Maurice-Régis Blondeau
Encyclopedia
Maurice-Régis Blondeau was a fur trader, militia officer, and office holder in Canada.
Blondeau was born into a merchant family from Montreal
in New France
. He became associated with the fur trade and spent his early career specializing in trade with natives of the Illinois area.
In 1757, during the French and Indian War
, he went into the employee of Joseph-Michel Cadet , who was purveyor general with the French forces in New France, and spent a year at Fort St. Frédéric
at Lake Champlain. After 1863 he made a successful foray into the west, visiting Fort La Reine
and Fort Dauphin, two original La Vérendrye forts. He then organized trading trips to Grand Portage
and Fort Michilimackinac
for his father. His trading parties and partnerships grew larger and so did his wealth.
Blondeau became an important businessman in Montreal and was actively involved in a variety of real estate endeavors. He partnered with Joseph Quesnel
on a number of business ventures. He was also a captain in the militia and a justice of the peace. Maurice-Régis was also a founder of the Beaver Club in Montreal.
Blondeau was born into a merchant family from Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
in New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
. He became associated with the fur trade and spent his early career specializing in trade with natives of the Illinois area.
In 1757, during the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, he went into the employee of Joseph-Michel Cadet , who was purveyor general with the French forces in New France, and spent a year at Fort St. Frédéric
Fort St. Frédéric
Fort St. Frédéric was a French fort built on Lake Champlain at Crown Point to secure the region against British colonization and to allow the French to control the use of Lake Champlain....
at Lake Champlain. After 1863 he made a successful foray into the west, visiting Fort La Reine
Fort La Reine
Fort La Reine was built in 1738, one of the forts of the western expansion directed by Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de La Vérendrye, first military commander in the west of what is now known as Canada. Located on the Assiniboine River where present day Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, stands, the...
and Fort Dauphin, two original La Vérendrye forts. He then organized trading trips to Grand Portage
Grand Portage, Minnesota
Grand Portage is an unorganized territory in Cook County, Minnesota, on Lake Superior, at the northeast corner of the state near the border with northwestern Ontario. The population was 557 at the 2000 census...
and Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac
Fort Michilimackinac was an 18th century French, and later British, fort and trading post in the Great Lakes of North America. Built around 1715, it was located along the southern shore of the strategic Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, at the northern tip of the lower...
for his father. His trading parties and partnerships grew larger and so did his wealth.
Blondeau became an important businessman in Montreal and was actively involved in a variety of real estate endeavors. He partnered with Joseph Quesnel
Joseph Quesnel
Joseph Quesnel was a French Canadian composer, poet, and playwright. Among his works were two operas, Colas et Colinette and Lucas et Cécile; the former is considered to be the first Canadian opera....
on a number of business ventures. He was also a captain in the militia and a justice of the peace. Maurice-Régis was also a founder of the Beaver Club in Montreal.