Gravier, Jacques

Gravier, Jacques zhäk grävyāˈ [key], 1651–1708, French Jesuit missionary to the tribes of the Illinois region. He went to Canada in 1685. He was sent west to the St. Ignace mission at Mackinac in 1687 and from there (1688) to Illinois to aid Claude Jean Allouez with the tribes of that region. He succeeded (1689) Father Allouez as vicar general of Illinois. Except for three years at St. Ignace and two trips to New Orleans (1700 and 1706), Gravier spent the remainder of his life with the Illinois, putting their language into written form and preparing a grammar for it.

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