Governor François Du Bois was a key figure in the short-lived French colonial period on St. Croix during the mid-17th century. Serving as the island’s governor from approximately 1659 to 1671, Du Bois presided over a critical era of transition, settlement, and early development, helping shape the foundations of European presence on St. Croix.

Background

François Du Bois was appointed governor during the time when the French West India Company, and later the Knights of Malta, held sway over several Caribbean islands, including St. Croix. Though historical records about his early life are scarce, Du Bois emerged as a prominent colonial administrator trusted with overseeing the fragile and often difficult French settlement efforts.

Governance of St. Croix

When Du Bois took office, St. Croix was still a rugged and underdeveloped island. The Spanish had abandoned their short-lived settlement decades earlier, and the island’s dense forests and scattered indigenous communities presented both challenges and opportunities for European colonists.

Under Du Bois’ governance:

• Settlements were expanded, and plantation-style agriculture began to take firmer root.
• French settlers, including indentured servants and free colonists, established farms and homesteads across the island.
• Efforts were made to “tame” the landscape, often through burning forests to clear land for planting — a method typical of European colonization strategies in the Caribbean.

The Du Tertre map of 1671, one of the earliest known maps of St. Croix, includes an inset illustration of what is believed to be Du Bois’ grand residence. The “Governor’s Palace,” as it is sometimes called, reflected French colonial architectural influences, featuring formal gardens, a prominent house, and outbuildings — likely built near what is today the La Grande Princesse area or at Estate Judith’s Fancy.

According to local lore, in 1659, Chevalier du Bois, is said to have introduced small white-tailed deer to stock his estate park at Estate Judith’s Fancy. This anecdote implies that deer were present on the island during the mid-17th century, possibly as part of ornamental or recreational efforts by French settlers.

Connection to the Knights of Malta

Though the French colonial effort on St. Croix was initially managed by the French West India Company, it soon fell under the influence of the Knights of Malta. Philippe de Longvilliers de Poincy, a Knight of Malta and Governor General of the French Antilles, negotiated the transfer of several Caribbean islands to the Knights, including St. Croix.

Du Bois remained governor under this new authority, effectively serving the Knights while maintaining a strong French cultural influence on the island. His administration helped bridge the period between early French colonization and the eventual abandonment of St. Croix by the French in 1695.

Legacy

Governor François Du Bois’ tenure is significant for several reasons:

• He oversaw one of the earliest sustained European attempts to colonize and develop St. Croix.
• His residence — memorialized in period maps — stands as a symbol of French ambition and architectural style in the Caribbean.
• His governance helped lay the groundwork for later European interest and competition over the island, setting the stage for future Danish acquisition in the 18th century.

Though overshadowed by larger colonial powers and more dramatic conquests elsewhere, the quiet efforts of administrators like Du Bois shaped the early history of St. Croix and contributed to the island’s rich and complex heritage.