Père Marquette

Jacques Marquette, a Jesuit missionary born in 1637, stands out among the bold settlers of early French colonies in North America. His adventurous spirit and linguistic talent led him to the wilderness of the Great Lakes, where he established missions and preached to remote tribes. Fearless in the face of danger, including exposure and Iroquois raids, Marquette dedicated his life to ministering to indigenous peoples as far south as the Arkansas River until his death in 1675, embodying both compassion and courage in a harsh environment.