Joseph Laurin
Encyclopedia
Joseph Laurin was a Quebec
notary
, author and political figure.
He was born in Quebec City
in 1811 and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
. He taught there and at the Collège de Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière but then articled as a notary, qualifying in 1839. During this period, he also prepared five textbooks intended for use in the province's schools. Laurin set up practice as a notary in Quebec City. In 1840, he became secretary and legal advisor to the Société Amicale et Bienviellante des Charpentiers de Vaisseaux de Québec, an association for workers in the shipbuilding industry. He ran unsuccessfully in 1836 for a seat in the legislative assembly; in 1844, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Lotbinière
as a Reformer; he was reelected in 1848 and 1851. During his time in the assembly, he lobbied for the use of French
in the parliament. Laurin helped organize the Association des Notaires du District de Québec, later serving in turn as secretary, treasurer and president. He served on the city council for Quebec City and in the local militia, becoming lieutenant-colonel in 1858. He was also mayor of L'Ancienne-Lorette
from 1858 to 1862. In 1868, he was named superintendent of waterfront lots for Quebec and agent for the Lauzon seigneury.
He died at Ancienne-Lorette in 1888.
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....
notary
Civil law notary
Civil-law notaries, or Latin notaries, are lawyers of noncontentious private civil law who draft, take, and record legal instruments for private parties, provide legal advice and give attendance in person, and are vested as public officers with the authentication power of the State...
, author and political figure.
He was born 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 1811 and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
Petit Séminaire de Québec
Le Petit Séminaire de Québec is a private French-language Roman Catholic secondary school in the Vieux-Québec area of Quebec City which was originally part of the Séminaire de Québec...
. He taught there and at the Collège de Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pocatière but then articled as a notary, qualifying in 1839. During this period, he also prepared five textbooks intended for use in the province's schools. Laurin set up practice as a notary in Quebec City. In 1840, he became secretary and legal advisor to the Société Amicale et Bienviellante des Charpentiers de Vaisseaux de Québec, an association for workers in the shipbuilding industry. He ran unsuccessfully in 1836 for a seat in the legislative assembly; in 1844, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature 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...
for Lotbinière
Lotbinière (electoral district)
Lotbinière was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 2004.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867...
as a Reformer; he was reelected in 1848 and 1851. During his time in the assembly, he lobbied for the use of French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
in the parliament. Laurin helped organize the Association des Notaires du District de Québec, later serving in turn as secretary, treasurer and president. He served on the city council for Quebec City and in the local militia, becoming lieutenant-colonel in 1858. He was also mayor of L'Ancienne-Lorette
L'Ancienne-Lorette, Quebec
L'Ancienne-Lorette is a city in central Quebec, Canada. It is a suburb of and an enclave within Quebec City. It was merged with Quebec City from January 1, 2002, to December 31, 2005, but was re-established as a separate city on January 1, 2006....
from 1858 to 1862. In 1868, he was named superintendent of waterfront lots for Quebec and agent for the Lauzon seigneury.
He died at Ancienne-Lorette in 1888.