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Peter Bisaillon
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Peter Bisaillon
Peter Bisaillon (also Bezellon, Bizaillon, and other spellings), (baptized Pierre) (c. 1662 – 18 July 1742) was a New France fur trader and interpreter who spent most of his career in Pennsylvania engaged in trade with Native American communities. Bisaillon and other coureurs des bois dominated the Pennsylvania fur trade during the late 17th and early 18th century, as they were skilled hunters and trappers and had established good relations with local Native American tribes. Bisaillon and his colleagues were regarded with suspicion by Pennsylvania authorities, however, and he was frequently accused and jailed on false or minor charges. He was eventually forced out of the fur trade, but retired a wealthy man.
Bisaillon was born in Saint-Jean-d'Aubrigoux, diocese of Clermont, Auvergne, (dept. of Haute-Loire) France to Benoit Bisaillon (b. 1638) and Louise-Françoise Blaise Dublay (b. 1642). He came to New France with his three brothers (Étienne, Benoit, and Michel) in about 1680. He and his brothers were probably inspired to move to Canada by the example of their cousin Mathieu Faye (1641-1695), who was serving in the Carignan-Salières Regiment in Quebec.
Étienne Bisaillon purchased land in Laprairie outside Montreal in November, 1682 and all four brothers occupied themselves in trading with various native tribes. Étienne began trading in 1683 with the Odawa and became a wealthy landowner with a home in Montreal, although he frequently entered into debt to pay for equipment and supplies on his trading journeys. He was killed by Iroquois Indians at Laprairie on 25 September 1697.
Benoit Bisaillon worked as a trader with the Sioux for several years, then purchased land and became a farmer outside Montreal. In June 1700 he drowned while traveling in a canoe between Laprairie and Montreal.
Michel Bisaillon was involved in fur trading between Detroit and New York, and eventually partnered with his brother Peter in Pennsylvania trading. His association with the English fur trade raised questions in Montreal about his loyalty to France. Hoping to clear his name with French authorities, Michel used his trade relationship with the Illinois Indians to mobilize their support for the French. At the beginning of the First Fox War in 1715 he led hundreds of Illinois warriors to aid the French in an attack on the Meskwaki. He was thereafter banned from trading in Pennsylvania and lived out the rest of his life in Laprairie.
Some sources also refer to a Louis Bisaillon, a Claude Bisaillon, and a Richard Bisaillon.
In February 1686 Pierre (Peter) Bisaillon was one of twenty-five men who went with Henri de Tonti to search for René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle at the mouth of the Mississippi, but they could not locate him. They returned up the river and established the Arkansas Post, the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley, where traders would exchange French goods with the local Quapaw for beaver furs. They then returned to Montreal.
In 1687 Bisaillon entered into a partnership with Gédéon Petit and the Sieur de Salvaye, (Pierre Salvaye Tremont) two coureurs des bois who were wanted by French authorities for breaking trading rules by trafficking with the English and so had transferred their operations to Albany from Montreal (where Salvaye had served as an ambassador and Petit had managed a brothel). In a letter from New York dated 4 July 1687, Governor Thomas Dongan wrote to a Seneca chief:
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Peter Bisaillon
Peter Bisaillon (also Bezellon, Bizaillon, and other spellings), (baptized Pierre) (c. 1662 – 18 July 1742) was a New France fur trader and interpreter who spent most of his career in Pennsylvania engaged in trade with Native American communities. Bisaillon and other coureurs des bois dominated the Pennsylvania fur trade during the late 17th and early 18th century, as they were skilled hunters and trappers and had established good relations with local Native American tribes. Bisaillon and his colleagues were regarded with suspicion by Pennsylvania authorities, however, and he was frequently accused and jailed on false or minor charges. He was eventually forced out of the fur trade, but retired a wealthy man.
Bisaillon was born in Saint-Jean-d'Aubrigoux, diocese of Clermont, Auvergne, (dept. of Haute-Loire) France to Benoit Bisaillon (b. 1638) and Louise-Françoise Blaise Dublay (b. 1642). He came to New France with his three brothers (Étienne, Benoit, and Michel) in about 1680. He and his brothers were probably inspired to move to Canada by the example of their cousin Mathieu Faye (1641-1695), who was serving in the Carignan-Salières Regiment in Quebec.
Étienne Bisaillon purchased land in Laprairie outside Montreal in November, 1682 and all four brothers occupied themselves in trading with various native tribes. Étienne began trading in 1683 with the Odawa and became a wealthy landowner with a home in Montreal, although he frequently entered into debt to pay for equipment and supplies on his trading journeys. He was killed by Iroquois Indians at Laprairie on 25 September 1697.
Benoit Bisaillon worked as a trader with the Sioux for several years, then purchased land and became a farmer outside Montreal. In June 1700 he drowned while traveling in a canoe between Laprairie and Montreal.
Michel Bisaillon was involved in fur trading between Detroit and New York, and eventually partnered with his brother Peter in Pennsylvania trading. His association with the English fur trade raised questions in Montreal about his loyalty to France. Hoping to clear his name with French authorities, Michel used his trade relationship with the Illinois Indians to mobilize their support for the French. At the beginning of the First Fox War in 1715 he led hundreds of Illinois warriors to aid the French in an attack on the Meskwaki. He was thereafter banned from trading in Pennsylvania and lived out the rest of his life in Laprairie.
Some sources also refer to a Louis Bisaillon, a Claude Bisaillon, and a Richard Bisaillon.
In February 1686 Pierre (Peter) Bisaillon was one of twenty-five men who went with Henri de Tonti to search for René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle at the mouth of the Mississippi, but they could not locate him. They returned up the river and established the Arkansas Post, the first European settlement in the lower Mississippi River Valley, where traders would exchange French goods with the local Quapaw for beaver furs. They then returned to Montreal.
In 1687 Bisaillon entered into a partnership with Gédéon Petit and the Sieur de Salvaye, (Pierre Salvaye Tremont) two coureurs des bois who were wanted by French authorities for breaking trading rules by trafficking with the English and so had transferred their operations to Albany from Montreal (where Salvaye had served as an ambassador and Petit had managed a brothel). In a letter from New York dated 4 July 1687, Governor Thomas Dongan wrote to a Seneca chief:
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