François-Étienne Cugnet

François-Étienne Cugnet (1688 – August 19, 1751) was a lawyer and merchant in New France. He was director of the Domaine d'Occident in New France.[1]

He was the son of Jean-Baptiste Cugnet, dean of the faculty of law of the Université de Paris, and Madeleine Baudin. Around 1717, he married Louise-Madeleine Dusautoy. In 1719, he went to New France. Cugnet was administrator for the Domaine du Roi or King's Posts, a large territory on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence. In 1730, he was named to the Conseil Supérieur. Cugnet was a partner in the Saint-Maurice ironworks. When the ironworks failed, he was pursued by the company's creditors and was forced to declare personal bankruptcy in 1741.[1]

Cugnet became owner of the seigneury of Saint-Étienne in 1737. From that year until 1749, he held the lease on the Tadoussac trading post.[1]

He died at Quebec City in 1751.[1]

His oldest son François-Joseph wrote several books on New France's legal system and also was official translator during the time of Governor Guy Carleton. His son Thomas-Marie also served on the Conseil Supérieur and was an agent for the Compagnie des Indes.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Nish, Cameron (1974). "François-Étienne Cugnet". In Halpenny, Francess G. Dictionary of Canadian Biography. III (1741–1770) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
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