Company of Habitants facts for kids
The Company of Habitants (in French, Compagnie des Habitants) was a special fur-trading company. It was started in 1645 in the French colony of Canada. This company took over from an older one called the Company of One Hundred Associates. Its main job was to manage the fur trade and help settle the land.
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A New Start for New France
New France officially began in 1608 when Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec. For many years, different companies controlled the fur trade there. By 1627, the Company of One Hundred Associates took over. This company was made up of investors from France. They were supposed to send settlers to Canada every year. They also had to pay for the colony's administration. In return, they had total control over the fur trade in Canada.
However, this company often failed to send enough new settlers. Because of this, the population of New France grew much slower. It was far behind the English colonies and the Dutch colony of New Netherland.
Taking Control in Canada
A small group of business people and nobles in the colony had an idea. Leaders like Pierre Legardeur and Jean-Paul Godefroy wanted to take over. They thought they could do a better job than the Company of One Hundred Associates. Those investors were far away in France. The Canadian group wanted to manage the settlement of Canada themselves. They also wanted to profit from the fur trade monopoly.
They convinced the King of France that their plan was good. In 1645, they received a special permission, called a charter. At first, only a few important merchants and nobles in the colony owned and ran the company. They agreed to pay for shipping 20 colonists to Canada each year. They also covered all the colony's running costs. On top of that, they paid 1,000 livres worth of beaver pelts as rent.
Changes and Challenges
Not long after, things changed. Some rival Canadian lords and business people in France complained. Even one of the founders, Robert Giffard, was among them. The royal authorities in Paris became worried. They saw that a small group was making a lot of money from the fur trade. They felt this was too much wealth for a few people in a faraway place.
So, in 1647, just two years later, the King took back control. They said the original twelve owners were spending too much. A new group, called a regulatory council, replaced the old directors. This council included the Governor and other officials. Their job was to oversee the company. Soon after, anyone could buy shares in the company and join the fur trade.
Things got even worse for the company. The fur trade slowed down a lot after 1652. This happened because the French-allied Hurons were pushed west. They were fighting a war with their enemies, the Iroquois.
The End of the Company
The Company of Habitants fell into deep debt. Over the next few years, its shares were slowly sold off. Most went to the Company of Rouen in France. Control of the fur trade and the job of colonization went back to the Company of One Hundred Associates.
Finally, in 1663, King Louis XIV dissolved both companies. He then gave the rights to invest in the fur trade to the French West India Company. King Louis XIV also took direct control of the colony. He made Canada a province of France. This led to a big increase in settlement and development in Canada in the years that followed.
Key People in the Company
The Company of Habitants was first started and managed by twelve directors. They practically owned the whole company. These important people included:
- Jean Bourdon - A royal surveyor and engineer.
- François de Chavigny - A local lord (seigneur) and a lieutenant to the Governor.
- Guillaume Couillard - A seigneur and businessman.
- Mathurin Gagnon - A merchant and store owner.
- Robert Giffard - A seigneur and a master-surgeon.
- Jean-Paul Godefroy - An interpreter for Native Americans and a businessman.
- Jean Godefroy de Lintot - A seigneur and fur merchant.
- Jean Guyon - A seigneur and master mason.
- Noël Juchereau des Chastelets - A businessman and legal advisor.
- Pierre Legardeur de Repentigny - A noble, seigneur, and admiral for shipping in New France.
- Jacques Leneuf de la Poterie - A noble, seigneur, businessman, and Governor of Trois-Rivières.
- Michel Leneuf du Hérisson - A noble, seigneur, businessman, and later a high-ranking officer in Trois-Rivières.
Two years after the company began, a new regulatory council took over. This council included the Governor of New France, the Governor of Montréal, and the head of the Jesuits in Canada. They also had help from the syndics. These were local elected legal representatives from the three main towns: Québec, Trois-Rivières, and Montréal.
