Louis Guy
Encyclopedia
Louis Guy was a notary
and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in Montreal
in 1768, the son of a merchant there. Guy studied to be a land surveyor and learned English
at the College of New Jersey
in Princeton
. On his return, he articled in law with Joseph Papineau
, qualified as a notary in 1801 and set up practice in Montreal. Guy was named a justice of the peace in Montreal district in 1800. He served as a major in the local militia during the War of 1812
, fighting at the Battle of Châteauguay
; he continued in the militia after the war, reaching the rank of colonel in 1830. He was opposed to the union of Upper
and Lower Canada proposed in 1822 and helped organize resistance to the proposal. In 1830, he was named to the Legislative Council of Lower Canada
. Although he was opposed to the use of force by the rebels during the Lower Canada Rebellion
, he viewed the imposition of martial law
as a measure only to be taken as a last resort. Guy was named a King's Notary in 1838.
He died in Montreal in 1850.
His brother Étienne
served as a member of the legislative assembly.
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
and political figure in 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...
.
He was born 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 1768, the son of a merchant there. Guy studied to be a land surveyor and learned English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
at the College of New Jersey
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
. On his return, he articled in law with Joseph Papineau
Joseph Papineau
Joseph Papineau was a notary, seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.Joseph Papineau was the father of Louis-Joseph Papineau who had the great distinction of being a fiery player in the history of the French dominated British colony called Lower Canada...
, qualified as a notary in 1801 and set up practice in Montreal. Guy was named a justice of the peace in Montreal district in 1800. He served as a major 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...
, fighting at the Battle of Châteauguay
Battle of Chateauguay
The Battle of the Chateauguay was a battle of the War of 1812. On 26 October 1813, a force consisting of about 1,630 French Canadian regulars and militia and Mohawk warriors under Charles de Salaberry repulsed an American force of about 4,000 attempting to invade Canada.The Chateauguay was one of...
; he continued in the militia after the war, reaching the rank of colonel in 1830. He was opposed to the union of Upper
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and Lower Canada proposed in 1822 and helped organize resistance to the proposal. In 1830, he was named to the Legislative Council of Lower Canada
Legislative Council of Lower Canada
The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was...
. Although he was opposed to the use of force by the rebels during 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...
, he viewed the imposition of martial law
Martial law
Martial law is the imposition of military rule by military authorities over designated regions on an emergency basis— only temporary—when the civilian government or civilian authorities fail to function effectively , when there are extensive riots and protests, or when the disobedience of the law...
as a measure only to be taken as a last resort. Guy was named a King's Notary in 1838.
He died in Montreal in 1850.
His brother Étienne
Étienne Guy
Étienne Guy was a surveyor and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Montreal in 1774, the son of Pierre Guy, studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël and then spent a bit over a year at the College of New Jersey. In 1796, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada in...
served as a member of the legislative assembly.