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Montbéliard Settlers' Monument
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In France in the 16th century, Protestantism was based on Calvinism: the belief that salvation was attainable through individual faith alone without the need to worship through a church hierarchy. Huguenots, many of whom were aristocrats, were those who followed these beliefs. There was continual mounting tension between the Catholic State and the Protestants. In 1572 the Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre in Paris killed thousands of hapless Huguenots as they gathered for religious celebrations. In 1685 the Treaty of Nantes, which had allowed Huguenots limited religious freedom, was revoked, escalating persecution. A mass exodus of Huguenots to England, the Channel Islands, Switzerland, and Montbéliard ensued. Until 1793 the borders between France and the rest of Europe were further west, (of present day borders) and Montbéliard was an independent principality situated northwest of Switzerland. It was the one Francophone Lutheran countship existing at that time, and as such, was a haven for Protestantism. From the early 1700s Louis XIV placed pressure on the principality in order to gain more territory for France. Although he officially tolerated Lutheranism, many Protestants suffered harassment if not overt persecution. Many chose to depart for the New World. The majority were listed as farmers, coming from wooded areas, which would stand them in good stead in Nova Scotia. While these immigrants have often been unrecognized among Swiss immigrants, they have a distinct history. With the help of Montbéliardian descendants, the South Shore Genealogical Society and a committee headed by Murray Jodrie and Paul Jodrey, a memorial monument was erected. On July 10th, 1988, Pierre Jodry of Audincourt, France (near the city of Montbeliard) unveiled the monument, which reads: "This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the 431 foreign Protestants from the principality of Montbéliard who landed in Nova Scotia between 1749 and 1752. Many of these Montbeliardians were among the founding settlers of Lunenburg on June 8, 1753. For more information: |
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