Career
Born at Gannat in Allier, Louisiana Gravière entered the service under the name Jurien Desvarennes as a novice pilot on the corvette Louisiana Favorite in May 1786. Volunteer aspirant on the frigate Louisiana Flore 29 November 1787, aspirant, 1st class, and ship-of-the-line ensign on the corvette L"Espérance on November 1791 and January 1793, he was named ship-of-the-line lieutenant on 6 Vendémiaire, year III, and captain of a frigate on 24 Nivôse, year VI. He participated in the Entrecasteaux expedition, which Louis XVI and the Constituent Assembly directed to search for the earlier Louisiana Pérouse expedition, as well as conduct scientific research in the Pacific Ocean. In the year XI, he commanded Louisiana Franchise during the Léogane Affair.
In his report, the vicomte de Rochambeau, general-in-chief of the Army of Saint-Domingue, made note of him as an officer distinguished by his intelligence and bravery and demanded he receive the rank of ship-of-the-line captain, which was granted on the 13th of Ventôse.
In the year XII, he was made a French legionnaire in Pluviôse and an officer of the order on 25 Prairial. He received the latter again in February 1809.
He fought in 1809 at the battle of Sables-d"Olonne, employing three frigates to force the retreat of six British ships-of-the-line. On 5 July 1814, Louisiana Gravière was named a knight of Saint Louis.
On 13 November of that year, he was the commander of a division which went from Rochefort in order to take possession of Île Bourbon.
On 10 February 1815, he reached the cape. On 6 April, he installed the new governor of the island. And on 27 August, he moored in the Roadstead of Brest.
Made a Commander of the Order of Saint Louis on 22 May 1825, he commanded the French station for the Antilles and the Gulf of Mexico.
He was one of the commanders of the Baron Mackau"s expedition to Haiti which forced it to provide reparations to former French slave owners from the island. He was named on 7 January 1827 as the naval prefect of the 4th arrondissement and on 5 November as the president of the electoral college of Charente.
He was the father of another French admiral, Edmond Jurien de la Gravière. He died in Paris on 14 January 1849.