Marquette Jacques 1637-1675 Born At Laon In The North Of France

Joined the Society of Jesus about 1654, and sailed for Canada, 1666.

Sent to the Upper Lakes, 1668, and stationed at La Pointe, near the

western end of Lake Superior, 1670. Here he heard from the Illinois of a

great river flowing far to the south, and was filled with an ardent

desire to explore it. His opportunity came two years later, when he was

chosen by the Intendant Talon to accompany Louis Jolliet on his

memorabl exploration of the Mississippi, 1673. Descending the river to

the mouth of the Arkansas, and satisfying themselves that it flowed

neither into the Atlantic nor the Gulf of California, but into the Gulf

of Mexico, they returned to Green Bay, arriving in Sept. 1673. Marquette

remained at the mission of De Pere until 1675, when he established a

mission at Kaskaskia, on the Illinois. His strength had been broken by

the difficult journey of 1673, and on his return from Kaskaskia to

Michilimackinac, died on the shore of Lake Michigan, May 18, 1675. In

the winter of 1676 his bones were brought to Michilimackinac and buried

there. =Index=: (Count Frontenac era) Accompanies Jolliet in his explorations, 155. (Bishop Laval era)

One of the founders of mission at Sault Ste. Marie, 11; follows course

of Mississippi, 11, 146; accompanies Jolliet in his explorations, 59;

his death, 146. (Wolfe / Montcalm era) Descends the Mississippi with Jolliet, 19. =Bib.=:

Shea, Discovery and Exploration of the Mississippi Valley; Griffin,

Discovery of the Mississippi; Parkman, La Salle; Breese, Early

History of Illinois; Sparks, American Biography, ser. 1, vol. 10.