- Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye
Louis-Joseph Gaultier de La Vérendrye (
November 9 ,1717 –November 15 ,1761 ), was aFrench Canadian fur trader and explorer who took part in extending these activities westerly from the Great Lakes during theeighteenth century , an enterprise for which he and other members of his family were largely responsible.The youngest, but perhaps the most significant son of Pierre La Vérendrye, Louis-Joseph joined the family business in
1735 , travelling west from his home with his father.He assisted in re-establishing
Fort Maurepas (Canada) in1736 and buildingFort La Reine in1738 . From Ft. La Reine, he and his father travelled to Mandan country later that same year. In1739 and1740 , he went north from Fort La Reine and exploredLake Winnipeg ,Lake Manitoba ,Lake Winnipegosis and theSaskatchewan River as far as the area of the present dayThe Pas .In
1742 , he and his brother François, along with two other Frenchmen, returned to the west. They ascended the upperMissouri River as far as theYellowstone River . OnJanuary 1 ,1743 , they saw the Rocky Mountains. Their return journey took them through present dayFort Pierre, South Dakota where they buried a lead plaque. (This plaque was unearthed in 1913 and is an important artifact of the exploration of the western prairies.)By late 1743, the Pierre La Vérendrye was forced to resign as commandant of the "poste de l’Ouest". The new commandant,
Nicolas-Joseph de Noyelles de Fleurimont , retained the the services of La Vérendrye’s sons during his tenure, which began in1744 . Louis-Joseph was post commander at three posts, the most important one beingFort Kaministiquia .The elder La Vérendrye again became western commandant in
1747 , while Louis-Joseph returned to New France with Noyelles. He provided services to both Noyelles and Governor Beauharnois while expecting and intending to rejoin his father at the western posts. Before he made that return, his father returned east and died in1749 .Louis-Joseph spent the next while settling his father's financial affairs, and subsequently entered into partnership with
Luc de la Corne , in the fur trade. His brother François was an interpreter for the partnership.In
1756 , Louis-Joseph obtained a three-year appointment as commandant of the "poste de l’Ouest". He carried out this enterprise through agents, as he was personally involved in military matters during theSeven Years' War . He was succeeded as western commander in1758 , byCharles-René Dejordy de Villebon .He died while returning to France, when the ship, Auguste sank at sea.
External links
* [http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=1365 Biography at the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online"]
* [http://www.mhs.mb.ca/docs/transactions/3/verendryes.shtml "The Vérendryes and Their Successors, 1727-1760"]
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