Joseph-François Deblois
Encyclopedia
Joseph-François Deblois was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in the town of Quebec
in 1797, the son of a merchant, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
. He served in the local militia during the War of 1812
. After his father's death in 1814, he helped his mother to run the family store while he studied law with Louis Lagueux
; Deblois was called to the bar in 1826. With his brother, he set up a herring fishery at Baie de Cascapédia in the Gaspé
region. Deblois also began practicing law in the region and set up a farm there. In 1834, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Bonaventure. A few years later, he moved his law practice to Quebec. In 1849, he was named a circuit judge for Gaspé district, which also included the Îles de la Madeleine, and settled at Percé
. He also served as president of the Société d'agriculture de Gaspé. After the post of circuit judge was abolished in 1857, Deblois retired and settled at Quebec, where he died in 1860.
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 was born in 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...
in 1797, the son of a merchant, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
Petit Séminaire de Québec
Le Petit Séminaire de Québec is a private French-language Roman Catholic secondary school in the Vieux-Québec area of Quebec City which was originally part of the Séminaire de Québec...
. He served in the local 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...
. After his father's death in 1814, he helped his mother to run the family store while he studied law with Louis Lagueux
Louis Lagueux
Louis Lagueux was a lawyer and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in the town of Quebec in 1793, the son of merchant Louis Lagueux and Louise Bégin, whose father Charles Bégin served in the legislative assembly...
; Deblois was called to the bar in 1826. With his brother, he set up a herring fishery at Baie de Cascapédia in the Gaspé
Gaspé Peninsula
The Gaspésie , or Gaspé Peninsula or the Gaspé, is a peninsula along the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada, extending into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
region. Deblois also began practicing law in the region and set up a farm there. In 1834, 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 Bonaventure. A few years later, he moved his law practice to Quebec. In 1849, he was named a circuit judge for Gaspé district, which also included the Îles de la Madeleine, and settled at Percé
Percé, Quebec
Percé is a small village near the tip of the Gaspé Peninsula in Québec. As a municipality, it is 432.39 square km in area. It has a long history of being an important seasonal fishing centre under the French...
. He also served as president of the Société d'agriculture de Gaspé. After the post of circuit judge was abolished in 1857, Deblois retired and settled at Quebec, where he died in 1860.