Jean de Lauson

Who was Jean de Lauson?

Jean de Lauzon or de Lauson was the 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 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. All three sons married into other founding families of the colony after having been set up with various lands and positions within the area. The establishment of Lauzon's family in the colony was probably intended to inspire confidence amongst the settlers and encourage agriculture in addition to the fur trade. He was the first governor to pursue this type of policy.