Madeline de Vercheres
1678–1747
 |
| SHE WAS AS FLEET-FOOTED AS A DEER. |
Madeline de Vercheres is a minor character in history but an important one all
the same. At the young age of fourteen, she managed to frighten off an
attacking army of Iroquois Indians and, by doing so, preserved her family and
her home.
Madeline was born in Ft. Vercheres, a small settlement located in modern-day
Quebec. As a child, her home was attacked repeatedly by the Iroquois Indian
tribe, who were upset by a French alliance with the Algonquians that obliterated
their fur trade profits. During their first attack on the fort, Madeline’s
mother stood against them with only four men to assist her, and her bravery
greatly inspired her daughter. Madeline’s own victory came two years later,
when, left to care for her family while her parents were gathering winter
supplies, she spotted a horde of Indians descending on the fort. She began
firing muskets and cannons, encouraging the people to make noise and give the
impression that the settlement was well-guarded. Her courage and quick-thinking
saved the French colonizers in America.
Key events during the life of Madeline de Vercheres:
| Year |
Event |
| 1678 |
Born in Vercheres, a settlement in Canada |
| 1690 |
Iroquois Indians attacked Ft. Vercheres but were not successful |
| 1691 |
Iroquois mounted new attacks on New France |
| 1692 |
Madeline saved Vercheres from a surprise Indian attack |
| 1700 |
Her father died |
| 1706 |
Married Pierre Thomas le Tarieu |
| 1747 |
Died |
Other Resources
| Contemporary |
Short Biography |
| Hannah Dustin |
Pioneer woman who was captured by Indians, but made a dramatic escape, killing several of her captors. |
| Rene La Salle |
Dauntless adventurer who followed the Mississippi to its mouth, and claimed all for France. |
| Count Frontenac |
Governor of New France from 1672 to 1698. Expanded fur trade, and fought with British. |