Showing All of 47 results for "Historical Figures New France"

Augustin de Saffray de Mézy

Augustin de Saffray de Mézy, governor of New France (d at Québec C 6 May 1665). De Mézy was chosen first governor of New France under direct royal rule 1663-65. The colonial administration was reorganized on his arrival and the Sovereign Council established.

Marie Rollet

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Jacques Cartier

Jacques Cartier, navigator (born between 7 June and 23 December 1491 in Saint-Malo, France; died 1 September 1557 in Saint-Malo, France).

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Samuel de Champlain

Samuel de Champlain, cartographer, explorer, colonial administrator (born circa 1567 in Brouage, France; died 25 December 1635 in Québec City). Champlain played a major role in founding New France from 1603 to 1635.

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Paul Le Jeune

Paul Le Jeune, Jesuit missionary and superior at Québec, author (b at Vitry-le-François, France July 1591; d at Paris, France 7 Aug 1664). Converted to Catholicism at 16, Le Jeune was named superior of the Jesuits at Québec in 1632.

Jean-Baptiste L'Heureux

Jean-Baptiste L'Heureux (b at L'Acadie, LC 25 June 1831; d at Midnapore, Alta 19 Mar 1919). L'Heureux studied for the priesthood but was never ordained; a tradition maintains that he was expelled from the Séminaire de St-Hyacinthe for a criminal offence.

Louis Hébert

Louis Hébert, apothecary, colonist (born circa 1575 in Paris; died in January 1627 in Québec).

Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve

Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve, officer, founder of Montréal (bap at Neuville-sur-Vanne, France 15 Feb 1612; d at Paris, France 1676).

Daniel Greysolon Dulhut

Daniel Greysolon Dulhut, coureur de bois, fur trader, explorer (b at St-Germain-Laval, France c 1639; d at Montréal 25 Feb 1710). Dulhut helped extend the French trading empire around the Upper Great Lakes.

Henri de Tonty

Henri de Tonty, explorer, voyageur (b 1649 or 1650; d at Ft Louis-de-la-Louisiane Sept 1704). He was the son of Lorenzo de Tonty, inventor of the "tontine" system of life annuity.

Pierre Boucher

Pierre Boucher, interpreter, soldier, seigneur (bap at Mortagne, France 1 Aug 1622; d at Boucherville 19 Apr 1717).
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Étienne Brûlé: A Wealthy Parisian Trader?

​Étienne Brûlé is no longer the mysterious character who has inspired many different representations, ranging from traitor to hero.

Michel Sarrazin

Michel Sarrazin, surgeon, physician, naturalist (b at Nuits-sous-Beaune, France 5 Sept 1659; d at Québec C 8 Sept 1734). He came to New France in 1685 and the following year was appointed surgeon-major to the colonial regular troops. He later studied medicine in France for 3 years and returned to Québec in 1697 as king's physician.

Missionaries in the 17th Century

The presence of Roman Catholic priests, lay brothers, and nuns among the first settlers in New France was an important factor in the development of the colony. The prime object was to convert the Indigenous people but the missionaries also looked after the spiritual needs of the colonists.

Marie-Madeleine Jarret de Verchères

Marie-Madeleine Jarret de Verchères, heroine (b at Verchères, Qué 3 Mar 1678; buried at Ste-Anne-de-la-Pérade 8 Aug 1747). Daughter of an officer and seigneur, François Jarret de Verchères, in 1706 she married another officer and seigneur, Pierre-Thomas Tarieu de La Pérade.

Antoine-Denis Raudot

Antoine-Denis Raudot, intendant of New France, 1705-10 (b 1679; d at Versailles, France 28 July 1737). He had begun a career in the ministry of marine when he and his father Jacques Raudot were jointly appointed intendant.

Charles de Biencourt, Baron de Saint-Just

As a young man, Biencourt was reputedly tactless in dealing with others, and his violent quarrels with Jesuit missionaries undoubtedly harmed the colony. His determination, however, was crucial to the survival of the French presence in Acadia after a disastrous English raid in 1613.

Charles de Saint-Étienne de La Tour

Charles de Saint-Étienne de La Tour, colonizer, trader, governor of Acadia (b at Champagne, France 1593; d at Cap de Sable, Acadia 1663). La Tour possibly reached Acadia as early as 1606, living there permanently from 1610.

Marc Lescarbot

Besides being a vivid account of early colonizing attempts in Acadia, the Histoire is a remarkable plea for realism in harvesting the colony's natural resources, as against a futile search for quick profits.

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Adam Dollard des Ormeaux

Adam Dollard Des Ormeaux, soldier (b in France 1635; d at Long Sault May 1660). In late April 1660, 17 Frenchmen with Dollard in command left Montréal to ambush Iroquois hunters returning by the Ottawa River. They were joined by 44 Hurons and Algonquins.

Jean-François de La Rocque, Sieur de Roberval

Jean-François de La Rocque, Sieur de Roberval, also called the “Élu de Poix,” lieutenant-general of Canada between 1541 and 1543 (born c. 1495 in Carcassonne, France; died 1560 in Paris, France).

Louis-Antoine de Bougainville

Louis-Antoine de Bougainville, Comte de Bougainville, soldier, sailor (b at Paris, France 12 Nov 1729; d there 20 Aug 1811). After studying law and mathematics, he published a Traité de calcul intégral (1754-56) and was elected to the Royal Society (London).

Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville

Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, governor of Louisiana (bap at Montréal 23 Feb 1680; d at Paris, France 7 Mar 1767). Louisiana was New France's offshoot and the Canadian Le Moyne family were its godparents.

Louis Hennepin

Louis Hennepin, Récollet missionary, explorer (b at Ath, Belgium 12 May 1626; d c 1705). In 1675 Hennepin was sent to Canada with René-Robert Cavelier de LA SALLE, commandant of Fort Frontenac, where Hennepin was chaplain 1676-77.

Louis-Armand de Lom d'Arce, Baron Lahontan

Louis-Armand de Lom d'Arce Lahontan, baron, officer, author (b at Lahontan, France 9 Jun 1666; d at Hanover 21 Apr 1716).