Jacques Gravier

Jacques Gravier (17 May 1651 – 17 April 1708) was a French Jesuit missionary in the New World. He founded the Illinois mission in 1696, where he administered to the several tribes of the territory. He was notable for his compilation of the most extensive dictionary of Kaskaskia Illinois-French among those made by French missionaries. In 1705 he was appointed Superior of the mission.

Gravier was born in 1651 in Moulins, Allier, France. He became well educated with the Jesuits, entering the Society of Jesus in the fall of 1670. He made his novitiate at Paris.

From 1672-1680, Gravier taught and tutored in the Jesuit schools of Hesdin, Eu, and Arras. He then studied philosophy at the Collège Louis-le-Grand in Paris (1678–79). After teaching, he returned there for his studies in theology (1680–84). After his third year of theology, Gravier was ordained a priest. Upon completing his studies, he set out for Canada, where he would be a missionary. He studied and taught at the college in Quebec, and then spent a year at Sillery studying Algonquin (1685–86).

Father Gravier carried out important tasks for the Jesuits in New France, including the founding of the Illinois mission. Such a mission was first proposed by Father Jacques Marquette.

When Gravier arrived in New France, he first studied at the seminary at Sillery, then studied the Algonquin language during 1685-1686. In 1687 he was called westward to the Ottawa tribes.

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