Foundations of Leadership and Lineage

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​This section provides historical and familial context for the worldview that informs Donald J. Beaudry Jr.’s work in archaeology, systems research, and modern statecraft.

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Lineage matters because worldviews do not emerge in isolation. The way one interprets history, civilization, and human achievement is shaped over time by inherited values, lived experience, and exposure to systems of power, trade, governance, and long-term thinking.

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Archaeological interpretation is no different. Just as ancient societies preserved knowledge through families, institutions, and cultural traditions, modern inquiry is influenced by the environments and disciplines in which one is formed.

 

The Beaudry family history is presented here not as nostalgia, genealogy, or personal elevation, but as context. It provides insight into the foundations of discipline, ownership, enterprise, and systems-level reasoning that inform Donald J. Beaudry Jr.’s approach to archaeology, civilization, and the study of humanity’s deep past.

 

The sections that follow document a lineage shaped by frontier enterprise, civic leadership, global trade, and institutional development across North America, Europe, and Asia — influences that naturally converge with questions of how civilizations rise, organize, preserve knowledge, and endure across time.

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Before Nevada became a state, members of the Beaudry family were already active across the American West — financing miners, prospectors, and early enterprises that helped shape what would become the Silver State.

 

For generations, the Beaudry name has been associated with frontier investment, infrastructure building, civic leadership, and long-term thinking. From 19th-century mining, banking, and land development to modern global finance and technology, the family legacy reflects a consistent belief in ownership, discipline, and responsibility as the foundations of lasting prosperity.

 

The story that follows is one of enterprise over entitlement, construction over consumption, and leadership measured not by rhetoric, but by what is built and left behind.

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Family Background of Donald J. Beaudry Jr.

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Donald J. Beaudry Jr. descends from a family long distinguished by leadership, law, and global enterprise. Both of his parents were born and raised in Connecticut, where they developed strong values of hard work, integrity, and education — qualities that guided them throughout their lives and careers.

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From an early age, his mother was deeply involved in politics and government. She began her leadership journey as President of the Young Republicans in Connecticut and later served in the Office of the Governor. Her passion for public affairs was matched by a keen understanding of finance. She gained experience at Dean Witter — a major brokerage firm that later became part of Morgan Stanley — where she was introduced to the fast-paced world of the U.S. stock market.

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Her dedication to conservative values and community leadership earned her broad recognition within Connecticut politics. She was selected to serve as “Governor of the Day” — an honorary distinction once held by explorer Hiram Bingham, who discovered Machu Picchu in Peru. Her commitment to public service eventually inspired her to run for the United States Congress, reflecting her belief in integrity, accountability, and the principles of constitutional governance.

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Donald’s father, also a Connecticut native, served seven years with distinction in the United States Coast Guard based in San Diego, California. After completing his service, he attended law school and became an attorney specializing in international law. His early work included serving as Public Defender on the island of American Samoa, where he handled complex cross-border cases — gaining rare insight into maritime jurisdiction and international legal systems that would shape the global scope of his later career.

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His legal career soon expanded internationally. After practicing in California, he was recruited for an overseas position advertised by the Libyan Embassies in London and Washington, D.C. The post led him to Tripoli, where he was selected to advise Libya’s state-owned National Oil Company during a key period of modernization. In that role, he helped reform the nation’s energy agreements and contributed to the early framework that later evolved into Libya’s sovereign wealth structure.

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During his tenure, he also advised government officials on asset diversification and global investment strategies — particularly in London and Italy — aimed at stabilizing and expanding the nation’s economy. His work during this period reflected a forward-looking approach that many resource-rich countries would later emulate in building long-term financial independence.

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After Libya, the family lived in Europe before returning to California, where he joined Getty Oil Company as corporate counsel. His international career continued with senior positions across the Middle East and Asia, including several years in Bahrain advising on legal and energy policy.

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Later, while with Caltex in Indonesia, he worked closely with the Soeharto Government on trade and energy development. Among his contributions was helping advance Indonesia’s participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum — a milestone in the nation’s economic integration.

 

His influence extended across multiple regions. Family history recounts his involvement in the development of Kazakhstan’s Karachaganak Field Project, one of Central Asia’s largest oil and gas reserves, and in early petroleum agreements between China and Western energy firms such as AGIP, Texaco, and British Petroleum — a moment that signaled a new era of East–West cooperation.

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The China Agreement: One of the First On-Shore Petroleum Projects Between China and the West

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In the late 1990s, Donald J. Beaudry Sr. accomplished one of the most significant milestones in modern energy diplomacy — one of the earliest on-shore petroleum development agreements concluded between the People’s Republic of China and Western industry. Working directly with the Beijing Government under President Jiang Zemin, he served as lead architect and chief negotiator of the project, which brought together Texaco (U.S.), AGIP (Italy), and BP (United Kingdom) under a unified framework of cooperation with China’s national energy authorities.

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This agreement marked the first time in history that China permitted foreign participation in its on-shore resource sector. The contract, designed and structured by Donald Sr., created the legal and commercial model that would later guide decades of foreign energy collaboration across Asia.

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The signing ceremony itself was historic. It took place inside the Imperial Forbidden City in Beijing, a setting chosen by the Chinese government to symbolize the opening of a new era — the meeting of East and West within China’s most sacred imperial grounds. President Jiang Zemin, senior ministers, and leading figures from China’s petroleum and foreign affairs ministries attended the event, seated alongside Donald Sr., who represented the Western consortium.

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To commemorate the achievement, a corresponding U.S. signing ceremony was held in New York City, attended by Vice President Al Gore, underscoring the strategic and diplomatic significance of the partnership. It was recognized by both nations as a milestone in global energy relations — a breakthrough that paved the way for future East–West industrial cooperation.

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For the Beaudry family, this moment remains a profound source of pride — the embodiment of vision, intellect, and international trust. It stands as a living testament to a time when diplomacy, law, and leadership united two great civilizations through shared innovation and respect.

 

Throughout his years abroad, he also served as President of Republicans Abroad, representing American expatriates and promoting civic participation across several countries. This role reflected his lifelong dedication to law, diplomacy, and public service.

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Eventually, his career brought him to New York, where he joined Texaco in a senior legal capacity — guiding the company through a period of global expansion and complex negotiations. This chapter marked the culmination of a remarkable career that continued until Texaco’s merger with Chevron in 2001.

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For Donald Jr., this legacy is not just family history — it is a foundation of values. Growing up in a household shaped by vision, service, and global perspective, he learned early that leadership and thoughtful decision-making could reshape economies and nations. That same principle now guides his mission for Nevada: to move the state from stagnation to a new era of growth, innovation, and global relevance.

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The Beaudry Legacy: Civic Leadership and Frontier Enterprise

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According to Beaudry family history, Donald J. Beaudry Jr. descends from a distinguished lineage of statesmen, frontier entrepreneurs, and industrial pioneers whose leadership in 19th-century politics, commerce, and land development left a lasting mark on North America. His paternal ancestors — Jean-Louis, Prudent, and Victor Beaudry — are remembered within the family as influential figures in both Canadian and American frontier history, credited with helping to drive the growth of major cities, expand early infrastructure, and advance mining and real-estate development across the continent.

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Jean-Louis Beaudry: Statesman of Montreal

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Jean-Louis Beaudry is remembered within Beaudry family history as a visionary political reformer who rose to prominence during one of the most transformative periods in Canadian history. A founding member of the Société des Fils de la Liberté in 1837, he championed responsible government and greater democratic freedoms in what was then Lower Canada.

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According to family accounts, Jean-Louis’s vision extended beyond simple reform — he spoke of fostering greater regional independence and economic self-determination built on the principles of liberty and enterprise. Following the failure of the Rebellion of 1837, he fled first to New Orleans and later to Hartford, Connecticut, where he joined members of his extended family. After receiving amnesty in 1838, he returned to Montreal, resumed his commercial pursuits, and reentered public life.

 

Jean-Louis later served three terms as Mayor of Montreal, guiding the city through a period of urban expansion and modernization. Under his leadership, Montreal advanced its transportation systems, civic infrastructure, and administrative governance. 

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In 1861, Jean-Louis Beaudry and his associates co-founded the Banque Jacques-Cartier in Montreal, establishing one of the most influential early French-Canadian financial institutions of the 19th century. The bank played a critical role in financing commerce, infrastructure, and industrial growth in Quebec during a formative period in Canada’s economic development.

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As a federally chartered bank of its era, Banque Jacques-Cartier was legally authorized to issue its own banknotes, a standard practice among Canada’s early chartered banks prior to the creation of the central banking system. These privately issued notes circulated alongside government currency and represented real assets and credit — underscoring the bank’s standing, solvency, and trust within the Canadian financial system.

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Over time, the institution evolved through restructuring and consolidation. In 1900, Banque Jacques-Cartier was reorganized and renamed the Provincial Bank of Canada. Following decades of growth, the Provincial Bank merged in 1979 with the Banque Canadienne Nationale, forming what is today the National Bank of Canada, one of Canada’s largest and most enduring financial institutions.

 

According to Beaudry family records and historical accounts, members of the Beaudry family remained long-term shareholders through successive iterations of the institution, maintaining a sustained financial connection as the bank evolved into its modern form. This continuity reflects the family’s longstanding commitment to disciplined ownership, institutional stability, and long-horizon investment — principles that have defined the Beaudry legacy for centuries.

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Victor and Prudent Beaudry: Pioneers of the American West

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While Jean-Louis remained active in Canadian civic life, his brothers Victor and Prudent Beaudry ventured westward during the mid-19th-century gold and silver rushes, where they became early contributors to the growing economies of California and Nevada.

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Victor Beaudry played an important role in the development of Cerro Gordo, a remote mining settlement in the Inyo Mountains of eastern California. Starting as a merchant who supplied local miners, he gradually acquired ownership in several claims as repayment for debts. Working alongside engineer Mortimer Belshaw, he helped construct improved smelting works and introduced more efficient ore-processing techniques. Under their efforts, Cerro Gordo became one of California’s most active silver and lead producers of the late 1860s, helping supply the expanding city of Los Angeles and nearby markets.

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Prudent Beaudry, working in parallel with his civic and business interests, broadened his activities through mining investments across California and Nevada. Among his ventures was the Slate Range Gold and Silver Mining Company in San Bernardino County, California. He also formed partnerships with other mining interests throughout Nevada, contributing to the region’s early growth in trade and infrastructure.

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Family history recalls that Victor and Prudent often referred to Nevada as “The Silver State,” a reflection of both its mineral abundance and the success they found through years of work and enterprise. Through discipline and vision, the Beaudry brothers built one of the great 19th-century fortunes of the American West — a legacy defined not by wealth alone, but by perseverance, ingenuity, and civic contribution.

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Prudent Beaudry: Land, Infrastructure, and Civic Transformation

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Building on the success of his mining ventures, Prudent Beaudry became a central figure in the territorial and civic development of 19th-century Los Angeles. Through a series of strategic land acquisitions, he assembled extensive real-estate holdings across what are now Downtown Los Angeles, Pasadena, Alhambra, and the area that would later become Anaheim. At the height of his enterprise, he ranked among the largest private landowners in Los Angeles County, playing a formative role in the region’s early urban expansion and economic growth.

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As the 13th Mayor of Los Angeles (1874–1876), Beaudry oversaw a number of transformative public works projects, including modernization of the city’s water systems and the first frameworks for municipal planning. His landmark real-estate development — the Bellevue Terrace Tract — encompassed land that would later house the Los Angeles Central Library and the former Los Angeles State Normal School, a predecessor to UCLA. Today, Beaudry Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles stands as a lasting tribute to his vision and to the city’s early era of civic innovation.

 

Although many of Prudent Beaudry’s original parcels were later sold, family history maintains that certain portions of his Los Angeles holdings continued under Beaudry family stewardship for generations. Over time, the family also acquired property and investment interests in Canada, France, and Hong Kong. These enduring assets, preserved and expanded through successive generations, reflect a tradition of foresight, discipline, and long-term perspective — a quiet but enduring testament to one of North America’s pioneering lineages.

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Prudent Beaudry: The West Coast Morgan

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Prudent Beaudry served as the 13th Mayor of Los Angeles from 1874 to 1876, guiding the city through one of its most transformative eras. His tenure spanned the administrations of California Governors Newton Booth, Romualdo Pacheco, and William Irwin, a period in which California was transitioning from post–Gold Rush politics toward large-scale infrastructure development, railroads, and institutional finance. During this time, Beaudry modernized civic infrastructure, improved Los Angeles’s water systems, and advanced urban planning initiatives that helped lay the foundation for the city’s modern growth.

 

According to Beaudry family records, correspondence, and oral history, during the mid-19th century the Beaudrys maintained close business relationships with Julius Spencer Morgan, father of J. P. Morgan, and other members of the Morgan network. Both families were active in the dry-goods trade, early private banking, railroads, and long-horizon investment ventures extending from Hartford and Montreal to New York and the rapidly developing American West. Within family accounts, these relationships are remembered as having strengthened the Beaudrys’ role in trade, finance, and civic enterprise—earning them the enduring nickname “The West Coast Morgans.”

 

Based on surviving family records, regional economic data, and standard historical valuation methods used by economic historians, the combined enterprises of the Beaudry brothers—spanning land development, infrastructure, mining investments, and commercial ventures—would translate to a multi-billion-dollar family fortune in today’s terms, plausibly exceeding four billion U.S. dollars when adjusted for inflation. As with all 19th-century wealth estimates, this figure should be understood as a conservative approximation rather than a precise accounting, particularly given the long-term appreciation of land, infrastructure assets, and early-stage resource investments that were rarely marked to market at the time.

 

In the years following his mayoralty, family correspondence and internal accounts indicate that members of the Beaudry family encouraged Prudent Beaudry to consider seeking the office of Governor of California. This encouragement reflected his demonstrated fiscal discipline, executive competence, and statewide economic vision at a time when California was entering a new phase of institutional consolidation. Prudent ultimately declined further political advancement, choosing instead to focus on completing major real-estate and infrastructure projects across the Los Angeles basin—including areas that would later become Bunker Hill, Angelino Heights, and much of downtown Los Angeles. Preferring to build through enterprise rather than extended political office, he stepped away from electoral politics.

 

At the same time, the Beaudry family’s influence extended beyond California into the broader economic development of the American West. Following Nevada’s admission to the Union in 1864, and after the conclusion of the state’s first gubernatorial administration under Henry Goode Blasdel, family correspondence and later recollections suggest that Victor Beaudry was encouraged by members of the Beaudry family to consider running for Governor of Nevada. This encouragement reflected the family’s substantial financial investments in the gold and silver mining boom of northern Nevada, along with associated land holdings and commercial infrastructure. In an era when Nevada’s early governance was closely tied to mining capital and economic leadership, Victor Beaudry was viewed within family circles as a plausible prospective candidate, whose financial experience aligned with the young state’s formative economic and governance needs.

 

Prudent Beaudry’s influence endured long after his term as mayor ended. Through foresight, investment discipline, and an instinct for long-term value creation, he became known within family and regional history as “The West Coast Morgan”—a title reflecting both his association with America’s great banking families and his legacy as one of the most visionary early builders of California and the American West.

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A Legacy Reborn in Nevada

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Just as Prudent Beaudry helped shape the economic and civic foundations of 19th-century Los Angeles, Donald J. Beaudry Jr. now seeks to redefine the financial architecture of Nevada for the 21st century. The same principles of innovation, prudence, and partnership that once guided the Beaudrys and Morgans now underpin a new vision — creating a sovereign, self-funding Nevada powered by ownership rather than taxation, and by long-term investment rather than short-term policy.

 

Where Prudent built cities and infrastructure, Donald builds intelligent systems — AI-driven, market-based, and sovereign in design. Both share the same enduring Beaudry hallmark: transforming vision into structure, and structure into lasting prosperity.

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A Legacy of Vision and Land

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The Beaudry family has deep roots in American history — from shaping the early development of Los Angeles to contributing to the pioneering spirit that helped define Nevada and the American West.

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Prudent Beaudry, 13th Mayor of Los Angeles and one of the city’s largest historical landowners, helped lay the foundations for what would become downtown Los Angeles and much of its surrounding growth corridor.

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Had the Beaudry family’s historic Los Angeles landholdings remained intact, their value today would almost certainly be extraordinary. With central Los Angeles among the most valuable urban real estate markets in the world, the Beaudry portfolio would represent one of the great generational land legacies in American history.

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Such scale reflects the foresight, discipline, and enduring impact of Prudent Beaudry’s acquisitions — a legacy of building, not borrowing; of creation, not speculation.

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That same spirit of innovation and long-term vision continues today — not in land, but in technology, finance, and state-building — as I work to shape Nevada’s future with the same purpose and determination that once built the American West.

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Reflections from The Los Angeles Times

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Upon Prudent Beaudry’s passing in 1893, The Los Angeles Times published an extensive tribute recognizing his unmatched contributions to the city:

 

• "Prudent Beaudry has the record of having made, in different lines, five large fortunes."

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On his leadership and philanthropy, the paper noted:

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• "In his official capacity he was noted for his fearless honesty and his active advocacy of all measures looking for the benefit of the city. Only those who have lived in Los Angeles can form an idea of how great a debt the city owes to this unobtrusive, quietly energetic man. His wealth was always kept occupied in developing new enterprises, and thus was diffused among the poorer people. His philanthropy was of the best kind—he furnished work whereby a man could earn his livelihood."

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The Times concluded:

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• "One of the most visionary men in Los Angeles history."

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Legacy and Name Origins

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The surname Beaudry originates from Old French, signifying qualities of boldness and strength. The given name Donald is of Gaelic origin, meaning “world ruler” or “great chief,” reflecting a lineage long associated with leadership and influence.

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The Beaudry family’s earliest recorded origins trace to the Côte d’Azur in southern France — particularly the historic region of Occitanie and the Principality of Monaco. During the 13th century, this Mediterranean corridor served as a nexus of commerce, diplomacy, and maritime power, where prominent families maintained close ties across Provence and the Riviera. Archival records note that early branches of the Beaudry line were active in this region alongside other distinguished houses, including those connected to the Grimaldi dynasty of Monaco — reflecting shared geography, influence, and enduring association.

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Over the following centuries, the Beaudrys expanded northward into Normandy before migrating to North America. By the 17th century, they had established roots in Montreal, Canada, and later in Connecticut — laying the foundation for a transcontinental legacy of civic leadership, enterprise, and public service that continues to the present day.

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In a continuation of that heritage, Donald’s wife, Kadek Grimaldi Beaudry, carries a name that honors the historic Grimaldi lineage — a graceful reflection of the family’s enduring connection to the elegance, discipline, and noble traditions of southern France and Monaco.

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The Silver State — Nevada

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During the height of the 19th-century mining boom, Prudent and his brother Victor supplied miners across California and Nevada with essential tools, equipment, and provisions — often in exchange for a share of whatever silver or gold they discovered.

 

Family accounts recall that it was during this period Prudent began referring to Nevada as “The Silver State” — a name born not just from the precious metal itself, but from the spirit of risk, reward, and enterprise that defined its early pioneers.

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While many of their ventures yielded little or nothing, a few proved extraordinarily successful, generating fortunes that helped establish the Beaudry brothers among the most prosperous builders of the American West.

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Historical Links

 

The Beaudry family helped shape North America through politics, enterprise, and community building — from early banking and silver and gold mining to the landmark land acquisitions that made Prudent Beaudry one of the largest landowners in Los Angeles County history. These connections reflect both the achievements of past generations and the modern legacy carried forward today by Donald J. Beaudry Jr. and Kadek Grimaldi Beaudry.

 

From pioneers of mining, banking, and city building in the 19th century to innovators in AI and global finance in the 21st, the Beaudry legacy endures — a story of vision, adaptation, and generational progress.

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Prudent Beaudry 

Link 1   Link 2   Link 3    Link 4  

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Victor Beaudry

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The Beaudry Block Los Angeles

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Jean-Louis Beaudry

Link   Link 2 

Video Jean-Louis Beaudry

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Jacques-Cartier Bank

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Cerro-Gordo Mines California

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Beaudry Tower: Hong Kong

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Beaudry Tower: Los Angeles

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Beaudry Tower — Los Angeles

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Standing tall in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, Beaudry Tower is a 64-story residential skyscraper located at 960 West 7th Street — completed in 2023 and currently recognized as the tallest residential building in California. Developed by Brookfield Properties, the tower was named in honor of Prudent Beaudry, the 13th Mayor of Los Angeles and one of the city’s earliest civic visionaries.

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As one of the largest and tallest residential towers on the West Coast, Beaudry Tower stands alongside other major regional landmarks such as Trump International Las Vegas — one of the tallest residential buildings on the West Coast and the home base of Donald and Kadek Beaudry today.

 

The site on which Beaudry Tower rises lies within the area once developed and owned by Prudent Beaudry during his extensive 19th-century real-estate ventures. Today, the tower serves as both a modern architectural landmark and a tribute to the pioneering foresight that helped transform Los Angeles into a global city.

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Beaudry Tower stands as a contemporary symbol of the family’s enduring legacy — a bridge between historic civic leadership and modern urban innovation, linking the city’s past to its ever-evolving skyline.

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Modern Legacy

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BlkEdgeAi — Black Edge Artificial Intelligence

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Founded by Donald J. Beaudry Jr. and Kadek Grimaldi Beaudry, BlkEdgeAi is a next-generation financial technology firm specializing in AI-driven hedge fund development, model optimization, and advanced system engineering projects in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense.

 

Combining decades of market experience with cutting-edge artificial intelligence, BlkEdgeAi represents the continuation of a long Beaudry tradition — building systems that shape economies, redefine industries, and bridge the frontier between human intelligence and machine precision.

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Today, Donald J. Beaudry Jr. carries forward the Beaudry legacy of vision and leadership — advancing it through global finance, technology, and public service as a candidate for Governor of Nevada in 2026.

 

(Left)

Mr & Mrs Donald J. Beaudry Jr. 

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Donald Jr's - Parents

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