French:
Glossary:
Mail:
The Business Life of Joseph Lartigue
Joseph Lartigue was born in Gascony, France. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, he settled in Plaisance, Newfoundland as a merchant and habitant-pêcheur. In 1713, with the Treaty of Utrecht, Newfoundland was given to the English and like his fellow settlers, Lartigue was exiled.
In the autumn of 1714, Joseph Lartigue established himself in Louisbourg and continued with his commercial career. His business included the import and export of goods from the colony, keeping him in frequent contact with France, the West Indies, Canada and New England. Lartigue made a rather large profit from his involvement with the fishing industry as well. He had many fisherman in his employ, making him one of the most important habitant-pêcheurs in Louisbourg.
In 1719, Joseph Lartigue became a member of the Superior Council of Louisbourg. In 1731, Lartigue was named garde des sceaux. This position required him to affix the royal seal to edits, graces, and ordinances issued by the authorities. The highest point of his career occurred in 1734, when he was nominated as judge of civil and criminal cases of the Bailliage Royal in Louisbourg. He occupied this position until his death in 1743.