MARQUETTE, JACQUES ( 103775). A Fro.nch missionary and explorer in America. lie was born at Laon. in France. 'When seventeen he entered the Jesuit Order, and in 1000 was sent as a missionary to Canada. There his superiors sent him to the country of the Upper Lakes, and in 1068 he founded the Alission of Sault Sainte Marie. In 1673 Marquette. who was then in charge of the newly founded mission at 'Mackinaw, was instructed to accompany Louis Joliet on his expedition, sent by the Governor, Count Frontenac, to tind the Mississippi. Seven men, in two birch eannes, set out on May 17th. They went to Green Bay, up the Fox River, the rapids of which they passed by portage, and then on to its source, where guides were obtained from au Indian village. They crossed to the Wisconsin and floated down that stream for a week. On June 17th they entered the Alississippi. on the waters of which another week was passed before they reached a village of Illinois Indians. They passed the junction of the Mississippi and Mis souri and at the mouth of the Arkansas found Indian villages, whose oecupants received them with great kindness and no little curiosity. The voyagers continued southward to latitude then, fearing lest they should he made prisoners by the Spaniards, they started on the return trip. On reaching the Illinois River they ascended it. and are supposed to have made the portage from the head of this stream to Lake Michigan, at or Ili:ay the silo of Chi cago. After an absence of four numths. and a voyage in canoes of 2550 miles, they again made Green Bay, in the latter part of Septem ber. In (defier (1074) Marquette obtained per mission from his superior to found a mission among the Illinois Indians. With ten canoes he
went to Green Bay. made a dillieult portage through the forest to Lake Michigan. and fol lowed the west shore of the lake to the Chicago River, where the party built a hut and passed the winter, as Marquette had beeome so en feebled by illness that it was impossible for hint to proceed farther. In Mardi he was angle to resume the journey. The party crossed the portage to the Illinois River, and were most hospitably received at the Indian town of Kas kaskia. Marquette's condition was so serious that his party was forced to turn homeward. They reached Lake Michigan and followed the cast ern shore toward Michilintackivac. quette did not live to reach his post, dying on May 18. 1075, near a small stream, a little south of that which now hears his name. Ile was buried in the wilderness, but in 1076 the hones were exhumed by a party of Ottawa eonverts and carried to the mission of Saint Ignace, north of Mackinaw. where they were interred beneath the door of the ehapel. Marquette was a man of singular sweetness and serenity of disposition, and his influence over the Indians was great and benefieent. 1;'or a detailed account of his voyages consult: Pa rk Ina n. Disrorery of thr (1r(•a1 (Boston. Shea, niseorrry Mid Explora tion of the 11 iRmiNsippi Volley (New York. 1852) : id., Early/ rot/arms Up and llorrn the (Sew York, 1862), containing translations from the original narratives, which will be found in full in The Jesuit Relations (Cleveland, 1896 sqq.) ; also Thwaites, father Marquctle (New York, 1902).