A Glimpse in Time - Fort Frontenac, 7 September 1677

Frontenac on way to Cataraqui by John Henry de Rinzy

Fort Frontenac was a French trading post and military fort built in 1673 at the mouth of the Cataraqui River where the St. Lawrence River leaves Lake Ontario (at what is now the western end of the La Salle Causeway), in a location traditionally known as Cataraqui. It is the present-day location of Kingston, Ontario, Canada. 

The original fort, a crude, wooden palisade structure, was called Fort Cataraqui but was later named for Louis de Buade de Frontenac, Governor of New France (Count Frontenac), who was responsible for building the fort. The fort, however, was still often referred to as Fort Cataraqui. 

The British destroyed the fort in 1758 during the Seven Years' War and its ruins remained abandoned until the British took possession and reconstructed it in 1783. The fort was turned over to the Canadian military in 1870–71 and it is still being used by the military. 

Frontenac took a census of Fort Frontenac on 7 September 1677

Many of the men who would accompany La Salle on his future voyages were residents of the Fort. 

By this time, La Salle had made most of his improvements to the fort. 

Following are names of the individuals recorded in the census: 

La Salle (governor), 

François Daupin, sieur de LaForest (major), 

Louis Hennepin (a Récollet), Luc Buisset (a Récollet), 

Sieur Jean Péré. 

SOLDIERS: 

La Fleur (sergeant) (could this be François Pinsonneau dit Lafleur 1646-1731, 7th great-grandfather???), 

Duplessis, La Boise,

Jean Baptiste Fafard dit Macons/Macouce,

Meunier/Meusnier dit Laliberté (could this be André Meunier (Mignier, Migner, Meignier) (Lagasse) Lagacé 1641-1727, 8th great-grandfather???),

Jean Michel,

André Hunault, Deslauriers,

Antoine Brossard (ordered to go to meet the Onondaga),

Lévéille (gone down to Montréal to bring up the carpenter disembarked lately),

Gabriel Barbier dit LeMinime/Mimine (ordered into the brigantine),

Jacques Bourdon, sieur d’Autray (ordered into the brigantine),

Maheu (ordered into the brigantine),

Jean la Rouxelière/ Rouxcel de Larousselière (surgeon absent on duty),

Cauchois/Cochois (a servant of sieur de La Salle, ordered into the brigantine),

Fontaine (a pilot of the barque called Le Frontenac). 

WORKERS: 

Olivier Quesnel (an armorer),

Moïse Hilaret (ship’s carpenter gone down to make a shallop in Lac St. Sacrament),

Jean Fontaine (ship’s carpenter gone down to make a shallop in Lac St. Sacrament),

Laforge (the blacksmith gone to take them),

Pierre Lecellier, Jolycoeur,

Louis Méline,

Jean Baptiste Brossard,

Dubois (tailor gone down to Montréal ten days ago, sick),

Joseph (joiner gone down to Montréal ten days ago, sick), 

Louis Douceregnié, Larose/La Rosée (mason), 

Jean Baptiste Caron/Colon/Coron dit La Violette de Paris (mason)(could this be Jean Baptiste Caron 1641-1706, 9th great-uncle), Thomas Brésil (mason), 

René Gervais (mason), 

Pierre Perrault/Perot (carpenter),

Pierre Perrault/Perot (his son), 

Jean Barraud, 

Antoine Alain. 

HABITANTS: 

Curaillon, 

Jean Michaud (has his wife and four children), 

Jacques de LaMétairie, 

Mathurin Grégoire (wife and three children). 

In addition to the individuals named in the census, the following men brought supplies to Fort Frontenac: 

ENGAGES: 

Lavigne, Bourbonnais, 

Charles Diel (Charles Diel dit Le Petit Breton 1652-1702 8th great-grandfather), 

Picard (could this be Hugues Jacques Picard dit la Fortune 1618-1707 9th great-grandfather), 

Pigoret, 

Larivière de Tours, 

Charles Ptolomée, 

Nicolas Bonhomme, 

Nicolas Gagné/Gaigner (Nicolas Gagne (Gasnier) 1651-1687, 9th great-uncle), 

Laforge, Charlier 

SOURCE: 

French-Canadian Exploration, Missionary Work, and Fur Trading in Hudson Bay, the Great Lakes, and Mississippi Valley During the 17th Century – Part 6 – 1674 to December 1681 Diane Wolford Sheppard© 2010, 2014, FCHSM

Living with a 'Fur Trade' Collection -- my artistic and emotional connection to the past

Honoring my French-Canadian Voyageur Grandfathers

From the "Psychology of collecting," we learn the common reasons people collect things include: Knowledge and learning. Relaxation and stress reduction. Personal pleasure (including appreciation of beauty, and pride of ownership)

For me the value of my collection is not monetary but emotional.

Collecting allows me to connect to a historical period I am fascinated with.

For the past forty years I have relentlessly studied fur trade history, then after discovering an ancestral connection a decade ago, I stepped up my collecting of fur trade related objects.

Part of my collection is housed in a bookcase filled with books about Voyageurs, Coureurs de bois, Fur trade History, New France, and Mountain Men.

There’s even some great historical fiction by Agnes Christina Laut, Grace Lee Nute, Constance Lindsay Skinner, George Tracy Marsh, James Willard Schultz, Frank Bird Linderman, and others.

I’ve collected everything from Buffalo and Bows to Trade Beads and Silver

Hudson Bay trade silver cross made by Narcisse Roy c.1800

Replica North West Company 1820 token (worth one made beaver) and trade beads: yellow French cross, red white hearts, and small blue padre beads.

Iroquois Silver Cross

Trade silver beaver effigy pendant and mixed trade beads

Trade silver Montreal cross and trade beads (Lewis and Clark with small blue padre beads)

HBC Trade Silver Beaver Effigy

Voyageur Contracts (prints) of my Great Grandfathers and Great Uncles

1763, Apr 29, Engagement of Joseph Pinsonneau dit Lafleur (1733-1779) (5th great-grandfather) voyageur, to Michel Laselle, a Montreal merchant, to go to Detroit. Notary Hadiesne.

Jean-Baptiste Mignier (Meunier) Lagasse (Lagace) (1749-1828) (5th great-grandfather) • 1778, Ezechiel Solomon hired Jean-Baptiste Meunier, voyageur de La Prairie de la Magdeleine to go to Mississippi, and spend the winter, Notary Antoine Foucher.

1793, Mar 18, Michel Vielle dit Cossé (1771-1810) (5th great-uncle) Engaged as a voyageur to go to dans le Nord-Ouest du Canada (far north west) for traders McTavish, Frobisher and Company aka North West Company. The contract states he is a Bowmen (Avant) who acted as the guide.

1797, August 11, Engagement of Gabriel Pinsonneau (1770-1807) (4th great-grandfather) of La Prairie, to Jacques & François Laselle to go to Detroit. Notary Louis Chaboillez.

1797, Feb 14, Engagement of Joseph Vielle dit Cossé (1767-_) (5th great-uncle) voyageur, to go to Nord Ouest [North West], Nipigon and Lac Superieur for traders McTavish, Frobisher and Company aka North West Company. Hired by company representative Alexander Mackenzie. The contract states he is a Bowmen (Avant) the man located in the front (or bow) of the canoe who acted as the guide.

Jean-Baptiste Meunier (Mignier, Minier) Lagasse (Lagace) (1776-1835) (4th greatgrandfather) • 1803, Oct 6, McTavish, Frobisher & Co. (North West Company) hired Jean-Baptiste Meunier voyageur de St-André-d’Argenteuil to go to Lac De La Pluie (Rainy Lake), notary Louis Chaboillez).  Contract Notes: Go through Michilimakinac if required, make two trips from Kamanatiguià Fort to Portage de la Montagne, and give six days of drudgery, and help carry the three canoes in the land.

Mountain Men and Voyageurs Knife Replicas

Green River’ skinning knife & plains Indian style sheath

Forged Trade Knife & Iroquois Beaded Sheath

Woodland Indian Patch Knife with deer skin sheath

Woodlands patch knife with quilled neck sheath

Voyageurs and First Nations Canoe Cups

Atikamekw Indian canoe cup with incised trout carving

Atikamekw Indian burl canoe cup bottom

Carved burl canoe cup

Moose canoe cup

Dated 1899, Minnesota Canoe Cup or Belt-Cup - top

1899, Minnesota Canoe Cup or Belt-Cup - bottom

That’s all for now folks — Au revoir

Final thoughts…

It's time for me to start selling some of my collectibles, so my kids don't have to deal with them. If you see something that really appeals to you make me a fair offer and we'll see what happens. The best way to reach me is email: wtrails (at) cowboyup (dot) com.

Good luck.