Paul de Chomedey Sieur de Maisonneuve
Maisonneuve, Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de (1612-1676), the founder and first governor of Montreal, Canada. He was born in France and served in the army. The Société de Notre Dame de Montréal, a missionary society, sent him to Canada with colonists to take possession of its land grant on Montreal Island. In 1642 he founded a settlement there named Ville Marie de Montréal (now Montreal, Quebec) and became its governor. Under his leadership Montreal survived Iroquois attacks and prospered and grew. After 22 years he was removed from office by jealous superiors. He returned to France in 1665.