Untethered French Roots

Martell is an English surname derived from the medieval given name Martin, which in turn is derived from the Latin Martinus, which is derived from Mars, the Roman god of war. The surname can be traced back to the Norman Conquest of 1066 in England, first recorded as a family seat at Abbess Roding in Essex.

As with many English surnames, there are numerous alternative spellings including: Martel, Mortel, and Moretell.

Regarding this branch of the family, it comes from French Huguenot heritage, though there are numerous accounts of the flight from France, all of which are below, listed in order of printing year (as known).

Account 1

Per an article printed in the The Halifax Herald on 15 March 1892:

[...] between 1740 and 1750 there were a few Huguenots landed in Halifax. Among them were Charles Martell and his son, and another family by the name of Smith. This Smith family were refugees from Switzerland. The father of Charles Martell had to flee from France on account of the revocation of the edict of Nantes. His immense estates were, of course, all confiscated. He found a refuge in Dublin, Ireland. He was of royal descent and bore the name of Charles, after his illustrious ancestor, Charles Martell. This son of Charles Martell, also Charles by name, ultimately became sergeant in the commissary department of General Wolf's army at the taking of Louisburg. He was left with that portion of the army who remained ni charge of the conquered city. After this he took a prominent part in the surveying and laying out of the city of Halifax. He having a superior education, became very useful in this work. One family tradition tells us that for his good services he had presented to him that corner lot on which the old province building stands. How he lost it I can get no definite information.

However, those family items are of no use [...]. This one thing is certain that this Martell family were Huguenots, and came to Halifax from Dublin, Ireland.

[...]

A. Martell
Wolfville, 1892

This is, by far, the earliest account and provides the groundwork for most of the following accounts. There is an interesting quirk in that this is the only account that ascribes the lineage to a father named Charles Martell, his son Charles Martell being the earliest confirmed Martell patriarch for this family.

Account 2

"A Short History of the Martell Family," printed in volume 1, number 41 of the Maritime Baptist on 8 August 1906, written by Rev. Charles Holmes Martell:

The late Rev. A. Martel placed in my hands materials taken from family Bibles and other records sufficient to establish the following facts concerning the Martell family.

Anthony Martel was born in Lyons, France, about the year 1698 or 1700, and traced his descent from Pepin de Heristal of Austria whose son Charles gained a most important victory over a large army of Saracens in 732, at the battle of Tours, one of the decisive battles of the world's history, for which victory he was surnamed Martel (i.e.) the Hammer.)

This Anthony Martel lived in the house of his mother until about thirty years of age (his father had been a French count, possessed of vast estates - date of death unknown). About this time there arose in France a great persecution against the Huguenots, and young Martel thought it wise to leave France with his young wife about two years married. He could not persuade his mother to leave her beautiful estate and decided to risk her life to a faithful Catholic servant who had been in the family many years, rather than venture into a new and strange country, with but the scanty amount of money that they would be compelled to take in their secret departure and hasty flight.

Shortly after her son left the Papists raided her mansion. She was concealed in an empty wine cask in the cellar, but under pressure of the inquisition the faithful servant divulged her hiding place, being assured that to kill a heretic was to do God service. She was seized by the hair of the head and decapitated, her head falling outside the cask while her body remained inside.

The French nation had ordered about that time that the marriages of Huguenots should be declared null, and their children illegitimate, so that their property could be confiscated and turned over to the church.

Anthony Martel went to Dublin, Ireland, because it was not difficult to secure a passage, the Jacobins holding constant and revolutionary intercourse with the Emerald Isle. Their flight took place in the winter season, which added greatly to their discomfort, yet the son and daughter of affluence and wealth are ready to suffer cold and, if need be, hunger for conscience' sake. Immediately on their arrival, February 12, 1733, their first son was born, called Charles, and later a daughter named Annie. Martel set up a linen and silk business and remained in Dublin fifteen years.

In the year 1748, with his wife and two children, he came to Halifax and started a business with another man whose name has been erased from family records. In the course the of a few years old gentleman accompanied by his son, Charles, went to New York on business, and was there taken down by Yellow Fever and died. His son, Charles was also smitten with the disease, but after several months' suffering, recovered and ultimately returned to Halifax to find his father's partner had sold the property, pocketed the money and returned to France. Young Martel then entered Wolfe's army and was servant in the commissary department during the taking of Louisburg, C.B.

After the battle of Louisburg in 1758, Wolfe went to Quebec, leaving Martel and some others to guard the town and keep it for Great Britain. How long Martel remained there is not known, but he reappears in Halifax helping to lay out the city. For this purpose he was well qualified having received a good education in Dublin, Ireland. For this service the government gave him the lot of land on which the Provincial Building now stands.

About this time there arrived in Halifax a family of Swiss origin, named Smith, belonging to the old Waldensians. A daughter in the family, Annie, born in Douglashorn, December 20, 1739, had marvelously escaped martyrdom in Switzerland when she was about fourteen years of age, during the severe persecution carried on against the Waldensians, in which many of her friends and relatives were most cruelly butchered. She hid under a half hogshead where she was faithfully cared for by a young girl friend, who, under the shadow of night and often at the risk of her own life, placed under the tub a loaf of bread and cup of water. She remained there until more influential friends effected her escape to England from whence she found her way to Halifax where she met Martel and shortly afterwards was made his wife. To them were born seven children, and in that family the old familiar names reappear, such as Thomas, John, Charles, and Anthony.

About the year 1798 there moved to Cape Breton, to the place now called Homeville, a man by the name of Stetson Holmes, a Loyalist who had given up large property in the United States rather than become what he considered a traitor to the British government. In this family was a young woman by the name of Sophie who became the wife of Anthony Martel and settled in Mainadieu - they were the parents of the late Rev. A. Martell.

There are a few blatant errors in this account (that also tend to carry over into the accounts that follow):

1) There is no mention of the name Anthony or Antoine Martell in the records of Cornwallis' ships or the early records of Halifax. There is, however, record of a Thomas Martell with wife and son signing up to join Cornwallis, and of Thomas and wife as passengers on the Wilmington. Thomas is granted land and engages in several transactions purchasing and selling land. In some of these land deeds Charles Martell is a witness. In 1754 Charles Martell sells land that had originally been granted to Thomas. There is no record of the transfer of this land from Thomas to Charles.
2) Military service: Charles Martell was enlisted in the 45th Regiment of Foot and is shown as a private soldier (briefly a corporal) on the mustering rolls and victualling lists for the regiment in 1759, 1760 and 1761. Records for 1758 have not been located. Ann is also shown on the victualling lists. There is no indication that Charles was ever a sergeant or that he ever served on the personal staff of General Wolfe.
3) The name Smith or Schmidt is not one that is known to the historians who have documented the Waldensian families and their history. There is no known place named Douglashorn in Switzerland and no record of there ever having been one.
4) Residence: C.H. Martell states that Charles returned to Halifax after serving at Louisbourg. Census records show Charles Martell and family living at Louisbourg in 1768 and 1772 but not in 1774. Birth information for the children shows that Ann (18 Oct 1772) was born at Louisbourg and that Joseph (2 Jun 1775) was born at Lower Mira.
5) Names of children: There is a tradition, not always adhered to but widely used in the 18th century, that the firstborn son is named after the paternal grandfather. Charles Martell named his firstborn son Thomas and not until the 5th son did he use the name Anthony (which supports point 1)
6) Anthony Martell married Lucinda Holmes, not Sophie as reported by C.H. Martell. Stetson Holmes did have a daughter named Sophia but she married an American and did not come to Cape Breton with the rest of the family.
7) There is no evidence that Stetson Holmes was a Loyalist. In fact he served in the Continental Army as a private in the 24th Regiment, and in Captain Samuel Wright's company in Colonel Nicoll's Regiment. His reasons for moving to Cape Breton probably had more to do with land grants than with politics.

Account 3

"The Martells of Nova Scotia," likely printed in the 1930's and held on file at the Beaton Institute, University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia and at Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management, Halifax, Nova Scotia; written by Alonzo Archibald Martell:

The following sketch of the MARTELL's which settled in Nova Scotia, and their descendants, is taken from the written record, left by Charles Martell, who came to Nova Scotia in 1748. After Anthony Martell left France rather than give up the Protestant faith, and embrace that of the Church of Rome, he settled in Dublin, Ireland. Meditating upon the vastness of the Estates of his immediate predecessors, and of all they did to bring France to what it was then, only to find through maladministration and despotic Governments that all those estates had been confiscated to the Government. The marriage of all Huguenots declared null and void, their children this termed illegitimate, so that they could not inherit estates under the laws of France. He not only embraced British Nationality but he anglicized his name by adding another letter to it, making the new spelling Martell.

Returning to the subject of this sketch - the history of the Martells in Nova Scotia, we find from the family record that Anthony Martell Jr. was born in Lyons, France in the year 1700 and lived in the home of his mother until he was 30 years of age. His father had been a French Count and took an active part in the affairs of France, and possessed large estates. About this time 1700 there arose another great persecution against the Huguenots; and Anthony Martell. Sr. thought it wise to leave France with his young wife. He could not persuade his mother to leave her beautiful Estates, she believing that the persecution would only be of short duration and decided to risk her life to a faithful Roman Catholic servant that had been in the family for many years; rather than venture into a new country with but a scanty supply of money that they would be able to take with them in their hasty flight. Shortly after her son left her mansion was invaded and she concealed herself into an empty wine cask in the cellar. The servant stated that family had fled from the country, but under pressure of the inquisition, the faithful servant pointed to the cellar, the secret hiding place, being assured that to kill a heretic was to do God's Service. She was soon discovered, seized by the hair of the head, and decapitated. Her head falling outside the cask and her body remaining inside.

The French nation had ordered at that time that the marriage of all Huguenots should be considered null and void, and their children illegitimate, so that property held by them was confiscated and turned over to the Church.

Anthony Martell went to Dublin, Ireland, because it was not difficult to secure a passage - the Jacobites holding constant and revolutionary intercourse with the Emerald Isle. Their flight took place in winter, which added greatly to the discomfort; yet the son and daughter of affluence and wealth were ready to suffer cold and if needs be, hunger for Conscience sake. On February 12, 1733, immediately after their arrival in Dublin, their first son was born, and called Charles Martell, and later a daughter was born named Ann Martell. Anthony Martell set up a linen and silk business and remained in Dublin 15 years. In 1748 with his wife and two children he came to Nova Scotia. Later he started business in Halfax with another man, whose name has been erased from the family records. In the course of a few years the old Gentleman accompanied by his son Charles went to New York on a business venture, and was there taken down with Yellow Fever and died. His son Charles was also smitten but after several months recovered and returned to Halifax, and found that his father's partner had sold the property, pocketed the money, and left for France.

Halifax, N. S., having been chosen as the sight of the British stronghold in Nova Scotia, by Cornwallis in 1749, and named in honor of Lord Halifax. Charles Martell was engaged in helping to lay out the new City, which was to be strongly fortified and garrisoned for this work he was well fitted, having received a liberal education in Dublin, Ireland. For this service he was given a grant of land, on which the Provincial buildings now stand.

In 1758 Martell entered Wolfe's forces, and was Sergt in the Commissary Department in the taking of Louisburg. After the taking of Louisburg, Wolf went on the Quebec in 1759, leaving Martell and others to guard the town and keep it for Great Britain. Halifax having been chosen as the British stronghold in Nova Scotia and well fortified and garrisoned, the Imperial Government decided that they would not maintain two such fortified cities; and for fear that should it be left unguarded it might fall again into the hands of the French, who would again quickly repair the fortifications; the order went forth to level the walls and destroy the fortifications but not to raze any of the buildings not directly connected with the fortifications. These orders were religious carried out.

Among the early settlers to arrive at the new city of Halifax was a family of Swiss origin named Smith, belonging to the well known Waldenses. A daughter in the family, Ann Smith born in Douglashorn December 30, 1739, had marvelously escaped martyrdom in Switzerland when she was about 14 years of age, during the severe persecution carried on against the Waldenses, in which many of her family and friends were cruelly butchered. She later came out to Halifax and was married to young Charles Martell. After the taking of Louisburg, Charles Martell took up his residence there, and some of his children were born there according to entries in the family record.

Both Charles Martell and his wife had alike suffered the loss of vast family estates, through bigotry and intolerance of the Catholic party, which controlled the Government of France at that date. But as hectic and bloody as those days were, yet more hectic and bloody were the days that followed, until at last the spirit of intolerance knew no bounds, and the common people rose in rebellion. When the revolution came the pendulum swung to the other extreme, and it was attempted to blot out all forms of Christianity.

Charles Martell was given grants of land at Mira and at Mainadieu, for his services to the Government. He was appointed a Justice of the Peace and administered the laws in that section of the Island of Cape Breton. He was also given authority to perform Marriages, Baptisms, and read the service for the burial of the dead, according to the rights and usages of the Church of England. Several records of marriages performed by him are still preserved, and held in high esteem by some of his descendants.

Charles Martell, son of Anthony Martell, born in Dublin, Ireland, February 12, 1733. His wife Ann Smith, born in Douglashorn, Switzerland, December 30, 1739.

Charles Sr., died November 5, 1819. Ann, his wife, died July 26, 1804. Buried at Mainadieu.

Charles Martell, having received a liberal education himself, did much to improve the minds of the people of Mainadieu, he would gather in his home at evening the people of the village and tech them in branches of education which could not be received outside of a University, which the country did not possess. There being practically no industry, but the sea, he taught the young men navigation, until Mainadieu became almost a village of Master Mariners. Her sons sailed as masters of ships on the Seven Seas. This good work was in later days taken up by his sons, who were all expert navigators. They also built their own vessels until the village became one of the most prosperous settlements in Cape Breton on those days. The village of Mainadieu had been picked as a townsite and was laid off with streets and squares, but few of these were ever opened up, as business necessity never warranted it. Coal mining became one of the early industries and, people began forming settlements at the different mining sites. This industry meant ready cash in the pockets of the people, and the people gradually turned from the sea and the farms to the industry of coal mining and its associated pursuits.

Account 4

"The Martells," a typed document prepared in 1970 and based largely on the work of Alonzo Martell plus other records; written by Earl S. Peach:

(Compiled from the work of Alonzo Martell (1881 - 1940), some family bibles, records in the County Court House, Sydney, and various Cape Breton cemeteries. Edited by E. S. Peach in 1970.)

Anthony Martell, son of a French count, was born in Lyons, France in 1700. Traditionally the Martells were reputed to have descended from Charles Martel, conqueror of the Saracens in the battle of Tours 732 A.D., but it is unlikely that genealogy will establish this.

The Martells were Huguenots. With the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, thousands of Huguenots lost their estates and fled for their lives from France. In subsequent sporadic religious persecutions Anthony Martell fled with his young wife and settled in Dublin, Ireland. The date was 1733. (The wedding slippers in the possession of my grandmother Adelaide Martell were probably the property of Anthony's wife. This exotic family treasure was unfortunately destroyed by fire.) Anthony's mother, whom he urged to accompany him, refused to go, was concealed in a huge tub from religious zealots, betrayed by a trusted servant, and executed on the spot.

Close upon his arrival in Dublin his first son Charles was born in 1733. A daughter Anne was born later. Anthony set up a linen and silk business and lived in Dublin for 15 years. In 1748 Anthony, his family and his partner arrived in Halifax, N.S. to establish a business there. On a business trip to New York father and son were stricken with Yellow Fever. Anthony died there, but Charles returned to Halifax to discover that his father's partner had decamped with the business funds.

A brilliant youth, Charles was assigned duties in the laying out of Halifax in 1749. In the course of his stay there he met and married a young Waldensian refugee, Ann Smith (or Schmidt) of Douglashorn, Switzerland. He was given a grant of land in Halifax where the Provincial Buildings now stand. In 1758 he joined Wolfe's forces for the assault on Louisburg as a sergeant in the Commissary Dept. For his services he was given a grant of 200 acres at Mainadieu and a similar grant at Mira Gut. (Index sheet 139, C. B. 175, Dept. of Lands and Forests, N. S.)

Owing to the lack of clergy in the area, he as an educated man was given the right to perform marriages, baptisms, and to administer law. Records of baptisms conducted by him appear in the earliest Diocesan Record of St. George's Anglican Church in the County Court in Sydney. He apparently continued to live at Louisburg until around 1777, for the first six of his and Anne's children were born there. The last 3 children were born either at Lower Mira or at Mainadieu.

Charles Martell (1733 - 1819) and his wife Anne (1739 - 1804) are buried in the oldest (and most neglected) Anglican cemetery in Mainadieu. In the same spot can be found the graves of his son John (1767 - 1836), a grandson Thomas (1801 - 1837) and a grand-daughter-in-law Esther (d. 1825). It is a tragedy that such pioneer landmarks are allowed to lapse into ruin through utter neglect.

(The original document by Earl S. Peach contains an additional 3 typed pages of genealogical data relating to the male children of Charles and Anne Martell and their further descendants. This data is incomplete and in some instances inaccurate, and it has not been reproduced here.)

Account 5

The final account, from a 2010 article from the Cape Breton Post, written by LeRoy Peach:

Anthony Martell was a French Huguenot, forced in 1733 to flee Lyons, France for Ireland with his young wife during one of the sporadic persecutions of that religious group. The Huguenots, beginning in 1698, were outlawed in France, their lands often taken away and their children declared illegitimate so as to legalize any confiscation. Anthoner's mother who chose to stay in Lyons, hid in a wine cask but was betrayed by a servant. Religious zealots decapitated her.

In Ireland, Anthony became a linen and silk merchant, he anglicized his name and became an adherent of the church of Ireland. On February 12, 1733, his son Charles was born. Fifteen years later, we find the family in Halifax. Tradition has it that young Charles was active in the laying out of that garrison city. He would later receive a grant of lan near the provincial buildings. Meanwhile, his father acquired a business partner, whose name never surfaced in official accounts, and he continued his buiness in the city and beyond. On a trip to New York with his son, Anthony Martell died of yellow fever. The partner sold the business and decamped for France.

[...]

About 1753, a family of Swiss origin, named Schmidt came to Halifax. Waldensians, they too were persecuted. A daughter, Ann, (1739-1804) escaped martyrdom at the age of 14. She would later marry Charles Martell.

In 1758, we find Charles Martell in Louisbourg as a soldier in the 45th Regiment of Foot. Legend has it that he was a sergeant in the commissary department of Wolfe's army. Given that Charles Martell was a highly educated person with very good leadership skills, it is entirely possible that he knew Wolfe well and even served on his staff. He appeared, hoever, on a regiment list in 1760 as a corporal.

Given the above, this site assumes that Charles Martell's father is very likely the Thomas Martell that signed up (with wife and son) to go to Halifax on 27 March 1749 (Colonial Office Nova Scotia "A" List of Emigrants 1748-49 MG11 NS "A" Vol 44 / PAC Reel C 9125 Vol 44) and was listed as arriving on board the Wilmington with Cornwallis on 14 June 1749.

The invitation for colonists to join the expedition was published in the London Gazette on 7 March 1749 with replies required by 7 Apr 1749 to London, Portsmouth, or Plymouth. The ships assembled at Spithead on 9 May 1749 and sailed on 10 May, arriving at Chebucto on 22 June. Ships logs indicate that they did not stop in Ireland enroute to Nova Scotiia. One ship - the Sarah, came from Liverpool and arrived Chebucto on 30 Aug 1749 with 116 settlers.

This raises the question as to how Charles Martell (and his parents) got to join the expedition. There was not enough time between the call for settlers and the sailing date for the information to have reached Dublin and for the Martell's to travel from Ireland to England to joiin the expedition. They must have already been in England in order to have joined the expedition.

Assuming this is indeed the truth, upon arrival to Halifax, Thomas Martill was granted lot of land in Mr. Ewers Division Block F # 11 (Halifax Allotment Book 1.) This lot was on Argyle Street across from St. Paul's Church and roughly corresponds to 1718 Argyle Street today, an office building next to Old St. Paul's Rectory House.

On 20 June 1753, Thomas Martell, stocking weaver, buys 5 acres in Letter Division D from William Unthank. Deed signed by Jane Martell, witnessed by Charles Martell. Deed signed 10 August 1753 and registered 14 August 1753. (Deed Book 2 Pg 253 #149)

On 30 May 1754, Charles Martell sells part of Lot 11 in Division Letter F to George Lees. This is part of the lot granted to Thomas Martell in 1749. Deed registered 4 June 1754. (Deed Book 2 Pg 347 #82)

Known Traces

Whatever the exact details of the Martell family be before Charles Martell, the history since is well-researched. Per LeRoy Peach's promised follow-up: "Charles Martell lived a life of service to others":

After the second siege of Louisbourg, Charles Martell stayed behind and assisted in the removal of the fortifications. He lived in the town of Louisbourg from 1758 to 1775. In fact, his first six children were born in Louisbourg between 1760 and 1775.

Around 1775, he acquired 200 acres of land on the Catalone side of Mira Gut, which he later passed on to his son Joseph. His daughter Elizabeth was born in Mira in 1778. However, Charles would also acquire property in the heart of Main-a-Dieu itself, 200 acres, near the old Anglican graveyard, and it was there that he settled for the rest of his life. His last two children were born in Main-a-Dieu between 1778 and 1782.

Charles had a liberal arts education, the equivalent of a university degree. He made his greatest contribution to the culture of Cape Breton in Main-a-Dieu. For example, he was appointed after 1785 as a Justice of the Peace and was esteemed enough to acquire the appellation Charles Martell, Esquire.

When Reverend Ranna Cossit visited Main-a-Dieu on November 12, 1786, he reported that there were 28 men, 16 women, 40 children and 23 men-servants living in the village. Charles’s entire family of nine was there then. Cossit appointed Charles lay reader, with the privileges of conducting services, preaching and burying the dead. In 1795, Cossit reported that there were “80 souls” in Main-a-Dieu. On that occasion, he received three people into the church who had been baptized by Charles. Likewise, in 1803, Cossit accepted 30 people into the church who were baptized by Charles.

In addition to his role as lay reader, Charles taught seamanship in his home, and many of his descendants, now buried in the new graveyard in Main-a-Dieu, were sea captains – master mariners who sailed schooners far and wide.

It would seem that his whole life consisted of service to others and, I might add, he passed the charity gene down to his descendants. For example, on December 11, 1788, Charles was cutting firewood near Main-a-Dieu when he came upon ill-clad Irish convicts who were cruelly let off on the coast of Cape Breton by the captain of a convict ship. There were 80 in all. Charles and others harboured the majority of them and he vigorously solicited provisions for them from the governments in Sydney and Halifax. A relative of mine is in possession of the letters that Charles wrote to Halifax. Charles Burke, a historian at Fortress Louisbourg, has researched the incident. His account may be found in Cape Breton’s Magazine, Volume 72.

Charles, whose descendants spoke French until the 1850s, died on November 5, 1819, at the age of 86. He wrote a remarkable will that displayed his great faith. “I recommend… to be buried in a decent Christian burial… nothing doubting that at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again by the mighty power of God…” he wrote.

Charles is buried in the little Anglican graveyard in the heart of Main-a-Dieu, a mere postage stamp of remembrance, with knee-high grass and some stones not even standing. The inscription on the time-ravaged gravestone reads: “O death where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?”

Anthony was baptized at about 5 years old (record Pg 12, #3 of Vol 1).
In about 1807/8 received a 200 acre land grant (CB 403) on Round Island, where he's later recorded as working as a Farmer.

In a story printed in the 1906 issue of "Maritime Baptist":

Shortly before 1818 it had become clear to Lucinda, if not to Anthony, that the raucous and rowdy atmosphere of Main a Dieu was hardly a fitting environment in which to rear Stetson Holmes's grandchildren. The family decided to leave the land of "strong drink" and went to Round Island (then called Mira Bay).

Per LeRoy Peach in his opinion article, "The diary of Nehemiah Martell revealed interesting family history", printed in the Cape Breton Post on 17 February 2010:

Charles and Anthony Martell lived in Mira Gut, in a large acreage on the Catalone side. By 1838, all the Mira Martells became Baptists (as part of the Baptist Revival of 1838). The Maritime Baptist claimed in 1906 that they broke away from the “rigid Episcopalians” because “the New Testamount had revealed until them a more perfect way.”

Both Anthony and Lucinda were buried on the big hill overlooking Back Cove on their land at Round Island.

Thomas lived on Round Island a great portion of his life and was a fisherman/farmer. 1861 census Poll 12 Abst 3 #24 1871 census at Cow Bay Division II 184/205 he was still a farmer Later he was a trader in Real Estate.