Louis Hébert, apothecary (ca. 1575 - 1627)
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The young Parisian apothecary* Louis Hébert answered the call of the New World in 1604, when he helped Pierre du Gua, sieur de Monts, and Samuel de Champlain build the first European settlement of North America. The Habitation, as it was called, referred to a number of wood buildings located on Sainte-Croix Island. There, Hébert looked after the health of the pioneers, and cultivated native drug plants offered by Micmac Indians. |
The settlement at Sainte-Croix Island wasn't successful. In the spring of 1605, the small colony, already greatly reduced in
number, moved to the north shore of the Baie Française, then built and settled at
Port-Royal (today Annapolis Royal, N.S.)
for about two year. Forced to move again, Champlain built a second Habitation at Québec in 1608. The latter
was destroyed by the English in 1613, so Louis Hébert returned to his Parisian apothecary shop. The lure of
Canada was strong, however, and in 1617, Louis and his family returned with Champlain to Québec, where
Hébert's "green thumb" gained him lasting fame as the first successful
farmer in what is now Canada.
 Painting by Robert A. Thom |
 Photo by Harry Palmer |
*
taken, in part, from the book «Great Moments in Pharmacy», by George A. Bender, Parke, Davis & Co., 1965.
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