th - century ▁French ▁priest ▁and ▁mission ary ▁who ▁served ▁in ▁Ac ad ia , ▁the ▁French ▁province ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁modern ▁north - e astern ▁Canada . ▁He ▁participated ▁in ▁King ▁William ' s ▁War ▁against ▁English - led ▁forces ▁in ▁Ac ad ia . ▁ ▁Mission ary ▁La ▁Place ▁was ▁bapt ised ▁with ▁the ▁name ▁Jean ▁at ▁Rou en ▁in ▁Norm andy ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 6 5 7 ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Rec ol lets ▁in ▁south - west ▁France ▁between ▁ 1 6 7 3 ▁and ▁ 1 6 7 5 . ▁He ▁was ▁ord ained ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 6 7 9 ▁at ▁S ens ▁in ▁Y onne , ▁taking ▁the ▁name ▁Simon - G ér ard ▁on ▁joining ▁the ▁order . ▁He ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁a ▁mission ary ▁to ▁New ▁France ▁and ▁land ed ▁at ▁Quebec ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁August ▁ 1 6 8 3 , ▁initially ▁stay ing ▁at ▁the ▁Con vent ▁of ▁Notre - D ame ▁des ▁An ges . ▁At ▁some ▁point ▁after ▁ 1 6 8 8 , ▁La ▁Place ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁Med uct ic ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁as ▁a ▁mission ary ▁to ▁the ▁Mal ise et ▁First ▁Nation . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁known ▁mission ary ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁Saint ▁John ▁River . ▁ ▁La ▁Place ▁was ▁considered ▁a ▁sk illed ▁mission ary , ▁described ▁by ▁contempor aries ▁as ▁a ▁" very ▁cons cient ious ▁man , ▁who ▁only ▁concerns ▁himself ▁with ▁the ▁affairs