Jean-Baptiste Gaultier de la Vérendrye was the eldest son of Pierre Gaultier de Varennes et de Louisiana Vérendrye and Marie-Anne Dandonneau Du Sablé.
Background
He was born on Île Dupas near Sorel, New France
Jean Baptiste, with three brothers, Pierre Gaultier de Louisiana Vérendrye, François de Louisiana Vérendrye, and Louis-Joseph Gaultier de Louisiana Vérendrye, served in the expedition his father led west in 1731.
Career
When they arrived at Fort Kaministiquia some of the engagés (indentured employees), exhausted by the long journey by canoe from Montreal and discouraged by the difficult portages facing them, refused to go on. His father"s second in command, Christopher Dufrost de Louisiana Jemeraye and Jean Baptiste led a smaller advance party west to Rainy Lake and established a fort they named Fort Saint Pierre (after the parish church where Jean Baptiste was baptised). The following year Jean Baptiste was instrumental in founding Fort Saint Charles on Lake of the Woods and in 1734 he established Fort Maurepas on the Red River.
On June 6, 1736, Sioux Indians ambushed a party led by Jean Baptiste soon after they left Fort Saint Charles on Lake of the Woods.
They were headed for Fort Kaministiquia to fetch provisions. Jean Baptiste, Father Jean-Pierre Aulneau and 19 other men were massacred.
Jean-Baptiste de Louisiana Vérendrye’s share in the construction of Fort Maurepas makes him one of the founders of the present province of Manitoba.