He was a Jesuit missionary, a personal friend and companion of Father Marquette, and an account of his labors on the Upper
Lakes is contained in the Jesuit Relation of 1671. He was Superior of the
Missions in that region and an earnest and hard working man. He
took part in an expedition for the survey of Lake Superior, which resulted
in a valuable and curious map of the region, and made this report in regard to
the copper mines: "A day's journey from the head of the lake on tbe south
side there is a rock of copper, weighing from a six hundred to eight hundred pounds
lying on the shore, where any who pass may see it; and he further
speaks of the great copper boulders found in tbe bed of the river Ontonagan.
His principal fields of operation as a missionary were at tbe Saute de Ste.
Marie and at the head of Green Bay. He was the man who said that the
region of Green Bay was an earthly paradise, but that tbe way to it was as
difficult as tbe path to heaven-alluding to the rapids of Fox river. With
regard to the name of Michigan, he wrote it Mitchiganon; and in speaking of the success which had attended his labors as a missionary in conjunction with those of
Allouez and Marquette, he rejoiced that his holy faitb was established among the Indian tribes; and he had good hope tbat they would soon carry it to the famous river ca1led the Mississippi, and perhaps even to the South Sea.
Source of Information: Biographical History of Michigan E.B. Smith & Co. 1871
