Ste. Anne: Divine Protection for a Perilous Journey into the Pays d'en Haut

 

The ritual at the Church of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (often referred to as St. Anne's Church in historical accounts) was a significant tradition for voyageurs during the fur trade era, particularly in the 18th and early 19th centuries. As French-Canadian fur traders and canoe paddlers employed by companies like the North West Company, voyageurs would typically depart from Lachine (near Montreal) in May, loaded with trade goods. Their first key stop was this church, located at the western tip of Montreal Island along the Ottawa River route. Here, they performed a simple but meaningful ceremony to invoke divine protection for their perilous journeys into the Pays d'en Haut (the "upper country" or interior wilderness of the Great Lakes and beyond).

According to accounts from fur traders like Alexander Henry the Elder (in his 1804 journal), the voyageurs would enter the church, which was dedicated to Sainte Anne. They would cross themselves, offer a short prayer, and deposit a small amount of money (a "mite") into a secured box. This donation was intended to fund a mass said by the priest for their safe travels. The church was left unlocked for such visits, emphasizing its role as a spiritual waypoint. This act symbolized the official and spiritual commencement of their expedition, as it was the last Catholic church they would encounter before months or years in remote territories filled with rapids, portages, harsh weather, and other dangers. Upon their return, they might stop again to give thanks.

Sainte Anne's association as the patron saint of voyageurs stems from her broader role in Catholic tradition as the protector of sailors and travelers on water. This naturally extended to the canoe-based voyageurs, who navigated vast river systems and lakes. As Henry noted, "Saint Anne is the patroness of the Canadians, in all their travels by water." Many voyageurs were devout Catholics, and this patronage was widely recognized among French-Canadian fur traders and their Scottish employers. Sainte Anne is also venerated more generally as the mother of the Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus, with patronages including pregnant women, grandparents, and various locations in Canada (such as Quebec and Brittany influences). Shrines like Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré in Quebec further highlight her importance in Canadian Catholic history, though the Bellevue church was specifically tied to voyageur rituals.

While original artworks from the 16th-18th centuries depicting the church are scarce (the current stone structure dates to around 1712-1714, with earlier wooden versions from the late 17th century), historical illustrations and paintings often romanticize the era. Below is a relevant 19th-century-style illustration titled "Blessing of the Voyageurs," which depicts a scene along a waterway with small canoes and a distant church spire, likely evoking the ritual at Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue or a similar departure point.

Notes:

Saint Anne is historically revered as the patroness of Canadian fur traders, or voyageurs, who frequently stopped at churches dedicated to her, such as the one in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue on the western tip of Montreal Island, to pray for safe passage. As the grandmother of Jesus, she was considered the protector of travelers by water. 

Key Connections to Voyageurs & Montreal:

• Final Stop: The church at Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue was often the last outpost for voyageurs before leaving the island of Montreal to travel west, where they would stop to seek her protection.
• Spiritual Protection: Early fur traders (both French-Canadian and Scottish) in the North West Company considered Saint Anne their protector during dangerous, long-distance canoe journeys.
• Cultural Significance: Prayers, offerings, and "mighty" (small coins) were left by voyageurs at her shrines to ensure safety.
• Patroness of Canada: Pope Pius IX declared Saint Anne the Patroness of Canada in 1876, with her feast day celebrated on July 26.
• Shrines: In addition to Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, the famous shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupré in Quebec is a major center of devotion.

Drifting Cowboy offers thanks to both Gemini and Grok xAI for updates to my notes.

1797 voyageur contract for Charles Boyer, aanalysed by Grok xAI

The notary record below appears to be the actual 1797 voyageur contract (or "engagement") for Charles Boyer (b. 1744 in La Prairie, Nouvelle France our 1st cousin 8x removed), son of Charles Boyer and Jeanne Surprenant. It is entry #2711 in the image, documenting his hiring as a clerk by McTavish, Frobisher & Co. (agents for the North West Company) for a 3-year term in the "Nord Ouest" (Northwest territories). The notary was Louis Chaboillez of Montreal, and the contract was signed on December 29, 1797 (though the page header in your image references December 16, likely the start of a batch of entries).

This record is held by Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) in their Greffes de notaires collection (microfilm #M620/0067). It is not freely available online as a digital image, but you can request a copy from BAnQ via their archives service (https://www.banq.qc.ca/archives/) or visit in person. Some Quebec notarial records from this period are also digitized and viewable on Ancestry.com in the "Quebec, Canada, Notarial Records, 1637-1935" collection (subscription required). Search for notary "Louis Chaboillez" in 1797, then browse the repertoire or minute books for December entries involving "Charles Boyer" and "McTavish Frobisher" to locate and download the image.

Based on historical transcriptions of this exact contract, here are the key details:

• Length of Contract: 3 years (starting from departure in 1797, ending upon return to Montreal in autumn 1799).
• Role: Commis (clerk).
• Wages: 3,000 livres (old currency of the province), paid upon return, plus food and clothing as customary for North West Company clerks.
• Destination: Pays d'en Haut (Upper Country), known as Nord Ouest (Northwest).
• Company Representative: William McGillivray (on behalf of McTavish, Frobisher & Co.).
• Notes: The contract was reportedly canceled 11 days later (January 9, 1798), and Boyer may not have traveled northwest as planned—possibly due to death, dispute, or other reasons (unconfirmed).

Full Transcription (French Original)

Par devant les notaires de la province du Bas-Canada residens a Montreal soussignés Fut present Sieur Charles Boyer un demeurant a LaPrairie lequel de son bon gré s'est par ces presentes engagé et s'engage aux Sieurs Mc Tavish Frobisher & Company Marchands de cette ville agents de la Société du Nord Ouest a partir de cette ville pour les Païs d’en haut connu sous le nom du nord ouest pour y servir la dite Société pour L’Espace de trois années consecutives a commencer et etre compté du Jour de son depart de cette ville comme Commis a etre Libre a son retour a Montreal dans l’automne de l’année mil sept cent quatre vingt dix neuf. moyennant la Somme de trois mille Livres anciens Chellings de cette Province de vingt (coppres?) par ans pour chacques année pendant le dit terme de trois années qui finiront a son arrivée audit montreal que les dits Sr Mc Tavish Frobisher & Company comme agents susdits promettent et s’obligent de Bailler et payer audit Commis a son Retour en cette ville ainsi que le nourrir et vetir pendant ledit tems comme sont les autres commis dans ladite Société du nord ouest et comme de coutume au dit Lieux.

English Translation

Before the notaries of the province of Lower Canada residing in Montreal undersigned was present Sieur Charles Boyer residing in LaPrairie who of his own free will has by these presents engaged and engages himself to the Sieurs McTavish Frobisher & Company Merchants of this city agents of the North West Company to leave this city for the Upper Countries known under the name of the North West to serve the said Company for the space of three consecutive years to begin and be counted from the day of his departure from this city as Clerk to be free on his return to Montreal in the autumn of the year one thousand seven hundred ninety-nine by means of the sum of three thousand old Livres Shillings of this Province of twenty (coppers?) per year for each year during the said term of three years which will end on his arrival in the said Montreal that the said Sr McTavish Frobisher & Company as aforesaid agents promise and undertake to give and pay to the said Clerk on his return to this city as well as to feed and clothe him during the said time as are the other clerks in the said North West Company and as is customary in the said places.

For visual context on Charles Boyer's earlier involvement in the fur trade (e.g., at Fort Vermilion around 1788), here's a related historical marker:

Grok asked to take a second look...

The image at the top appears to be a page from the notary Louis Chaboillez's répertoire (index or register) for December 1797, specifically entry #2711 summarizing the engagement contract for Charles Boyer. The full notarial act (the detailed contract itself) is a separate document, typically a few pages long, recorded in the notary's minutes (full act books). These are preserved in archival collections and have been digitized for online access, though they require a free account on certain platforms.

Accessing the Digitized Contract

The full act #2711, dated December 29, 1797, is available in digitized form through the following sources:

1. FamilySearch (Free Access):
• Go to FamilySearch.org and create a free account if you don't have one.
• Search the catalog for "Quebec Notarial Records, 1637-1935" or directly access the collection at: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1471015.
• Browse by notary: Select "Chaboillez, Louis (1787-1813)".
• Choose the film/item labeled "Actes notariés, 1797 janv.-déc." (Digital Genealogical Society film #8328293).
• The acts are in chronological order. Navigate to images around 600–700 (December entries) and look for act #2711. You can download the relevant images directly from the viewer.
• Note: FamilySearch images are viewable online but may require being at a FamilySearch Center for some restricted films; however, this one is fully accessible with a login.
2. Ancestry.com (Subscription Required):
• If you have an Ancestry subscription, access the collection "Quebec, Canada, Notarial Records, 1637-1935" at: https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61062/.
• Browse by location: Montréal > Chaboillez, Louis (1787-1813).
• Select the folder for 1797 (Actes notariés).
• Acts are chronological; search for December 29 or act #2711. Download the high-resolution images as PDFs or JPEGs.
3. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ):
• BAnQ holds the originals and microfilms. Search their Advitam catalog at: https://advitam.banq.qc.ca for "Louis Chaboillez" and filter by date (1797).
• The répertoire (index) is digitized and free online (e.g., at https://numerique.banq.qc.ca/patrimoine/details/52327/2276312 for a related published version), but the full minutes are not yet fully digitized on their site. You can request digital copies via their archives service (fees may apply) or visit in person at BAnQ Vieux-Montréal.
• If not online, reference microfilm #M620/0067 for 1797 acts.

Thank you to Grok xAI for this review and analysis. -- Drifting Cowboy

Review of Nicolas Perrot’s 1688 Voyageur Contract

 

This document is a rare and significant artifact from the late 17th-century French fur trade era in New France (modern-day Canada). It's a manuscript engagement contract, written in French, dated July 2, 1688, at Villemarie (now Montréal), and endorsed on August 27, 1689. The contract was drafted by notary Antoine Adhémar dit Saint-Martin, known for his idiosyncratic abbreviations and handwriting style, which can make original manuscripts challenging to decipher. Grok's transcription and translation align closely with historical records of this specific contract, which has been documented in archival collections and auction catalogs (e.g., as a two-page folio manuscript).

To add to our transcription, Grok xAI has created a more complete English summary based on archival descriptions, incorporating details from the original text and historical sources. Grok has filled in some gaps and clarified other terms:

• Parties Involved: Sr. Nicolas Perrot, Seigneur of La Rivière du Loup (a prominent fur trader and explorer), on one part; and Raphael Beauvais (also spelled Bauvais or Bauvez) and Nicolas Gode (also spelled Godé or Gaude), residents of "this Island" (Île de Montréal), on the other part.
• Agreement Terms: Beauvais and Gode voluntarily contract to travel on behalf of Perrot's company to the Outaouais (Ottawa) country and other more remote regions, as soon as requested. They must depart in the autumn of the current year (1688) or the next (if delayed), and return no later than the autumn of 1689. During the voyage, they will be fed and maintained in the "voyageurs' usual manner" by the company. In compensation, each will receive 700 livres (French currency) payable in good beaver pelts at the Quebec bureau rate, plus an "apichimo" (a gratuity or tip, typically in additional pelts—here specified as six beavers per person).
• Permitted Goods: They may bring personal items for trade or use, including one rifle, six shirts, two capotes (hooded coats), and pelts, which will be loaded into their canoe for the return trip.
• Signatures: Signed by Perrot, Beauvais, Gode, and witnesses including Louis Dupuis (perhaps another ancestor), Claude Pinard, and Adhémar (notary). Additional witnesses for the main contract include Jean Dedieu and George Michelet.
• Endorsement (Receipt on Verso): On August 27, 1689, Beauvais certifies before Adhémar and witnesses (Dedieu and Michelet) that he has received his full payment of 700 livres in beaver pelts, plus his apichimo, and acquits Perrot of any further obligation. This is specified as "his share only," implying separate settlements for each voyageur. Notably, Gode does not sign this endorsement, which could indicate he was paid separately, perhaps due to ongoing travels, disputes, or other circumstances (more on this below).

This contract is a classic example of the "engagement" system in New France's fur trade, where merchants like Perrot hired voyageurs (canoe paddlers and traders) for seasonal expeditions. These were legally binding notarial documents, often preserved in archives, and this one highlights the risks and rewards of the trade: fixed pay in pelts, basic provisions, and allowances for personal trading to supplement income.

Additions and Historical Context

To expand on the original summary, here's additional context drawn from historical records:

• The Fur Trade System: In the 1680s, the beaver fur trade was the economic engine of New France, driven by European demand for felt hats. Voyages like this one targeted the Great Lakes region (Outaouais/Ottawa lands around Lake Huron and beyond), where French traders exchanged European goods (guns, cloth, metal tools) for furs from Indigenous nations like the Odawa (Ottawa), Ojibwe, and others. Contracts specified compensation in beaver pelts because currency was scarce; 700 livres was a substantial sum, equivalent to about a year's wages for a skilled laborer, but it came with high risks—disease, starvation, accidents, or attacks during the grueling 1,000+ mile canoe journeys.
• Timing and Dangers: Signed amid the Beaver Wars (ongoing conflicts between the Iroquois Confederacy and French-allied Indigenous groups), this voyage occurred during a tense period. In August 1689—just days before Beauvais's endorsement—the Iroquois launched a devastating raid on Lachine near Montréal, killing dozens and heightening fears. The Outaouais route involved portages, rapids, and potential ambushes, with voyageurs often allying with Indigenous guides for safety.
• Nicolas Perrot (ca. 1644–1717): A key figure in French expansion, Perrot was a fur trader, diplomat, and explorer who spoke multiple Indigenous languages and mediated alliances. By 1688, he had decades of experience in the Great Lakes, including building forts like Fort Saint-Antoine on Lake Pepin (Mississippi River). This contract likely supported his broader efforts; in May 1689, during or shortly after this voyage's timeline, Perrot formally claimed vast western territories (including parts of modern Wisconsin, Minnesota, and the Upper Mississippi) for France at Lake Pepin, erecting a cross and arms of King Louis XIV to assert dominion amid English and Iroquois threats. He averted wars, resolved conflicts, and was instrumental in French-Indigenous relations.
• Raphael Beauvais: A Montréal resident and typical voyageur—young, hardy, and experienced in wilderness travel. His solo endorsement of the receipt suggests he completed the voyage successfully and returned to settle accounts. He likely continued in the trade, as similar names appear in later records.
• Nicolas Gode/Godé: This is almost certainly our 8th great-granduncle's son, Nicolas Godet (1659–1690), rather than the father (Nicolas Godé, 1629–1697). The father, a settler and farmer in Montréal, was about 59 in 1688—unusually old for the physically demanding role of a voyageur, who were typically men in their 20s or 30s. The son, aged about 29, fits the profile better. He was unmarried at the time (no spouse mentioned in our tree until later family lines). His absence from the 1689 endorsement could indicate he extended his travels, faced delays, or encountered issues—possibly contributing to his death in July 1690 in Québec City (cause unknown, but wilderness hardships like injury or illness were common). This timing aligns with post-voyage complications, countering your speculation that he didn't survive the trip itself. The father lived until 1697, dying suddenly in Montréal.

This contract survives in collections like the William L. Clements Library at the University of Michigan, where it's part of Native American history exhibits, emphasizing French-Indigenous economic ties.

Narrative -- Paddles, Perils, and Pelts

The sun beat down mercilessly on the wooden docks of Villemarie in July 1688, where the St. Lawrence River churned with the comings and goings of fur-laden boats and shouting merchants. The air was thick with the sharp tang of pine resin from freshly sealed canoes and the earthy musk of beaver pelts stacked high. Nicolas Perrot, a wiry explorer in his mid-40s with sun-leathered skin etched by years of wilderness scars and a tricorn hat shadowing his piercing eyes, stood tall amid the chaos. Known as a master diplomat who could speak the tongues of the Odawa and Ojibwe as fluently as French, Perrot gathered two young Montréal men—burly Raphael Beauvais, with his callused hands from prior voyages, and our ancestor's son, Nicolas Gode, a sturdy 29-year-old with a determined jaw and the restless energy of a man chasing fortune. Before the notary Adhémar, whose quill scratched hastily on parchment, they inked their names to a contract that bound them to the unknown: a fur-trading odyssey into the heart of the Outaouais wilderness, promising 700 livres in prime beaver and a gratuity of six extra pelts—if they lived to claim it.

As autumn's chill nipped the air and crimson leaves swirled like blood in the water, Beauvais and Gode shoved off from the riverbank. Their birchbark canoe, light yet resilient, groaned under the weight of provisions: a flintlock rifle for each, coarse woolen shirts, hooded capotes to ward off the biting wind, and crates of trade goods—gleaming knives, glass beads that caught the fading light like stars, and iron kettles that clanged with every paddle stroke. Joined by a ragged band of coureurs de bois, those wild woods runners with beards like tangled underbrush and songs on their lips to ease the toil, they thrust upstream against the Ottawa River's relentless current. Muscles burned like fire as paddles sliced through foaming whitecaps, the spray soaking their linen shirts and stinging their faces. "Paddle harder, lads!" one might have bellowed over the roar of rapids, while the forest loomed on either side, a impenetrable wall of towering pines whispering secrets of hidden dangers.

The journey stretched over a thousand grueling miles, a gauntlet of nature's fury. Portages were the worst—hauling the 300-pound canoe and packs over muddy trails slick with dew, boots sinking into the muck, shoulders raw from tumplines digging into flesh. Rapids thundered like war drums, threatening to dash their vessel against jagged rocks; one wrong twist, and they'd be swallowed by the frothing depths. Nights descended in inky blackness, broken only by crackling campfires where the men huddled, the smoky scent of roasting venison mingling with the damp rot of the forest floor. Odawa guides, their faces painted with ochre and adorned with eagle feathers, shared tales around the flames: how to snare rabbits with sinew loops, kindle tinder in the rain, or read the constellations to steer true. Wolves howled in the distance, a chilling reminder that the Beaver Wars raged on—Iroquois raiders, silent as shadows, could strike at any moment, their war cries echoing through the trees like ghosts.

Deep in the Outaouais heartland, where Lake Huron's vast waters shimmered under endless skies and dense woods teemed with the splash of beaver tails and the rumble of moose calls, they reached Indigenous villages alive with the rhythm of drums and the haze of pipe smoke. Huts of birch and hides dotted the clearings, children laughing as warriors displayed glossy furs. Gode, drawing on his Montréal upbringing amid settlers and natives, bartered fiercely—exchanging beads for stacks of beaver pelts so soft they felt like silk, their oily sheen promising riches back home. Beauvais scouted paths, his eyes sharp for signs of ambush. But tension hung heavy; whispers of Iroquois incursions spread like wildfire, and just months later, the horrors of the Lachine massacre would scar their homeland. Nearby, Perrot himself wove alliances in grand councils, his voice booming in multiple languages as he averted wars and claimed lands for France—perhaps even drawing on furs from this very expedition to fund his bold 1689 ceremony at Lake Pepin, where he drove a cross into the soil and proclaimed dominion over the Upper Mississippi amid circles of chiefs and warriors.

By the sweltering summer of 1689, their canoe sagged low with bundled treasures, the return downstream a race against exhaustion and swelling rivers. Mosquitoes swarmed in black clouds, biting relentlessly, while the men's beards grew wild and their bodies ached from endless exertion. Beauvais made it back to Villemarie, claiming his pay in August with a satisfied nod, the beaver pelts heavy in his hands. But Gode's path darkened—perhaps delayed by extra trading or stricken by fever in the wilds, he survived the trek only to perish in Québec City by July 1690, at just 31, his end a stark echo of the countless voyageurs claimed by the frontier's merciless grip. 

Their saga, Jerry, weaves ambition with peril, much like the trails your cowboy handle evokes—untamed lands calling to bold souls, forging empires from sweat, alliance, and unyielding resolve in the vast tapestry of North American history.

Thank you to Grok xAI — Drifting Cowboy

The Bourassa Legacy: Pioneers of the Fur Trade in New France

The Bourassa family stands as a cornerstone of the early fur trade in New France, embodying the spirit of adventure, commerce, and cultural exchange that defined the 18th-century frontier. Originating from François Bourassa (1659-1708), who emigrated from Luçon, France, to Canada around 1680, the family quickly embedded itself in the lucrative beaver pelt industry. François married Marie Le Ber in 1688, whose own relatives were deeply involved in the trade—her uncle Jacques Le Ber co-founded Lachine's first fur trading post, and her grand-uncle Jean Godefroy de Linctot served as an interpreter under Samuel de Champlain. François himself ventured into the wilderness as a coureur de bois, making notable trips such as a 1686 expedition to Hudson Bay for the Compagnie du Nord and a 1690 journey to Michilimackinac with partners like Pierre Bourdeau and Joachim Le Ber. His sons—René Bourassa dit La Ronde (1688-1778), François Joachim Bourassa (1698-1775), and Antoine Bourassa (1705-1780)—carried on this legacy, earning the moniker "the fathers of the fur trade" for their daring voyages, strategic partnerships, and role in expanding French influence across the Great Lakes and beyond.

Antoine Bourassa, our 7th great-uncle, was born on March 22, 1705, in La Prairie, Quebec, a bustling riverside community south of Montreal that served as a hub for voyageurs. He grew up amid the rhythms of the trade—canoes laden with trade goods like knives, beads, and cloth departing in spring, returning in autumn with bundles of beaver pelts destined for European markets. Antoine married twice: first in 1729 to Marie Catherine Barette dit Courville (1707-1729), who tragically died young, and then in 1731 to Marie-Anne Moquin (1713-1743). Together with Marie-Anne, he had several children, continuing the family line in La Prairie. Antoine passed away on January 28, 1780, in his hometown, leaving a legacy tied to the waterways that connected French Canada to distant colonies and Indigenous nations.

The fur trade was more than commerce for the Bourassas; it was a web of alliances, often sealed through intermarriage with Native American communities. Later generations, such as Daniel Bourassa II (born 1780 at Michilimackinac), married into Chippewa/Ottawa families, like his union with Aranwaiske (Theotis Pisange), niece of Chief Shabbona. This blending of cultures strengthened trade ties but also exposed the family to hardships, including the forced removal during the 1838 Trail of Death, where Daniel and his kin were marched from Indiana under U.S. government orders. Antoine's brother René's daughter, Charlotte Bourassa, married Charles Michel de Langlade, a prominent fur trader and war chief of mixed French-Ottawa heritage, who defended French interests in conflicts like the Seven Years' War and later became known as the "Father of Wisconsin" for his trading post at Green Bay established in 1745.

The Epic 1740 Voyage to Philadelphia: A Journey Through Contested Waters

In the summer of 1740, amid the fragile peace between French and British colonies, Antoine embarked on one of his most remarkable adventures: a canoe expedition from Montreal to Philadelphia and back. On June 8, Governor Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois, issued a license to Antoine, along with Claude and François Bizaillon and Pierre Brosseau, permitting them to travel to "Philadelphia, city of New England" (an archaic French reference to British colonial territories) to "attend to their affairs." They were urged to return within four months, passing through Fort Chambly on the Richelieu River and Fort Saint-Frédéric (near modern Crown Point, New York) both ways, where their canoe would be inspected for contraband. A notary's minutes from June 13 detail the inspection by François Malhiot and Jean-Baptiste Adhémar, confirming the group's departure.

This journey was no mere errand; it highlighted the Bourassas' savvy in navigating the illicit trade networks that skirted colonial rivalries. While official French policy restricted trade to allies, coureurs de bois like Antoine often dealt with British merchants for better prices on goods or pelts. The route likely followed the Richelieu River south from Montreal to Lake Champlain, a vital corridor for fur transport and smuggling. From there, they may have portaged or sailed south toward the Hudson River valley, reaching Albany—a notorious hub for illegal exchanges—before continuing overland or via coastal waters to Philadelphia on the Delaware River. Paddling birchbark canoes loaded with trade items, the group braved rapids, portages, and potential encounters with Iroquois or British patrols. The round trip, covering over 800 miles, tested their endurance in an era when such voyages could take weeks, fraught with risks from weather, wildlife, and geopolitical tensions.

Imagine the scene: a fleet of canots de maître, the large birchbark vessels favored by voyageurs, slicing through misty waters under the power of rhythmic paddles and chansons like "À la claire fontaine." These canoes, up to 36 feet long and capable of carrying tons of cargo, were the lifeblood of the trade.

1740s North Arerican map corner (PA, NY, New England & Lower Canada)

The 1745 Expedition to Michilimackinac: Heart of the Great Lakes Trade

Five years later, on June 9, 1745, Antoine joined another pivotal voyage, this time to the strategic fur post of Michilimackinac (modern Mackinaw City, Michigan). Governor Beauharnois granted permission to Sieur Ignace Gamelin to send a canoe from Montreal, equipped with seven men under leaders Nicolas Volant and Antoine Dubois. The crew included Antoine, his brother Joseph Bourassa, Pierre Gaspard, Pierre Gagnier, and Jacques Saint-Pierre—all from La Prairie de la Madeleine. Strict orders prohibited trading outside the post and its dependencies, underscoring the regulated nature of the French fur empire.

Michilimackinac, established in 1715, was a bustling fortified community at the straits connecting Lakes Huron and Michigan. It served as a rendezvous for French traders, Odawa and Ojibwe allies, and voyageurs, where pelts from the vast northwest were exchanged for European goods. The journey from Montreal involved ascending the Ottawa River, portaging around rapids, crossing Lake Nipissing, and descending the French River to Georgian Bay—a grueling 800-mile trek demanding skill in navigation and survival. Antoine and his kin wintered there, trading with Indigenous partners who provided furs in exchange for tools, textiles, and firearms.

Map of Michilimackinac in 1765

The Brothers' Wider Adventures and the Family's Enduring Impact

Antoine's brothers amplified the family's influence. René, the eldest, was a bold entrepreneur fined 500 livres in 1722 for illicit trade with Albany merchants but undeterred. He partnered with explorer Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, sieur de La Vérendrye, establishing posts like Fort Vermilion in 1736 and hiring crews for western expeditions. 

Drifting Cowboy’s 2018 exploration of the Vermillion River post location on Crane Lake

In 1736, René was captured by Sioux en route from Fort St. Charles but freed through a dramatic plea; he later settled at Michilimackinac, where his family endured the 1763 Ojibwe capture of the fort during Pontiac's War. François Joachim, meanwhile, hired out as a voyageur to Detroit in 1757, extending the Bourassas' reach southward.

Their sister, Marie Elisabeth Bourassa (1695-1766), married Jacques Pinsonneau dit Lafleur, linking the family to other trading networks. Through these exploits, the Bourassas not only amassed wealth but fostered alliances that shaped the cultural mosaic of the Great Lakes—blending French, Indigenous, and later British worlds. Descendants like Joseph Napoleon Bourassa, a Potawatomi interpreter and dictionary compiler, carried this hybrid heritage into the 19th century, signing treaties and preserving traditional knowledge amid displacement.

Antoine's story, from the rivers of Quebec to the lakes of Michigan and the streets of Philadelphia, captures the essence of a bygone era: one of exploration, risk, and interconnection. His voyages remind us how individual lives wove the fabric of North American history.

Thank you to Grok xAI for the updated information.  -- Drifting Cowboy