Jean-Baptiste Rousseaux 1758-1812

Photo by Wayne Adam - January 15, 2007

Plaque location courtesy of Wayne Adam

The City of Toronto
East bank of the Humber River, west of South Kingsway and north of The Queensway. Driving: from the Gardiner Exwy. or The Queensway, go north. Immediately to the west (left) you'll see a gas station. Just before the gas station, south of it, is a driveway into a small lot. Enter there and look for a driveable pathway on the far side of the lot, to the left. Follow that downhill toward the river. (A boat launch is, I believe, at the end.) Before the river, look left and you'll see a walking pathway (unpaved). Walk south on it about 25 paces, and look to the west (right). You should see the plaque there. A small side-path leads to it. If you reach a paved walking/biking trail that leads under The Queensway, you've gone too far. In summer, the plaque is obstructed from the walking path by foliage, and the side-path off of it is easily missed.

Plaque Text

Rousseaux was the first European to settle in the Toronto area. He and his father were interpreters for the Indian Department and were licensed to trade in this region. In 1787 Jean-Baptiste married Margaret Clyne, a ward of Mohawk chief Joseph Brant, and by 1791 he had built a trading post here at the Toronto Carrying Place. When Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe arrived by schooner to establish the provincial capital of York in 1793, Rousseaux piloted him into harbour. He served Simcoe's government as an interpreter thereafter. Intent on expanding his business activities, Rousseaux moved to Ancaster in 1795, where he prospered as a merchant and landowner. He fell ill and died while serving at Fort George during the War of 1812.

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