Laurent Barette: Voyageur to the Louisiana Country

 

Laurent Barette, our 8th great-uncle, was a notable voyageur in the late 17th century, deeply involved in the French exploration and fur trade efforts in North America. Born around 1666 in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, he came from a family of early French settlers who played roles in the colonial expansion of New France. His parents, Guillaume Barette (born 1633 in France, died 1717 in La Prairie, Quebec) and Louise Charrier (born 1643 in France, died 1706 in La Prairie), were among the immigrants who established roots in Quebec, initially in areas like Trois-Rivières and Cap-de-la-Madeleine. By the early 1700s, however, the family had strong connections to La Prairie (often spelled LaPrairie in historical records), a key settlement south of Montreal on the St. Lawrence River. La Prairie served as a strategic hub for fur trading, missionary activities, and military expeditions due to its proximity to waterways leading westward and southward into the interior, including the Illinois Country and beyond. Many families like the Barettes, involved in the fur trade, gravitated there for its role in outfitting voyageurs and as a seigneurial domain under Jesuit influence.

Laurent's adventures stand out as exemplary of the voyageur life, which often drew young men from Quebec settlements like La Prairie into perilous journeys for trade and exploration. In 1686, at age 20, he joined Henri de Tonty's expedition from Fort Saint Louis (in the Illinois Country) to search for René-Robert Cavelier de La Salle, who was attempting to establish a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Tonty, an Italian-born explorer and lieutenant to La Salle, assembled a group of about 30 men, including Laurent (sometimes listed as Laurent Couture Baret or similar variants in records). They departed on February 16, 1686, traveling down the Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico, reaching the river's mouth around April 8-13. Finding no trace of La Salle, they explored eastward and westward along the coast for about 30 leagues each before retreating due to lack of fresh water. Tonty proposed continuing along the coast to Manhattan and then to Montreal, but the men, including Laurent, opposed it, leading to a return upriver. During the journey back, Tonty relocated French territorial markers, made peace with local tribes like the Quinipissa, and left a letter for La Salle. Some men, such as Jean Couture, settled on the Arkansas River with Tonty's permission. This expedition highlighted the challenges of voyageur life: navigating vast rivers in birchbark canoes, dealing with hostile environments, and balancing exploration with trade opportunities. 

In 1687, Laurent returned to the Illinois Country (also known as Upper Louisiana), a region encompassing much of the upper Mississippi watershed, including modern-day Illinois, Missouri, and Indiana. This area was a focal point for French fur trading and settlement, explored earlier by figures like Louis Jolliet and Jacques Marquette in 1673. On August 19, 1687, Laurent signed an engagement contract in Montreal with François de la Forest (Tonty's associate) to transport 1,000 pounds of merchandise to Fort Saint Louis in the Illinois Country. The agreement, notarized by Antoine Adhémar, stipulated provisions for a canoe, food, and assistance if the Illinois River lacked sufficient water for navigation (a common issue requiring portages). Laurent was paid 300 livres in beaver pelts upon arrival, with permission to carry up to 100 livres of his own goods for personal trade. A similar contract that day involved others like François Dumay and Louis Pichart, underscoring the organized nature of these ventures. These documents reflect the economic incentives of the fur trade, where voyageurs like Laurent could supplement wages through private bartering, often in beaver skins, which were the currency of the frontier. 

Laurent's exploits likely influenced his siblings and descendants, many of whom remained tied to La Prairie while pursuing similar paths in the fur trade. His brother Jacques Barette (born ~1668 in Trois-Rivières, died ~1691 in Champlain, Quebec) was also a voyageur and fur trader active in the Illinois region, though details are scarcer—possibly including participation in expeditions around the Great Lakes or Mississippi tributaries. Their younger brother, Guillaume Barrette (our 7th great-grandfather, born 1678 in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, died 1745 in La Prairie), shifted toward a more settled role but stayed connected to the trade networks. In 1708, he was appointed the first royal notary of the Seigneury of La Prairie, a position he held until 1744. As notary, he documented contracts, wills, and engagements for voyageurs departing from or returning to La Prairie, facilitating the fur trade economy. The 1721 census of La Prairie lists him prominently among residents, alongside other trade-linked families like the Gervaise and Trudeaus. Guillaume's role helped stabilize the family in La Prairie, where he raised children who continued the voyageur tradition. 

Subsequent generations of Barettes (often using the dit name Courville) exemplified how Laurent's adventures inspired a family legacy of westward travel from their La Prairie base. For instance:

• Pierre Barette dit Courville (our 7th great-uncle, born 1708 in Cap-de-la-Madeleine, died 1755 in St-Constant near La Prairie) engaged on June 2, 1734, with Michel Gamelin to voyage to Michilimackinac (a major fur trade post at the straits between Lakes Huron and Michigan), transporting merchandise up and pelts back in the same year. He also appears in a 1745 permit under Governor Beauharnois for a canoe crew to Michilimackinac, including other La Prairie residents like Pierre Desnoyers.
• Augustin Barrette (another 7th great-uncle, born 1719 in Canada, died ~1771 in La Prairie) signed an engagement on June 14, 1751, with the Lemoine Despins brothers for a trip to Michilimackinac. He may have been part of the 1745 crew as well (listed as Augustin Baret).
• Their brother Louis Courville Barrette (our 6th great-grandfather, born 1717 in Napierville near La Prairie, died 1753 in St-Constant) lived in the area but didn't directly engage in voyages mentioned; however, his son Pierre Barette dit Courville (our 5th great-grandfather, born 1748 in La Prairie, died 1794 there) continued the pattern, engaging on May 18, 1778, with William and Jean Kay for a voyage to Fort Michilimackinac.

These engagements, drawn from fur trade contract records, show La Prairie as a recruitment ground for voyageurs heading to posts like Michilimackinac, which served as gateways to the Illinois Country and Great Lakes trade routes. The family's persistence in the trade—despite the hardships you described, like portages, rapids, wildlife, and insect swarms—reflects the allure of adventure and profit that Laurent embodied. La Prairie's location made it ideal for such pursuits, with its seigneurial system supporting agriculture while enabling seasonal voyages. By the mid-18th century, the Barettes were entrenched there, blending notary work, farming, and trading to build a multi-generational presence in Quebec's fur trade history. 

Thank you to Grok xAI for updating my earlier research.