Jacques Le Ber
Encyclopedia
Jacques Le Ber was a merchant and seigneur
in Montreal
, New France
.
1633 in the parish of Pistre, Diocese of Rouen, son of Robert Le Ber and Colette Cavelier. He came to Canada in 1657 from France as a soldier but was mainly a businessman after his arrival. On January 7, 1658, he married Jeanne Le Moyne, the sister of Charles le Moyne de Longueuil et de Châteauguay
and they became successful partners in the fur trade
and the mercantile trade. Le Ber also was active in the cod fishery and West Indian trade including slaves.
Le Ber's wealth made him one of the most influential people of the time. For example, Governor General Frontenac
sought his advice on important matters concerning trade and the welfare of the colony. Jacques Le Ber was ennobled in 1696.
In 1686, he built a stone mill on the Island of Montreal
near the Ottawa River
to provide the inhabitants of that area with a shelter in case of attack by the Five Nations
. In 1693, he joined a war party of 300 Canadians, 100 soldiers, and 230 Indians that attacked the Mohawks in their own territory.
. A brother, François, also settled there around the same time, and a sister, Marie, became an Ursuline nun
in Quebec. Le Ber’s wife had died November 8, 1682, and two sons had also predeceased him: Louis, Sieur de Saint-Paul, who died in the early 1690s in La Rochelle
where he had acted as his father’s business agent, and Jean-Vincent, Sieur Du Chesne, fatally wounded during an encounter with an English and Iroquois
war party near Fort Chambly
in 1691. Three children survived their father: Jeanne Le Ber
, Pierre, and Jacques, Sieur de Senneville.
His daughter, Jeanne le Ber
, used her inheritance to further the work of the Catholic Church in Montreal
. Le Ber was buried in the church of the sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame
, the place where his famous recluse daughter lived and which she had largely funded.
Seigneurial system of New France
The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...
in 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...
, 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...
.
Biography
Jacques Le Ber was born in c.Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1633 in the parish of Pistre, Diocese of Rouen, son of Robert Le Ber and Colette Cavelier. He came to Canada in 1657 from France as a soldier but was mainly a businessman after his arrival. On January 7, 1658, he married Jeanne Le Moyne, the sister of Charles le Moyne de Longueuil et de Châteauguay
Charles le Moyne de Longueuil et de Châteauguay
Charles le Moyne de Longueuil et de Châteauguay ,as many people of his time, had a variety of occupations. Born in Dieppe, France in Normandy, he came to New France in 1641. He became lord of Longueuil in Canada....
and they became successful partners in the fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
and the mercantile trade. Le Ber also was active in the cod fishery and West Indian trade including slaves.
Le Ber's wealth made him one of the most influential people of the time. For example, Governor General 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...
sought his advice on important matters concerning trade and the welfare of the colony. Jacques Le Ber was ennobled in 1696.
In 1686, he built a stone mill on the Island of Montreal
Island of Montreal
The Island of Montreal , in extreme southwestern Quebec, Canada, is located at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. It is separated from Île Jésus by the Rivière des Prairies....
near the Ottawa River
Ottawa River
The Ottawa River is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. For most of its length, it now defines the border between these two provinces.-Geography:...
to provide the inhabitants of that area with a shelter in case of attack by the Five Nations
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
. In 1693, he joined a war party of 300 Canadians, 100 soldiers, and 230 Indians that attacked the Mohawks in their own territory.
Family
Le Ber came to Canada in 1657 and took up residence in MontrealMontreal
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...
. A brother, François, also settled there around the same time, and a sister, Marie, became an Ursuline nun
Ursulines
The Ursulines are a Roman Catholic religious order for women founded at Brescia, Italy, by Saint Angela de Merici in November 1535, primarily for the education of girls and the care of the sick and needy. Their patron saint is Saint Ursula.-History:St Angela de Merici spent 17 years leading a...
in Quebec. Le Ber’s wife had died November 8, 1682, and two sons had also predeceased him: Louis, Sieur de Saint-Paul, who died in the early 1690s 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...
where he had acted as his father’s business agent, and Jean-Vincent, Sieur Du Chesne, fatally wounded during an encounter with an English and Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
war party near Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly
Fort Chambly is a historic fort in the Canadian La Vallée-du-Richelieu Regional County Municipality, Quebec. The fort is designated as a National Historic Site. Fort Richelieu was part of a series of five forts built along the Richelieu River. Fort Richelieu is at the mouth of the Richelieu River....
in 1691. Three children survived their father: Jeanne Le Ber
Jeanne Le Ber
Jeanne Le Ber was a religious recluse in New France.- Family and Education :As a daughter of Jeanne Le Moyne and Jacques le Ber, Jeanne was raised within a wealthy and influential family; her mother was a sister of Charles le Moyne...
, Pierre, and Jacques, Sieur de Senneville.
His daughter, Jeanne le Ber
Jeanne Le Ber
Jeanne Le Ber was a religious recluse in New France.- Family and Education :As a daughter of Jeanne Le Moyne and Jacques le Ber, Jeanne was raised within a wealthy and influential family; her mother was a sister of Charles le Moyne...
, used her inheritance to further the work of the Catholic Church in 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...
. Le Ber was buried in the church of the sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame
Congregation of Notre Dame
The Congregation of Notre Dame was founded in 1653 by Marguerite Bourgeoys in Montreal, Canada. This was one of the first non-cloistered communities. The community's motherhouse has continued to be based in Montreal...
, the place where his famous recluse daughter lived and which she had largely funded.