Jean-Baptiste Cadot

Jean-Baptiste Cadot was born on December 5, 1723 in Batiscan, Québec. He was the son of Jean-Francois Cadot and Marie-Josephe Proteau. He was baptized on the day of his birth. His grandfather Mathurin Cadot moved to New France from France. Cadot possessed Huron ancestry from his great-grandmother, Catherine Anenontha. Many of his male relatives briefly engaged in the fur trade and used their profits to buy farm land. However, Cadot had little interest in farming, so in 1741 at age 18 he entered the fur trade as a voyageur, becoming an apprentice to Jean-Baptiste Nicolas Roch de Ramezay for a few years. He was assigned to a post on Lake Nipigon. He managed to adjust to life in the wilderness when he took Athanasie Cadot to live with him. == Settles at Sault Ste. Marie ==

In 1750 Cadot moved to Sault Ste. Marie, which had . During the same year French officers Louis Legardeur de Repentigny and Louis de Bonne settled in the region to establish a fort and small farm, which would be a resting place for French travelers and fur traders. The Frenchmen trusted Cadot to be their resident agent. Eventually Repentigny would leave Sault in 1755 for France. There are disagreements as to whether Cadot was left in charge of the land or Repentigny gave him the land. == Seven Years' War ==

Interpreter for the french He became an interpreter for the French at Sault Ste. Marie at the time of the British conquest in the Seven Years' War. Alexander Henry the elder met him and spent the winter of 1762-63 with him and Athanasie. Pontiac's War In the spring of 1763, Pontiac led an uprising against the British due to their mistreatment of the Natives. Cadot convinced the Ojibwe around Lake Superior to not join in Pontiac's War. According to Alexander Henry: == American Revolution ==

In 1765, Henry and Cadot entered into a partnership. In 1767 Cadot and Henry re-founded the post at Michipicoten. Battle of St. Louis A 1780 letter written by Patrick Sinclair to the lieutenant governor and commander of Michilimackinac stated that the Indians viewed Cadot "as a great village orator." Because of this, Sinclair decided to dispatch Cadot that year to help recruit Ojibwe and other Native Americans near Lake Superior to help in the Battle of St. Louis. Cadot was not directly involved in the battle. Although the British lost the battle they continued to trust Cadot and his skills in dealing with the natives in the area. == 1783 mission ==

In 1783, Sinclair sent Cadot along with Madjeckewiss on a mission. They were tasked with stopping a war between the Ojibwe and the Dakota and Meskwaki. == Later years ==

In 1786, Cadot largely retired from the fur trade. In 1796, he turned his property over to his sons Michel Cadotte and Jean Baptiste Cadotte Jr. Death On October 31, 1800, at Sault Ste. Marie, Cadot was on his deathbed surrounded by family, including his 13‑year‑old grandson Michel Cadotte Jr. and possibly Catherine and her children. Cadot said the documents had disappeared or been taken and begged his family to go to Montreal to obtain them to prove his land ownership. He died the next day, on November 1, 1800, at age 76. Although his death was previously believed to have occurred around 1803 to 1804, the testimony of Michel Cadotte Jr. later confirmed the 1800 date. == Personal life ==

As of 2020, there is no known portrait of Cadot. But if he was like most French Canadian voyageurs, he would have been no taller than 5 feet and 8 inches. He was likely illiterate, but he was able to send his children to school and built a successful fur‑trading business. The Ojibwe referred to him as Ke‑che‑sub‑ud‑ese, possibly meaning "Great" or "Big Jean Baptiste", according to researcher John P. DuLong, or "Great Strong One", according to author Theresa Schenck. After the birth of their daughter Marie Renée, Cadot and Athanasie traveled to Michilimackinac and were married at Sainte Anne Church on October 28, 1756. The wedding was performed by priest M. L. Le Franc. He had 5 children with Athanasie: Marie Renée (1756–1786), Charlotte (1759–1768). Jean-Baptiste Jr. (1761–1818), Michel (1764–1837), and Joseph (1767–1773). His wife’s familial connection with Madjeckewiss helped his reputation as a friend and influential figure among the Ojibwe and neighboring tribes. In May 1762, Alexander Henry began to live with Cadot and his family. Both Michel and Jean-Baptiste Jr. would later become influential traders around Lake Superior. After 1776, Cadot would marry an Ojibwe woman named Catherine. Unlike Cadot's previous marriage, this marriage was not recognized by the Catholic Church. He would have four children with Catherine: Augustin (), Charlotte (), Joseph (), and Marie (). == Legacy ==

Places named after him The village of Codette in Canada is named in honor of Jean-Baptiste Cadot. The town gained its name in 1924 after the Canadian Pacific Railway bought the townsite. In a meeting it was decided to name the village "Cadotte Station" after Jean-Baptiste Cadot, but using the variant spelling "Cadotte" that had become standard in the nineteenth century. However the paperwork to incorporate the town misspelled his name, resulting in the town’s current name. Back then it was believed that Cadot drowned in the river near the town. According to author Frank O’Brian, a street on Mackinac Island called Cadotte Avenue is named after the fur trader. In popular culture Louis-Honore Fréchette wrote a poem titled "Le drapeau Fantôme", in which Cadot dies defending the fort at Sault Ste. Marie against the English with the flag of France wrapped around him. In reality Cadot collaborated with the British and he died long after the British conquered Canada. The website for Algoma School District has a song about Cadot. Jean-Baptiste Cadot is a character in numerous historical fictional novels, including: • Adventure Westward by Eric Acland. • Michilimackinac: A Tale of the Straits by David A. Turrill. • The Conquerors: A Narrative by Allan W. Eckert. • My Heart Belongs on Mackinac Island by Carrie Fancett Pagels. • The White Islander by Mary Hartwell Catherwood.