DESJORDY MOREAU DE CABANAC, FRANÇOIS (Sourdy), knight of the order of Saint-Louis, commandant of Fort Frontenac, 1696, commandant of Fort Chambly, 1711–12, town major of Trois-Rivières, 1720–26; b. 1666 at Carcassonne, France, only son of Pierre-François de Jordy and Élisabeth de Pradines; d. 1726 at Trois-Rivières.

In 1682, at the age of 16, François became a cadet in the Régiment de Besançon. Three years later, he was commissioned lieutenant and came to Canada on board the Diligente with his uncle, Joseph Desjordy de Cabanac, as an officer of the colonial regular troops en route to New France as reinforcements for Brisay de Denonville. Stationed in Montreal from 1685 to 1687 under Callière, François Desjordy Moreau may well have taken part in the ill-fated Denonville expedition against the Iroquois in 1687. He was certainly present at the defence of Quebec against Phips* in 1690, when his name appears as de Sourdy. The same name is mentioned as belonging to one of the officers participating in the Indian warfare following the repulse of Phips. Typical of the actions at this time was the expedition led by the Sieurs Claude Guillouet d’Orvilliers and Dubois* Berthelot de Beaucours to the island of Toniata (Grenadier Island, near Brockville) in 1692 in which François was one of the participants. In the same year he was mentioned in the “Rolle des Officiers qui servent en Canada” as a half-pay captain and assessed as a good officer and a brave man.

In 1694 François found himself at odds with Bishop Saint-Vallier [La Croix] For his scandalous conduct in maintaining Marguerite Dizy, wife of Jean Desbrieux, at Batiscan as his mistress, François was placed under an interdict by the bishop (not an excommunication as stated by Gosselin). After an altercation between the parish priest of Batiscan, Nicolas Foucault, and François and his uncle Joseph the matter went before the Conseil Supérieur. The Cabanac-Desbrieux affair was one of several issues which marked the strained relations between Saint-Vallier and Buade* de Frontenac. Although the interdict was maintained no action was taken against the two Desjordys. Both were friends of Frontenac, and much too well connected in France. Subsequently, however, the hot-blooded young officer was sent to cool his heels at Fort Frontenac in 1696. The same year he served as a captain under Rigaud de Vaudreuil’s command during Frontenac’s expedition against the Iroquois.

In October 1696, François received the seigneury of Des Aulnets on the Chaudière river and a month later married Anne Nolan (1674–1703), the daughter of Pierre Nolan, a merchant of Ville-Marie. Three daughters were born of this marriage. After Anne’s death in 1703, François took as his second wife, in 1705, Louise-Catherine Robinau (1677–1757), daughter of René Robinau* de Bécancour, Baron de Portneuf. Louise-Catherine brought her husband the seigneury of Îles Bouchard, and it was there that the Desjordy family raised their seven children, four of whom were sons.

Meanwhile François continued his military career. In 1709 he accompanied Ramezay’s expedition against Nicholson and in 1711–12, commanded at Fort Chambly in succession to Raymond Blaise Des Bergères. On 28 June 1718 he was awarded the cross of Saint-Louis and in 1720 he followed François Mariauchau d’Esgly as town major of Trois-Rivières. His uncle, Joseph Desjordy, had held the same appointment, 1712–1713. In 1725 an order was issued appointing François Desjordy de Saint-Georges commandant, an appointment equivalent to governor, of Trois-Rivières. Apparently the name “Saint-Georges” was added in error. It is the only instance in which this name appears as part of Desjordy’s title.

Early in 1726 François Desjordy Moreau died at Trois-Rivières, where he was buried on 16 February of that year. His widow survived him by 31 years. She died in her manor at Îles Bouchard in September 1757.

George F. G. Stanley