Jean de Lauzon
Encyclopedia
Jean de Lauzon or de Lauson (1583 – 16 February 1666) was the French Governor of New France
from 1651 to 1657, one of the most challenging times for the colony.
Lauzon was a prominent lawyer in France and was appointed a counsellor in the Parlement in 1613. He served in several government positions, including president of the Grand Conseil, intendant of Provence
, then of Guyenne
, and of Dauphiné
.
He had also been developing interests in the colony of New France, including being a founding member and the director of the Compagnie des Cent-Associés. Lauzon used his influence within the company to obtain land for him and his sons. By 1640, the Lauzons had become the biggest landowners in the colony. Their properties included the Island of Montreal
and Île d'Orléans
.
Lauzon was appointed Governor in 1651. He moved with his three sons -- including Francois, the eldest, who was a member of Parlement for Bordeaux
-- to the colony. His wife had apparently died previously in France. All three sons were married into the founding families of the colony after having been set up with various lands and positions within the area. The establishment of his family in the colony was probably intended to inspire a confidence amongst the settlers and encourage agriculture in addition to the fur trade
. He was the first governor to pursue this type of policy.
Lauzon negotiated a peace treaty with the Mohawks in 1653 which ended their attacks and reduced the threat to the colony for some years. Afterwards, he accorded to himself the monopoly on the fur trade, a move that caused the settlers to petition King Louis XIII. The king responded and the fur trade was re-opened to all colonists. Lauzon returned to France where he continued his business and political career until his death, age 83, in Paris in 1666.
One of his descendents, Marie-Catherine-Antoinette de Lauson, married future Governor Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière
(1747-1749).
Governor of New France
The Governor of New France was the viceroy of the King of France in North America. A French noble, he was appointed to govern the colonies of New France, which included Canada, Acadia and Louisiana. The residence of the Governor was at the Château St-Louis in the capital of Quebec City...
from 1651 to 1657, one of the most challenging times for the colony.
Lauzon was a prominent lawyer in France and was appointed a counsellor in the Parlement in 1613. He served in several government positions, including president of the Grand Conseil, intendant of Provence
Provence
Provence ; Provençal: Provença in classical norm or Prouvènço in Mistralian norm) is a region of south eastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
, then of Guyenne
Guyenne
Guyenne or Guienne , , ; Occitan Guiana ) is a vaguely defined historic region of south-western France. The Province of Guyenne, sometimes called the Province of Guyenne and Gascony, was a large province of pre-revolutionary France....
, and of Dauphiné
Dauphiné
The Dauphiné or Dauphiné Viennois is a former province in southeastern France, whose area roughly corresponded to that of the present departments of :Isère, :Drôme, and :Hautes-Alpes....
.
He had also been developing interests in the colony of New France, including being a founding member and the director of the Compagnie des Cent-Associés. Lauzon used his influence within the company to obtain land for him and his sons. By 1640, the Lauzons had become the biggest landowners in the colony. Their properties included 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....
and Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans is located in the Saint Lawrence River about east of downtown Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The island was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians can trace ancestry to early residents of the island...
.
Lauzon was appointed Governor in 1651. He moved with his three sons -- including Francois, the eldest, who was a member of Parlement for Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
-- to the colony. His wife had apparently died previously in France. All three sons were married into the founding families of the colony after having been set up with various lands and positions within the area. The establishment of his family in the colony was probably intended to inspire a confidence amongst the settlers and encourage agriculture in addition to 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...
. He was the first governor to pursue this type of policy.
Lauzon negotiated a peace treaty with the Mohawks in 1653 which ended their attacks and reduced the threat to the colony for some years. Afterwards, he accorded to himself the monopoly on the fur trade, a move that caused the settlers to petition King Louis XIII. The king responded and the fur trade was re-opened to all colonists. Lauzon returned to France where he continued his business and political career until his death, age 83, in Paris in 1666.
One of his descendents, Marie-Catherine-Antoinette de Lauson, married future Governor Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière
Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière
Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière, Marquis de La Galissonière, sometimes spelled Galissonnière, was the French governor of New France from 1747 to 1749 and the victor in the Battle of Minorca in 1756.- New France :...
(1747-1749).