RANSONNIER, Jean Jacques (ran-son-yay). clergyman, born in the county of Burgundy in 1600; died in 1640. He finished his studies in Malines, entered the Society of Jesus in 1619, and at his own request was sent to Paraguay in 1625. After laboring successfully among the indians for several years, he visited the tribe of the Itatines in 1632, converted them, and became their legislator as well as their apostle. He spent the remainder of his life among them. His letters were published under the title " Litterae Annuae 1626 et 1627, provinciae, Paraguarhe, Societatis Jesu" (Antwerp, 1836). Pinelo asserts that Ransonnier's letters were merely translations from the manuscript of an Italian missionary.