Joseph-Hyacinthe Bellerose
Encyclopedia
Joseph-Hyacinthe Bellerose (July 12, 1820 – August 13, 1899) was a Canadian
militiaman and politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
, the Canadian House of Commons
, the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
, the Canadian Senate
and as the mayor of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
.
to father Michel-Hyacinthe Bellerose, a merchant, and mother Geneviève-Sophie Lemaître. The young Joseph attended a local Trois-Rivières school until 1833, when he began attending Séminaire de Nicolet. Educated there until 1836 or 1837, Bellerose completed his classical education at Séminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe in 1842. He began to study law in Montreal
and married Henriette Armand on October 4, 1847. After marriage, the couple moved to Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
, where Bellerose entered business and began farming. There, he joined the militia and raised twenty volunteer regiments, before his commissioning as ensign in the 2nd Battalion of Terrebonne militia on December 6, 1855. On January 29, 1857, Bellerose was made captain of the 1st Company of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul volunteer militia and on December 4 of that same year was made a brigade major. The next year, he was approached regarding a captaincy position in the 100th foot of the regular army, but declined the offer for reasons unknown. On May 22, 1861, he became brigade major of Military District No. 8 and commanding officer of the new 12th Battalion of Volunteer Militia on October 29, 1862.
for the Quebec
Legislative Assembly of Canada constituency of Laval
. Two years later, he made another attempt, and this time was successful, winning the constituency with a majority of just 94. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1867 elections
in the Quebec riding of Laval
. A Conservative
, he was re-elected in the 1872 elections
. He was also elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
, and served there on occasion at the same time as serving in the Canadian House of Commons
. In 1873, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada representing the senatorial division of De Lanaudière, Quebec.
It was due to the insistence of Bellerose that from 1877, the record of debates in the Canadian Senate
was translated into French, a reminder of his roots in Quebec
.
During his political career, Bellerose served in several other roles, including justice of the peace
, mayor of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
(at the same time as serving in the federal Senate representing a constituency) and president of the Union Navigation Company. He died in office in 1899, aged seventy-nine years and one month. Bellerose is buried in the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
parish church vault.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
militiaman and politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper Canada, then known as Canada West and later the...
, the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
, the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...
, the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
and as the mayor of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is a neighbourhood in the eastern part of Laval, Quebec, Canada. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul was a town before August 6, 1965. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is named after Vincent de Paul.- Geography :...
.
Early life
Joseph-Hyacinthe Bellerose was born on July 12, 1820 at Trois-RivièresTrois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières means three rivers in French and may refer to:in Canada*Trois-Rivières, the largest city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada*Circuit Trois-Rivières, a racetrack in Trois-Rivières, Quebec...
to father Michel-Hyacinthe Bellerose, a merchant, and mother Geneviève-Sophie Lemaître. The young Joseph attended a local Trois-Rivières school until 1833, when he began attending Séminaire de Nicolet. Educated there until 1836 or 1837, Bellerose completed his classical education at Séminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe in 1842. He began to study law in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and married Henriette Armand on October 4, 1847. After marriage, the couple moved to Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is a neighbourhood in the eastern part of Laval, Quebec, Canada. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul was a town before August 6, 1965. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is named after Vincent de Paul.- Geography :...
, where Bellerose entered business and began farming. There, he joined the militia and raised twenty volunteer regiments, before his commissioning as ensign in the 2nd Battalion of Terrebonne militia on December 6, 1855. On January 29, 1857, Bellerose was made captain of the 1st Company of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul volunteer militia and on December 4 of that same year was made a brigade major. The next year, he was approached regarding a captaincy position in the 100th foot of the regular army, but declined the offer for reasons unknown. On May 22, 1861, he became brigade major of Military District No. 8 and commanding officer of the new 12th Battalion of Volunteer Militia on October 29, 1862.
Political career
In 1861, Bellerose made an attempted entry into politics by running against Louis-Siméon MorinLouis-Siméon Morin
Louis-Siméon Morin was a Quebec lawyer and political figure.He was born in Lavaltrie, Lower Canada in 1831, the son of Joseph Morin and Félicité Peltier whose uncle was Solomon Juneau, and studied at the Collège de l'Assomption. He apprenticed in law with Côme-Séraphin Cherrier and Antoine-Aimé...
for the Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
Legislative Assembly of Canada constituency of Laval
Laval (electoral district)
Laval is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1917, 1949 to 1979, and since 2004. Its population in 2001 was 98,831.-Geography:...
. Two years later, he made another attempt, and this time was successful, winning the constituency with a majority of just 94. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1867 elections
Canadian federal election, 1867
The Canadian federal election of 1867, held from August 7 to September 20, was the first election for the new nation of Canada. It was held to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons, representing electoral districts in the provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec in the...
in the Quebec riding of Laval
Laval (electoral district)
Laval is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1917, 1949 to 1979, and since 2004. Its population in 2001 was 98,831.-Geography:...
. A Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
, he was re-elected in the 1872 elections
Canadian federal election, 1872
The Canadian federal election of 1872 was held from July 20 to October 12, 1872, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 2nd Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Sir John A...
. He was also elected to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
Legislative Assembly of Quebec
The Legislative Assembly of Quebec was the name of the lower house of Quebec's legislature until 1968, when it was renamed the National Assembly of Quebec. At the same time, the upper house of the legislature, the Legislative Council, was abolished...
, and served there on occasion at the same time as serving in the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
. In 1873, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada representing the senatorial division of De Lanaudière, Quebec.
It was due to the insistence of Bellerose that from 1877, the record of debates in the Canadian Senate
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
was translated into French, a reminder of his roots in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
During his political career, Bellerose served in several other roles, including 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...
, mayor of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is a neighbourhood in the eastern part of Laval, Quebec, Canada. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul was a town before August 6, 1965. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is named after Vincent de Paul.- Geography :...
(at the same time as serving in the federal Senate representing a constituency) and president of the Union Navigation Company. He died in office in 1899, aged seventy-nine years and one month. Bellerose is buried in the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
Saint-Vincent-de-Paul, Quebec
Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is a neighbourhood in the eastern part of Laval, Quebec, Canada. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul was a town before August 6, 1965. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul is named after Vincent de Paul.- Geography :...
parish church vault.