Marquette Jacques (1637–1675), a French missionary and explorer. In 1673 PΓ¨re (Father) Marquette and Louis Joliet became probably the first white men to visit the upper Mississippi River. They discovered two river and portage systems linking the Mississippi and the Great Lakes, and traveled down the river as far as what is now Arkansas. Their 3,000-mile (4,800-km) canoe trip inspired La Salle to explore the Mississippi to its mouth and claim the entire river valley for France.

Marquette was born in Laon, France. He became a Jesuit priest, and at his request was sent to New France (Canada) in 1666 to become a missionary to the Indians. In 1668 he established a mission among the Huron and Ottawa Indians at what is now Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan. It became the first permanent settlement in Michigan. Marquette reestablished a mission at what is now Ashland, Wisconsin, in 1669, and founded St. Ignace. Michigan, in 1671, on the northern coast of the Straits of Mackinac.

Joliet arrived at St. Ignace in December, 1672, with orders to take Marquette as his companion on an exploration of the little-known Mississippi. In May, 1673, Joliet, Marquette, and five others paddled across Lake Michigan to Green Bay. From there they traveled up the Fox River, carried their canoes to the Wisconsin River, and went down it to the Mississippi, which they reached on June 17. Near the mouth of the Arkansas River they decided to return, being satisfied that the Mississippi emptied into the Gulf of Mexico and not the Pacific Ocean. They feared the Spanish would capture them if they continued south.

Marquette and Joliet returned to Lake Michigan by way of the Illinois River and Chicago portage. Marquette spent a year at what is now De Pere, Wisconsin, recovering his health and then returned to the Illinois River country to preach to the Illinois Indians. He became ill and decided to return to St. Ignace, but died on the way. In 1677, Indians brought his body back to St. Ignace.