Lewis Thomas Drummond
Encyclopedia
Lewis Thomas Drummond was a Quebec
lawyer, judge and political figure.
He was born in Coleraine
, County Londonderry
in Ireland
in 1813. His father, an attorney, died while he was young and he came to Lower Canada
with his mother in 1825. He studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet, then studied law with Charles Dewey Day in Montreal
and was called to the bar in 1836. He set up practice in Montreal and defended a number of persons involved in the Lower Canada Rebellion
. Drummond, a supporter of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine
, was elected to the Legislative Assembly
for the city of Montreal in an 1844 by-election, but was defeated in the general election that followed. However, he was elected in Portneuf. In 1848, he was named Queen's Counsel
and, in the same year, was elected to represent Shefford
in the assembly. Drummond was a director of the Montreal City and District Savings Bank, president of the Stanstead, Shefford and Chambly Railroad and helped found the Garden River Mining Company. He was solicitor general for Canada East
from 1848 to 1851, a post that was not part of the cabinet at the time. In 1851, he became attorney general for Canada East, serving until 1856. Although he had become a seigneur
by marriage, he developed legislation limiting seigneurial privileges which was later amended to abolish seigneurial tenure. He was reelected in Shefford in 1858; however, when he was forced to run in a by-election for his seat after being named attorney general, he was defeated but was then elected in Lotbinière
. In 1861, he was elected in Rouville
; however, when he was named to the executive council
as Commissioner of Public Works, he was unable to gain reelection and was forced to resign. In 1864, he was named puisne
judge in the Court of Queen's Bench. He retired due to poor health in 1873.
He died in Montreal in 1882 from chronic bronchitis
.
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....
lawyer, judge and political figure.
He was born in Coleraine
Coleraine
Coleraine is a large town near the mouth of the River Bann in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast and east of Derry, both of which are linked by major roads and railway connections...
, County Londonderry
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
in 1813. His father, an attorney, died while he was young and he came to 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...
with his mother in 1825. He studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet, then studied law with Charles Dewey Day 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 was called to the bar in 1836. He set up practice in Montreal and defended a number of persons involved in 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...
. Drummond, a supporter of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine
Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine
Sir Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine , 1st Baronet, KCMG was the first Canadian to become Prime Minister of the United Province of Canada and the first head of a responsible government in Canada. He was born in Boucherville, Lower Canada in 1807...
, was elected to the Legislative Assembly
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 the city of Montreal in an 1844 by-election, but was defeated in the general election that followed. However, he was elected in Portneuf. In 1848, he was named Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
and, in the same year, was elected to represent Shefford
Shefford (electoral district)
Shefford is a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1867. Its population in 2006 was 100,000.-Demographics:Ethnic groups: 99.2% WhiteLanguages: 95.2% French, 3.2% English...
in the assembly. Drummond was a director of the Montreal City and District Savings Bank, president of the Stanstead, Shefford and Chambly Railroad and helped found the Garden River Mining Company. He was solicitor general for 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....
from 1848 to 1851, a post that was not part of the cabinet at the time. In 1851, he became attorney general for Canada East, serving until 1856. Although he had become a 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:...
by marriage, he developed legislation limiting seigneurial privileges which was later amended to abolish seigneurial tenure. He was reelected in Shefford in 1858; however, when he was forced to run in a by-election for his seat after being named attorney general, he was defeated but was then elected in Lotbinière
Lotbinière (electoral district)
Lotbinière was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 2004.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867...
. In 1861, he was elected in Rouville
Rouville (electoral district)
Rouville was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1917.It was abolished in 1914 when it was merged into St...
; however, when he was named to the executive council
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
as Commissioner of Public Works, he was unable to gain reelection and was forced to resign. In 1864, he was named puisne
Puisne
Puisne is a legal term of art used mainly in British English meaning "inferior in rank." It is pronounced like the word puny, and the word, so spelled, has become an ordinary adjective meaning weak or undersized.The judges and barons of the common law courts at...
judge in the Court of Queen's Bench. He retired due to poor health in 1873.
He died in Montreal in 1882 from chronic bronchitis
Bronchitis
Acute bronchitis is an inflammation of the large bronchi in the lungs that is usually caused by viruses or bacteria and may last several days or weeks. Characteristic symptoms include cough, sputum production, and shortness of breath and wheezing related to the obstruction of the inflamed airways...
.