Urbain Johnson
Encyclopedia
Urbain Johnson was a farmer and political figure in Province of New Brunswick
, Canada
. He represented Kent County
in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
from 1869 to 1870, from 1874 to 1882 and from 1895 to 1908 as a Liberal member.
He was born and educated at Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick
, the son of Simon Johnson and Geneviève Vautour. Johnson was a descendant of Scottish
immigrants who had first settled among the Acadian
s in the Chaleur Bay
area. In 1856, he married Nathalie Leblanc.
Johnson was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in an 1869 by-election held after Owen McInerney
was named to the Legislative Council. Johnson was defeated in the general election which followed in 1870. He opposed the Common Schools Act
which banned religious instruction in the province's school system based on the principle of Separation of church and state
. He attended the convention of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste convention in Quebec City
in 1880 and the Acadian national convention in 1881, where he suggested that the Acadians choose a different holiday and symbols from those chosen by other French Canadians. He also was a justice of the peace
and an officer in the local militia. Johnson retired from politics in 1908.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
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...
. He represented Kent County
Kent County, New Brunswick
Kent County is located in east-central New Brunswick, Canada. The county features a unique blend of cultures including Mi'kmaq, Acadian and English Speaking Settlers...
in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton. It was established de jure when the colony was created in 1784, but only came in to session in 1786 following the first elections in late 1785. Until 1891, it was the lower house in a bicameral legislature when its upper house...
from 1869 to 1870, from 1874 to 1882 and from 1895 to 1908 as a Liberal member.
He was born and educated at Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick
Saint-Louis-de-Kent, New Brunswick
Saint-Louis-de-Kent is a Canadian village in Kent County, New Brunswick.Often shortened to simply Saint-Louis, the village is situated on the Kouchibouguacis River at the main entrance to Kouchibouguac National Park....
, the son of Simon Johnson and Geneviève Vautour. Johnson was a descendant of Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
immigrants who had first settled among the Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
s in the Chaleur Bay
Chaleur Bay
frame| Satellite image of Chaleur Bay . Chaleur Bay is the large bay opening to the east;the [[Gaspé Peninsula]] appears to the north and the [[Gulf of St...
area. In 1856, he married Nathalie Leblanc.
Johnson was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in an 1869 by-election held after Owen McInerney
Owen McInerney
Owen McInerney was an Irish-born merchant and political figure in New Brunswick, Canada. He represented Kent County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1866 to 1869....
was named to the Legislative Council. Johnson was defeated in the general election which followed in 1870. He opposed the Common Schools Act
Common Schools Act of 1871
The Common Schools Act of 1871 was legislation of the Canadian Province of New Brunswick, passed by the 22nd New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, which replaced the Parish Schools Act of 1858. The legislation aimed to abolish church-run schooling in New Brunswick and replace it with a system of...
which banned religious instruction in the province's school system based on the principle of Separation of church and state
Separation of church and state
The concept of the separation of church and state refers to the distance in the relationship between organized religion and the nation state....
. He attended the convention of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste convention in 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...
in 1880 and the Acadian national convention in 1881, where he suggested that the Acadians choose a different holiday and symbols from those chosen by other French Canadians. He also was a 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...
and an officer in the local militia. Johnson retired from politics in 1908.