Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac
Encyclopedia
Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (1658–1730) was a French
explorer and adventurer in New France
, now an area of North America
stretching from Eastern Canada
in the north to Louisiana
in the south. Rising from a modest beginning in Acadia
in 1683 as an explorer, trapper, and a trader of alcohol and furs, he achieved various positions of political importance in the colony. He was the commander of Fort de Buade
, modern day St. Ignace, Michigan
, in 1694. In 1701, he founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, the beginnings of modern Detroit, which he commanded until 1710. Between 1710 and 1716 he was the governor of Louisiana
, although he did not arrive in that territory until 1713.
His knowledge of the coasts of New England
and the Great Lakes
area was appreciated by Frontenac
, governor of New France
, and Pontchartrain, Secretary of State for the Navy. This earned him various favors, including the Order of Saint Louis
from King Louis XIV. The Jesuits in Quebec
, however, criticized his perceived perversion of the "Amerindians", North America
's indigenous peoples, with his alcohol and fur trading. La Mothe was imprisoned for a few months in Quebec
in 1704, and again in the Bastille
on his return to France
in 1717.
The city he helped found, Detroit, became the world center of automobile production in the 20th century. William H. Murphy and Henry M. Leland
, founders of the Cadillac
auto company, paid homage to him by using his name for their company and his armorial bearings as its logo in 1902. Various places bear his name in North America, in particular Cadillac Mountain
, Maine
, and the town of Cadillac
, Michigan
.
in the Tarn-et-Garonne
département of France
, in the Midi-Pyrénées
région. His father, Jean Laumet, was born in the village of Caumont-sur-Garonne
and became a lawyer in the Parliament of Toulouse
. Jean was appointed lieutenant to the judge of Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave
by Cardinal Mazarin in 1652, and later a judge himself in 1664. Antoine's mother, Jeanne Péchagut, was the daughter of a merchant and landowner.
La Mothe's adult correspondence reveals that his youth included rigorous study at a Jesuit establishment where he learned theology
, the law, agriculture
, botany
and zoology
. Upon his return to France from Louisiana
, he asserted in his record of service in 1675 that he had enlisted as a cadet
at the age of 17 in the Dampierre regiment, in Charleroi
. Two years later in his letters, however, he reported that he was an officer in the Clérambault regiment in Thionville
, and in 1682 he joined the Albret
regiment, in Thionville
. This part of his military service has not been confirmed. It may be the record of his older brother François, because it appears inconsistent with Antoine's academic level.
At the age of 25, Antoine Laumet departed from France to the New World. His father lost a lawsuit against a lawyer in Castelsarrasin
that caused him financial difficulties; statutory forfeiture caused by the loss of his father's financial support following the death of Cardinal Mazarin; intolerance against Protestants. Laumet may have embarked on his voyage by devious means, as historians have not found an official list indicating his presence on a ship departing from a French port.
, the capital of Acadia
. During the next four years, he explored his new country in all directions, extending his explorations to New England
and New Holland
, pushing on south to the Caroline, now North Carolina
and South Carolina
, and familiarizing himself with the native Indian languages and habits. He probably entered into a business relationship with Denis Guyon, a merchant of Quebec
. On June 25, 1687, he married Guyon’s daughter, Marie-Thérèse, 17, in Quebec
.
The marriage certificate is the first document where his new identity appeared. He called himself "Antoine de Lamothe, écuyer, sieur de Cadillac", and signed as "De Lamothe Launay". In fact, like many immigrants, he took advantage of his arrival in the New World
to create a new identity, perhaps to conceal the reasons that drove him from France
. This new identity "ne sort pas de son sac" ("I did not create this identity out of nowhere"), as he wrote later. Antoine Laumet likely remembered Sylvestre d'Esparbes de Lussan de Gout, baron of Lamothe-Bardigues, lord of Cadillac
, Launay
and Le Moutet; adviser to the Parliament of Toulouse
. He knew him for at least two reasons: Bardigues
, Cadillac
, Launay
and Le Moutet all are villages and localities close to his birthplace, Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave, and his father Jean Laumet was a lawyer in the Parliament of Toulouse
.
It is probable that the sons knew each other during their studies. Second son in his family, Laumet identified with the second son of the baron while taking advantage of the phonic similarity between his own name and that of Launay
. He created Antoine de Lamothe-Launay. He took the title of écuyer (squire), the rank held by a family's second son, followed by the title sieur (sire) of Cadillac
. This accorded with the Gascon custom whereby the junior family member succeeds the elder son upon the latter's death. Laumet thus created a new identity as well as noble origin, while protecting himself from possible recognition by someone who knew him in France
.
In addition, he presented his own titles of nobility as illustrated by armorial bearings that he created by associating the shield with the three « merlettes » (birds with no legs or bill) of the baron de Lamothe-Bardigues and that of the Virès family (of France's Languedoc region) Origins of Cadillac Crest.
The marriage prove to be a fertile one, and the Lamothe-Cadillac couple had six daughters and seven sons: Judith (1689), Magdeleine (1690), Marie Anne (1701-1701)? (1702-1702), Marie-Thérèse (1704), Marie-Agathe (December 1707) and Joseph (1690), Antoine (1692), Jacques (1695), Pierre-Denis (1699–1700), Jean-Antoine (January 1707-1709), François (1709), René-Louis (1710–1714).
, a well-known fishing town reputed for its lobster and surmounted by Mount Desert, later known as Cadillac Mountain
). His concession brought him no income, even from agriculture, and so he entered into partnership with officers of Port Royal
and started trading, an activity facilitated by the possibility of using a ship belonging to the Guyon brothers. In 1689, he was sent on an expedition in the vicinity of Boston
. Upon his return, he asked the governor of Acadia
, Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Méneval
, for a job as notary, to bring in a minimum income; his request was turned down. Then, Cadillac was introduced to the governor Louis de Buade de Frontenac
in Quebec
, who sent him on an exploratory mission along the coasts of New England
, aboard the frigate L'Embuscade (The Ambush); strong head winds forced the ship to return to France
.
In 1690, Cadillac was in Paris
. He was able to penetrate the circle of the Secretary of State for the Navy, the marquis de Seignelay
, then of his successor Louis II Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain, who appointed him officer of marine troops. On his return to Port Royal
, he learned that the English admiral William Phips
had seized the city and that his wife, daughter, and son were being held captives. They were released in exchange for some English prisoners. In 1691, Cadillac repatriated his family to Quebec
, but their ship was attacked by a privateer out of Boston
, who took possession of all their goods.
Cadillac was promoted to lieutenant in 1692. He was sent with the cartographer Jean-Baptiste-Louis Franquelin
to draw charts of the New England
coastline in preparation for a French attack on the English colonies there. He set out again for France
to hand over the charts, together with a report, to the Secretary of State Pontchartrain. In 1693, he got an allowance of 1500 pounds for his work and was sent back on a further mission to supplement his observations. Frontenac
promoted him to captain, then lieutenant commander in 1694.
, which controlled all fur trading between Missouri
, Mississippi
, the Great Lakes
, and the Ohio
valley. Cadillac gave his wife power of attorney to sign contracts and notarize documents in his absence.
In 1695, Cadillac left to explore the area of the Great Lakes
and to draw up charts. He had the idea of starting a fort in the straits between Lakes Erie and Huron to compete with the English. In Michilimackinac, he came into conflict with the Jesuits fathers, who accused him of supplying alcohol to the Indians; this was prohibited by a royal decree.
In 1696, to mitigate the difficulties of fur trading, the king ordered the closing of all trading posts, including Michilimackinac. Cadillac returned to Montreal
. In 1697, he was authorized to return to France
to present his project of a new fort on the strait to the Secretary of State Pontchartrain; Frontenac
requested that he be promoted to lieutenant commander. However, Canadian notables strongly opposed the project which, they believed, would lead to the ruin of Quebec
and Montreal
. Only in 1699 did Cadillac get the support of Pontchartrain to implant the new fort; this was authorized in 1700 by the king, who entrusted its command to Cadillac.
to request the monopoly of all fur-trading activities and the transfer of the Amerindian tribes to the area of the straits. He became a shareholder in the "Company of the Colony" and returned to the straits to help in welcoming and settling the native tribes formerly installed at Michillimakinac.
A fire devastated Fort Pontchartrain in 1703. This disaster destroyed all the registers and records. Cadillac was recalled to Quebec
in 1704 to face charges of trafficking in alcohol and furs. Although he was imprisoned as a preventive measure for a few months, his name was cleared in 1705, and the king guaranteed him all his titles and granted him the fur-trading monopoly he sought. Two years later, Cadillac was charged with multiple counts of abuse of authority; Pontchartrain, appointed a representative, Daigremont, to investigate. He formulated a true indictment against Cadillac in 1708. In 1709, the troops stationed on the straits were given the order to recapture Montreal
. In 1710, the king named Cadillac governor of Louisiana
and ordered him to take up his duties immediately, traveling via the Mississippi
Valley.
. In Paris
, in 1712, he convinced the Toulouse-born financier Antoine Crozat
to invest in Louisiana
.
In June 1713, the Cadillac family arrived at Fort Louis
, Louisiana
, after a tiring crossing. In 1714, Crozat recommended the construction of forts along the Mississippi
, whereas Cadillac wished to strengthen defenses at the mouth of the river and to develop trade with the close Spanish colonies.
In 1715, Cadillac and his son Joseph prospected in the Illinois Country
, where they claimed to have discovered a copper
mine. They established a farm and founded the settlement of St. Philippe on the east side of the Mississippi River. There is no copper ore in Illinois, but Cadillac did direct the first mining of lead
in present-day Missouri
at what is now called Mine La Motte
. The production of lead was important for ammunition in the colonies, and the Southeast Missouri lead district is still a major source of that metal.
After many arguments, Crozat withdrew any authority Cadillac had in the company. The following year, he had Cadillac removed from colonial office.
and, in 1717, settled in La Rochelle
. Cadillac went to Paris
with his son Joseph; immediately, they are arrested and imprisoned in the Bastille
for five months. They were released in 1718, and Cadillac was decorated with the Cross of Saint Louis to reward his 30 years of loyal services. He then settled in the paternal home, where he dealt with his parent's estate. He also made many trips to Paris
to have his rights to the concession on the straits recognized. He prolonged his stay in Paris in 1721, giving another general power of attorney to his wife to sign documents in his absence. He was finally vindicated in 1722. He then sold his estate on the straits to Jacques Baudry de Lamarche
, a Canadian, and was appointed governor and major of Castelsarrasin
, close to his birthplace.
Antoine de Lamothe-Cadillac died on October 16, 1730 in Castelsarrasin
, "around the midnight hour", at the age of 72. He was buried in a vault of Carmelite Fathers' church.
. Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville founded the city of New Orleans, near the mouth of the Mississippi River, in 1718.
The straits became a strategic location. To defend its access, the French built Fort Niagara
in 1725 on the right bank of the river between lakes Erie
and Ontario
. In 1726, they fortified Fort Oswego
on Lake Ontario
. Later renamed "Detroit", Fort Pontchartrain enjoyed an ideal location between the Great Lakes
and the river basins
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
explorer and adventurer in New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
, now an area of North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
stretching from Eastern Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in the north to Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
in the south. Rising from a modest beginning in Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
in 1683 as an explorer, trapper, and a trader of alcohol and furs, he achieved various positions of political importance in the colony. He was the commander of Fort de Buade
Fort de Buade
Fort de Buade was a French fort at the present site of St. Ignace in the U.S. state of Michigan. It was garrisoned between 1683 and 1701.-The mission:...
, modern day St. Ignace, Michigan
St. Ignace, Michigan
Saint Ignace, usually written as St. Ignace, is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,678. It is the county seat of Mackinac County. From the Lower Peninsula, St. Ignace is the gateway to the Upper Peninsula.St...
, in 1694. In 1701, he founded Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit, the beginnings of modern Detroit, which he commanded until 1710. Between 1710 and 1716 he was the governor of Louisiana
Louisiana (New France)
Louisiana or French Louisiana was an administrative district of New France. Under French control from 1682–1763 and 1800–03, the area was named in honor of Louis XIV, by French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de la Salle...
, although he did not arrive in that territory until 1713.
His knowledge of the coasts of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
area was appreciated by Frontenac
Louis de Buade de Frontenac
Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698...
, governor of New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
, and Pontchartrain, Secretary of State for the Navy. This earned him various favors, including the Order of Saint Louis
Order of Saint Louis
The Royal and Military Order of Saint Louis was a military Order of Chivalry founded on 5 April 1693 by Louis XIV and named after Saint Louis . It was intended as a reward for exceptional officers, and is notable as the first decoration that could be granted to non-nobles...
from King Louis XIV. The Jesuits in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, however, criticized his perceived perversion of the "Amerindians", North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
's indigenous peoples, with his alcohol and fur trading. La Mothe was imprisoned for a few months in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in 1704, and again in the Bastille
Bastille
The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. The Bastille was built in response to the English threat to the city of...
on his return to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in 1717.
The city he helped found, Detroit, became the world center of automobile production in the 20th century. William H. Murphy and Henry M. Leland
Henry M. Leland
Henry Martyn Leland was a machinist, inventor, engineer and automotive entrepreneur who founded the two premier American luxury marques, Cadillac and Lincoln. Retrieved December 30, 2008....
, founders of the Cadillac
Cadillac
Cadillac is an American luxury vehicle marque owned by General Motors . Cadillac vehicles are sold in over 50 countries and territories, but mostly in North America. Cadillac is currently the second oldest American automobile manufacturer behind fellow GM marque Buick and is among the oldest...
auto company, paid homage to him by using his name for their company and his armorial bearings as its logo in 1902. Various places bear his name in North America, in particular Cadillac Mountain
Cadillac Mountain
Cadillac Mountain is a mountain located on Mount Desert Island, within Acadia National Park. With an elevation of , its summit is the highest point in Hancock County, and the highest within of a coastline on the U.S. East Coast as well as down to the Yucatán Peninsula.-History:Before being renamed...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, and the town of Cadillac
Cadillac, Michigan
Cadillac is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is the county seat of Wexford County. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 10,000. The city is situated at the junction of US 131, M-55 and M-115...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Early life
Antoine was born "Antoine Laumet" on March 5, 1658, in the small town of Saint-Nicolas-de-la-GraveSaint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave
Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France.-References:*...
in the Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne
Tarn-et-Garonne is a French department in the southwest of France. It is traversed by the Rivers Tarn and Garonne, from which it takes its name.-History:...
département of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, in the Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées
Midi-Pyrénées is the largest region of metropolitan France by area, larger than the Netherlands or Denmark.Midi-Pyrénées has no historical or geographical unity...
région. His father, Jean Laumet, was born in the village of Caumont-sur-Garonne
Caumont-sur-Garonne
Caumont-sur-Garonne is a commune in the Lot-et-Garonne department in south-western France.-See also:*Communes of the Lot-et-Garonne department...
and became a lawyer in the Parliament of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
. Jean was appointed lieutenant to the judge of Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave
Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave
Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France.-References:*...
by Cardinal Mazarin in 1652, and later a judge himself in 1664. Antoine's mother, Jeanne Péchagut, was the daughter of a merchant and landowner.
La Mothe's adult correspondence reveals that his youth included rigorous study at a Jesuit establishment where he learned theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, the law, agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
, botany
Botany
Botany, plant science, or plant biology is a branch of biology that involves the scientific study of plant life. Traditionally, botany also included the study of fungi, algae and viruses...
and zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
. Upon his return to France from Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, he asserted in his record of service in 1675 that he had enlisted as a cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
at the age of 17 in the Dampierre regiment, in Charleroi
Charleroi
Charleroi is a city and a municipality of Wallonia, located in the province of Hainaut, Belgium. , the total population of Charleroi was 201,593. The metropolitan area, including the outer commuter zone, covers an area of and had a total population of 522,522 as of 1 January 2008, ranking it as...
. Two years later in his letters, however, he reported that he was an officer in the Clérambault regiment in Thionville
Thionville
Thionville , is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.-Demographics:...
, and in 1682 he joined the Albret
Albret
The lordship of Albret , situated in the Landes, gave its name to one of the most powerful feudal families of France in the Middle Ages...
regiment, in Thionville
Thionville
Thionville , is a commune in the Moselle department in Lorraine in north-eastern France. The city is located on the left bank of the river Moselle, opposite its suburb Yutz.-Demographics:...
. This part of his military service has not been confirmed. It may be the record of his older brother François, because it appears inconsistent with Antoine's academic level.
At the age of 25, Antoine Laumet departed from France to the New World. His father lost a lawsuit against a lawyer in Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in Midi-Pyrénées region of France. The inhabitants are called Castelsarrasinois.-History:The first signs of life in the town is from 961...
that caused him financial difficulties; statutory forfeiture caused by the loss of his father's financial support following the death of Cardinal Mazarin; intolerance against Protestants. Laumet may have embarked on his voyage by devious means, as historians have not found an official list indicating his presence on a ship departing from a French port.
New France
In 1683, Antoine Laumet arrived at Port RoyalHabitation at Port-Royal
The Habitation at Port-Royal was the first successful French settlement of New France in North America, and is presently known as Port-Royal National Historic Site, a National Historic Site located on the northern side of the Annapolis Basin, Nova Scotia, Canada...
, the capital of Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
. During the next four years, he explored his new country in all directions, extending his explorations to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
and New Holland
Dutch Occupation of Acadia
The Dutch Occupation of Acadia began when the Dutch naval captain Jurriaen Aernoutsz seized several settlements of Acadia, a part of the French colonial empire in northeastern North America, in 1674. Areas briefly occupied included coastal towns along the shores of Maine and New Brunswick, two...
, pushing on south to the Caroline, now North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, and familiarizing himself with the native Indian languages and habits. He probably entered into a business relationship with Denis Guyon, a merchant of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. On June 25, 1687, he married Guyon’s daughter, Marie-Thérèse, 17, in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
The marriage certificate is the first document where his new identity appeared. He called himself "Antoine de Lamothe, écuyer, sieur de Cadillac", and signed as "De Lamothe Launay". In fact, like many immigrants, he took advantage of his arrival in the New World
New World
The New World is one of the names used for the Western Hemisphere, specifically America and sometimes Oceania . The term originated in the late 15th century, when America had been recently discovered by European explorers, expanding the geographical horizon of the people of the European middle...
to create a new identity, perhaps to conceal the reasons that drove him from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. This new identity "ne sort pas de son sac" ("I did not create this identity out of nowhere"), as he wrote later. Antoine Laumet likely remembered Sylvestre d'Esparbes de Lussan de Gout, baron of Lamothe-Bardigues, lord of Cadillac
Cadillac, Gironde
Cadillac is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Geography:Cadillac is directly across the Garonne river from Sauternes, and is known for producing sweet dessert wines under the Cadillac AOC designation.-History:...
, Launay
Launay
Launay is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Population:...
and Le Moutet; adviser to the Parliament of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
. He knew him for at least two reasons: Bardigues
Bardigues
Bardigues is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France.-References:*...
, Cadillac
Cadillac, Gironde
Cadillac is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Geography:Cadillac is directly across the Garonne river from Sauternes, and is known for producing sweet dessert wines under the Cadillac AOC designation.-History:...
, Launay
Launay
Launay is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Population:...
and Le Moutet all are villages and localities close to his birthplace, Saint-Nicolas-de-la-Grave, and his father Jean Laumet was a lawyer in the Parliament of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
.
It is probable that the sons knew each other during their studies. Second son in his family, Laumet identified with the second son of the baron while taking advantage of the phonic similarity between his own name and that of Launay
Launay
Launay is a commune in the Eure department in Haute-Normandie in northern France.-Population:...
. He created Antoine de Lamothe-Launay. He took the title of écuyer (squire), the rank held by a family's second son, followed by the title sieur (sire) of Cadillac
Cadillac, Gironde
Cadillac is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Geography:Cadillac is directly across the Garonne river from Sauternes, and is known for producing sweet dessert wines under the Cadillac AOC designation.-History:...
. This accorded with the Gascon custom whereby the junior family member succeeds the elder son upon the latter's death. Laumet thus created a new identity as well as noble origin, while protecting himself from possible recognition by someone who knew him in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In addition, he presented his own titles of nobility as illustrated by armorial bearings that he created by associating the shield with the three « merlettes » (birds with no legs or bill) of the baron de Lamothe-Bardigues and that of the Virès family (of France's Languedoc region) Origins of Cadillac Crest.
The marriage prove to be a fertile one, and the Lamothe-Cadillac couple had six daughters and seven sons: Judith (1689), Magdeleine (1690), Marie Anne (1701-1701)? (1702-1702), Marie-Thérèse (1704), Marie-Agathe (December 1707) and Joseph (1690), Antoine (1692), Jacques (1695), Pierre-Denis (1699–1700), Jean-Antoine (January 1707-1709), François (1709), René-Louis (1710–1714).
Les Douacques
In 1688, the governor Jacques-René de Brisay de Denonville gave him the concession of the seigniory (estate) of Les Douacques (which later became the town of Bar Harbor, MaineMaine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
, a well-known fishing town reputed for its lobster and surmounted by Mount Desert, later known as Cadillac Mountain
Cadillac Mountain
Cadillac Mountain is a mountain located on Mount Desert Island, within Acadia National Park. With an elevation of , its summit is the highest point in Hancock County, and the highest within of a coastline on the U.S. East Coast as well as down to the Yucatán Peninsula.-History:Before being renamed...
). His concession brought him no income, even from agriculture, and so he entered into partnership with officers of Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
and started trading, an activity facilitated by the possibility of using a ship belonging to the Guyon brothers. In 1689, he was sent on an expedition in the vicinity of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
. Upon his return, he asked the governor of Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
, Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Méneval
Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Meneval
Louis-Alexandre des Friches de Menneval was a governor of Acadia from 1687-1690.Little is known of his early life. He did serve in the French army in France with distinction and won Turenne’s notice and praise....
, for a job as notary, to bring in a minimum income; his request was turned down. Then, Cadillac was introduced to the governor Louis de Buade de Frontenac
Louis de Buade de Frontenac
Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698...
in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, who sent him on an exploratory mission along the coasts of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, aboard the frigate L'Embuscade (The Ambush); strong head winds forced the ship to return to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
In 1690, Cadillac was in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He was able to penetrate the circle of the Secretary of State for the Navy, the marquis de Seignelay
Seignelay
Seignelay is a commune in the Yonne department in Burgundy in north-central France....
, then of his successor Louis II Phélypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain, who appointed him officer of marine troops. On his return to Port Royal
Port Royal
Port Royal was a city located at the end of the Palisadoes at the mouth of the Kingston Harbour, in southeastern Jamaica. Founded in 1518, it was the centre of shipping commerce in the Caribbean Sea during the latter half of the 17th century...
, he learned that the English admiral William Phips
William Phips
Sir William Phips was a shipwright, ship's captain, treasure hunter, military leader, and the first royally-appointed governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay....
had seized the city and that his wife, daughter, and son were being held captives. They were released in exchange for some English prisoners. In 1691, Cadillac repatriated his family to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, but their ship was attacked by a privateer out of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, who took possession of all their goods.
Cadillac was promoted to lieutenant in 1692. He was sent with the cartographer Jean-Baptiste-Louis Franquelin
Jean-Baptiste-Louis Franquelin
Jean-Baptiste-Louis Franquelin was born at Saint-Michel de Villebernin, France in 1651. He died in France around 1712. He was a cartographer, a royal hydrographer, and a teacher of navigation. He was also the first official cartographer in Canada....
to draw charts of the New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
coastline in preparation for a French attack on the English colonies there. He set out again for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to hand over the charts, together with a report, to the Secretary of State Pontchartrain. In 1693, he got an allowance of 1500 pounds for his work and was sent back on a further mission to supplement his observations. Frontenac
Louis de Buade de Frontenac
Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698...
promoted him to captain, then lieutenant commander in 1694.
Michilimackinac (1694-1696)
He was then appointed commander of all the stations of the « Pays d'En-Haut » (the upper countries) and left at the peak of his career to take up his command of Fort de Buade or MichilimackinacMichilimackinac
Michilimackinac is a name for the region around the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Early settlers of North America applied the term to the entire region along Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior. Today it is mostly within the boundaries of Michigan, in the United States...
, which controlled all fur trading between Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
, and the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
valley. Cadillac gave his wife power of attorney to sign contracts and notarize documents in his absence.
In 1695, Cadillac left to explore the area of the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
and to draw up charts. He had the idea of starting a fort in the straits between Lakes Erie and Huron to compete with the English. In Michilimackinac, he came into conflict with the Jesuits fathers, who accused him of supplying alcohol to the Indians; this was prohibited by a royal decree.
In 1696, to mitigate the difficulties of fur trading, the king ordered the closing of all trading posts, including Michilimackinac. Cadillac returned to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. In 1697, he was authorized to return to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
to present his project of a new fort on the strait to the Secretary of State Pontchartrain; Frontenac
Louis de Buade de Frontenac
Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698...
requested that he be promoted to lieutenant commander. However, Canadian notables strongly opposed the project which, they believed, would lead to the ruin of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
and Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. Only in 1699 did Cadillac get the support of Pontchartrain to implant the new fort; this was authorized in 1700 by the king, who entrusted its command to Cadillac.
Le Détroit (1701-1710)
On July 26, 1701, Antoine de La Mothe-Cadillac founded Fort Pontchartrain and the parish of Sainte Anne on the straits (« le détroit » in French). He was helped by Alphonse de Tonti. Their wives joined them in October. In 1702, Cadillac went back to QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
to request the monopoly of all fur-trading activities and the transfer of the Amerindian tribes to the area of the straits. He became a shareholder in the "Company of the Colony" and returned to the straits to help in welcoming and settling the native tribes formerly installed at Michillimakinac.
A fire devastated Fort Pontchartrain in 1703. This disaster destroyed all the registers and records. Cadillac was recalled to Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
in 1704 to face charges of trafficking in alcohol and furs. Although he was imprisoned as a preventive measure for a few months, his name was cleared in 1705, and the king guaranteed him all his titles and granted him the fur-trading monopoly he sought. Two years later, Cadillac was charged with multiple counts of abuse of authority; Pontchartrain, appointed a representative, Daigremont, to investigate. He formulated a true indictment against Cadillac in 1708. In 1709, the troops stationed on the straits were given the order to recapture Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. In 1710, the king named Cadillac governor of Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and ordered him to take up his duties immediately, traveling via the Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
Valley.
Louisiana (1710-1716)
Cadillac did not obey. He drew up a general inventory of the straits, and then, in 1711, boarded a ship, with his family, bound for FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, in 1712, he convinced the Toulouse-born financier Antoine Crozat
Antoine Crozat
Antoine Crozat, marquis du Châtel , French founder of an immense fortune, was the first private proprietary owner of French Louisiana from 1712 to 1717....
to invest in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
.
In June 1713, the Cadillac family arrived at Fort Louis
Old Mobile Site
The Old Mobile Site was the location of the French settlement La Mobile and the associated Fort Louis de La Louisiane, in the French colony of New France in North America, from 1702 until 1712. The site is located in Le Moyne, Alabama, on the Mobile River in the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta...
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, after a tiring crossing. In 1714, Crozat recommended the construction of forts along the Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, whereas Cadillac wished to strengthen defenses at the mouth of the river and to develop trade with the close Spanish colonies.
In 1715, Cadillac and his son Joseph prospected in the Illinois Country
Illinois Country
The Illinois Country , also known as Upper Louisiana, was a region in what is now the Midwestern United States that was explored and settled by the French during the 17th and 18th centuries. The terms referred to the entire Upper Mississippi River watershed, though settlement was concentrated in...
, where they claimed to have discovered a copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
mine. They established a farm and founded the settlement of St. Philippe on the east side of the Mississippi River. There is no copper ore in Illinois, but Cadillac did direct the first mining of lead
Lead
Lead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
in present-day Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
at what is now called Mine La Motte
Mine La Motte, Missouri
Mine La Motte is an unincorporated community in Madison County, Missouri, United States. It is located about six miles north of Fredericktown. Europeans discovered lead here, and Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac brought several hundred workers, including slaves from Santo Domingo, to develop mines in...
. The production of lead was important for ammunition in the colonies, and the Southeast Missouri lead district is still a major source of that metal.
After many arguments, Crozat withdrew any authority Cadillac had in the company. The following year, he had Cadillac removed from colonial office.
Castelsarrasin (1722-1730)
The Cadillac family returned to FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and, in 1717, settled in La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
. Cadillac went to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
with his son Joseph; immediately, they are arrested and imprisoned in the Bastille
Bastille
The Bastille was a fortress in Paris, known formally as the Bastille Saint-Antoine. It played an important role in the internal conflicts of France and for most of its history was used as a state prison by the kings of France. The Bastille was built in response to the English threat to the city of...
for five months. They were released in 1718, and Cadillac was decorated with the Cross of Saint Louis to reward his 30 years of loyal services. He then settled in the paternal home, where he dealt with his parent's estate. He also made many trips to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
to have his rights to the concession on the straits recognized. He prolonged his stay in Paris in 1721, giving another general power of attorney to his wife to sign documents in his absence. He was finally vindicated in 1722. He then sold his estate on the straits to Jacques Baudry de Lamarche
Jacques Baudry de Lamarche
Jacques Baudry de Lamarche was the son of a Trois-Rivières craftsman who moved to France at some point in his youth....
, a Canadian, and was appointed governor and major of Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in Midi-Pyrénées region of France. The inhabitants are called Castelsarrasinois.-History:The first signs of life in the town is from 961...
, close to his birthplace.
Antoine de Lamothe-Cadillac died on October 16, 1730 in Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin
Castelsarrasin is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in Midi-Pyrénées region of France. The inhabitants are called Castelsarrasinois.-History:The first signs of life in the town is from 961...
, "around the midnight hour", at the age of 72. He was buried in a vault of Carmelite Fathers' church.
Legacy
The visions and predictions of Antoine de Lamothe-Cadillac became reality after his departure from New FranceNew France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
. Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville founded the city of New Orleans, near the mouth of the Mississippi River, in 1718.
The straits became a strategic location. To defend its access, the French built Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
in 1725 on the right bank of the river between lakes Erie
Erie
Erie is a city in Pennsylvania, United States.Erie may also refer to:*Erie , a tribe of Native Americans-Places:*Lake Erie, one of the five Great Lakes of North America*Erie Canal, a canal running from the Hudson River to Lake Erie...
and Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. In 1726, they fortified Fort Oswego
Fort Oswego
Fort Oswego was an important frontier post for British traders in the 18th century. A trading post was established in 1722 with a log palisade, and New York governor William Burnet ordered a fort built at the site in 1727. The log palisade fort established a British presence on the Great Lakes....
on Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. Later renamed "Detroit", Fort Pontchartrain enjoyed an ideal location between the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
and the river basins