Old Montreal in Montréal, Québec — Central Canada (French-Canadian)

Agathe de Saint-Père de Repentigny

(1657-1747)

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2024

1. Agathe de Saint-Père de Repentigny Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

[Français] Par son esprit d’entreprise et d’innovation, et avec le soutien financier du roi de France pour établir une manufacture, de Repentigny pallie une pénurie de chanvre et de lin, en plus d’un défaut d’approvisionnement de tissus en Nouvelle-France au début du XVIII^e siècle. Près d’ici, où étaient situés sa maison et son atelier, elle crée des teintures et des étoffes de remplacement avec des plantes indigènes et des fibres. Elle embauche des ouvriers provenant de la Nouvelle-Angleterre, tisserands pour la plupart, pour former des apprentis locaux. Son parcours représente le rôle économique important joué par les femmes de la colonie.

[English] Through her enterprising and innovative spirit, and with financial support from the King of France to establish a factory, Agathe de Saint-Père de Repentigny was able to offset a serious shortage of hemp and flax, as well as a lack of fabric, in early-18th-century New France. Near this location, where she lived and established her workshop, she created dyes and fabrics using local plants and fibres, and hired workers from New England, many of them weavers who trained local apprentices. Her life and work are representative of the vital economic role of women in the colony.

Erected by Commission

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Click or scan to see
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des lieux et monuments historiques du Canada/Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Industry & Commerce • Women. In addition, it is included in the Canada, Historic Sites and Monuments Board series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1657.

Location. 45° 30.165′ N, 73° 33.311′ W. Marker is in Montréal, Québec. It is in Old Montreal. It is at the intersection of Saint Francois Xavier Street and Saint-Paul Street West, on the right when traveling west on Saint Francois Xavier Street. The marker is mounted at eye-level near the southwest corner of the building at this location, facing Saint Francois Xavier Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 363 Saint Francois Xavier Street, Montréal QC H2Y 1Z8, Canada. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Central Canada.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

and the Western World.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony,

the Viceroyalty of New France,

the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2024

2. Agathe de Saint-Père de Repentigny Marker

and Rupert’s Land.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Montréal’s Founders and First Colonists Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Aux origines de Montréal / The origins of Montréal (about 90 meters away, measured in a direct line); L’Ancien Édifice de la Douane / The Old Custom House (about 90 meters away); Joe Beef’s Canteen (about 120 meters away); Kondiaronk and Callière (about 120 meters away); La Grande Paix de Montréal / The Great Peace of Montréal (about 120 meters away); Caserne 1 (about 180 meters away); Jeanne Mance (about 210 meters away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Montréal.

Also see . . .
1. Agathe de Saint-Père (Wikipedia).

Excerpt: Agathe Legardeur or more commonly known as Agathe de Saint-Père was born on February 27, 1657, in New France or what is now Montreal. She married Pierre Legardeur de Repentigny in 1685, eventually giving birth to eight children. As a married woman, she was legally a minor under the guardianship of her spouse, but as her husband signed a power of attorney for her giving her permission to conduct
Photographed by Cosmos Mariner, May 20, 2024

3. Agathe de Saint-Père de Repentigny Marker
Saint-Paul Street West is on the left. Saint Francois Xavier Street is on the right. The marker is mounted between the first two windows on the bottom right.
business, she became a major figure in Canadian business life. She engaged in the fur trade, agriculture and textile industry. She also developed a new form of textile, which she presented to the king, was given a patent for, and had manufactured and sold. In 2016, de Saint-Père was named a Person of National Historic Significance. She was cited as "representative of the significant economic role played by women of New France".

(Submitted on March 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Agathe de Saint-Père de Repentigny.

Excerpt : In 1704, she established herself as a manufacturer of fabrics using materials known to Indigenous Peoples such as nettles, bark fibres and cottonweed, to offset a serious shortage of fabric and clothing, traditionally made with hemp and flax. At the time, the price of goods from France was rising rapidly, while the colonists had less money to spend largely due to the falling price of beaver pelts. Making matters worse, the capture of the vessel La Seine by the British deprived the colony of supplies from France for the next year. Although colonials were forbidden to
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engage directly in the manufacturing of textiles, the King temporarily lifted this ban. However, qualified artisans were unavailable in Montréal. Madame de Repentigny solved this challenge by paying for the release of weavers held prisoner in New France and securing the help of apprentices. In addition to her weaving business, she was associated with a tannery that created dyes for caribou and deer hides used for clothing and produced food products with maple, including candy, which she sent to the King to his great delight.

(Submitted on March 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Credits. This page was last revised on March 22, 2025. It was originally submitted on March 21, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 161 times since then and 36 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 22, 2025, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.