Early life and education Louis Juchereau de St. Denis

monument st. denis in natchitoches, louisiana.

st. denis parents apparently able send him france further education. in late 1699, st. denis sailed la rochelle second expedition of pierre le moyne, sieur d iberville (his first cousin), arriving in louisiana. st. denis commanded small garrison @ fort de la boulaye, named commune in bourgogne region of france. fort constructed in 1700 on mississippi river 20 kilometers below future development of new orleans; designed protect french interests against spanish , english in region. st. denis commanded fort @ biloxi bay, french founded settlement. st. denis explored west of bay , mississippi river, journeyed lower red river. these expeditions northern areas brought st. denis contact karankawa , caddo tribes , taught him invaluable wilderness skills specific area.

antoine laumet de la mothe, sieur de cadillac sent st. denis , company of french marines mobile in september 1713 travel red river , establish french outpost , fort. intent protect territorial boundaries of french-louisiana , halt eastward expansion of spaniards, local government based on rio grande in south texas. spaniards building fort los adaes 15 miles west of natchitoches, near present town of robeline, la. st. denis arrived in central louisiana @ natchitoches later in 1713 , built fort st. jean baptiste de natchitoches trading post along banks of red river, course later changed , result became cane river. traded caddo nation there , freely sold them guns; additionally, st. denis developed friendly relationship nearby spaniards, despite objections of french governship. st. denis , men learned many hunting , trapping skills caddo indians, welcoming , friendly.

soon after founding natchitoches in 1714, st. denis traveled lands of hasinai confederacy, group of caddoan language tribes, , there spanish outposts on rio grande. @ san juan bautista, coahuila, commander diego ramón placed st. denis under house arrest. confiscated goods while awaiting instructions mexico city on foreigner charged violating spanish trade restrictions. in meantime, st. denis courted , won promise of marriage ramón s step-granddaughter, manuela sanchez-navarro descendant of conquistadors of provinces of nueva vizcaya , nuevo león, mexico. st. denis ordered mexico city , defended himself enough appointed commissary officer of ramón expedition charged founding spanish missions in east texas.

st. denis returned san juan bautista , married manuela in 1716. in years 1716-1717 traveled eastern texas participate in founding of 6 missions , presidio. returned san juan bautista in april 1717. death of louis xiv , conclusion of war of spanish succession resulted in ending french-spanish cooperation, , st. denis returned la louisiane. french sent st. denis mexico city second time, escaped before being hauled spain prisoner. st. denis made way natchitoches february 1719. spanish officials permitted manuela join him in 1721, , couple spent remaining years @ french outpost, le poste des cadodaquious, on red river.