Louis Lacerte Sr. (1782-????)

​Louis Lacerte was born ca. 1780 at Ruperts Land to a Quebecoise trader named Louis Vacher Lacerte and an unknown Cree woman. He married (according to the custom of the country) Marie Martin, the daughter of Simon Martin and Louise (a Cree woman), before 1810.

During his early career, Louis worked for the North West Company, serving at Lake Winnipeg, Red River, and at Fort des Prairies between 1811-1821, until he transferred to the Hudson’s Bay Company after the merger. He was known as a “…grumbling fellow, who does his duty well”, but otherwise was a good voyageur. By 1835, he was living at Grantown, when he and his family were enumerated on the census. He was also listed on the 1838 and 1843 census for Red River settlement.

Louis was notably a participant in the Battle of Seven Oaks, serving as a warrior for Cuthbert Grant. He was accused of looting the body of Governor MacDonell, and was later seen wearing a silk sash and carrying a pocket watch owned by him.

It is unknown when Louis died, but one of his sons, also named Louis Lacerte, was later a member of Louis Riel's "Convention of Twenty-Four" and "Convention of Forty" and served in the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia.

References

• Second Provisional Government of Manitoba
• Barkwell, L. (2010). Battle of Seven Oaks, A Metis Perspective. Louis Riel Institute.
• Morin, G. (2017). Ancestors of Albert Lee Ferris [unpublished]