Born in Rouen, France, November 22, 1643. Came to Canada in 1666. Founded a first settlement near Montreal. Led several expeditions on the Great Lakes and the Ohio exploration of the Mississippi, 1682. On July 24, 1684 La Salle sailed from France to establish a colony at the mouth of the Mississippi. Landed at Matagorda Bay, February 15, 1685. There established Fort St. Louis. While on his way to Canada he was murdered near the Trinity River, March 19, 1687.
La Salle's colony on Matagorda Bay gave the United States its first claim to Texas as a part of the Louisiana Purchase.
A gentleman but not a courtier, a proud independent yet timid nature, and explorer of bold vision and untiring energy. "America owes him an enduring memory, for, in this masculine figure, she sees the pioneer who guided her to the possession of her richest heritage." One of La Salle's four ships was discovered at the bottom of Matagorda Bay in 1995. "La Belle" is one of the most important shipwrecks ever discovered in North America.
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