Until 1718 Illinois was part of Canada. In
1718 the royal government in France decided that Illinois would
become a province of Louisiana with its capitol at New Orleans.
The government put the newly created Company of the Indies in
charge of the economy of Louisiana and its provinces. The
Company was responsible for establishing a thriving fur trade
with French settlers and Indians, encouraging the discovery of
gold and silver mines, and promoting agriculture, so that the
colonies could feed themselves.
Nicholas Chassin, the royal storekeeper for the Company of the Indies, arrived in Kaskaskia on the first convoy to travel up the Mississippi from New Orleans. He came with the military commander of the Illinois country, Pierre Duque, Sieur de Boisbriant, 7 other officials, and a hundred soldiers.
As the royal storekeeper, Chassin was in
charge of the storehouse filled with goods sent from France by
the Company for the royal troops and for trade. Chassin bought
furs and farm products, such as grain or pork, from the
settlers and in return he gave them goods from the
storehouse.
© Illinois State Museum 31-Dec-96