Joseph de Monic

Acting Governor of Plaisance, 1697-1702

Monic was born in Orléon, Béarn, in the 1650s. He served with regular troops in Flanders, Germany and Lorraine and was promoted to captain in 1686. In 1687 he came to Canada and in 1691 was promoted to the garrison adjutant at Québec. In 1693 he returned to France and in 1697 was appointed temporary governor at Plaisance (Placentia).

Although allowed to spend some of his winters in France, Monic held this post until 1702. He might have been officially appointed governor of the colony at Plaisance had it not been for his quarrels with his senior lieutenants. When Monic traded with Boston in order to overcome a food shortage, his senior lieutenants interpreted it as illicit trade. Word of this got back to the king, and in 1702 Monic was recalled to France, where he served at Rochefort. He was dubbed a knight of the Order of Saint-Louis in May 1707, but died shortly thereafter, in October, at Bayonne.

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