Isaac Jogues, a French Jesuit missionary, born in Orleans, Jan. 10, 1607, killed by the Mohawks at Caughnawaga, N. Y., Oct. 18, 1646. He entered the Jesuit novitiate at Rouen in 1624, spent some years in teaching, studied theology in Paris, and was ordained in 1636. He had earnestly sought a foreign mission, and was sent to Canada, reaching Quebec July 2. He proceeded at once to the Huron country by the way of the St. Lawrence and Ottawa, and labored among the Hurons and Dinondadies under great danger and privations for several years. In 1642, with Father Raymbault, he penetrated westward to Sault Ste. Marie, where a number of Algonquin tribes were convened. He then accompanied a party of Hurons to Quebec to obtain supplies for the mission. On the way back they fell, Aug. 3, into an Iroquois ambuscade, and were nearly all killed or taken. The missionary was hurried away»to the Mohawk by way of Lake Champlain, subjected to mutilation of the hands, and to the running of the gauntlet at the lake and in the village. Here he saw his associate, Goupil, tomahawked at his side; and although the Dutch endeavored to release him, he was reduced to the most cruel slavery.

While he was with a fishing party on the Hudson, below Albany, his death was resolved upon by the tribe, as the defeat of a war party was ascribed to a letter sent by him to his countrymen. At Albany the Dutch commander, aware of this, urged Jogues to escape. He succeeded with great difficulty, and reached a vessel in the river in August, 1643; but the tribe made such furious demands for their captive that Jogues was taken ashore again till the Mohawks were appeased. He then came to New Amsterdam (now New York), where Gov. Kieft received him kindly, and sent him to Europe in the first vessel. This ship had to put into Falmouth, England, whence he proceeded to France. He returned to Canada in time to witness the negotiations with the Iroquois at Three Rivers, July 12, 1644. In May, 1646, he set out with M. Bourdon to confirm the peace in the Mohawk castles, and on his way visited Lake George, to which he gave the name Lac St. Sacrement. Peace being to all appearance firmly established, he returned to prepare for the founding of a Mohawk mission. He set out Sept. 27, 1646, but was received as an enemy, diseases in the tribe being ascribed to a box left by him. He and his companion, Lalande, were almost immediately put to death.

He wrote at Albany a long Latin letter describing his captivity, a description of New Netherland as he saw it, and an account of Rene' Goupil. These with his letters have been published by the New York historical society (New York, 1847-'8); also his Novum Belgium, with translation and notes (4to, New York, 1862). A life of Jogues, by the Rev. Felix Martin, S. J., appeared at Paris in 1873.