Jean-Jacques Olier de Verneuil

Ville-Marie (Montreal), New France (Quebec), [16-].
Jean-Jacques Olier de Verneuil

Jean-Jacques Olier de Verneuil was born in 1608 in Paris (France). Founding father of the Order of the Sulpicians, he became interested in the missions in New France after meeting Jérôme Le Royer de la Dauversière in 1639. With him and Pierre Chevrier, Baron de Fancamp, he co-founded the Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal pour la conversion des Sauvages de la Nouvelle-France (Society of Notre-Dame of Montreal for the Conversion of Savages in New France). In 1642, Olier selected Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve to found Ville-Marie (Montreal). Just before his death in 1657, he sent four Sulpicians to Ville-Marie, Gabriel de Thubières de Levy de Queylus, Dominique Galinier, Gabriel Souart and Antoine d’Allet, who succeeded the Jesuits in the fledgling colony.