Alexandre Dumas (merchant)
Encyclopedia
Alexandre Dumas was a lawyer, notary
, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
.
A Huguenot
, Dumas was born in Nègrepelisse
, France
around 1726 and came to New France
in 1751 with a cousin Jean Dumas Saint-Martin as representatives of a French merchant. He was involved with the fisheries in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
and was also involved in retail trade. With a partner, he operated a grist mill on the Saint-Charles River
. He renounced his faith in 1760 to marry a Roman Catholic, Josephte Laroche, widow of Jean Requiem, a ship's captain. In 1767, with others, he obtained a lease on the seigneury of Saint-Maurice and the Saint-Maurice ironworks
. Dumas served as a captain in the militia and helped defend the town of Quebec
against the Americans
in 1775; he remained active in the militia becoming lieutenant-colonel by 1802. In 1776, he married Marie-Françoise Fornel, the daughter of Louis Fornel and the widow of Antoine-Florent Meignot. In 1778, Dumas became sole lessee of the ironworks, holding it until 1783, when the lease was taken over by Conrad Gugy
. Dumas qualified to practice as a notary in 1784; he qualified to practice as a lawyer the following year. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Dorchester County in 1796.
In 1802, he married Catherine, the daughter of Jean-Thomas Lée, a merchant whose son Thomas
later also served as a member of the legislative assembly. Dumas died at Quebec City later that year.
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
.
A Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
, Dumas was born in Nègrepelisse
Nègrepelisse
Nègrepelisse is a commune in the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France.-References:*...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
around 1726 and came to New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
in 1751 with a cousin Jean Dumas Saint-Martin as representatives of a French merchant. He was involved with the fisheries in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of Saint Lawrence , the world's largest estuary, is the outlet of North America's Great Lakes via the Saint Lawrence River into the Atlantic Ocean...
and was also involved in retail trade. With a partner, he operated a grist mill on the Saint-Charles River
Saint-Charles River
Saint-Charles River is a river of Quebec , and the main river in Quebec City. Its huron-wendat name is Akiawenrahk.-Geography:It springs from Saint-Charles Lake, follows a course of approximately 33 km and ends into Saint Lawrence River...
. He renounced his faith in 1760 to marry a Roman Catholic, Josephte Laroche, widow of Jean Requiem, a ship's captain. In 1767, with others, he obtained a lease on the seigneury of Saint-Maurice and the Saint-Maurice ironworks
Forges du Saint-Maurice
Forges du Saint-Maurice , just outside of Trois-Rivières, Quebec, is a National Historic Site of Canada, and birthplace of the country's iron industry....
. Dumas served as a captain in the militia and helped defend the town of Quebec
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
against the Americans
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1775; he remained active in the militia becoming lieutenant-colonel by 1802. In 1776, he married Marie-Françoise Fornel, the daughter of Louis Fornel and the widow of Antoine-Florent Meignot. In 1778, Dumas became sole lessee of the ironworks, holding it until 1783, when the lease was taken over by Conrad Gugy
Conrad Gugy
The Hon. Conrad Gugy J.P., M.P. , was secretary to Sir Frederick Haldimand in Lower Canada, a seigneur and political figure.-Early life:...
. Dumas qualified to practice as a notary in 1784; he qualified to practice as a lawyer the following year. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
for Dorchester County in 1796.
In 1802, he married Catherine, the daughter of Jean-Thomas Lée, a merchant whose son Thomas
Thomas Lee (notary)
Thomas Lee was a notary, merchant and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born Thomas Lée in the town of Quebec in 1783, the son of merchant Jean-Thomas Lée, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec. He articled as a notary, qualified to practice in 1805 and set up practice at Quebec. He...
later also served as a member of the legislative assembly. Dumas died at Quebec City later that year.