Louis Bourdages
Encyclopedia
Louis Bourdages was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born Louis-Marie Bourdages in Jeune-Lorette
, Quebec
in 1764, the son of Raymond Bourdages, an Acadian
doctor and merchant. Bourdages studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
, where he met Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
. After he left school, he became a sailor and travelled to Europe and the West Indies. He returned to Quebec City
in 1787, where he was unsuccessful in establishing himself as a merchant, and moved to Saint-Denis
on the Richelieu River
in 1790 where he became a farmer. He later articled as a notary and qualified to practice in 1805. Bourdages also became an important land-owner in the region.
In 1804, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Richelieu; he represented this region until 1814. In 1806, he helped found Le Canadien
. Bourdages was generally opposed to measures intended to put an end to seigneurial tenure
. During the War of 1812
, he served in the local militia, reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was elected in Buckinghamshire in an 1815 by-election and then represented it from 1820 to 1830, when Buckinghamshire was reorganized. He then represented Nicolet
in the assembly from 1830 until his death at Saint-Denis in 1835. Bourdages helped prepare the Ninety-Two Resolutions
submitted to the British
government in 1834. In January 1835, he suffered an attack of apoplexy
and died several days later.
His son Rémi-Séraphin
, who represented Rouville in the legislative assembly, died before his father in 1832.
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 Louis-Marie Bourdages in Jeune-Lorette
Loretteville, Quebec
Loretteville is a former city in central Quebec, Canada. It was amalgamated into Quebec City on January 1, 2002. It is located within the Borough of La Haute-Saint-Charles. Population : 13,737.Loretteville was the birthplace of pop singer Mitsou....
, Quebec
Province of Quebec (1763-1791)
The Province of Quebec was a colony in North America created by Great Britain after the Seven Years' War. Great Britain acquired Canada by the Treaty of Paris when King Louis XV of France and his advisors chose to keep the territory of Guadeloupe for its valuable sugar crops instead of New France...
in 1764, the son of Raymond Bourdages, an Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
doctor and merchant. Bourdages 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...
, where he met Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
Pierre-Stanislas Bédard
Pierre-Stanislas Bédard was a lawyer, judge, journalist and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Charlesbourg in 1762, descended from French ancestors who had first arrived in New France before 1660. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec, articled in law and was called to the bar...
. After he left school, he became a sailor and travelled to Europe and the West Indies. He returned 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...
in 1787, where he was unsuccessful in establishing himself as a merchant, and moved to Saint-Denis
Saint-Denis, Quebec
Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu is a municipality in the southwestern part of the Province of Quebec, Canada on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La Vallée-du-Richelieu...
on the Richelieu River
Richelieu River
The Richelieu River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows from the north end of Lake Champlain about north, ending at the confluence with the St. Lawrence River at Sorel-Tracy, Quebec downstream and northeast of Montreal...
in 1790 where he became a farmer. He later articled as a notary and qualified to practice in 1805. Bourdages also became an important land-owner in the region.
In 1804, 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 Richelieu; he represented this region until 1814. In 1806, he helped found Le Canadien
Le Canadien
Le Canadien was a French language newspaper published in Lower Canada from November 22, 1806 to March 14, 1810. Its motto was: "Nos institutions, notre langue et nos droits"...
. Bourdages was generally opposed to measures intended to put an end to seigneurial tenure
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:...
. 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...
, he served in the local militia, reaching the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He was elected in Buckinghamshire in an 1815 by-election and then represented it from 1820 to 1830, when Buckinghamshire was reorganized. He then represented Nicolet
Nicolet (electoral district)
Nicolet was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1935.It was created by the British North America Act of 1867 which preserved existing electoral districts in Lower Canada. It consisted of the County of Nicolet. From 1903...
in the assembly from 1830 until his death at Saint-Denis in 1835. Bourdages helped prepare the Ninety-Two Resolutions
Ninety-Two Resolutions
The Ninety-Two Resolutions were drafted by Louis-Joseph Papineau and other members of the Parti patriote of Lower Canada in 1834. The resolutions were a long series of demands for political reforms in the British-governed colony....
submitted to the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
government in 1834. In January 1835, he suffered an attack of apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
and died several days later.
His son Rémi-Séraphin
Rémi-Séraphin Bourdages
Rémi-Séraphin Bourdages was a physician and political figure in Lower Canada. He represented Rouville in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1830 to 1832....
, who represented Rouville in the legislative assembly, died before his father in 1832.