Jean de Quen
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Jean de Quen (May c. 1603 in Amiens, France – 8 October 1659, in Quebec City) was a French Jesuit missionary, priest and historian. As head of Jesuit missions of New France, he founded the missions to Saguenay. In 1647, Jean de Quen was the first European to reach the shores of Piékouagami (Lac Saint-Jean).[1]
Lac Saint-Jean
No European had as yet officially explored the entire length of the Saguenay and the large lake which appeared on a map produced in 1544, by geographer Jean Alfonse. Previous explorers' attempts at getting to the lake proved futile, because the native peoples “avoided letting the white men know about […] Lake Saint-Jean and the inland route to the Saguenay.”[2] Jean de Quen expressed a desire to visit the members of the Porcupine nation who were prevented from coming to Tadoussac because of disease. He left the Tadoussac mission on 11 July 1647, in a small bark canoe.[2] Bringing two Montagnais with him as guides, Jean de Quen travelled up the Saguenay to Chicoutimi, and took the river of the same name as far as lakes Kenogami and Kénogamishish. The group then entered Lake Saint-Jean via Belle-Rivière.[2]
Upon seeing Lac St-Jean, Quen wrote in his journal:
- "This lake is so large, that one hardly sees its banks; it seems to be round in shape. It is deep and very full of fish; they fish here for pike, perch, salmon, trout, dories, white-fish, carp, and many other kinds. It is surrounded by a flat country, terminating in high mountains, distant 3, four or five leagues from its shores. It is fed by the waters of fifteen rivers, or thereabout, which serve as highways for the small nations which are back in the country, to come to fish in this lake, and to maintain the intercourse and friendship which they have among themselves."[2]
In 1651, Father Jean de Quen founded the Ange-Gardien mission, the first permanent European settlement at Sept-Îles.[3]
Quen died of fever on October 8, 1659, and was buried at Quebec City. His remains were discovered in 1878, and were transferred to the Ursuline chapel in 1891.[4]
Legacy
The Centre d'histoire et d'archéologie de la Métabetchouane contains an exhibition discussing the life and works of Father Jean de Quen, as well as a memorial for the explorer.[5]
The AV Jean de Quen in Quebec is named for him.
References
- ^ St-hilaire, Marc (2015-03-04). "Lac Saint-Jean". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
- ^ a b c d The Explorers: Jean de Quen 1647. Canadian Museum of History. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
{{cite book}}:|work=ignored (help) - ^ Pierre-Deschenes, Claudine. "Sept-Îles", The Canadian Encyclopedia"
- ^ Monet, J., “Du Peron, Francois", Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 1, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed July 11, 2013
- ^ Métabetchouane Historical and Archaeological Center Archived 2013-09-08 at the Wayback Machine
