Nicolas-Ignace de Beaubois

rdf:langString Nicolas-Ignace de Beaubois

rdf:langString 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* DE BEAUBOIS est né le 14 octobre 1689 à Orléans, baptisé le 15 octobre 1689 à Orléans (Saint-Donatien) (Loiret, 45234). Ses parents sont Jean DE BEAUBOIS [Jean+, procureur fiscal & Esmée BÉZARD, d/s le 8 juin 1663 à Châtilloon-sur-Loire (Saint-Maurice] (Loiret, 45087)], maître, procureur fiscal au châtelet d'Orléans & Anne DOULCERON, mariés le 5 mars 1685 à Orléans (Saint-Éloi). Ses grands-parents maternels sont Pierre DOULCERON (Ithier+ & Anne DUCLOUX), et Anne CHARTON (Nicolas & Anne+ FARIOLLE), mariés à Orléans (St-Éloi), le 27-11-1662. Réf.: Lise DANDONNEAU, généalogiste. 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. Because of the expansion of the Mississippi valley missions, the Jesuits had made the area a distinct mission district within the 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.