L’Archevêque, Jean, 1672-1720

Born in Bayonne, France, explorer, soldier, and trader Jean L’Archevêque (1672-1720) was the son of Claude L’Archevêque and Marie d’Armagnac. While still a boy, L’Archevêque became a member of Robert de La Salle’s expedition to the Mississippi River in 1684. On February 20, 1685, the expedition erroneously landed at Matagorda Bay on the Texas coast. Following the murder of La Salle by a member of the expedition, L’Archevêque and several others lived with the Hasinai tribe for four years before requesting refuge with Spanish explorer Alonso De León. Imprisoned for approximately two and half years, L’Archevêque was released after swearing allegiance to the Spanish crown, and was permitted to return to America in 1694. Settling in Santa Fe, New Mexico, as a soldier and a scout, L’Archevêque married Antonia Gutiérrez (d. 1701), with whom he had two children. In addition, L’Archevêque fathered two illegitimate children. After retiring from the military, he gained wealth as a trader in the region. In 1720, L’Archevêque accompanied an expedition against the Pawnee tribe, during which he was killed in a surprise attack.

Source:

Blake, Robert Bruce. L’Archeveque, Jean. Handbook of Texas Online . Accessed January 28, 2011. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/flabc .

From the guide to the L’Archevêque, Jean, Items 66-072., 1684-1685, [ca. 1690], (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)