Étienne Mayrand
Encyclopedia
Étienne Mayrand was a Quebec
businessman and political figure.
He was born in Montreal
in 1776 and went on to work in the fur trade
with the North West Company
. He established a business in grain and hay at Rivière-du-Loup (later Louiseville
in Maskinongé County), also expanding into real estate and money lending. Mayrand served in the militia as an officer during the War of 1812
, becoming captain and, in 1846, major. He also held several posts as commissioner in Lower Canada
. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Saint-Maurice County in 1816. Mayrand served as a member of the Special Council
which governed the province following the Lower Canada Rebellion
and was named to the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
in June 1841. He resigned from the council later that same month.
He was married four times:
He died in Rivière-du-Loup (Louiseville) in 1872.
His grandson, Hormidas Mayrand
, later served in the Canadian House of Commons.
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....
businessman and political figure.
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 1776 and went on to work in the fur trade
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...
with 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...
. He established a business in grain and hay at Rivière-du-Loup (later Louiseville
Louiseville, Quebec
Louiseville is a town in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada. It is located near the mouth of the Wolf River on the north shore of Lac Saint-Pierre....
in Maskinongé County), also expanding into real estate and money lending. Mayrand served in the militia as an officer 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...
, becoming captain and, in 1846, major. He also held several posts as commissioner 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 elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
The Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada was the lower house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The legislative assembly was created by the Constitutional Act of 1791...
for Saint-Maurice County in 1816. Mayrand served as a member of 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...
which governed the province following 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 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...
in June 1841. He resigned from the council later that same month.
He was married four times:
- first to a native woman, who bore him two daughters, during his time with the North West Company
- then, to Sophie Héneau from Berthier
- thirdly, to Thérèse Heney at Montreal
- finally, to Félicité Le Maitre-Bellenoix, the widow of Louis Gauvreau, a Quebec merchant
He died in Rivière-du-Loup (Louiseville) in 1872.
His grandson, Hormidas Mayrand
Hormidas Mayrand
Hormidas Mayrand was a Canadian politician.Born in St-Léon, Canada East, the son of Jean-Baptiste Mayrand and Marie Louise Lottinville, Mayrand was educated at the model school of St-Léon...
, later served in the Canadian House of Commons.