Background
Gabriel Druillettes was born on September 29, 1610 in France.
Gabriel Druillettes was born on September 29, 1610 in France.
During the ensuing eight years Druillettes endured the hardships of life among the wandering savages north of the St. Lawrence River.
In 1648 he visited Boston, partly in answer to Winthrop’s proposal of 1647 for intercolonial trade, chiefly to obtain help from New England to subdue the Iroquois Indians, whose hostilities were ruining the colony on the St. Lawrence.
Received with cordiality by the Massachusetts and Plymouth authorities, he returned to Canada to obtain official authorization for his mission.
In September 1651, with Sieur Jean Paul Godefroy, he journeyed to New Haven to appear at a meeting of the commissioners of the New England Confederation. There he plead his cause before the representatives of the four New England colonies. “M. Gabriel Drwel- lets, ” writes the chronicler, “Improved his abilities to the utmost to perswade the Commissioners that the English collonies might Joyne in the warr against the Mohauks, ” but after weighty consideration the Confederation denied his plea. This instance of intercolonial comity, however, throws a pleasing light on the character and manners of the French missionary.
After returning to Quebec in April 1652, he was on service in the neighboring missions until 1656 when he started for the West with the Ottawa Indians, but was driven back and his companion killed by Iroquois.
In 1660 Father Da- blon took Druillettes with him on an extended trip to the North by way of the Saguenay and Lake St. John. Ten years later Druillettes again essayed the voyage to the Northwest, this time successfully, and passed several years in charge of the mission at Sault Ste. Marie. There he was very popular with both white and red men, was present at the pageant of possession in Drumgoole 1671, and retired to Quebec (where he died) only when age rendered him unfit for life in the wilderness.
He had a reputation for great sanctity, he was a remarkable linguist, and a man of deep charity and self-sacrifice.
Druillettes had a reputation for great sanctity, he was a remarkable linguist, and a man of deep charity and self-sacrifice.
At one time he became totally blind because of smoke in the wigwam and sun on the snow.