Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis was a famous explorer and native-born French-Canadian soldier who is known for the work he did in the development of modern-day Louisiana and Texas.
He was put in command of a small garrison on the lower Mississippi River around 1700 and also founded Fort St. Jean Baptiste de Natchitoches in northern Louisiana.
His accomplishments in Louisiana are often remembered and memorialized by the local population.
Family and Education
Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis was born at Beauport, New France(Quebec), the eleventh of the twelve children of Nicolas Juchereau (1627-1692), Seigneur du Chesnay and Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies; member of the Sovereign Council of New France.
His paternal grandfather was the elder brother of Noël Juchereau des Chatelets. His mother, Marie Thérèse Giffard de Beauport, was the daughter of Robert Giffard de Moncel, Sieur de Moncel à Autheuil, and the 1st Seigneur of Beauport, Quebec.
His brother was the grandfather of Louis Barbe Juchereau de Saint-Denys (1740-1833), 1st Marquis de Saint-Denys, ancestor of Marie-Jean-Léon, Marquis d'Hervey de Saint Denys.
St. Denis came from a long line of influencers that not only carried much influence in New France but the mother country as well.
He was sent to France to acquire a higher education, and in 1699, Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis joined his first cousin, Pierre Le Moyne, Sieur d'Iverville, and traveled to Louisiana.
Work in Louisiana
Fort de La Boulaye was constructed in 1700 on the Mississippi River, close to modern-day New Orleans. It was an important fort that would protect French interests from the Spanish and English, who were also active in the region. St. Denis commanded this important fort when he arrived in Louisiana.
He also commanded a fort at Biloxi Bay. The fort at Biloxi Bay allowed the French to explore Louisiana further and set up another settlement.
St. Denis explored west of the bay up the Mississippi River. Here, he explored the lower Red River, where he met the Karankawa and Caddo tribes.
In September 1713, St. Denis was sent to the Red River again, where he established a French outpost and fort. This fort would help protect territorial boundaries and stop eastern expansions from the Spanish.
He established another fort in 1713 along the banks of the Red River. This would aid in trading with the natives. Here, his men also learned important hunting and trapping skills from the friendly Caddo Indians. He also developed a friendly relationship with some nearby Spanish.
Rio Grande Diplomacy
Soon after founding Natchitoches in 1714, St. Denis went to the territory of the Hasinai Confederacy, a group of Caddoan language tribes. After leaving these lands, Denis traveled to the Rio Grande, where visited the Spanish outposts located along the river. However, Commander Diego Ramón captured Denis and arrested him at San Juan Bautista, Coahuila, for having violated Spanish trade "restrictions."
He confiscated his goods while waiting for the Mexico City authorities to decide how a foreigner with such charges should be treated. In the meantime, St. Denis courted Ramón's step-granddaughter, Manuela Sanchez-Navarro, a descendant of the conquistadors of the provinces of Nueva Vizcaya and Nuevo León, Mexico, and got her to promise to marry him.
Following the orders of Mexico City, Ramon ordered him to go to that city to stand trial.
However, St. Denis managed to defend his case, and the city authorities suggested he lead the Domingo Ramón expedition to East Texas, whose purpose was the founding of missions, with the title of commissary officer.
St. Denis returned to San Juan Bautista, and in the years 1716-1717, he traveled to eastern Texas to lead the Domingo Ramon expedition. Finally, the expedition founded six missions and a presidio. He returned to San Juan Bautista in April 1717.
However, at this time, Louis XIV died, and the War of Spanish Succession came to an end. This led to the breakdown of relations between France and Spain, and St. Denis left Spanish America and returned to La Louisiane. In February 1719, the French transferred St. Denis to Mexico City.
However, his stay in New Spain would have favored his capture and sending to a Spanish prison, so he decided to flee and emigrate to Natchitoches. The Spanish officers accepted his departure and allowed his wife, Manuela, to emigrate with him in 1721.
Denis and Manuela settled at Le Poste des Cadodaquious, a French fort in Texarkana, Texas, where they lived the last years of their lives.
In 1722, St. Denis was appointed commandant of Fort St. Jean Baptiste des Natchitoches.
Conclusion
During an era of ruthless use of force and backstabbing, Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis stands out as one who pursued peace and fair trade.
He had excellent relationships with the natives and exchanged information with them. Developed advantageous forts for his country that would help strengthen their position, and even developed a decent relationship with some Spanish.
Despite his struggles in Mexico City, it would seem his diplomatic ways aided him in leaving peacefully with his new wife and living a long and successful life during that time period.
There are monuments erected in his honor.
His name, "St. Denis," appears in the popular video game Red Dead Redemption 2 as a town inspired by New Orleans.