Jean Talon Information
Jean Talon, Comte d'Orsainville (January 8, 1626 – November 23, 1694) was a French colonial administrator who was the first and most highly regarded Intendant of New France under King Louis XIV. During his term, from 1665 to 1668, he conducted the first census of the population of New France.
Talon attempted to change the economic base of the colony from fur-trading to agriculture, but found this could not be accomplished without a larger population. Talon, arranged for settlers to come to New France, including over 1000 women known as the filles du roi - the king's daughters. He encouraged population growth through marriage grants and baby bonuses, which was money given to a couple when they married and again when they had children.
Talon, also tried to diversify the economy by introducing new crops such as flax and hops for making beer, by starting a shipyard and lumber industry, and encouraging mining.
Contents |
Life
He was born in Châlons-en-Champagne, to Philippe Talon and Anne de Bury on January 8, 1626, and was baptised on August 1, 1626. He was very entrepreneurial as Intendant during 1665–1672, he attempted to diversify the colony's economy by encouraging agriculture, fishing, lumbering, and industry as well as the traditional fur trade. He approved Robert La Salle's plan to mount expeditions to seek a western passage to China.[1] As the first intendant to arrive in New France, Talon's mission was to boost the growth and prosperity of the remote colony by making it self-sufficient. The most innovative idea instituted by Talon was bringing around 700–900 filles du roi to New France. The filles du roi would emigrate to New France between 1663 and 1673, marry quickly, and bear children. Agents were hired to find ideal young women. Thirty livres was given for a wardrobe of two sets of clothes and 60 livres for their transport. Jean Talon's plan, with les filles du roi, tripled the population of New France within 15 years. In 1666, he conducted the first census in North America, counting 3,215 of its residents. While he succeeded in settling some 2,000 people in the colony, many of the industries that he had initiated failed when he returned to France.
Talon worked closely with lieutenant-general Prouville de Trace to achieve the surrender of the Iroquois in 1667, thereby ending the threat that had hung over the colony for 20 years. Although Talon did not join the troops in the field, at Tracy's request, he had a very large share in the success of the French army through his constant and meticulous care in placing at the disposition of the army everything that was necessary for the war, despite the poverty of the colony, the lack of roads, and the distances. Jean Talon was mostly in charge of populating la Nouvelle France. He did so successfully, bringing more than a quarter of the population of France over.
He died in France on November 29 1694. It is believed that he died from a heartattack or stroke at age 68. He was a highly respected man and loved by many, women and citizens yet he was never married. Jean studied at the Jesuit college of Clermont in Paris,[2] so his knowledge was much appreciated by King Louis XIV and Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who were to help in the colonization of New France.
He is interred at the chapel of Sainte-Catherine in the church of Notre-Dame-en-Vaux, in Châlons-en-Champagne.
Honours
Jean Talon, statue in front of the Quebec Parliament BuildingSeveral sites and landmarks were named to honour Jean Talon. They include:
- Rue Jean-Talon (Jean Talon Street), located in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada;
- The Jean Talon Building (Building 5) in Tunney's Pasture, Ottawa, Ontario (a Statistics Canada building, so named because Jean Talon conducted the first census in what is now Canada);
- The provincial electoral district of Jean-Talon, Quebec;
- Rue Jean-Talon (Jean-Talon Street), an important street of 14.01 kilometers (8.71 mi) going East-West in the city of Montreal;
- Metro Jean-Talon (Jean Talon subway station), the intersection of the orange and the blue subway lines in Montreal, Canada;
- Marché Jean-Talon, a farmer's market in Montreal.
- Rue Jean Talon in Châlons en Champagne
- Statue Jean-Talon in Châlons en Champagne
References
- ^ Francis Parkman, The Discovery of the Great West, vol 3 of France and England in North America (Boston: Little, Brown & Co., 1869), 15.
- ^ Jean Talon - Catholic Encyclopedia article
External links
| New France portal |
- Vachon, André. "Jean Talon." Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online. Toronto: University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2000.
- Chapais, Thomas. The Great Intendant: A Chronicle of Jean Talon in Canada 1665-1672. Chronicles of Canada, vol. 6, edited by George M. Wrong and H. H. Langton. Toronto: 1914. Full text from Project Gutenberg.
- Lindsay, Lionel. "Jean Talon." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 14. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912.
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| Name | Talon, Jean |
| Alternative names | |
| Short description | |
| Date of birth | 1626-01-08 |
| Place of birth | Châlons-en-Champagne |
| Date of death | 1694-11-23 |
| Place of death | France |
Categories:
- 1625 births
- 1694 deaths
- People from Châlons-en-Champagne
- Intendants of New France
- National Historic Persons of Canada
|