(see French)

Overview

French Governor of New France from 1651 to 1657, one of the most challenging times for the new colony.

A prominent lawyer in France, in 1613 Lauzon was appointed a counsellor in the Parlement. He served in several government positions, including president of the Grand Conseil, intendant of Provence, then of Guyenne, and of Dauphiné.

He had been developing interests in the colony of New France. He was a founding member and became the director of the Co-fondateur de la Compagnie des Cent Associés. Lauzon used his influence within the company to obtain land for him and his sons in the colony. By 1640, the Lauzons had become the biggest landowners in the colony. Their properties included the Island of Montreal and Île d'Orléans.

Lauzon was appointed as Governor in 1651. He moved with his three sons—including Francois, the eldest, who was a member of Parlement for Bordeaux -- to the colony. His wife had apparently died previously in France.

Sommaire

Fils de François de Lauzon, seigneur de Lirec, conseiller au Parlement de Paris le 18 juin 1581, établi a Paris et Isabelle Lottin, dame de Charny

Conseiller au Parlement de Paris le 3 fév 1613, maître des requêtes le 23 mai 1622. Intendant de Provence, de la Guyenne et du Dauphiné.

Co-fondateur de la Compagnie des Cent Associés le 29 avril 1627 et président du conseil de direction 1627-1628

Gouverneur de la Nouvelle-France du 17 jan 1651 au 26 jan 1657 (arrivé le 13 oct 1651, départ septembre 1656)

Premier concessionnaire des seigneuries Lauzon et de l'Île-de-Montréal en 1636.

Propriétaire d'une part (1/8) de la seigneurie de Beaupré et membre de la Compagnie de Beaupré.

Référence: [Roy, Jean-Edmond, Histoire de la seigneurie de Lauzon, I, Lévis 1897; Mémoires de la société historique de Montréal, 2e livraison, Montréal 1860, 58 pages; NF (VI): 35-40; DBC I 439-441]