Nicolas-Ignace de Beaubois: Difference between revisions

Content deleted Content added

Inline

Latest revision as of 16:25, 18 January 2023

Nicolas-Ignace de Beaubois (October 15, 1689 – January 13, 1770) was a French Jesuit priest and missionary who joined the Canadian mission in Quebec in 1719. In 1724, he became the superior of the Mississippi Valley colony and missions. In 1727, he settled in New Orleans. He returned to France in 1735, where he was an agent and fund-raiser for American missions, a minister, and an organizer of Jesuit spiritual retreats.^[1]

Early life and career

Nicolas-Ignace de Beaubois was born at Orléans, France on October 15, 1689. On October 29, 1706,^[a] Beaubois was admitted to the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), and he made his noviciate in Paris. For two years he continued philosophical studies. Beginning in the fall of 1710, he taught boys in Rennes for three years and then taught a year at Alençon.^[1]

Seeking to be ordained, he studied theology at La Flèche and continued his studies one more year after he was ordained in 1717.^[1] In 1719, Beaubois was assigned to the Canadian mission and spent some time in Quebec. He was then stationed among the Illinois Native Americans beginning in 1721. At that time the mission was under the jurisdiction of French Louisiana, with its seat in New Orleans. Beaubois pronounced the four solemn vows of the professed Jesuit at Kaskaskia on February 2, 1723.^[1]

Mississippi Valley missions

The Jesuit order designated the missions within the Mississippi valley as a distinct mission district within the Quebec diocese. Beaubois became the superior of the mission district in 1724.^[1]

Through his negotiations during a trip to France as well as with the Compagnie des Indes, he arranged for the establishment of the first girls' school in the Mississippi Valley, located in New Orleans and run by Ursuline nuns; funds for the Mississippi Valley missions' and a Jesuit house and a plantation near New Orleans.^[1] Beaubois arrived in New Orleans in March 1727 with Étienne de Périer, the new commander of the French Louisiana.^[1] Jesuits respected Beaubois's intelligence, but he lacked tact and was "too frank" according to Périer. He created friction with the Capachins, including its pastor Raphaël de Luxembourg, who had established themselves in New Orleans before the Jesuits.^[1]

In 1727, Beaubois was named vicar general by Jean-Baptiste de La Croix de Chevrières de Saint-Vallier of Quebec, but due to controversies with Capuchins about his areas of responsibility and dominion, he returned to France, arriving in July 1728. He was reinstated in March 1732, but he was recalled by his Jesuit superiors in or after 1734.^[1]

France

In 1735, Beaubois sailed back to France and lived in Bourges at the Jesuit college, where he was a fundraiser and agent for the American missions. He organized retreats based upon Ignatius of Loyola's spiritual exercises beginning in 1743 at the college of Amiens and then at the college at Vannes from 1751 until 1762, when Jesuits were suppressed in France.^[1]

Beaubois died near Avignon, France on January 13, 1770.^[1]

Legacy

Although controversial, Beaubois improved management of Mississippi Valley colony and missions,^[1] he:

established the first permanent Jesuit residence in New Orleans as a way station for Jesuit missionaries^[3]^[4]
promoted developing relationships with Native Americans
promoted revenue-producing sugar cane and indigo plantations for missions
stressed the strategic importance of the Ohio River as English settlers moved west
was instrumental in gaining royal approval for digging a canal from the edge of New Orleans to Rivière d'Orléans (Bayou St. John), which was accomplished under the Spanish regime^[1]

Beaubois Street in the Neufchâtel East–Lebourgneuf sections of Les Rivières, Quebec is named for him.^[5]

Notes

^ The Dictionary of Louisiana Biography states that he became a Jesuit on October 20, 1706.^[2]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m O’Neill, C. E. (1974). "Beaubois, Nicolas-Ignace de". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. III (1741–1770) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
^ "Dictionary of Louisiana Biography - B". Louisiana Historical Association. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
^ "History of Jesuits in NOLA". Ignatian Year NOLA. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
^ "New Orleans Province Archive". jesuitarchives.org. 2019-04-02. Retrieved 2023-01-18.
^ "Toponymie". www.ville.quebec.qc.ca. Retrieved 2023-01-18.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|French missionary}}
-{{no footnotes|date=May 2014}}
+'''Nicolas-Ignace de Beaubois''' (October 15, 1689 – January 13, 1770) was a French Jesuit priest and missionary who joined the Canadian mission in Quebec in 1719. In 1724, he became the superior of the Mississippi Valley colony and missions. In 1727, he settled in New Orleans. He returned to France in 1735, where he was an agent and fund-raiser for American missions, a minister, and an organizer of Jesuit spiritual retreats.<ref name="DCB">{{cite DCB |first=C. E. |last=O’Neill |title=Beaubois, Nicolas-Ignace de |volume=3 |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/beaubois_nicolas_ignace_de_3E.html}}</ref>
+==Early life and career==
-'''Nicolas-Ignace de Beaubois''' (October 15, 1689 – January 13, 1770) was a French Jesuit priest and missionary who joined the Canadian mission in Quebec in 1719.
+Nicolas-Ignace de Beaubois was born at [[Orléans]], France on October 15, 1689. On October 29, 1706,{{efn|The Dictionary of Louisiana Biography states that he became a Jesuit on October 20, 1706.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dictionary of Louisiana Biography - B |url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-b/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Louisiana Historical Association |language=en-US}}</ref>}} Beaubois was admitted to the Society of Jesus (the [[Jesuits]]), and he made his [[noviciate]] in Paris. For two years he continued philosophical studies. Beginning in the fall of 1710, he taught boys in [[Rennes]] for three years and then taught a year at [[Alençon]].<ref name="DCB" />
+Seeking to be ordained, he studied theology at [[La Flèche]] and continued his studies one more year after he was ordained in 1717.<ref name="DCB" /> In 1719, Beaubois was assigned to the Canadian mission and spent some time in Quebec. He was then stationed among the Illinois Native Americans beginning in 1721. At that time the mission was under the jurisdiction of [[French Louisiana]], with its seat in New Orleans. Beaubois pronounced the four solemn vows of the professed Jesuit at [[Kaskaskia, Illinois|Kaskaskia]] on February 2, 1723.<ref name="DCB" />
-Beaubois spent a training period in Quebec and began his spreading of religious doctrine among the [[Illinois Indians]] in 1721. On 2 Feb. 1723, at [[Kaskaskia, Illinois]] he took the vows of a Jesuit.
+==Mississippi Valley missions==
-Because of the expansion of the Mississippi valley missions, the Jesuits had made the area a distinct mission district within the [[Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec|diocese of Quebec]] and Beaubois  became the superior. He immediately went to France to populate and strengthen the new jurisdiction. The ''[[Compagnie des Indes]]'' was responsible for funding the parishes and missions in the ''Missio Ludovisiana'' district and he was successful in negotiating appropriate funding for future operations. He obtained authorization for the Jesuits to open a house in [[New Orleans]] and to have a plantation near the city for supplementing their operation. Beaubois also arranged to have Ursuline nuns funded to establish a girls’ school in New Orleans. This became the first girls' school in the Mississippi valley.
+The Jesuit order designated the missions within the Mississippi valley as a distinct mission district within the Quebec diocese. Beaubois became the superior of the mission district in 1724.<ref name="DCB" />
+Through his negotiations during a trip to France as well as with the Compagnie des Indes, he arranged for the establishment of the first girls' school in the Mississippi Valley, located in New Orleans and run by [[Ursulines|Ursuline nuns]]; funds for the Mississippi Valley missions' and a Jesuit house and a plantation near New Orleans.<ref name="DCB" /> Beaubois arrived in New Orleans in March 1727 with [[Étienne Perier (governor)|Étienne de Périer]], the new commander of the French Louisiana.<ref name="DCB" /> Jesuits respected Beaubois's intelligence, but he lacked tact and was "too frank" according to Périer. He created friction with the [[Order of Friars Minor Capuchin|Capachins]], including its pastor Raphaël de Luxembourg, who had established themselves in New Orleans before the Jesuits.<ref name="DCB" />
-==External links==
-* {{cite DCB |first=C. E. |last=O’Neill |title=Beaubois, Nicolas-Ignace de |volume=3 |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/beaubois_nicolas_ignace_de_3E.html}}
+In 1727, Beaubois was named [[vicar general]] by [[Jean-Baptiste de La Croix de Chevrières de Saint-Vallier]] of Quebec, but due to controversies with Capuchins about his areas of responsibility and dominion, he returned to France, arriving in July 1728. He was reinstated in March 1732, but he was recalled by his Jesuit superiors in or after 1734.<ref name="DCB" />
+==France==
-{{authority control}}
+In 1735, Beaubois sailed back to France and lived in [[Bourges]] at the Jesuit college, where he was a fundraiser and agent for the American missions. He organized retreats based upon [[Ignatius of Loyola]]'s spiritual exercises beginning in 1743 at the college of Amiens and then at the college at Vannes from 1751 until 1762, when Jesuits were suppressed in France.<ref name="DCB" />
+Beaubois died near [[Avignon, France]] on January 13, 1770.<ref name="DCB" />
+==Legacy==
+Although controversial, Beaubois improved management of Mississippi Valley colony and missions,<ref name="DCB" /> he:
+* established the first permanent Jesuit residence in New Orleans as a way station for Jesuit missionaries<ref>{{Cite web |title=History of Jesuits in NOLA |url=https://ignatianyearnola.org/about/history-of-jesuits-in-nola/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=Ignatian Year NOLA |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-04-02 |title=New Orleans Province Archive |url=https://jesuitarchives.org/collections/new-orleans-province-archive/ |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=jesuitarchives.org |language=en-US}}</ref>
+* promoted developing relationships with Native Americans
+* promoted revenue-producing sugar cane and indigo plantations for missions
+* stressed the strategic importance of the [[Ohio River]] as English settlers moved west
+* was instrumental in gaining royal approval for digging a canal from the edge of New Orleans to Rivière d'Orléans ([[Bayou St. John]]), which was accomplished under the Spanish regime<ref name="DCB" />
+Beaubois Street in the Neufchâtel East–Lebourgneuf sections of [[Les Rivières, Quebec City|Les Rivières]], Quebec is named for him.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Toponymie |url=https://www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/citoyens/patrimoine/toponymie/fiche.aspx?idFiche=278 |access-date=2023-01-18 |website=www.ville.quebec.qc.ca}}</ref>
+==Notes==
+{{Notelist}}
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
+==Further reading==
+* {{Cite book |last=O'Neill |first=Charles Edwards |url=http://archive.org/details/churchstateinfre00onei_0 |title=Church and state in French colonial Louisiana; policy and politics to 1732 |date=1966 |publisher=New Haven, Yale University Press}}
+{{Authority control}}
 {{DEFAULTSORT:Beaubois, Nicolas-Ignace De}}
@@ Line 19: / Line 46: @@
 [[Category:French Roman Catholic missionaries]]
 [[Category:Jesuit missionaries in New France]]
+[[Category:People from Orléans]]
-{{Canada-clergy-stub}}