Jean-Étienne Waddens (also Vuadens, Wadin) was born in 1738 to Adam Samuel Waddens (Vaudin) and Bernardine Ermon. He was killed during an argument with Peter Pond in 1782 at Lac La Ronge. He came to Canada as a soldier then worked in the fur trade until his death. Jean-Étienne Waddens remained in Switzerland until at least 1755, however by 1757, he was serving in the colonial regular troops of New France. In May of that year, he renounced Calvinism. He remained in the Montreal area after the city's surrender in 1760.