Pierre de Lauzon  Pierre de Lauzon (known as "Gannenrontié" among the Iroquois) (bapt. September 13, 1687, Leignes-sur-Fontaine, Vienne, France—September 5, 1742, Quebec) was a noted eighteenth-century Jesuit missionary in New France. Although sometimes mentioned as Jean, in his official acts he invariably signed Pierre. From 1732 to 1739 he was superior of all the Jesuit missions in Canada. Lauzon was the son of lawyer Pierre de Lauzon and his wife Marguerite Riot. After classical studies at the Jesuit college in Poitiers, he entered the novitiate with the Jesuits at Bordeaux on November 26, 1703. He studied logic and physics in Limoges, 1705 to 1707, and was a professor from 1707 to 1710. After a third year studying philosophy in Limoges, he taught rhetoric there until 1712. He then studied theology in Bordeaux, and, four years later, was ordained a priest. After ordination Lauzon was sent to Canada, in 1716. From 1716 to 1718 he was Father Pierre-Daniel Richer's assistant at the mission at Lorette. There he studied the Huron and Iroquois languages. He did missionary duty at Sault St. Louis (Caughnawaga) from 1718 to 1731. He made his solemn profession of the four vows at Sault St. Louis on February 2, 1721. He was absent from Sault St. Louis only for the scholastic year 1721-22, when he replaced Father François Le Brun as instructor in the royal school of hydrography in the college at Quebec, as the exhausting labours of the mission had undermined his health. The Caughnawaga Iroquois clamoured for his return, and on May 12, 1722 they formally petitioned Governor Philippe de Rigaud Vaudreuil and Intendant Michel Bégon to that effect. There were other grievances mentioned in the petition as well. The Iroquois felt that the proposed reestablishment of a French garrison in the settlement was an insult to their loyalty and a danger to their wives and daughters. Rigaud feared that the Indians would abandon their alliance with the French and perhaps even go over to the English. It was Lauzon who had earlier prevented two-thirds of the Indians from moving away and settling within easy reach of the English, and therefore Rigaud urged the superior to send him back.