Gravier, Jacques
Gravier, Jacques
(zhäk grävyā`), 1651–1708, French Jesuit missionary to the tribes of the Illinois region. He went to Canada in 1685. He was sent west to the St. Ignace mission at Mackinac in 1687 and from there (1688) to Illinois to aid Claude Jean AllouezAllouez, Claude Jean, 1622–89, French Jesuit missionary in Canada and the American Midwest. After arriving (1658) in Canada he served at posts in the St. Lawrence region until 1665, when he went to Lake Superior and founded the Chequamegon Bay mission (near present-day
..... Click the link for more information. with the tribes of that region. He succeeded (1689) Father Allouez as vicar general of Illinois. Except for three years at St. Ignace and two trips to New Orleans (1700 and 1706), Gravier spent the remainder of his life with the Illinois, putting their language into written form and preparing a grammar for it.