Peter Bisaillon was eventually forced out of the fur trade, but retired a wealthy man.
20 Facts About Peter Bisaillon
1.
2.
Peter Bisaillon came to New France with his three brothers in about 1680.
3.
Benoit Peter Bisaillon worked as a trader with the Sioux Indians for several years, then purchased land and became a farmer outside Montreal.
4.
Peter Bisaillon was thereafter banned from trading in Pennsylvania and lived out the rest of his life in Laprairie.
5.
In 1687 Peter Bisaillon entered into a partnership with Gedeon Petit and the Sieur de Salvaye, two coureurs des bois who were wanted by French authorities for breaking trading rules by trafficking with the English and so had transferred their operations to Albany from Montreal.
6.
About 1688 Peter Bisaillon arrived in Pennsylvania, "poor and miserable," and joined the trading company of Jacques Le Tort, a Huguenot refugee.
7.
Peter Bisaillon eventually went to work for the Pennsylvania Company and its manager Robert Quary.
8.
Peter Bisaillon had married a Shawnee woman and assimilated into her band.
9.
In 1708, Peter Bisaillon's goods were seized by the Admiralty Court in Philadelphia, by order of the Admiralty Judge Robert Quary, who still suspected him in his dealings with the French and Indians.
10.
Peter Bisaillon is desirous if he stays here to procure a denization from England, in which it would be kind to be helpful to him, for he is useful and accounted very honest by those who trade with him.
11.
In 1712 Peter Bisaillon was permitted to continue his trade with the Indians, with the assistance of James Logan, who had returned from England and wanted to establish a partnership with him.
12.
In 1712 Peter Bisaillon was offered a partnership with William Penn's secretary, James Logan, who was growing politically powerful while nearly monopolizing the Indian trade.
13.
Seven hundred acres was surveyed for his wife Martha Bisaillon, and Peter built a home there.
14.
Fluent in several Native American dialects, Peter Bisaillon was employed as an Unami language interpreter for the Lenape at conferences in Philadelphia in 1717,1720,1721, and 1728.
15.
Peter Bisaillon retired shortly afterwards on his estate of over 700 acres near Conoy Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
16.
Some sources state that Peter Bisaillon married a Native American woman, possibly of the Piscataway tribe, in 1697.
17.
Peter Bisaillon is referred to as Marie Therese Kouaga or Marie Therese Osunesa.
18.
In 1727 Peter Bisaillon married Martha Combe from Pennsylvania.
19.
Peter Bisaillon occasionally served as an interpreter during conferences between local tribes and the provincial authorities.
20.
Peter Bisaillon is buried at St John's Episcopal Church, in East Caln Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.