Austin Cuvillier
Encyclopedia
Austin Cuvillier was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
and Canada East
.
He was born Augustin Cuvillier in Quebec City
in 1779 and was hired by a Montreal
auctioneer, eventually taking over the business when his employer retired. After he formed a partnership with two other men, the business went bankrupt. By this time, Cuvillier had adopted the anglicized
first name Austin. By 1807, he was back in the auction business.
During the War of 1812
, he served with the militia. In 1814, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
representing Huntingdon County
, as a member of the Parti canadien
. He played an important role in the founding of the Bank of Montreal
and was one of its first directors. He also helped found the Montreal Fire Insurance Company and became president in 1820. In 1821, he was part of a commission negotiating the sharing of customs duties between Lower and Upper Canada
. He opposed the union of the two Canadas. In 1828, he helped present petitions against Governor Dalhousie
's policies in London
. In 1829, he began to distance himself from the Parti patriote. He opposed the Ninety-Two Resolutions
that were presented in 1834. By 1836, he was one of the most important auctioneers in Montreal and served as president on the city's Committee of Trade, later the Montreal Board of Trade. He commanded a battalion in the militia during the Lower Canada Rebellion
.
In 1841, he was elected to the 1st Parliament of the Province of Canada
representing Huntingdon and was elected speaker
. In 1844, he defended Governor Charles Theophilus Metcalfe against the Reformers when the governor wished to retain exclusive control over patronage. This led to the end of his political career and Cuvillier returned to his auction business.
He died of typhus
at Montreal in 1849.
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 Augustin Cuvillier 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 1779 and was hired by a 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...
auctioneer, eventually taking over the business when his employer retired. After he formed a partnership with two other men, the business went bankrupt. By this time, Cuvillier had adopted the anglicized
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...
first name Austin. By 1807, he was back in the auction business.
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...
, he served with the militia. In 1814, 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...
representing Huntingdon County
Huntingdon (electoral district)
Huntingdon was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1917.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867...
, as a member of the Parti canadien
Parti canadien
The Parti canadien or Parti patriote was a political party in what is now Quebec founded by members of the liberal elite of Lower Canada at the beginning of the 19th century...
. He played an important role in the founding of the Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
and was one of its first directors. He also helped found the Montreal Fire Insurance Company and became president in 1820. In 1821, he was part of a commission negotiating the sharing of customs duties between Lower and Upper Canada
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...
. He opposed the union of the two Canadas. In 1828, he helped present petitions against Governor Dalhousie
George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie
General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie GCB , styled Lord Ramsay until 1787, was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator...
's policies in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1829, he began to distance himself from the Parti patriote. He opposed 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....
that were presented in 1834. By 1836, he was one of the most important auctioneers in Montreal and served as president on the city's Committee of Trade, later the Montreal Board of Trade. He commanded a battalion in the militia 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...
.
In 1841, he was elected to the 1st Parliament of the Province of Canada
1st Parliament of the Province of Canada
The 1st Parliament of the Province of Canada was in session from June 15, 1841 to 1843. Elections were held in the Province of Canada in April 1841. All sessions were held at Kingston, Canada West....
representing Huntingdon and was elected speaker
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
A List of the Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada, 1841-1866# Austin Cuvillier - 1841-1843# Allan Napier MacNab - 1844-1847# Augustin-Norbert Morin - 1848-1851# John Sandfield Macdonald - 1852-1854...
. In 1844, he defended Governor Charles Theophilus Metcalfe against the Reformers when the governor wished to retain exclusive control over patronage. This led to the end of his political career and Cuvillier returned to his auction business.
He died of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
at Montreal in 1849.