Pélissier, Christophe (1728-c. 1799)

Director of St. Maurice ironworks.

Immigrated to Quebec as king’s scrivener (c. 1752). Director of St. Maurice ironworks (1767); bought out most of his partners (1771). Sympathized with American Revolution. Supplied Continental troops with ammunition and cannon balls from his forge and advised Continental Congress on strategy during American invasion of Canada (1775-76). Failure of American invasion forced him to give up residence in Quebec. Appointed engineer with rank of lieutenant colonel (1776); served at Ticonderoga under Philip Schuyler. Returned to Lyons, then briefly to Quebec (1778). Apparently resided in France thereafter.

Son of François-Christophe and Agathe Martaud (La Rigaudière) Pélissier of Lyons. Married (1) Marthe Baudouin (1758); had issue. Married (2) Marie-Catherine Delezenne (1775). She left him soon afterwards and went to live with Pierre Fabre Laterrière, the inspector of the St. Maurice ironworks. When Pélissier returned to Quebec in 1778, he had his wife abducted and imprisoned; upon her escape, he had Laterrière arrested for collaborating with the Americans. Marie-Catherine refused to return to her husband; she and Laterrière were finally married in 1799.