Joseph-François Couillard-Després (August 1, 1765 – July 17, 1828) was a farmer 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...

. He represented Devon in 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...

 from 1814 to 1820 and 1824 to 1827.

He was born at L'Islet, Quebec

L'Islet, Quebec

L'Islet is a municipality within the Regional County Municipality of L'Islet in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec, Canada.It is located on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River halfway between Quebec City and Rivière-du-Loup...

, the son of seigneur

Seigneurial system of New France

The seigneurial system of New France was the semi-feudal system of land distribution used in the North American colonies of New France.-Introduction to New France:...

 Jean-Baptiste Couillard-Després and Marie-Josette Pin. Couillard-Després served as a major in the militia during the War of 1812

War of 1812

The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...

. He was also a justice of the peace

Justice of the Peace

A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...

. In 1788, he married Marie Bélangé. He died in L'Islet at the age of 62.