Cadillac, Antoine Laumet de Lamothe, 1658-1730

French army officer and governor of Louisiana colony.

From the description of Antoine Laumet de Lamothe Cadillac memoir, 1692. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 79456094

Fur trader, military officer, and founder of Detroit.

Born in Les Laumets, France in 1658, Cadillac was a trader and privateer in Acadia from 1683-1691, when he moved to Québec and received a commission in the naval troops. A protegé of Frontenac, he served as commandant at Michilimackinac from 1693-1697. He established a settlement at Detroit, where he remained from 1701-1710, to prevent English expansion, and to control the fur trade with Indian tribes to the west. He served as governor of Louisiana from 1710-1717, before returning to France in 1718.

From the description of Relation du Sieur de la Motte Cadillac : capitaine en pied aiant une compagnie de la marine en Canada, cy devant commandant de Missilimakinak et autres postes eloignée ou il a eté pendant trois annees : ouvrage tres curieux, tiré sur l'original de l'auteur et non encore imprimé / par D ... D. 1718. (Newberry Library). WorldCat record id: 45369747

The founder of Detroit, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, was born in Languedoc, France in 1658, the son of Jean de la Mothe, a counselor in the parliament of Toulouse.

He came to Canada about 1683 and engaged in the fur trade. He married Therese de Guyon. In 1694 Cadillac was appointed to the command of Mackinac. In 1701 he founded Detroit and remained in command there until 1701. From 1712-1717, he was governor of Louisiana. Cadillac returned to France to become governor of Castel-Sarassen in Gascony, where he died on October 16, 1730.

From the description of Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac papers, 1658-1710. (Detroit Public Library). WorldCat record id: 277697652