Thomas Edmund Campbell
Encyclopedia
Thomas Edmund Campbell was a seigneur
and political figure in Canada East
.
He was born in London
, England
around 1810 and served in the British Army
in the Near East
. He came to Lower Canada
during the Lower Canada Rebellion
and he led a group of Mohawk
s against the Patriote forces at Châteauguay. He stopped pillaging by other loyalist forces afterwards and arrested the ringleaders who had instigated it. He became Governor Charles Edward Poulett Thomson
's military secretary and aide-de-camp in 1838. As such, he helped structure the first election held in the Province of Canada
in 1841 to aid candidates favoured by the Governor. Around 1840, he married Henriette-Julie, the daughter of seigneur Michel-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay
, and inherited the seigneury of Rouville in 1844. Campbell settled at Saint-Hilaire in 1846 and set up a model farm there. A year later, he became civil secretary for the new governor, Lord Elgin
and superintendent-general of Indian affairs. He resigned this post when the capital was moved to Toronto
in 1849. In 1858, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Rouville and generally voted with the Conservatives. After he was defeated in 1861, Campbell retired from politics. He was also a director of the Bank of Montreal
and the Grand Trunk Railway
. He was a member of a commission set up in 1862 with the aim of improving civil defence in the province. Campbell continued to supervise the operation of the seigneury of Rouville until his death in 1872. Unlike many seigneur of English origin, Campbell conducted the business of the seigneury in French
.
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:...
and political figure in 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 born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
around 1810 and served in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in the Near East
Near East
The Near East is a geographical term that covers different countries for geographers, archeologists, and historians, on the one hand, and for political scientists, economists, and journalists, on the other...
. He came to 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...
during the Lower Canada Rebellion
Lower Canada Rebellion
The Lower Canada Rebellion , commonly referred to as the Patriots' War by Quebeckers, is the name given to the armed conflict between the rebels of Lower Canada and the British colonial power of that province...
and he led a group of Mohawk
Mohawk nation
Mohawk are the most easterly tribe of the Iroquois confederation. They call themselves Kanien'gehaga, people of the place of the flint...
s against the Patriote forces at Châteauguay. He stopped pillaging by other loyalist forces afterwards and arrested the ringleaders who had instigated it. He became Governor Charles Edward Poulett Thomson
Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham
Charles Poulett Thomson, 1st Baron Sydenham PC was a British politician and the first Governor of the united Province of Canada.-Background:...
's military secretary and aide-de-camp in 1838. As such, he helped structure the first election held in the Province of Canada
Province of Canada
The Province of Canada, United Province of Canada, or the United Canadas was a British colony in North America from 1841 to 1867. Its formation reflected recommendations made by John Lambton, 1st Earl of Durham in the Report on the Affairs of British North America following the Rebellions of...
in 1841 to aid candidates favoured by the Governor. Around 1840, he married Henriette-Julie, the daughter of seigneur Michel-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay
Michel-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay
Michel-Louis Juchereau Duchesnay was a Canadian officer, seigneur, and justice of the peace.Born in Beauport, he was the third and last child born of the second marriage of Antoine Juchereau Duchesnay. In 1794 his mother, Catherine Le Comte Dupré, left the manor house after being accused of adultery...
, and inherited the seigneury of Rouville in 1844. Campbell settled at Saint-Hilaire in 1846 and set up a model farm there. A year later, he became civil secretary for the new governor, Lord Elgin
James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin
Sir James Bruce, 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, KT, GCB, PC , was a British colonial administrator and diplomat...
and superintendent-general of Indian affairs. He resigned this post when the capital was moved to Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1849. In 1858, 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 Rouville and generally voted with the Conservatives. After he was defeated in 1861, Campbell retired from politics. He was also a director of 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...
and the Grand Trunk Railway
Grand Trunk Railway
The Grand Trunk Railway was a railway system which operated in the Canadian provinces of Quebec and Ontario, as well as the American states of Connecticut, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. The railway was operated from headquarters in Montreal, Quebec; however, corporate...
. He was a member of a commission set up in 1862 with the aim of improving civil defence in the province. Campbell continued to supervise the operation of the seigneury of Rouville until his death in 1872. Unlike many seigneur of English origin, Campbell conducted the business of the seigneury in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
.