Jacques Legardeur De Saint-Pierre: Officer, Gentleman, Entrepeneur

Chagouamigon (La Pointe), 1729–l 732

1 FIRST COMMANDS, 1729-1737 CHAGOUAMIGON (LA POINTE), 1729-1732 Second Ensign Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre's first command , which he assumed in 1729, was among the Chippewas at the Chagouarnigon post, also known as La Pointe, on the southwest shore of Lake Superior, near Ashland, Wisconsin. The strategic post, a gateway to the Siouan tribes, had been reestablished in 1718 by his father, Captain Jean-Paul Legardeur de Saint-Pierre, and there is evidence that Jacques lived there as a teenager, becoming proficient in Indian languages and culture as his father had. The young Saint-Pierre was appointed to this command to replace Louis Denys de La Ronde, a colorful fifty-four-year-old captain whose illegal trafficking in furs caused Governor-General Charles de Beauharnois to reassign him to Quebec and to postpone for several years sending him back to command the post. 1 On 24 June 1729 Beauharnois ordered Saint-Pierre to command Chagouamigon with the following instructions;2 Charles Marquis de Beauharnois, Knight of the military order of St. Louis, Governor and Lieutenant General for the King in all New France Sieur de St. Pierre, an Officer detached by our orders to go Command the Post of la Pointe de Chagoiiamigon, is ordered to allow to proceed as part of his Convoy, and to accompany as far as the aforesaid Post of la Pointe de Chagoiiamigon, the Canoe that We have granted to the parties involved in the Sioux Company, Commanded by Sieur de Portneuf.3 We expressly order the aforesaid 11 doc. 2 12 Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre Cenler for Cartographic Research and Spatial Analysis Michigan State University 2OOmile$ Posts commanded by Saint-Pierre are indicated by boldfaced type, square symbols, and dates of his command. Saint-Pierre's first commands, 1729-1737. Sieur de St. Pierre to See that the men in the aforesaid Canoe engage in no Business or trading with the Indians wherever they stop along the Way, And when they have arrived at [manuscript tom] / [St. Pierre] will have the Canoe under Sieur de Portneuf, who is to go down to the Sioux country, Guided and Escorted as far as the height of the land. And in Case Sieur de Portneuf and his men are not able to proceed as far as the Sioux fort, or if the French who Were there Have left, Sieur de St. Pierre will permit Sieur de Portneuf and Company to trade at la pointe and dependencies half of their Goods up to two thousand livres. Drawn up at Montreal on the aforesaid day and year, above. Montreal 24 June 1729 [signed] Beauhamois First Commands, 1729-1737 13 When Saint-Pierre was informed about his coming assignment, he, along with two others, purchased almost 4,000 livres of trade goods from his brother-in-law, Charles Nolan Lamarque, a Montreal merchant who in 1727 had married one of Saint-Pierre's sisters, Marie-Anne. His purchases for the Chagouamigon trade were recorded in Lamarque's account books and are excerpted here.4 21 Tune 1729 Mons. de St. Pierre, officer, Delivered to Him 8 1/2 ells of wool serge [Cadis] ....•...•..at 5# ......... .42# lOs 23/4 ells of Cotton ..... ~ .............at 2# ........... 5 10 16# paid for tailoring ................Totalling ......... 16# 8 112 ells of silver Braid ................at 50s ......... 21# 5 / 23 Tune 1729 To Wit: Mons. de St. Pierre for as much as he had remaining on his account, in payment of the balance up to this Day .......201 # 5s 26 Tune 1729 Messrs de St. Pierre, officer, [and] [name obliterated], officer, owes [for the Said?] merchandise mentioned [Below?]..To Wit. . . . . . . . . . # s d 18 112 ellS} 36 112 ells Cloth ...@8#. . .......292#- 18 ells 10 ells duffel [molton] ...........5# ........50# 377# - 4 2-point Blankets ........... @8# .... " ...32# 1 112 ells cloth ...................... , .. 3# 14 lbs thread from Rennes .....@3#10s ..... .49# 6 women's Chemises .........@3# ........18# 6 ditto 2/3 size [En 2/3] .......@45s ........13# lOs 6 men's shirts ..............@4# ........24# - doc . 3 14 Jacques Legardeur de Saint-Pierre 6 l-ell capotes [hooded coats].... @4# ..... 24# 3 3-ell Ditto ...............@12# . .. . .36# 3 2-ell Ditto ................ @8# ..... 24# 363# 10 3 3 lIZ-ell Ditto ............@14# ..... 42# 4 4-ell ditto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . @16# . . . . . 64# 2 2-point Blankets ............@8# ..... 16# 1 112 ells Cloth .......................3# 1 piece of Ribbon [or Edging] [Tavelle] . ...... 2# lOs 8 sleeves ..................@4# ..... 32# 6 medium...