Statue of Cadillac commemorating his landing in Detroit
Antoine Laumet, ditde La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac (March 5, 1658-October 15, 1730), a French explorer, was a colourful figure in the history of New France. He gave himself the name and title de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac.
Born at Les Laumets, he arrived in 1683 at Port-Royal, Acadia, where Governor Frontenac made him a lieutenant and later a captain. He moved to Quebec in 1691 and was commissioned in the Troupes de la Marine.
In 1694 he was named commander of Fort Michillimakinac in Michigan, where he stayed until 1697. He convinced Pontchartrain to found a colony at Detroit, which he commanded 1701_1710. He was removed from that post when it became apparent he was using it for his own gain. His lieutenant, Alphonse de Tonty, became the new fort commandant.
He was then named governor of Louisiana, but returned to France in 1717, where he died at Castelsarrasin. His former house is in Montreal. It is now converted into a McDonald's restaurant.
Antoine Laumet, dit de La Mothe, sieur deCadillac (March 5 1658 – October 15 1730), a French explorer, was a colourful figure in the history of New France.
Cadillac's tenure at Detroit was marked with conflict with officials in Paris and Quebec, struggles for control of trading rights and property and even one conflict with a local Native tribe.
Cadillac returned to France in June, 1717, where he was briefly imprisoned in the Bastille for speaking against John Law who represented French investors in a scheme to settle the Mississippi River valley, but was released without a trial.
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