Laurent Leroux
Encyclopedia
Laurent Leroux was a fur trade
r, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in L'Assomption
in 1759, the son of Germain Leroux, a merchant originally from Paris
. In 1776, he was hired as a clerk by a Montreal
merchant and sent to Michilimackinac
. He became a clerk in a fur trading company there, Gregory, MacLeod
and Company, that competed with the North West Company
. In 1786, he set up a trading post on Great Slave Lake
. After the murder of Leroux's superior, John Ross, Gregory, MacLeod and Company merged with the North West Company. He travelled with Alexander MacKenzie to Great Slave Lake in 1789 and again met Mackenzie, returning from the Arctic Ocean
, later that year. When Laurent's father died in 1792, he returned to L'Assomption to take over his father's business there, although he still retained links to the North West Company. He expanded into the production of potash
and also sold products manufactured by the Batiscan ironworks. He helped found the Bank of Montreal
. Leroux was named a justice of the peace. He served in the local militia during the War of 1812
and became major in 1818. In 1827, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Leinster.
He died at L'Assomption in 1855.
His nephews, François-Antoine
and Joseph, also became involved in fur trading, using their uncle's connections in the industry. His daughter Angélique married Jean-Moïse Raymond
, who also represented Leinster in the legislative assembly, before marrying the eldest son of John Munro
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...
r, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
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 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 1759, the son of Germain Leroux, a merchant originally from Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1776, he was hired as a clerk 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...
merchant and sent to Michilimackinac
Michilimackinac
Michilimackinac is a name for the region around the Straits of Mackinac between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. Early settlers of North America applied the term to the entire region along Lakes Huron, Michigan, and Superior. Today it is mostly within the boundaries of Michigan, in the United States...
. He became a clerk in a fur trading company there, Gregory, MacLeod
Normand Macleod
Normand MacLeod was a British army officer, merchant, and official of the British Indian Department.He was born on the Isle of Skye, in Scotland, about 1731. At age sixteen he joined the Forty Second Highlanders Regiment, and went with his unit to the Netherlands and what is now Belgium...
and Company, that competed with the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
. In 1786, he set up a trading post on Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake
Great Slave Lake is the second-largest lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada , the deepest lake in North America at , and the ninth-largest lake in the world. It is long and wide. It covers an area of in the southern part of the territory. Its given volume ranges from to and up to ...
. After the murder of Leroux's superior, John Ross, Gregory, MacLeod and Company merged with the North West Company. He travelled with Alexander MacKenzie to Great Slave Lake in 1789 and again met Mackenzie, returning from the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
, later that year. When Laurent's father died in 1792, he returned to L'Assomption to take over his father's business there, although he still retained links to the North West Company. He expanded into the production of potash
Potash
Potash is the common name for various mined and manufactured salts that contain potassium in water-soluble form. In some rare cases, potash can be formed with traces of organic materials such as plant remains, and this was the major historical source for it before the industrial era...
and also sold products manufactured by the Batiscan ironworks. He helped found 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...
. Leroux was named a justice of the peace. He served in the local militia 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...
and became major in 1818. In 1827, 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 Leinster.
He died at L'Assomption in 1855.
His nephews, François-Antoine
François-Antoine Larocque
François-Antoine Larocque was a Quebec businessman involved in the fur trade.He was born in L'Assomption in 1784, the son of François-Antoine Larocque, and studied at the Collège de Montréal. After his father's death in 1792, he went to the United States and learned English...
and Joseph, also became involved in fur trading, using their uncle's connections in the industry. His daughter Angélique married Jean-Moïse Raymond
Jean-Moïse Raymond
Jean-Moïse Raymond was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada and Canada East.He was born in La Tortue in 1787, the son of Jean-Baptiste Raymond, and later moved to La Prairie with his family...
, who also represented Leinster in the legislative assembly, before marrying the eldest son of John Munro
John Munro (loyalist)
The Hon. John Munro was a soldier, judge and political figure in Upper Canada.Born in 1728 at Fyrish, Alness, he was descended on both sides from the Clan Munro of Foulis Castle...