Michel-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay
Encyclopedia
Michel-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay (December 14, 1785 – August 17, 1838) was a Canadian
officer
, seigneur
, and justice of the peace
.
Born in Beauport, he was the third and last child born of the second marriage of Antoine Juchereau Duchesnay
. In 1794 his mother, Catherine Le Comte Dupré, left the manor house after being accused of adultery. Michel-Louis, who was put in the custody of his father, was sent as a boarder
to the Petit Séminaire de Québec
.
In 1805 he and his brother Jean-Baptiste
were both commissioned as ensigns
in the 60th Foot. They served in England
and reached the rank of lieutenant
in the regiment in 1806.
Duchesnay quit the British army and left England a year and a half later, and returned to Lower Canada
to take possession of the legacy left by his father at his death on December 15, 1806. He had been left only the use of the seigneuries of Gaudarville and Fossambault.
He married Charlotte-Hermine-Louise-Catherine, a daughter of Ignace-Michel-Louis-Antoine d'Irumberry de Salaberry
, November 3, 1808. They settled at Petite-Rivière-Saint-Charles, near Quebec City
.
During the War of 1812
Duchesnay served as a captain in the Canadian Voltigeurs
under his brother-in-law Charles de Salaberry
. He distinguished himself in the Battle of the Chateauguay on October 26, 1813. He served in the militia
as major
of the Lotbinière battalion, to which he was posted in 1815.
In 1815 he received a commission as justice of the peace
for the district of Quebec. He also was given a commission of the peace for the district of Gaspé
in 1819 and 1824. In 1820 Duchesnay, like his half-brother Antoine-Louis
, was appointed commissioner for the building of churches and presbyteries in the district of Quebec and the government renewed his commission in 1830. In 1827 became deputy adjutant general of the Lower Canadian militia. The following year he was called upon to serve as superintendent of Indian affairs at Quebec.
Duchesnay inherited the entire estate of his mother when she died on November 14, 1836. He died two years later. Duchesnay left seven children, who shared their father's estate. The eldest, Édouard-Louis-Antoine-Charles
, received the best portion, inheriting the seigneuries of Gaudarville and Fossambault.
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...
officer
Officer (armed forces)
An officer is a member of an armed force or uniformed service who holds a position of authority. Commissioned officers derive authority directly from a sovereign power and, as such, hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of a specific office or position...
, 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:...
, and 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...
.
Born in Beauport, he was the third and last child born of the second marriage of Antoine Juchereau Duchesnay
Antoine Juchereau Duchesnay (seigneur)
Antoine Juchereau Duchesnay was a seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Beauport in 1740, the son of Antoine Juchereau Duchesnay. He served as an ensign in the army of New France. After the British gained control of Quebec, he served with the British Army. In 1767, he formed...
. In 1794 his mother, Catherine Le Comte Dupré, left the manor house after being accused of adultery. Michel-Louis, who was put in the custody of his father, was sent as a boarder
Boarding school
A boarding school is a school where some or all pupils study and live during the school year with their fellow students and possibly teachers and/or administrators. The word 'boarding' is used in the sense of "bed and board," i.e., lodging and meals...
to the Petit Séminaire de Québec
Petit Séminaire de Québec
Le Petit Séminaire de Québec is a private French-language Roman Catholic secondary school in the Vieux-Québec area of Quebec City which was originally part of the Séminaire de Québec...
.
In 1805 he and his brother Jean-Baptiste
Jean-Baptiste Juchereau Duchesnay
Jean-Baptiste Juchereau Duchesnay was a Canadian politician, officer, merchant, and seigneur.Jean-Baptiste Juchereau Duchesnay was born in Beauport, Quebec to Antoine Juchereau Duchesnay and Catherine Dupré. In 1792 he was placed as a boarder at Quebec, where for three years he attended the Petit...
were both commissioned as ensigns
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
in the 60th Foot. They served in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and reached the rank of lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the regiment in 1806.
Duchesnay quit the British army and left England a year and a half later, and returned 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...
to take possession of the legacy left by his father at his death on December 15, 1806. He had been left only the use of the seigneuries of Gaudarville and Fossambault.
He married Charlotte-Hermine-Louise-Catherine, a daughter of Ignace-Michel-Louis-Antoine d'Irumberry de Salaberry
Ignace-Michel-Louis-Antoine d'Irumberry de Salaberry
Ignace-Michel-Louis-Antoine d'Irumberry de Salaberry was the son of Michel de Sallaberry and he was the first member of the family to develop permanent roots in Canada...
, November 3, 1808. They settled at Petite-Rivière-Saint-Charles, near 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...
.
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...
Duchesnay served as a captain in the Canadian Voltigeurs
Canadian Voltigeurs
The Canadian Voltigeurs were a light infantry unit, raised in Lower Canada in 1812, that fought in the War of 1812 between Britain and the United States.-Formation:...
under his brother-in-law Charles de Salaberry
Charles de Salaberry
Lieutenant Colonel Charles-Michel d'Irumberry de Salaberry was a French-Canadian of the seigneurial class who served as an officer of the British army in Lower Canada and won distinction for repelling the American advance on Montreal during the War of 1812.-Early years:Born at the manor house of...
. He distinguished himself in the Battle of the Chateauguay on October 26, 1813. He served in the militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
as major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
of the Lotbinière battalion, to which he was posted in 1815.
In 1815 he received a commission as 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...
for the district of Quebec. He also was given a commission of the peace for the district of Gaspé
Gaspé (electoral district)
Gaspé was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1997.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867...
in 1819 and 1824. In 1820 Duchesnay, like his half-brother Antoine-Louis
Antoine-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay
Antoine-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay was a seigneur, soldier and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born at Quebec City in 1765, the son of Antoine Juchereau Duchesnay, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec. He served as lieutenant in the Royal Canadian Volunteer Regiment from 1798 to 1802...
, was appointed commissioner for the building of churches and presbyteries in the district of Quebec and the government renewed his commission in 1830. In 1827 became deputy adjutant general of the Lower Canadian militia. The following year he was called upon to serve as superintendent of Indian affairs at Quebec.
Duchesnay inherited the entire estate of his mother when she died on November 14, 1836. He died two years later. Duchesnay left seven children, who shared their father's estate. The eldest, Édouard-Louis-Antoine-Charles
Édouard-Louis-Antoine-Charles Juchereau Duchesnay
Édouard-Louis-Antoine-Charles Juchereau Duchesnay was a political figure in Canada East and a Conservative member of the Senate of Canada....
, received the best portion, inheriting the seigneuries of Gaudarville and Fossambault.