Joseph-Édouard Turcotte
Encyclopedia
Joseph-Édouard Turcotte (October 10, 1808 – December 20, 1864) was a lawyer and political figure in Canada East
.
He was born in Gentilly
, Lower Canada
in 1808. He studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet. In 1831, he lost his right arm in an accident. Deciding not to pursue a future in the priesthood, he studied law with Elzéar Bédard
and was called to the bar in 1836. He practice law at Quebec City
and then Trois-Rivières
. He became a supporter of Louis-Joseph Papineau
and supported the parti patriote. In 1841, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Saint-Maurice
; he opposed the union of the Canadas. He was forced to resign because he had accepted two government posts, but was reelected in an 1842 by-election; he was defeated in 1844. He was named solicitor general for Canada East in 1847 but was forced to resign in 1848 after two unsuccessful attempts to gain a seat in the assembly. In 1851, Turcotte was elected again in Saint-Maurice; in 1854, he was elected in Maskinongé
as a Reformer
. He served as mayor of Trois-Rivières from 1857 to 1863. In 1858, he was elected to the assembly for Champlain
, now as a member of the parti bleu
; in 1861, he was elected in Trois-Rivières
. He served as speaker from 1862 to 1863. He was reelected in Trois-Rivières in 1863 and served until his death in Trois-Rivières in 1864.
Turcotte also played an important role in the economic development of the region, including railway links and the founding of a college there. He owned and was of the Journal des Trois-Rivières from 1847 to 1853.
His son Arthur
served as a member in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec
and his son Gustave-Adolphe-Narcisse
was a member of the Canadian House of Commons. His daughter Marie-Louise married Ernest Pacaud
, a Quebec lawyer and journalist.
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
.
He was born in Gentilly
Gentilly, Quebec
Gentilly is a community a couple minutes away from the city of Bécancour, Quebec. It is one of the major population centres within the city. Among other things, it is also home to Gentilly Nuclear Generating Station....
, 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...
in 1808. He studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet. In 1831, he lost his right arm in an accident. Deciding not to pursue a future in the priesthood, he studied law with Elzéar Bédard
Elzéar Bédard
Elzéar Bédard was a lawyer and a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. He later became a judge.He was born at Quebec City in 1799, the son of Pierre-Stanislas Bédard...
and was called to the bar in 1836. He practice law at Quebec City
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...
and then Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
. He became a supporter of Louis-Joseph Papineau
Louis-Joseph Papineau
Louis-Joseph Papineau , born in Montreal, Quebec, was a politician, lawyer, and the landlord of the seigneurie de la Petite-Nation. He was the leader of the reformist Patriote movement before the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837–1838. His father was Joseph Papineau, also a famous politician in Quebec...
and supported the parti patriote. In 1841, he was elected to 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...
for Saint-Maurice
Saint-Maurice (electoral district)
Saint-Maurice was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1892 and from 1968 to 2004....
; he opposed the union of the Canadas. He was forced to resign because he had accepted two government posts, but was reelected in an 1842 by-election; he was defeated in 1844. He was named solicitor general for Canada East in 1847 but was forced to resign in 1848 after two unsuccessful attempts to gain a seat in the assembly. In 1851, Turcotte was elected again in Saint-Maurice; in 1854, he was elected in Maskinongé
Maskinongé (Province of Canada)
The district of Maskinongé was established in 1853, under the Union regime of 1841. It was located in the current Mauricie area and was located southwest of the district of Saint-Maurice on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River...
as a Reformer
Reform Party (pre-Confederation)
The Reform movement, sometimes referred to as the Reform Party, began in the 1830s as the movement in the English speaking parts of British North America . It agitated for responsible government....
. He served as mayor of Trois-Rivières from 1857 to 1863. In 1858, he was elected to the assembly for Champlain
Champlain (electoral district)
Champlain was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 2004.It was created in 1867 as part of the British North America Act...
, now as a member of the parti bleu
Parti bleu
The Parti bleu was a moderate political group in Quebec, Canada that emerged in 1854. It was based on the moderate reformist views of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, and was a rival to the radical Parti rouge....
; in 1861, he was elected in Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières (Province of Canada)
Under the Union regime , the district of Trois-Rivières was re-established. Its boundaries roughly covered the pre-merger city of Trois-Rivières...
. He served as speaker from 1862 to 1863. He was reelected in Trois-Rivières in 1863 and served until his death in Trois-Rivières in 1864.
Turcotte also played an important role in the economic development of the region, including railway links and the founding of a college there. He owned and was of the Journal des Trois-Rivières from 1847 to 1853.
His son Arthur
Arthur Turcotte
Arthur Turcotte was a Quebec lawyer, journalist and political figure.He was born Arthur-Henri-René Turcotte in Montreal in 1845, the son of Joseph-Édouard Turcotte. He studied at the Jesuit Collège Sainte-Marie de Montréal and at Stonyhurst College in England...
served as a member in 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 his son Gustave-Adolphe-Narcisse
Gustave-Adolphe-Narcisse Turcotte
Gustave-Adolphe-Narcisse Turcotte was a Quebec physician and political figure. He represented Nicolet in the Canadian House of Commons as a Liberal member from 1907 to 1911...
was a member of the Canadian House of Commons. His daughter Marie-Louise married Ernest Pacaud
Ernest Pacaud
Ernest Pacaud was a Quebec lawyer and journalist.He was born Philippe-Olivier Pacaud in Trois-Rivières, Canada East in 1850, the son of Philippe-Napoléon Pacaud. He attended school in Trois-Rivières and then studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet...
, a Quebec lawyer and journalist.