Canada in the Seventeenth Century Canada in the Seventeenth Century: From the French of Boucher (1883) from the French of Boucher (1883)

Much of the biographical information about Pierre is sketchy and uncertain. Pierre Boucher was born in Normandy about 1620, the son of Gaspart Boucher, a public official who served the King of France, and who in 1634 or 1635 emigrated to Quebec, New France. Much of his early education was received from the Jesuits. Young Pierre followed in his father’s footsteps as a soldier and civil servant in the new colony. For his exemplary public service and as a defender of the fort of Three Rivers during a nine-day siege by Indians in 1653, Pierre was named Governor of the settlement. He ably served in that capacity during 1652-ca. 1658 and 1662-ca. 1667. During this time, France paid scant attention to its North American colony and it barely held onto its existence. Eventually it was virtually abandoned by its motherland and reduced to a barest survival. It was clear to Pierre Boucher that France did not recognize the value of its colony in terms of its vast wealth of natural resources, and how these could better developed both for the benefit of the colony and its homeland.–Henry M. Reeves.