J. B. Turgeon
Encyclopedia
Joseph-Balsora Turgeon was the first French-Canadian mayor of Bytown
, Canada
. He was born in Terrebonne, Quebec
in 1810 and came to Bytown in around 1836. He was elected to the town council in 1848, 1849, 1851 and 1852. In 1852, he became a school trustee and also founded L'Institut canadien-français d'Ottawa. He became mayor of Bytown in 1853.
Turgeon proposed the establishment of a Separate School
system in Bytown and also lobbied for more French-speaking teachers. He also suggested a new name rich in history, Ottawa
, for the town.
He died in Hull, Quebec
in 1897.
Bytown
Bytown is the former name of Ottawa, Canada's capital city. It was founded on on September 26, 1826, incorporated as a town on January 1, 1850, and superseded by the incorporation of the City of Ottawa on January 1, 1855. The founding was marked by a sod turning, and a letter from Governor General...
, 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 was born in Terrebonne, Quebec
Terrebonne, Quebec
Terrebonne is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in western Quebec, Canada. It is located on the north shores of the Rivière des Mille-Îles and of the Rivière des Prairies, North of Montreal and Laval....
in 1810 and came to Bytown in around 1836. He was elected to the town council in 1848, 1849, 1851 and 1852. In 1852, he became a school trustee and also founded L'Institut canadien-français d'Ottawa. He became mayor of Bytown in 1853.
Turgeon proposed the establishment of a Separate School
Separate school
In Canada, separate school refers to a particular type of school that has constitutional status in three provinces and statutory status in three territories...
system in Bytown and also lobbied for more French-speaking teachers. He also suggested a new name rich in history, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, for the town.
He died in Hull, Quebec
Hull, Quebec
Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand...
in 1897.