Amable Dionne
Encyclopedia
Amable Dionne was a businessman, seigneur
and political figure in Lower Canada
and Canada East
.
He was born in Kamouraska
in 1781 and grew up there. He became a clerk for Pierre Casgrain, a merchant at Rivière-Ouelle
, and, in 1811, was made a partner in the business. In the same year, he married Catherine Perreault, the niece and daughter by adoption of the local seigneur, Jacques-Nicolas Perrault
. In 1818, he established his own business. Dionne served in the local militia, reaching the rank of major. He purchased the seigneuries of La Pocatière and Grande-Anse during the 1830s. In 1830, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Kamouraska; he was reelected in 1834. He supported the Ninety-Two Resolutions
but did not support the rebellion that followed. Dionne was named to the Legislative Council
in 1837 and then served as a member of the Special Council
after the suspension of the constitution
.
In 1842, he was named to the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
and served until his death at Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière (later La Pocatière
) in 1852.
His son Élisée became a lawyer and later served as a member of the Legislative Council of Quebec. His daughters married important men in the province including:
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 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...
and 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....
.
He was born in Kamouraska
Kamouraska, Quebec
Kamouraska is a municipality on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Regional County Municipality of Kamouraska...
in 1781 and grew up there. He became a clerk for Pierre Casgrain, a merchant at Rivière-Ouelle
Rivière-Ouelle, Quebec
Rivière-Ouelle is a town located in the Kamouraska Regional County Municipality within the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec. It is located on the Saint Lawrence River; the Ouelle River flows through the town...
, and, in 1811, was made a partner in the business. In the same year, he married Catherine Perreault, the niece and daughter by adoption of the local seigneur, Jacques-Nicolas Perrault
Jacques-Nicolas Perrault
Jacques-Nicolas Perrault was a seigneur, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Quebec City in 1750, the son of Jacques Perrault and grandson of Pierre Boucher de Boucherville. He entered his father's business and continued in business after his father died in 1775...
. In 1818, he established his own business. Dionne served in the local militia, reaching the rank of major. He purchased the seigneuries of La Pocatière and Grande-Anse during the 1830s. In 1830, 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 Kamouraska; he was reelected in 1834. He supported the Ninety-Two Resolutions
Ninety-Two Resolutions
The Ninety-Two Resolutions were drafted by Louis-Joseph Papineau and other members of the Parti patriote of Lower Canada in 1834. The resolutions were a long series of demands for political reforms in the British-governed colony....
but did not support the rebellion that followed. Dionne was named to the Legislative Council
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...
in 1837 and then 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...
after the suspension of the constitution
Constitutional Act of 1791
The Constitutional Act of 1791, formally The Clergy Endowments Act, 1791 , is an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain...
.
In 1842, he 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...
and served until his death at Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière (later La Pocatière
La Pocatière, Quebec
La Pocatière is a town in the Kamouraska Regional County Municipality within the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec.A Bombardier plant which manufactures subway and railway cars is located there. Educational institutions include the Collège de Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière and the Cégep de La Pocatière...
) in 1852.
His son Élisée became a lawyer and later served as a member of the Legislative Council of Quebec. His daughters married important men in the province including:
- Olivier-Eugène Casgrain, seigneur of L'Islet
- Pierre-Elzéar TaschereauPierre-Elzéar TaschereauPierre-Elzéar Taschereau was a lawyer and political figure in Quebec. He represented Beauce in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1830 to 1835 and Dorchester from 1844 to 1845 in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada.He was born in Quebec City, the son of seigneur...
, a lawyer and politician - George-Paschal Desbarats, a publisher and later the Queen's Printer
- Jean-Thomas TaschereauJean-Thomas Taschereau (jurist)Jean-Thomas Taschereau was a Canadian lawyer and judge.Born in Quebec City, Lower Canada , the son of...
, a lawyer and later judge in the Quebec Superior Court - Jean-Charles ChapaisJean-Charles ChapaisJean-Charles Chapais, PC was a Canadian Conservative politician, and considered a Father of Canadian Confederation for his participation in the Quebec Conference to determine the form of Canada's government....
, a businessman and later a member of the Canadian House of Commons - Ludger Têtu, a doctor