François Vachon de Belmont

Fifth superior of the Sulpicians at Montreal, b. at Grenoble, France, 1645; d. 1732. He went to Canada in 1680 and was appointed a missionary among the Indians of La Montagne; he filled this position until 1700, when he succeeded Dollier de Casson as superior of the order. He erected at his own expense Fort de La Montagne on the site of the present Grand Séminaire, built the old seminary which still exists in the street of Notre Dame, and began the construction of the Lachine canal. Among his writings are: “Histoire du Canada”, printed in the “Collection de mémoires et de relations sur l’histoire ancienne du Canada”, published by the Historical Society of Quebec; “Histoire de l’eau-de-vie en Canada”, printed in the above mentioned “Collection”; “Oraison funèbre de la Mère Bourgeoys”, quoted by Faillon in “Vie de la Soeur Bourgeoys”, II, 88-98; “Eloges de quelques personnes mortes en odeur de saintetá à Montréal”, and a number of memoirs still in manuscript. Mention should also be made of the funeral oration of Bishop Montmorency-Laval, first Bishop of Quebec, delivered at Montreal, June, 1708.