 1 flower mill, 1 butcher, 1 brewrey.
This viilage located on the edges and on the right of the Moselle river which is very full of fish can
in the event of a meeting of troops, hold 100 horses and 500 men
It is located at 17 kms of the railroad of Metz. Fair on last monday of august. (1 day)

In 1938
We can count 702 inhabitants:
The village have 660 inhabitants, 186 families divided in the following way:
24 families of farmer (92 persons)
9 families of tradesmen(50 persons)
21 families without dénomination, private income people (32 persons)
132 familiesindustrial workers (486 persons)
This commune is to be classified among the industrial communes.

The city council is composed of gentlemen Edmond Birtz and others

In 1982
we can count 1252 habitants:
In 1990
we can count 1344 habitants:
In 1999
We can count 1525 habitants:

Research made by Florent PIERRON

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