Jérôme Martineau
Encyclopedia
Jérôme Martineau was a businessman and politician in Lower Canada
.
He was born at Sainte-Famille on the Île d'Orléans
in 1750, the son of a farmer, and grew up there. He later moved to Quebec City
, becoming paymaster and business agent for the Séminaire de Québec. He profited by obtaining grants of land in the seigneury
of Île-Jésus near Montreal
then owned by the Séminaire and later selling them. Because not all of these dealings were legal, Martineau lost his position with the Séminaire after his actions were discovered. He continued as a merchant, selling dry goods, wheat and flour, and also continued to invest in property.
In 1796, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for the Île d’Orléans. He represented this region in the assembly until his death in 1809 at Quebec City. He generally supported the parti canadien
but opposed the bill making judges ineligible to sit in the assembly and mainly supported the English party during his final term in office.
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 at Sainte-Famille on the Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans is located in the Saint Lawrence River about east of downtown Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The island was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians can trace ancestry to early residents of the island...
in 1750, the son of a farmer, and grew up there. He later moved to 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...
, becoming paymaster and business agent for the Séminaire de Québec. He profited by obtaining grants of land in the seigneury
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:...
of Île-Jésus near 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...
then owned by the Séminaire and later selling them. Because not all of these dealings were legal, Martineau lost his position with the Séminaire after his actions were discovered. He continued as a merchant, selling dry goods, wheat and flour, and also continued to invest in property.
In 1796, 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 the Île d’Orléans. He represented this region in the assembly until his death in 1809 at Quebec City. 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...
but opposed the bill making judges ineligible to sit in the assembly and mainly supported the English party during his final term in office.