Pierre Bruneau
Encyclopedia
Pierre Bruneau was a merchant and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in the town of Quebec
in 1761, the son of a merchant involved in the fur trade
, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
. In 1785, he married Marie-Anne Robitaille. In 1786, he took over the family business after his father returned to Poitiers
in France
; Bruneau opened a second store in Chambly
and expanded into the trade in grain, cloth and alcohol. He also invested in property. In 1792, Bruneau joined the local militia, serving as a major during the War of 1812
. In 1807, he hired Charles Labbé to manufacture articles made from fur that Bruneau then sold. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for the Lower Town of Quebec in 1810; he was reelected in 1814. In 1816, he was defeated in that riding but elected in Kent and reelected there in 1820. Like many members of the parti canadien
, Bruneau was opposed to judges sitting in the legislative assembly.
He died in office at Quebec in 1820.
His daughter Julie married Louis-Joseph Papineau
. His nephew François-Pierre Bruneau
later served as a member of the legislative council for the Province of 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 the town of Quebec
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 1761, the son of a merchant involved in the fur trade
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...
, 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...
. In 1785, he married Marie-Anne Robitaille. In 1786, he took over the family business after his father returned to Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; Bruneau opened a second store in Chambly
Chambly, Quebec
Chambly is a city in southwestern Quebec, Canada, about to the south east of Montreal.- Geography :It sits on the Richelieu River in the Regional County Municipality of La-Vallée-du-Richelieu, at .-History:...
and expanded into the trade in grain, cloth and alcohol. He also invested in property. In 1792, Bruneau joined the local militia, serving as a major 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...
. In 1807, he hired Charles Labbé to manufacture articles made from fur that Bruneau then sold. 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 Lower Town of Quebec in 1810; he was reelected in 1814. In 1816, he was defeated in that riding but elected in Kent and reelected there in 1820. Like many members of 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...
, Bruneau was opposed to judges sitting in the legislative assembly.
He died in office at Quebec in 1820.
His daughter Julie married Louis-Joseph Papineau
Louis-Joseph Papineau
Louis-Joseph Papineau , born in Montreal, Quebec, was a politician, lawyer, and the landlord of the seigneurie de la Petite-Nation. He was the leader of the reformist Patriote movement before the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837–1838. His father was Joseph Papineau, also a famous politician in Quebec...
. His nephew François-Pierre Bruneau
François-Pierre Bruneau
François-Pierre Bruneau was a lawyer, seigneur, businessman and political figure in Canada East.He was born in Montreal in 1799, the son of François-Xavier Bruneau, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Montréal. He studied law with Louis-Michel Viger, was called to the bar in 1822 and set up...
later served as a member of the legislative council for the Province of Canada.