There are still some who believe that LaMontagne may not have been from the Province of Saintonge, but that “Xanto”, as given in the university registry, represented a place named Santes in the vicinity of Lille. We believe that there is no doubt that these terms represented “Saintonge”, but whether or not that term corresponded to that historical province or to a larger geographical designation, such that would include extended areas where the Saintongeais dialect was traditionally spoken, has yet to be determined.
“LaMontagne, having been registered as a medical student at the University of Leiden in 1619, 1623, 1626, 1633 and 1636, his nativity as taken from the records were given as “Xanto”, “Xantho”, “Xanto-Gallus”, and “Santo-Gallus”. This information was provided in the work, Album studiosorum Academiae Lugduno Batavae MDLXXV-MDCCCLXXV: accedunt nomina curatorum et professorum per eadem secula, this being a collection of abstracts taken from the registers of Leiden University, compiled by Dr. W. N. du Rieu. Dr du Rieu was not only the Librarian of Leiden University, thus having direct access to the university archives, but was also a Walloon historian, and as such may have been the person most capable of assessing the meaning of the term “Xanto”, etc., used to define La Montagne’s place of nativity. Charles W Baird, perhaps the preeminent historian of the Huguenots in America, wrote that LaMontagne was born at Saintes in the Province of Saintonge. Baird had been in direct contact with Dr. Rieu. However, James Riker, the preeminent historian on Harlem (New York), who published his Revised History… a few years after du Rieu and Baird published their works, in referring to LaMontagne wrote that a “Xanto” or a “Santo” was descriptive of a person from Saintonge , not going so far as to say that LaMontagne was from Saintes, a city within that Province. Riker gives credit to W. J. C. Rammelman Elsevier, who was an archivist at Leiden and likely also had direct access to the university archives, and he too gave that LaMontagne was from Saintes in the Province of Saintonge.”
Abstracts from the registration records of Leiden University are provided in the source, Album studiosorum Academiae Lugduno Batavae MDLXXV-MDCCCLXXV: accedunt nomina curatorum et professorum per eadem secula. Below are the names of students who were registered at Leiden University, and were given as natives of “Xanto”, or some form thereof. Among these names are at least three who were known to have been born in the Province of Saintonge, these being Benjaminus Pritolaus born at Saint-Jean-d’Angély; Guillaume, son of Guillaume Rivet, pastor at Taillebourg; David Primrose, son of Gilbert Primrose, pastor at Mirambeau. We welcome your comments and questions on the information and source contained below. Thank You!
| 1595, Sept. 23 | Samuel Petitus Xanto. 20, T.DU RIEU, p44 |
| 1605, Feb. 2 | Joannes Bardinus Sancto. 21. P.DU RIEU, p81 |
| 1606, July 18 | David Megatus Sancto-Gallus.DU RIEU, p83 |
| 1607, Feb. 14 | Japhetus Vigerius Santo Gallus. 22, T.DU RIEU, p85 |
| 1609, May 29 | Daniel Beguinus Angeliensis Xanto. 21, J.DU RIEU, p95 |
| 1612, May 12 | Johannes Rainsbergus Sanctogallensis. 17, T.DU RIEU, p106 |
| 1619, Sept. 17 | Gedeon Commaeus Xanto. 22, J.DU RIEU, p143 |
| 1619, Nov. 19 | *Johannes Monerius Montanus Xanto. 24, M.DU RIEU, p144 |
| 1621, May 15 | Johannes Affanor Xanto 20, P.DU RIEU, p153 |
| 1621, May 19 | Benjaminus Pritolaus Xanto S. Angeliacus. 20, T.DU RIEU, p153 |
| 1621, June 26 | Johannes Minenius Xantho 20, T.DU RIEU, p154 |
| 1621, Oct. 4 | Gulielmus Rivetus, Gulielmi fil., Taliburgensis Xanto. 16, L. Hon. ergo.DU RIEU, p156 |
| 1621, Oct. 4 | Andreas Rivetus, Andree fil., Picto Touarsium. 16, L. Hon. ergo.DU RIEU, p156 |
| 1622, Aug. 2 | David Primirosius Xanto. 22, T.DU RIEU, p162 |
| 1623, Jan. 7 | *Johannes Mausnerius Montanus Xantho. 27, M.DU RIEU, p165 |
| 1625, Nov. 14 | Benjaminus Regnaldus du Maisne Santo Gallus. 25 Mat.DU RIEU, p182 |
| 1626, July 6 | Jacobus Rangeardus Xanto-Gallus, 21, P.DU RIEU, p193 |
| 1626, July 8 | *Joannes Monerius Xanto-Gallus. 30, M.DU RIEU, p193 |
| 1628, April 22 | Stephanus Valandus Gallus Xanto. 22, Mat.DU RIEU, p209 |
| 1629, March 15 | Cosmus Bonninus Xanto. 20, P.DU RIEU, p216 |
| 1629, Oct. 8 | Isaac Teroudius Xanto. 19, Mat.DU RIEU, p221 |
| 1633, May 21 | *Johannes Monerius Montanus, Xanto-Gallus. 35, M.DU RIEU, p253 |
| 1634, Nov. 20 | Petrus Franciscus Xanto. 20, P.DU RIEU, p267 |
| 1636, March 3 | *Joannes Monerius Santo-Gallus. 38, M.DU RIEU, p275 |
| 1647, May 21 | Paulus Chesneau Xanto. 25, P.DU RIEU, p377 |
| 1647, Aug. 2 | Theodorus Chrispinus Xantonensis Gallus. 25, T.DU RIEU, p379 |