Jérôme Lalemant | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Jérôme Lalemant

Jérôme Lalemant, Jesuit missionary (b at Paris, France 27 Apr 1593; d at Québec City 26 Jan 1673), brother of Charles Lalemant. He arrived in Canada in 1638 and was named superior of the Huron mission.

Lalemant, Jérôme

Jérôme Lalemant, Jesuit missionary (b at Paris, France 27 Apr 1593; d at Québec City 26 Jan 1673), brother of Charles Lalemant. He arrived in Canada in 1638 and was named superior of the Huron mission. He completed the first census of a native nation, introduced donnés (lay workers) and in 1639 centralized operations at Ste Marie Among the Hurons, a fortified headquarters and model community. Author of Relations des Jésuites, 1639, 1644, and much of the Journal des Jésuites, he was superior at Québec 1645-50. In 1649 the Huron mission was destroyed, and in 1656 he returned to France and taught at La Flèche college. Recalled as superior at Québec from 1659-65, he helped resettle Huron refugees near Québec.