Joliet, Fr. zho-le-a'

jo'li-et, Fr. zho-le-a' (1645-1700), an American explorer. He was born at Quebec of French parentage. He was educated at the Jesuit College of that city, and engaged in the American fur trade. In 1673 he was sent by Governor Frontenac to obtain more definite information relative to the lower course of the Mississippi. He set out with a party of seven, including the adventurous Father Marquette. The party traveled in canoes by way of Green Bay, the Fox, and the Wisconsin. They descended the Father of Waters as far as a point below the mouth of the Arkansas. They returned to Lake Michigan by way of the Illinois and Chicago. Joliet returned to Quebec alone. He lost his journal in the rapids of the St. Lawrence. The world is indebted to Marquette's narration for the details of the journey, which, be it remembered, was 2,500 miles by canoe. The French government granted Joliet the Island of Anticosti in the St. Lawrence. Here he built a stockade, intending to embark in trade with the natives, but in 1691 the British captured his island and destroyed his property. A few years later a grant of land in Canada was made him. Joliet, Illinois, was named in his honor. See Marquette; La Salle