1608

Champlain requests missionaries

1613

Champlain begins explorations of the interior along with Etienne Brulé and Jean Nicolet

1615

May 25: 4 Récollet fathers arrive in New France.
July 6: Father Le Caron sets off for Wendake with a trade flotilla.
August 12: Father Le Caron and Champlain celebrate mass at Carhagouha, a fortified village a few miles from Nottawasaga Bay.

The Wendats welcomed Le Caron and built him a large cabin apart from the village where he could live and begin his missionary work.

1623

Arrival of Father Nicolas Viel and Brother Gabriel Sagard with funds to continue the mission to Huronia.

1624

Father Le Caron and Brother Gabriel Sagard return to Quebec where they debate the future of the mission with the other Récollet fathers. They decide to ask for help from the Jesuits. THe Huguenot traders make every effort to block this plan, and fail when the Viceroy of New France stepped in.

1625

Father Brébeuf sets off for Huronia only to hear that Father Viel has drowned in the rapids at Riviere des Prairies. He returns to Quebec and works among the Montagnais

1626

Jesuits Brébeuf and Noue with Récollet Father Daillon arrive in Huronia, living at Carhagouha until October in Viel's lodge.

Champlain returns from France with a grant of land for the Fathers and a ship laden with tools and supplies, plus 2 more Jesuit fathers: Philibert Noyrot and Anne de Noue, a lay brother and 20 carpenters and workmen. Plans are laid for a Jesuit HQ at Pointe-aux-Lievres about a mile from Quebec.

1627-28

The Superior of the Quebec mission, Father Lalemant decides that work cannot continue with the Huguenot in power. He lobbies Cardinal Richelieu, the powerful advisor to King Louis, to annul the traders' charter. Richelieu does so, forming his own company, the Company of New France, headed by himself and stipulating that only Catholics would be permitted into the colony which must, in turn, defray the costs of running a mission. They have a 15 year charter and an unlimited budget.

1629

British seize Quebec and all French activity in Huronia ends until 1632. 12 canoes with French passengers come down from Huronia including Brébeuf, the last of the missionaries to leave.

1632

French regain Quebec
July 3: the new Superior-General Paul Le Jeune arrives with Father Noue and a lay brother

Jesuits in New France: Paul Le Jeune, Anne de Noue, and Gilbert Burel; Antoine Daniel and Ambrose Davost arrive in Cape Breton

1633

March: Jean de Brébeuf and Massé sail for Quebec. They pick up Antoine Daniel and Ambrose Davost, arriving in Quebec on May 23 but are unable to travel to Huronia when trouble breaks out over an Algonkian prisoner of Champlain's and the Huron refuse them passage.

Jesuits in New France: Paul Le Jeune, Anne de Noue, Gilbert Burel, Jean de Brébeuf, Massé, Antoine Daniel and Ambrose Davost.

1634

July 7 to Aug 5: Brebeuf, Daniel and a workman leave Trois-Rivieres, shortly followed by Davost and 5 others, including 2 lads. They find Toanche deserted and build a new home nearby at Ihonatiria where epidemics soon break out that will decimate the population over the next 6 years.
August 15: Arrival of Simon Baron, Pierre and Francois Petit-Pré
September: Arrival of Little Martin, one of the lads
Late September: The Huron build a lodge for the Frenchmen: 30' x 16', it is divided into 3 areas: an anteroom with corn storage; a main room for kitchen/living/ bedrooms; and a section divided in two for a chapel and a toolshed. The Frenchmen sleep under the shelves, on mattresses of bough and bark, covered with reed mats and furs.
Oct 20: Brebeuf pays a brief visit to the Petun
Nov 21: Joachim Tsindacaiondoua is buried “in a place apart” for Christians.
December: the snow stays on the ground and the Huron tend to stay home.

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Jean de Brebeuf, Anthony Daniel, Ambrose Dovost
Laymen and Hired: Pierre (Martin?), Francois Petit-Pré, Simon Baron (domestic, acted as surgeon, left in 1637), Robert le Coq
Lads: Dominic (15), Little Martin (12) who act as catechist-helpers
Jean Nicolet, (Lamarche?).
Le Borgne lives on the island (Alouette?)
Louis de Ste-Foy and his father are among the Neutrals

1635

Jan 19: Brebeuf visits Louis de Saint-Foy, who lives 7-8 leagues from the mission among the Neutrals to be with his crippled father.

In the face of Iroquois attacks, the french laymen are armed.
Mathurin arrives (?)

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Jean de Brebeuf, Anthony Daniel, Ambrose Dovost
Laymen and Hired: [4+] Pierre, Francois Petit-Pré, Simon Baron, Robert le Coq, 2 lads

1636

Brebeuf tells the Huron to henceforth "make their forts square, and arrange their stakes in straight lines ... by the means of four little towers at the four corners, four frenchmen might easily with their arquebuses or muskets defend a whole village."

It is thought that the French have both a hen and a cock since Father Le Mercier waits for his hen to lay an egg. An Indian reprimanded by him replies "there is a bird that talks louder than I do, and thou sayest nothing to him."

Sept 11: after a difficult journey, Isaac Jogues arrives with a lad, possibly Jean Amiot.
Sickness in the mission. Epidemics in the villages.
Oct 11: Baron returns

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Brebeuf, Anthony Daniel, Ambrose Dovost, Isaac Jogues, Pierre Pijart, Francois Le Mercier, Pierre Chastelain, Charles Garnier
Laymen and Hired: [4] Mathurin, Jean Amiot (b. 1625, lives with Hurons to 1645, drowns 1648 in 3Rivers), Simon Baron, Dominc, Petit-Pré, Le Coq

1637

Brebeuf sets up residence in Ossossane with Daniel, Davost, Mercier and Garnier. The villagers build them a new longhouse, 70 feet long, half of which was a chapel ornamented with religious artefacts.

February: Le Coq is at Ossossané with Pierre Pijart and Le Mercier. Le Coq is in charge of supplies
Summer: arrival of Pierre Boucher and others. Simon Baron (domestic and acting surgeon, leaves)
September: At Ossossane, the Jesuits' harvest and vintage for the Holy Altar amount to a half bushel of good wheat and a small keg of wine which kept well

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Brebeuf, Pierre Pijart, Le Mercier, Anthony Daniel, Ambrose Dovost, Isaac Jogues
Laymen and Hired: Mathurin, Jean Amiot, Dominique (18),
New: Pierre Boucher (15), Nicholas Montreuil, Claude Boucher, Francois Dornais, Guillaume Loisier
Hired help whose contracts expire: Simon Baron (surgeon), Pierre Mathurin. Both leave. Le Coq moves to Trois-Rivieres

1638

Le Coq signs up for perpetual service
The missionaries move to Teanaustaye, the largest of the Huron towns, 30 miles south of Ihonatiria.
12 European workmen arrive to build a wooden chapel

Winter: Father Lalemant, the new Superior, arrives with 6 or 7 donnés. He directs a census of the Huron nation and discovers 32 villages, 700 cabins, 2000 fires and 12000 people, down from 30,000 in 1615.

Father Lalemant reverses Brebeuf’s policy of living among the natives. He proposes a central mission close to a canoe route to Quebec. The mission is intended to be self-sufficient and a retreat for missionaries between travels. The site is dedicated to the Virgin Mary.

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Lalement, Brebeuf, and others
Donnés: Boivin, Couture, Le Coq, Levrier, Molere, Regnault
Laymen and Hired: P. Boucher, Ch. Panie, Baron, Cl. Boucher, Dornais, G. Loisier, Mathurin, Montreuil, Petit-Pré
Lads: Jean Amiot, Marin Lefebvre
Dominique Scott leaves to join the Jesuits in France

1639

Ste. Marie is established. The fathers choose a site and approach the Ataronchronons who live in the area, for permission to build. Presents are exchanged.

The first building resembles a Huron longhouse. The outside is bark, the posts are regular in size, positioned in straight lines, and made using metal axes. 20 feet from the south end, is a partition, separating the living space from the chapel. There are 4 cone-shaped fireplaces in a row down the center of the building. It is located some 30-40 feet from the river bank. Corn or wheat is planted.

The only other European settlements in Canada at this time are in Quebec and at Trois-Rivieres, 800 miles away. Plymouth is doing well, and two Dutch forts exist on Manhatten Island and the Hudson River. A few thousand English settlers are established in Virginia.

Winter: there are 14-15 French workmen in Huronia, but some have special duties and a few go out with the fathers to the 4 distant missions. Isaac Jogues was the priest in charge of workmen. He left Nov. 1, for his misison to the Petun.

Europeans in Huronia [27]
Fathers: Lalement, Brebeuf, du Péron, Francois Le Mercier, Pierre Pijart, Joseph Poncet
Donnés: Boivin, Couture, Le Coq, Levrier, Molere, Regnault
Laymen and Hired: P. Boucher, Ch. Panie, Cl. Boucher, Dornais, G. Loisier, Mathurin, Montreuil
Lads: Jean Amiot, Marin Lefebvre
Mathurin leaves to join the Capuchins
Petit-Pre and Baron return to Quebec

1640

Feb: Brebeuf sees a vision of the tabernacle of Sainte-Marie "on which are depicted seven angels, and I was drawn to prayer. Afterward I seemed to be in the house and chapel and to see the relics that are there."
March: Brebeuf sees a vision of a huge serpent approaching the little house of Sainte Marie, from the river. "I saw, behind the gable of the little house of Sainte Marie, four dogs of exceptional size, with hanging ears. They were sitting on their haunches, and looking toward the cabin."

Lalemant asks Richilieu to send military aid against the Iroquois, noting that the Huron have been reduced in 10 years from 30,000 to 10,000. But Richilieu believed such an act could lead to war with the Iroquois' allies, Britain or the Netherlands, and refuses. At this stage it is possible that there was still no palisade around the site.

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers and brothers: Lalement, Brebeuf, Brother Dominique Scott
Donnés: William Couture (24, odd jobs), the carpenter Charles Boivin, the pharmacist Joseph MoiIere, quartermaster Robert Le Coq, Charles Lévrier (all trades) and shoemaker Christopher Regnault (25).
Probationists: Pierre Boucher (all trades), Charles Panie (all trades)
Hired men: Claude Boucher, Francois Dornais, Guillaume Loisier, Nicolas Montreuil
Lads: Jean Amiot, Marin Lefebvre
New: a lad and Jean Geurin
Mathurin leaves. Claude Pijart spends two winters here: 1640 and 1641
Of the adolescents, Pierre Boucher was the future governor of Trois-Rivieres. One of the boys was Charles Le Moyne, who went on to defend Montreal and raise 12 sons.

1641

March 19: Ste Marie has enough corn for a year, presumably grown on their own farm.

A picture of the Crucifixion is received to join the very beautiful image of that Blessed Virgin and a picture of Joseph Anchieta. Brebeuf refers to a reliquary. This may have been one stolen from Robert Le Coq on the Ottawa River and returned to the Jesuits later.

Guillaume Couture of Rouen, arrives as a carpenter. Louis Gaubet is the blacksmith

1642

Father Claude Pijart, and Father Raymbault leave on a mission to Nipissirinians with one donné. Lalemant contemplates a mission like Ste. Marie among the Neutrals.

Father Lalemant writes of the beauty of the Chapel which he called "the wonder of the locals, though in France it would be considered a poor affair."

Father Jogues and two donnés, William Couture and Rene Goupil were captured by Mohawks. Goupil was killed, Jogues was ransomed later that year, and Couture was adopted then released.

The Iroquois attack and destroy Contarrea (southwest of Orillia).

Europeans in Huronia [33]
Fathers: [14] Lalement, Brebeuf, Claude Pijart, Raymbault, and others
Donnés: [11] Charles Boivin, Guillaume Couture, Jean Guérin, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Joseph Molere, Christophe Régnault, René Goupil
Hired men: Claude Boucher, Francois Dornais, Guillaume Loisier, Nicolas Montreuil
Lads: Jean Amiot, Marin Lefebvre, Pierre Cauchon (10) , Charles Panie
New: Nicolas Giffard, Charles Le Moyne, Pierre Cauchon (10)
Claude Boucher returns to Quebec to become a soldier; Pierre Boucher leaves

1643

June 5: 5 Frenchmen leave with the flotilla, including Jogues, Raymbault, G. Couture, and possibly Amiot and Lefebvre. They are captured by the Iroquois. Couture is released 3 years later and briefly returns to Ste. Marie. The Relations report that Iroquois attacks are common: "One may say that this country is but one scene of massacre." Huron trade and agriculture fall off.

Lalemant writes that they have: a hospital, a cemetary near the church, a Church for Public devotions, a retreat for pilgrims, and a place for infidels to hear the good word. They also have a well, chapel and crosses to mark the 4 corners of the mission.

Attacks increase against the Huron allies, by the Iroquois.

Europeans in Huronia [33]
Fathers: [14] Lalement, Brebeuf, Claude Pijart, Raymbault, (Jogues) and others
Donnés: [7] Charles Boivin, Jean Guérin, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Joseph Molere, Christophe Régnault, (René Goupil)
Hired men: [9] Claude Boucher, Francois Dornais, Guillaume Loisier, Nicolas Montreuil, and others
Lads: Pierre Cauchon, Nicolas Giffard, Ch. Le Moyne, Charles Panie
New: a hired man, Jacques Douart (lad) and another lad

1644

The Jesuits in New France are ordered to abolish the institution of donné and release the men from their contracts.

Arrival of Francois Gendron, a surgeon with 22 soldiers aremd with arquebuses to help the Hurons. Relations v.28 observes: "As Monsieur the Govenor saw that the Iroquois took or massacred nearly all who came down to the French, he gave them more than a score of brave soldiers from among those whom the Queen has sent over this year to this country. These went with them to winter in their villages, and to serve as an escort to them the following year when they should come down to Kebec." The Queen donated 100,000 francs to support the soldiers who lodged and ate with the Jesuits.

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: [12] Lalement, Brebeuf, Claude Pijart, Raymbault, Pierre Pijart, Brother Gaubert
Donnés: [11] Charles Boivin, Claude Boucher, Francois Dornais, Jean Guérin, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Guillaume Loisier, Joseph Molere, Nicolas Montreuil, Charles Panie, Christophe Régnault (25),
Laymen and Hired: [1] unknown
New: Francois Gendron
Lads: [6] Pierre Cauchon, Jacques Douart, Nicolas Giffard, Le Moyne, 2 others

1645

A commercial treaty is arranged between the Iroquois, Huron and Algonquin. The soldiers return to Kebec. Their military duties had been negligible and they may have helped with building projects. The flotilla of 60 Huron canoes is laden with beaver to the value of 30-40,000 francs. The Jesuits estimated their losses for boarding them and other expenses were 2500 francs. In all 4 flotillas float down to Quebec and Father Pierre Pijart is on one of them, the only missionary to leave that year.

- Order to abolish the donnés system is reversed.
- Jean de la Lande and Fr. Bressani leave for Huronia but are captured by Iroquois
- Brother Ambroise Brouet becomes cook.

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Chastellain, Paul Ragueneau, Francois le Mercier, Jerome Lalement, Jean de Brebeuf, Claude Pijart, Raymbault,
Donnés: Charles Boivin, Claude Boucher, Francois Dornias, Jean Guérin, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Guillaume Loisier, Joseph Molere, Nicolas Montreuil, Charles Panie, Christophe Régnault (25), Francois Gendron
Laymen and Hired: [8]
Lads: Pierre Cauchon, Jacques Douart, Nicolas Giffard, Le Moyne, 1 other (Léger (15)?)
Soldiers: [22]
New: Garneau, Chabnel, Gilles Bacon (domestic arrives before 1645, leaves 1646), Mathieu Amyot Villeneuve (16)
Probable workers/traders: Daniel Carteron, Jean le Mercier, Médart Chouart des Groseilliers, Racine, Eustache Lambert

1646

May 11: Jean Caron leaves Trois Rivieres with some calves for the mission.
August: Eustache Lambert leaves Trois Rivieres with 2 more calves
Sept: Arrival of Brother Pierre Masson, a gardener from France. He also took on the duties of Brother Scot, a tailor.

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Chastellain, Paul Ragueneau, Francois le Mercier, Jerome Lalement, Jean de Brebeuf, Claude Pijart, Raymbault, Brother Ambroise Brouet
Donnés: [12] Charles Boivin, Francois Gendron, Jean Guérin, Eustache Lambert, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Guillaume Loisier, Joseph Molere, Nicolas Montreuil, Charles Panie, Christophe Régnault,
Laymen and Hired: [8] Gilles Bacon, Daniel Carteron, Jean le Mercier, des Groseilliers, Racine, 3 others (Charles Garnier, Claude Boucher, Francois Dornias?)
Young men: Mathieu Amyot, Pierre Cauchon, Jacques Douart, one other
Nicolas Giffard and Charles Le Moyne leave.

1647

June: Jean de la Lande arrives
Sept: Lalemant leaves Quebec with Leger (15, dishwasher), Jean Pelletier (15), Pierre Bouencha (stone-mason). Desforges and Br. Pierre Masson travel to Huronia

Iroquois invasions into Huronia disrupt traffic and no supplies reach the mission from France

The carpenter Jean Guiet, arrives.

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Chastellain, Paul Ragueneau, Francois le Mercier, Jerome Lalement, Jean de Brebeuf, Claude Pijart, Raymbault,
Laymen and Hired: [5] Jean Caron (30), 3 others (Jean Amyot, Charles Garnier?)
Donnés: [15] Charles Boivin, Claude Boucher, Francois Dornais, Jacques Douart (20), Francois Gendron, Jean Guérin, Eustache Lambert, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Guillaume Loisier, Joseph Molere, Nicolas Montreuil, Charles Panie, Christophe Régnault,
Lads: [4] Mathieu Amyot
New: Pierre Bouencha, Jean Caron, Desforges, Leger, Jean Pelletier
Daniel Carteron, Jean le Mercier, Racine, des Groseilliers, & Gilles Bacon leave with Pierre Cauchon. Eustache Lambert accompanied them to Quebec before returning to Huronia.

1648

Jan 11: Chastillon, a soldier, arrives in advance of the others to let the Fathers know what is happening in Quebec. He has orders to do whatever the Superior tells him. Before leaving, he arranged for the settlement of his affairs should he be killed, and left his hat with the Jesuits in Quebec for safe-keeping. He also left behind his arquebus, which was in for repairs. The Jesuits paid for it to be fixed (7 livres, 10 sous) and sent it on to him with Jean Amyot.
July 4: Iroquois attack Teanaustaye while Father Antoine Daniel is saying mass. He is pierced with arrows and thrown from his burining chapel. The village is destroyed and most of the inhabitants die.
Aug. 6: 50-60 Huron canoes start from Trois Rivieres with 26 frenchmen: 5 fathers, one brother, 3 boys, 9 workmen, 8 soldiers, a heifer and a small cannon.
Winter: a new outpost is erected at Saint-Ignace, 8 miles SE of Ste Marie.

This is the busiest year of the mission with 19 priests, 4 lay-brothers, 23 donnés, 4 boys, 7 domestics, and 8 soldiers. However, whereas they had been situated in the midst of a thriving Huron community 10 years earlier, that was been dispersed and the fathers feel isolated and endangered.

- Murder of Jacques Douart by Hurons with an ax. He is buried in the cemetary.
- Brother Brouet’s health fails
- Father Lalemant feels they can support themselves for the most part, on their crops.

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Chastellain, Paul Ragueneau, Francois le Mercier, Lalement, Brebeuf, Claude Pijart, Raymbault,
Donnés: [17+] Charles Boivin, Claude Boucher, Jean Caron, desForges, Francois Dornais, Jacques Douart, Francois Gendron, Jean Guérin, Eustache Lambert, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Guillaume Loisier, Joseph Molere, Nicolas Montreuil, Charles Panie, Christophe Régnault, one other
Laymen and Hired: Pierre Bouencha and 3 others (Jean Amyot, Charles Garnier)
Lads: [4] Mathieu Amyot, Adrien Leger, Jean Pelletier, one other

1649

- Unrest and the large number of neophyte natives leads Ragueneau to build strong fortifications requiring a large workforce
- Iroquois invasions into Huronia make life difficult and 5 priests working away from the mission are killed by them.
- A five-year old boar is at the site (its jaw is among the remains Jury finds in the cellar). Father Ragueneau wrote that they had fish, eggs, pork and milk products available. He estimates that they have enough food to last them 3 years, despite famine among the Hurons. There is evidence that they also had hens

March 16: At Saint Louis, midway between Saint-Ignace and Ste Marie, Father Brebeuf, Father Gabriel Lalemant and 3 other Frenchmen are captured by Iroquois returning from the destruction of St-Ignace. The 2 priests are tortured and killed.
Huron warriors head to St-Louis in aid but are defeated. Within 15 days, the remaining Huron disperse to live among other tribes. 15 villages are abandoned and burned.
Spring: Saint-Ignace is attacked before it is completed.
May 15: the missionaries withdraw. All movable objects are taken to St.Joseph’s Island where the Huron survivors waited.
June 14: Ste. Marie is burned by its occupants to prevent its capture and desecration. The fathers leave for Christian Island. The chapel altar may have been under construction at the time they left.
Sept: Defosses and his brother, who had spent a year in Huronia, went down to Quebec with 747 livres weight of beaver. 9 domestics, 3 lads, and 8 soldiers, 5 priests and a brother arrive to help, possibly including Jean Guiet (carpenter), and Pierre Tourmente (stone-mason), Chastillon (in May), Jacques Caulmon, Francois Malherbe, the Desfossés brothers, (Bernar, Rolan, Louis Pinar and Michel ?). They travelled with Frs. Gabriel Lalemant, Daran, Greslon, and Brother Noirclair

[Jean Amiot, one-time mission domestic drowns in the river at Trois-Rivieres]

Europeans in Huronia
Fathers: Chastellain, Paul Ragueneau, Francois le Mercier, Lalement, Brebeuf, Claude Pijart, Raymbault, Brother Nicolas Noirclair
Donnés: [17] Charles Boivin, Claude Boucher, Jean Caron, des Forges, Francois Dornais, Francois Gendron, Jean Guérin, Eustache Lambert, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Guillaume Loisier, Joseph Molere, Nicolas Montreuil, Charles Panie, Christophe Régnault, and one other (Jacques Douart?)
Laymen and Hired: [12] Bernar, Bouencha, Caulmont, Guiet, Malherbe, Michel, Pinar, Rolan, and 5-6 others (Jean Amyot, Charles Garnier, Pierre Bouencha?)
Lads: Amyot, Le Boesme, Pelletier, one other
New: Pierre Tourmente (stone-mason?), 3 domestics, Louis le Boesme (16, lad), possibly Joliet and Coté (both lads)
Soldiers: 2 Desfossés brothers, 6 others, Chastillon (soldier)
Robert le Coq leaves with Chastillon (who marries in Nov.)
Jean Guiet, Leger leaves in spring

1650

1650 Ste. Marie under stress. May 15, the missionaries withdraw. On June 14, Ste. Marie is burned by its occupants t prevent its capture and desecration.
A 2nd Ste Marie is built on Christian Island.
Iroquois attacks and famine lead to the desertion of Ste. Marie II

Summer - About 60 Frenchmen arrive, divided in 2 groups. One group returns to New France before the naviation closes.

Europeans in Huronia:
Laymen and Donnés: [42]
Donnés: [23] Charles Boivin, Claude Boucher, Jean Caron, des Forges, Francois Dornais, Francois Gendron, Jean Guérin, Jean Guiet, Eustache Lambert, Robert Le Coq, Jacques Lévrier, Guillaume Loisier, Joseph Molere, Nicolas Montreuil, Charles Panie, Christophe Régnault, and one other (Jacques Douart?), Bernar, Michel, Pinar, Rolan
Laymen and Hired: [12] Bouencha, Caulmont, Malherbe, , and 5-6 others (Jean Amyot, Charles Garnier, Pierre Bouencha?) Pierre Tourmente
Lads: Amyot, Coté?, Joliet?, Le Boesme, Pelletier, one other
New: 60 frenchmen: Jacques Caulmont
Soldiers: 2 Desfossés brothers, 6 others
Robert le Coq leaves with Chastillon (who marries in Nov.)