Jules-Maurice Quesnel
Encyclopedia
Jules-Maurice Quesnel was a fur trade
r, businessman and political figure in Canada East
.
He was born Julien-Maurice Quesnel in Montreal
in 1786, the son of Joseph Quesnel
, and studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël
. He joined the North West Company
as a clerk and assisted David Thompson
in his explorations in 1805 and 1806. He travelled with Simon Fraser
on his exploration of the Fraser River
in 1808. The Quesnel River
, Quesnel Lake
and the town of Quesnel, British Columbia
were named after him.
In 1811, he returned east and served in the Montreal militia during the War of 1812
, reaching the rank of lieutenant. He then moved to Kingston
and later York
as a merchant, finally settling in Montreal. With a partner, John Spread Baldwin, he became involved in the buying and selling of goods, including the export of timber and flour and owned shares in steamships operating in the region. Quesnel was named a justice of the peace, also served as warden of Trinity House
at Montreal from 1830 to 1839 and was a member of the commission for the Montreal harbour. In 1838, he was named to the special council
that governed Lower Canada
after the Lower Canada Rebellion
and, in 1841, he was named to the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
. He died in Montreal in 1842 and was buried in the parish church of Notre Dame.
was a member of the legislative assembly and legislative council.
Jules-Maurice Quesnel, an advocate married in June, 1816, Marie Josette Cotte, daughter of Gabriel Cotte, and his wife, Angelique Blondeau, who had founded the Catholic Orphan Asylum in Montreal, Quebec. His sisters-in-law were Madame Francois Antoine Larocque and Madame Alexis Laframboise. Jules-Maurice Quesnel died in May, 1842, aged 54. His widow died June 6th, 1866.
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
r, businessman and political figure in Canada East
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 Julien-Maurice Quesnel 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...
in 1786, the son of Joseph Quesnel
Joseph Quesnel
Joseph Quesnel was a French Canadian composer, poet, and playwright. Among his works were two operas, Colas et Colinette and Lucas et Cécile; the former is considered to be the first Canadian opera....
, and studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël
Collège de Montréal
The Collège de Montréal is a private secondary school for students attending grades 7–11 located in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A former Roman Catholic Seminary, it was founded 1 June 1767 as the Petit Séminaire of Montreal by the Suplician Order...
. He joined the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
as a clerk and assisted David Thompson
David Thompson (explorer)
David Thompson was an English-Canadian fur trader, surveyor, and map-maker, known to some native peoples as "Koo-Koo-Sint" or "the Stargazer"...
in his explorations in 1805 and 1806. He travelled with Simon Fraser
Simon Fraser (explorer)
Simon Fraser was a fur trader and an explorer who charted much of what is now the Canadian province of British Columbia. Fraser was employed by the Montreal-based North West Company. By 1805, he had been put in charge of all the company's operations west of the Rocky Mountains...
on his exploration of the Fraser River
Fraser River
The Fraser River is the longest river within British Columbia, Canada, rising at Fraser Pass near Mount Robson in the Rocky Mountains and flowing for , into the Strait of Georgia at the city of Vancouver. It is the tenth longest river in Canada...
in 1808. The Quesnel River
Quesnel River
The Quesnel River is a major tributary of the Fraser River in the Cariboo District of central British Columbia. It begins at the outflow of Quesnel Lake, at the town of Likely and flows for about northwest to its confluence with the Fraser at the city of Quesnel.- History :Just downstream from...
, Quesnel Lake
Quesnel Lake
Quesnel Lake is a glacial lake or fjord in British Columbia, Canada, and is the origin of the Quesnel River. With a maximum depth of 610 meters , it is the deepest lake in British Columbia, though not the deepest lake in Canada, as is often claimed. That distinction belongs to Great Slave Lake...
and the town of Quesnel, British Columbia
Quesnel, British Columbia
-Demographics:Quesnel had a population of 9,326 people in 2006, which was a decrease of 7.1% from the 2001 census count. The median household income in 2005 for Quesnel was $54,044, which is slightly above the British Columbia provincial average of $52,709....
were named after him.
In 1811, he returned east and served in the Montreal 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...
, reaching the rank of lieutenant. He then moved to Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
and later York
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
as a merchant, finally settling in Montreal. With a partner, John Spread Baldwin, he became involved in the buying and selling of goods, including the export of timber and flour and owned shares in steamships operating in the region. Quesnel was named a justice of the peace, also served as warden of Trinity House
Trinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
at Montreal from 1830 to 1839 and was a member of the commission for the Montreal harbour. In 1838, he was named to the special council
Special Council of Lower Canada
The Special Council of Lower Canada was an appointed body which administered Lower Canada until the Union Act of 1840 created the Province of Canada. Following the Lower Canada Rebellion, on March 27, 1838, the Constitutional Act of 1791 was suspended and both the Legislative Assembly and...
that governed 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...
after the Lower Canada Rebellion
Lower Canada Rebellion
The Lower Canada Rebellion , commonly referred to as the Patriots' War by Quebeckers, is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the British colonial power of that province...
and, in 1841, he was named to the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house 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 province of Ontario...
. He died in Montreal in 1842 and was buried in the parish church of Notre Dame.
Family
His brother Frédéric-AugusteFrédéric-Auguste Quesnel
Frédéric-Auguste Quesnel was a lawyer, businessman and political figure in Canada East.He was born in Montreal in 1785, the son of Joseph Quesnel, and studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël. He articled in law with Stephen Sewell, was admitted to the bar in 1807 and set up practice in Montreal...
was a member of the legislative assembly and legislative council.
Jules-Maurice Quesnel, an advocate married in June, 1816, Marie Josette Cotte, daughter of Gabriel Cotte, and his wife, Angelique Blondeau, who had founded the Catholic Orphan Asylum in Montreal, Quebec. His sisters-in-law were Madame Francois Antoine Larocque and Madame Alexis Laframboise. Jules-Maurice Quesnel died in May, 1842, aged 54. His widow died June 6th, 1866.