François Vaillant de Gueslis
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François Vaillant de Gueslis (20 July 1646 – 24 September 1718) was a
Jesuit missionary, born in Orléans. He entered the Society of Jesus, on 10 November 1665, and went to Canada in 1670; and was ordained priest at Quebec, on 1 December 1675.[1]
He attempted to convert the
Thomas Dongan, the Governor of New York, that Dongan might facilitate peace between the French and the Iroquois, but negotiations were not fruitful due to Dongan's conditions and the opposition of the Huron chief Kondiaronk.[2]
He was also the first missionary to work among the
Senecas from 1702 to 1707. There he contributed not a little to defeat the efforts of Colonel Schuyler at Onondaga who was trying to induce the Five Nations to drive out the French missionaries. The two principal scenes of his missionary zeal in Canada were Quebec and Montreal. At Quebec (1685–91; 1697–1702), he filled the important posts of minister; procurator of the mission, and preacher, and at Montreal (1692–96; 1709–15), he was the first superior of the residence established by the Jesuits in 1693.[2]
He returned to France in 1715.
He died in Moulins in 1718.
References
- ^ Melançon, Arthur. "François Vaillant de Gueslis." The Catholic Encyclopedia Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. 14 January 2018
- ^ a b Campeau,Lucien. “Vaillant de Gueslis, François”, Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 2, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–
Sources
- Campeau, Lucien (1979–2016). "Vaillant de Gueslis, François". Dictionary of Canadian Biography (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
- Melançon, Arthur (1912). . In Herbermann, Charles (ed.). Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 15. New York: Robert Appleton Company.