Jean de Quen

Jean de Quen (May in Amiens, France – 8 October 1659, in Quebec City, Canada) was a French Jesuit missionary, priest and historian. As head of Jesuit missions of New France, he founded the mission to Saguenay. In 1647, Jean de Quen was the first European to reach the shores of Piékouagami (Lac Saint-Jean).

Early life Born , in Amiens, Picardy, Jean de Quen was about 17 years old when he joined the Jesuits on 13 September 1620. He taught for three years at the Collège in Eu and then left for New France. He arrived in Quebec City on 17 August 1635, where he taught at the College of Quebec, which opened the same year for Franch and First Nations boys. He taught there for two years before joining the Sillery mission, an initiative aimed at educating the Native peoples. He later left the mission and went back to Quebec to minister to the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-la-Recouvrance. After a fire destroyed the school, chapel, and Jesuits’ residence in 1640, he resumed his service in Sillery and moved on to a Trois-Rivières post, where he was involved in the establishing another mission.

In 1640, he went back to Sillery and concerned himself with the hospital, Hôtel-Dieu. There, he wore himself down but recovered quickly and was sent to the Trois-Rivières residence. He returned the following year to Sillery and was in charge of that mission centre for eight years (1642–1649). He fulfilled a very active ministry there, which brought him into contact with First Nations individuals from multiple locations, more particularly Montagnais people, whose language he learned with proficiency. De Quen expressed a desire to visit the members of the Porcupine Nation, who were prevented from coming to Tadoussac because of disease. He left the Tadoussac mission on 11 July 1647, in a small bark canoe.

He died of fever on October 8, 1659, and was buried at Quebec City. His remains were discovered in 1878, and were transferred to the Ursuline chapel in 1891.

Legacy The Centre d'histoire et d'archéologie de la Métabetchouane contains an exhibition discussing the explorer's life and works, as well as a memorial for him.

Avenue Jean-de-Quen in Quebec City is named after him.