Pierre-Benjamin Dumoulin
Encyclopedia
Pierre-Benjamin Dumoulin (ca 1799 – September 24, 1856) was a seigneur
, lawyer, judge and political figure in Lower Canada
and Canada East
.
He was probably born in Trois-Rivières
, Lower Canada
around 1799 and studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet. He articled in law at Trois-Rivières with Pierre Vézina
, was admitted to the bar in 1821 and set up practice in Trois-Rivières. He acquired part of the seigneury of Grosbois-Est during the 1820s. In 1826, he ran unsuccessfully in a by-election to represent Saint-Maurice in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
; he was elected in 1827 for Trois-Rivières, reelected in 1830 and resigned in 1832. He was named a Queen's Counsel
and justice of the peace in 1838. Following a complaint against him by Colonel Bartholomew Conrad Augustus Gugy, he was removed from his appointments in 1843. He served as mayor of Trois-Rivières in 1845 and 1853. In 1846, he sold the seigneury of Grosbois-Est and bought the seigneury of Saint-Maurice. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Yamaska
as a Reformer in 1851. In 1853, he was named bâtonnier for the district. He was reinstated as Queen's Counsel in the same year. He was appointed chief judge in the Court of Quarter Sessions at Trois-Rivières in 1856. He died in Trois-Rivières later that year.
His son Sévère, also a lawyer, also served in the legislative assembly and as mayor of Trois-Rivières.
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:...
, lawyer, judge 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...
and Canada East
Canada East
Canada East was the eastern portion of the United Province of Canada. It consisted of the southern portion of the modern-day Canadian Province of Quebec, and was primarily a French-speaking region....
.
He was probably born in Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières, Quebec
Trois-Rivières is a city in the Mauricie region of Quebec, Canada, located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence Rivers. It is situated in the Mauricie administrative region, on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River across from the city of Bécancour...
, 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...
around 1799 and studied at the Séminaire de Nicolet. He articled in law at Trois-Rivières with Pierre Vézina
Pierre Vézina
Pierre Vézina was a lawyer and political figure in Lower Canada. He represented Trois-Rivières in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1816 to 1820....
, was admitted to the bar in 1821 and set up practice in Trois-Rivières. He acquired part of the seigneury of Grosbois-Est during the 1820s. In 1826, he ran unsuccessfully in a by-election to represent Saint-Maurice in 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...
; he was elected in 1827 for Trois-Rivières, reelected in 1830 and resigned in 1832. He was named a Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel
Queen's Counsel , known as King's Counsel during the reign of a male sovereign, are lawyers appointed by letters patent to be one of Her [or His] Majesty's Counsel learned in the law...
and justice of the peace in 1838. Following a complaint against him by Colonel Bartholomew Conrad Augustus Gugy, he was removed from his appointments in 1843. He served as mayor of Trois-Rivières in 1845 and 1853. In 1846, he sold the seigneury of Grosbois-Est and bought the seigneury of Saint-Maurice. 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 Yamaska
Yamaska (electoral district)
Yamaska 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....
as a Reformer in 1851. In 1853, he was named bâtonnier for the district. He was reinstated as Queen's Counsel in the same year. He was appointed chief judge in the Court of Quarter Sessions at Trois-Rivières in 1856. He died in Trois-Rivières later that year.
His son Sévère, also a lawyer, also served in the legislative assembly and as mayor of Trois-Rivières.