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Étienne Verrier (1683-1747)
Engineer
Étienne Verrier was an unusual person for three reasons:
Verrier was 61 years old in 1744. This was above average age for the eighteenth century.
He was not from noble decent, nor did he marry into a noble family, therefore his status was determined by his profession, wealth and deportment.
He came from an artistic family.
In 1707, at the age of 24 he was admitted to the engineer corps at La Rochelle. He served there and at Rochefort for the next seventeen years where he was promoted to Infantry Captain and was admitted to the Order of Saint-Louis. In 1724, he succeeded Verville as Chief Engineer at Louisbourg. Over the next twenty years he designed and supervised the completion of the landward front of the fortifications, as well as the construction of Royal and Island batteries, two lighthouses and the town gates. He was then given the title of Ingénieur du Roi (King's Engineer). In 1743, Verrier went to France on leave, returned the following year and supervised the defensive works during the siege. He was an influential member of the war council which decided to surrender the town. He returned to France after the siege and was named as Chief Engineer of the le d'Oléron. Verrier died at La Rochelle on September 10, 1747.
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