René-Joseph Kimber
Encyclopedia
René-Joseph Kimber was a physician and political figure in Lower Canada
and Canada East
. His grandfather's surname was originally spelled Jékimbert.
He was born in the town of Quebec
in 1786, the son of René Kimber, and studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël
at Montreal
. He apprenticed in medicine at Trois-Rivières
, qualified to practice in 1811 and set up practice at Trois-Rivières. In 1811, he married Apolline, the daughter of Montreal merchant Pierre Berthelet
. Kimber served in the militia during the War of 1812
as an officer and surgeon. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Trois-Rivières
in an 1832 by-election and was reelected in 1834. He supported the Ninety-Two Resolutions
but did not support the use of force. Although he opposed the union of Upper
and Lower Canada, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Champlain
in 1841. In August 1843, he was named to the Legislative Council
.
He died in Montreal in 1843.
His daughter Harline married Henry Judah
, who represented Champlain in the legislative assembly after Kimber was named to the legislative council. His sister Clotilde married Charles Langevin
, who represented Hampshire in the legislative assembly, after the death of her first husband.
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....
. His grandfather's surname was originally spelled Jékimbert.
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 1786, the son of René Kimber, and studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël
Collège de Montréal
The Collège de Montréal is a private secondary school for students attending grades 7–11 located in Downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada. A former Roman Catholic Seminary, it was founded 1 June 1767 as the Petit Séminaire of Montreal by the Suplician Order...
at 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...
. He apprenticed in medicine at 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...
, qualified to practice in 1811 and set up practice at Trois-Rivières. In 1811, he married Apolline, the daughter of Montreal merchant Pierre Berthelet
Pierre Berthelet
Pierre Berthelet was a merchant in the Montreal area. He was also heavily involved in real estate.Berthelet probably began his first successful business ventures in the fur trade. Records show that he was successful as a wheat merchant...
. Kimber served in the 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...
as an officer and surgeon. 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 Trois-Rivières
Trois-Rivières (Lower Canada)
Under the Constitutional Act of 1791, the district of Trois-Rivières was established. Its boundaries roughly covered the pre-merger city of Trois-Rivières...
in an 1832 by-election and was reelected in 1834. He supported 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....
but did not support the use of force. Although he opposed the union of Upper
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and Lower Canada, 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 Champlain
Champlain (Province of Canada)
Under the Union regime , the district of Champlain was re-established. It was located in the current Mauricie area and was located northeast of the district of Saint-Maurice on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River...
in 1841. In August 1843, he was named to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of the Province of Canada
The Legislative Council of the Province of Canada was the upper house 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 province of Ontario...
.
He died in Montreal in 1843.
His daughter Harline married Henry Judah
Henry Judah
Henry Hague Judah , was a lawyer and political figure in Canada East. Judah was among the first Jews to become attorneys in early Canada; the first was a distant cousin, Aaron Ezekiel Hart, son of Ezekiel Hart, called to the bar in 1824.Judah was born in London in 1808...
, who represented Champlain in the legislative assembly after Kimber was named to the legislative council. His sister Clotilde married Charles Langevin
Charles Langevin
Charles Langevin was a businessman and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Beauport in 1789, the son of Jean Bergevin, dit Langevin and Françoise Villers. After the death of his father, his mother married François Huot in 1801...
, who represented Hampshire in the legislative assembly, after the death of her first husband.