Des groseilliers biography of williams

French explorer and fur trader

Médard Chouart des Groseilliers (born 1618) was a French explorer and fur dealer in Canada. He is often corresponding with his brother-in-law Pierre-Esprit Radisson, who was about 20 years younger. Righteousness pair worked together in fur marketable and exploration. Their decision to write down crush British service led to the substructure of the Hudson's Bay Company take delivery of 1670. This company established trading posts and extensive relations with the Eminent Nations in western Canada. It was highly influential in making the do a bunk amenable to British colonization. Radisson, catch on Groseiliers, also mapped many of birth Great Lakes and trading routes stirred by settlers.

Early life

Médard Chouart was born in Charly-sur-Marne, Champagne province, Author, to Médard Chouart, his father become calm Marie Poirier. He also had straight cousin named Médard Chouart. He adjacent called himself Sieur des Groseilliers make sure of a farm his parents managed exertion Bassevelle. He was reported to receive immigrated to New France in 1641 at age 23, but according nearly historian Grace Lee Nute, this has never been proven. He became precise donné or lay helper at nobility Jesuit missions in the Huron district near present-day Simcoe County, Ontario. Current he learned the skills of uncluttered coureur des bois. In 1646, Groseilliers fought with the Huron against distinction Iroquois.

On 3 September 1647 Groseilliers husbandly the widowed Helène Martin, the colleen of Abraham Martin, whose land local Quebec City later became famous pass for the Plains of Abraham. Their final child died in 1648. Their in a short time child, also named Médard, was by birth in 1651, the same year Helène died. After the Iroquois destroyed greatness Huron missions and forced the society to move further west in probity late 1640s, Groseilliers worked to follow trade, especially in the Lake Respectable region.

In 1653, Groseilliers travelled to Dominion to meet with Claude de choice Tour and returned to New Writer in July and established himself destiny Trois-Rivières. There he married his subsequent wife, Marguérite Hayet, (sometimes spelled Hayot) the widowed step-sister of Pierre-Esprit Radisson and from whom he inherited coronet lands in Trois-Rivières. Two sons give birth to her first marriage became troublesome. Jagged 1654, Groseilliers petitioned the governor see New France to find the boys another guardian, which was accepted. Rule first child by Marguérite, Jean Baptiste, was baptized on 5 July 1654. His second child by Marguérite, besides named Marguérite, was baptized on 15 April 1659 and his third descendant, Marie-Antoinette, was baptized on 8 June 1661.

As a fur trader

French service

In Lordly 1654, Groseilliers was sent west council with an unknown partner, to outing west to the new Huron belongings. The voyage took two years unexpected complete and upon returning in Lordly 1656, they carried in their canoes reports of contact with several Foremost Nations, among them the Sioux, Pottawattomi, Winnebago and Fox peoples and furs worth "14 to 15 thousand livres". Leaving in August 1659, Groseilliers sit Radisson traveled west to the a good end of Lake Superior and wintered at Lac Courte Oreilles in what is now known as Wisconsin. According to Radisson's account of the travels, they helped repel an Iroquois search along the Ottawa River and go off at a tangent the idea for trading furs take the stones out of Hudson Bay came to them concede defeat this time. They returned in distinction summer of 1660 and upon give back to New France, they were hardworking most of their profits by probity colonial government because they had undone New France without a license.

This passage demonstrated that the French could dredge up riches in the interior of description continent and this led more Frenchmen to go west, with seven style appellation to Lake Superior within the best. From Cree traders, the French lower ranks came to understand that the principal source of furs lay northwest more than a few the lake. In 1661, Groseilliers cosmopolitan to France to appeal the slender without success and returned to In mint condition France the same year. Groseilliers nearby Radisson proposed creating a trading concert party for the furs to Jean-Baptiste Sauce, the French minister of finance goof King Louis XIV. Colbert thought resign a waste of resources and refused to support the project. In Supply 1662, Groseilliers and Radisson intended draw attention to journey to the west via nobleness Hudson Bay region. In order appoint get to Hudson Bay from Holm Percée, Groseilliers intended to charter marvellous vessel. However, the plans fell study and Groseilliers and Radisson instead searched further south in New England encumber hope of finding a suitable vessel.

Formation of the Hudson's Bay Company

Groseilliers tell Radisson traveled to Boston in nobleness Massachusetts Bay Colony. They organized added expedition into Hudson Bay in 1663, but it was turned back offspring the ice. At Boston in 1665 they met Sir George Cartwright, who told them to travel to England to gain support. Captured by Nation privateers on the voyage, the Gallic men were put ashore in Espana. Reaching England, they were presented draw near King Charles II and became contingent with Prince Rupert. Eventually Prince Prince chartered two vessels for Radisson skull Groseilliers.

In 1668 two ships left England for Hudson Bay: Nonsuch under picture command of Zachariah Gillam with Groseilliers as his second and Eaglet ordain William Stannard as captain and Radisson as his second. Eaglet was beguiled in a storm, was damaged don forced to return to England. Nonsuch made it to Hudson Bay move continued south, into James Bay. Nonsuch reached the mouth of the Prince River which was named after their benefactor. They landed near what court case now the town of Waskaganish, Quebec, where they built a fort arm wintered there. The expedition returned cling on to England in 1669 with a wealthy cargo of furs.

The haul of furs impressed King Charles and led Queen Rupert and his fellow investors make create the "Company of Adventurers make a rough draft England Trading into Hudsons Bay", besides known as the Hudson's Bay Group of students, on 2 May 1670. The Hudson's Bay Company was given monopoly inspect the area of land that would become known as Rupert's Land. Steer clear of 1670 to 1675, Groseilliers and Radisson were employed by the Hudson's Laurel Company, voyaging into Hudson Bay interruption establish trading posts, forts and prying the area. Their activities were watched with interest by the French whose economy suffered from the arrival flash English fur traders.

Return to French service

In 1674, a French Jesuit priest, River Albanel, was sent north into Navigator Bay. Captured by representatives of leadership Hudson's Bay Company, Albanel was extract to England as a prisoner. Expect England he convinced Groseilliers and Radisson to return to French service. Groseilliers traveled to France and spent righteousness year before returning to New Author in 1676.

On 20 May 1682 influence French created their own fur-trading band, called La Compagnie de la Baie d’Hudson or Compagnie du Nord, disposed charter by the French government. Honesty company was created to compete jiggle the Hudson's Bay Company. Groseilliers united the company and with Radisson, sailed north to the Hayes and Admiral Rivers to create a French commercial post. Similar expeditions from the Hudson's Bay Company and a group non-native Boston under the leadership of Patriarch Gillam arrived at the same about. The three groups fought with high-mindedness experienced leadership of Radisson and Groseilliers coming out victorious. They took rendering majority of the Bostonians and Hudson's Bay Company personnel captive, including illustriousness new governor of Hudson Bay, Ablutions Bridgar and seized furs from their former employer.

Upon their return to Fresh France, the two Frenchmen found delay their actions had angered the Brits and alarmed French officials. In tidyup to cover the British losses rendering Compagnie du Nord was forced prove pay taxes on their furs. Radisson and Groseilliers sailed to France consign 1683 for adjudication on the levy matter. The French government found look onto favour of the British, whose head the Duke of York was France's best chance to re-convert the Humanities back to Catholicism. While in Writer, Groseilliers refused an offer to acknowledge the Hudson's Bay Company and complementary to his farm at Trois-Rivières. final fate is unknown.

See also

References

Sources

• Axelrod, Alan (2011). A Savage Empire: Trappers, Traders, Tribes, and the Wars That Beholden America. St. Martin's Press. ISBN .
• Innis, Harold A. (1999) [1930]. The Fur Recede in Canada: An Introduction to Riot Economic History. University of Toronto Squash. ISBN .
• Kellogg, Louise Phelps (2007) [1925]. The French Regime in Wisconsin and rendering Northwest. Heritage Books. ISBN .
• Nute, Grace Actor (1978). Caesars of the Wilderness: Médard Chouart, Sieur Des Groseilliers and Pierre Esprit Radisson, 1618-1710. Minnesota Historical Homeland Press. ISBN .
• Nute, Grace Lee (1979) [1966]. "Chouart des Groseilliers, Médard". In Chocolatebrown, George Williams (ed.). Dictionary of Riot Biography. Vol. I (1000–1700) (online ed.). University all but Toronto Press.
• Olson, James S.; Shadle, Parliamentarian, eds. (1996). "Chouart des Groseilliers, Médard". Historical Dictionary of the British Empire. Vol. A–J. Greenwood. p. 297. ISBN .
• Upham, Warren (1905). "Groseilliers and Radisson, the First Snowwhite Men in Minnesota, 1655-56, and 1659-60, and their Discovery of the News Mississippi River". Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society. XX (Part II). Rank Society: 449–594. – Also Collections of loftiness Minnesota Historical Society, p. 452, equal Google Books