Jean-Baptiste Durocher
Encyclopedia
Jean-Baptiste Durocher was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born Jean-Baptiste-Amable Desrocher in L'Assomption
in 1754, the son of Jean-Baptiste Desrocher and the greatgrandson of Joseph Durocher, a merchant and tailor who came to New France
from Angers
, France
. He entered business as a merchant at Montreal
and was also involved in the fur trade
at Detroit. In 1782, Durocher married Marie-Joseph, the daughter of Charles Curot; she died in 1785. In 1792, he married Charlotte, the daughter of merchant Eustache Trottier Desrivières Beaubien and the niece of François Malhiot
. In that same year, he was elected to the 1st Parliament of Lower Canada
for Montreal West; he was elected again for Montreal County in 1808, 1809 and 1810. He generally supported the parti canadien
. Durocher was named a justice of the peace in 1800. He was a member of the Club des Apôtres at Montreal, a club with 12 members that held monthly suppers. Durocher served in the local militia, becoming major in 1809. Governor James Henry Craig
relieved him of this post in 1810 because he support a bill which made judges ineligible to serve in the assembly.
He died in office at Montreal in 1811. Durocher's second wife had died in 1805.
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 born Jean-Baptiste-Amable Desrocher in L'Assomption
L'Assomption, Quebec
L'Assomption is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada on the L'Assomption River. It is the seat of the Regional County Municipality of L'Assomption. It is located on the outer fringes of the Montreal urban area....
in 1754, the son of Jean-Baptiste Desrocher and the greatgrandson of Joseph Durocher, a merchant and tailor who came to New France
New France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
from Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. He entered business as a merchant at 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...
and was also involved 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...
at Detroit. In 1782, Durocher married Marie-Joseph, the daughter of Charles Curot; she died in 1785. In 1792, he married Charlotte, the daughter of merchant Eustache Trottier Desrivières Beaubien and the niece of François Malhiot
François Malhiot
François Malhiot was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born at Montreal in 1733, the son of Jean-François Malhiot. In 1768, he married his cousin Élisabeth, the daughter of Ignace Gamelin, and settled at Verchères. He sold dry goods, lent money for mortgages and speculated...
. In that same year, he was elected to the 1st Parliament of Lower Canada
1st Parliament of Lower Canada
The 1st Parliament of Lower Canada was in session from December 17, 1792 to May 31, 1796. Elections in Lower Canada had been held in June 1792. All sessions were held at Quebec City.- External links :***...
for Montreal West; he was elected again for Montreal County in 1808, 1809 and 1810. He generally supported 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...
. Durocher was named a justice of the peace in 1800. He was a member of the Club des Apôtres at Montreal, a club with 12 members that held monthly suppers. Durocher served in the local militia, becoming major in 1809. Governor James Henry Craig
James Henry Craig
General Sir James Henry Craig KB was a British military officer and colonial administrator.-Early life and military service:...
relieved him of this post in 1810 because he support a bill which made judges ineligible to serve in the assembly.
He died in office at Montreal in 1811. Durocher's second wife had died in 1805.