Person

Taffanel de la Jonquière, Jacques-Pierre de, Marquis de la Jonquière

1685-1752

Jacques-Pierre de Tafannel de la Jonquière was born near Albi, France, in 1685. He joined the French navy in 1697, where he rose through the ranks and was made a captain in 1731. La Jonquière was promoted to rear-admiral of the French navy and appointed as governor general of New France in March of 1746. En route to Quebec, he was taken prisoner and only took up his post as governor general in 1749 after his liberation by the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748). During his tenure as governor general, he confronted increasing boundary encroachments by the British in the region of Acadia and British smuggling activity. He oversaw the construction of five forts, including Fort Rouillé on the southern shore of Lake Ontario (built in 1750 or 1751), which was designed to intercept traffic by Indigenous traders destined for the British trading post at Oswego, New York. La Jonquière is believed to have had significant ties to the fur trade, despite his political position. He died while in office on 17 March 1752.

Étienne Taillemite, “TAFFANEL DE LA JONQUIÈRE, JACQUES-PIERRE DE, Marquis de LA JONQUIÈRE,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 3, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed January 20, 2021, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/taffanel_de_la_jonquiere_jacques_pierre_de_3E.html.