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 deLaMothe, sieur deCadillac (March 5, 1658 – October 15, 1730), a French explorer, was a colourful figure in the history of New France.
Born at Les Laumets in the hamlet of St. Nicolas dela Grave, in Gascony, he arrived in 1683 at Port-Royal, Acadia, where Governor Frontenac made him a lieutenant and later a captain.
Cadillac's name lives on in General Motors' luxury Cadillac automotive line, the town of Cadillac, Michigan, and in Cadillac Mountain on Mount Desert Island in Maine.
Cadillac arrives at Mobile and it is not long until the same traits of character that had involved him in trouble in Detroit began to manifest themselves in Louisiana.
Cadillac soon grows jealous of Bienville's popularity and sends him on an expedition against the Natchez Indians, who had murdered some Frenchmen near their village (now Natchez, Miss.) By arbitrary actions Cadillac alienates the Indian tribes with whom Bienville had established friendly relations.
Cadillac's notion of government is to have a large and well disciplined army so he could command the respect of the inhabitants and the Indians by force.
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