Ulric-Joseph Tessier
Encyclopedia
Ulric-Joseph Tessier was a Quebec
lawyer, judge, seigneur
and political figure. He was a member of the Senate of Canada representing the Gulf division from 1867 to 1873 and served as mayor of Quebec City
from 1853 to 1854.
He was born Joseph-Ulric Tessier in Quebec City in 1817 and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
. He articled in law with Hector-Simon Huot
and was admitted to the bar in 1839. Tessier was elected to city council in 1846. The following year, he married Marguerite-Adèle Kelly, heiress to the seigneury of Rimouski. In 1851, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada
for Portneuf. He helped found the North Shore Railway in 1853 and, in 1858, the Banque Nationale
, serving as its first president. He was part of a group that lobbied for Quebec City as the capital of Canada in London
in 1857. Tessier was a professor in the faculty of law at the Université Laval
. In 1858, he was elected to the Legislative Council
for the Gulf division; he served as Minister of Public Works in the Executive Council
from 1862 to 1863. Tessier was speaker for the Legislative Council from 1863 until Confederation
, when he was appointed to the Senate. He was named Queen's Counsel
in 1863. In 1869, his wife inherited the seigneury of Rimouski after the death of her mother; Tessier also purchased the seigneuries of Le Bic, Saint-Fabien, Saint-Simon, Saint-Mathieu, Trois-Pistoles and part of Île-d’Orléans. In 1873, Tessier resigned from the Senate to become a judge in the Quebec Superior Court
in Quebec district; in 1875, he was named to the Court of Queen's Bench.
His published works included:
He died in Quebec City in 1892 and was buried in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont
.
One son, Auguste
, later served in the Quebec assembly and as a judge; another, Jules
, served in the Quebec assembly and the Canadian Senate.
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
lawyer, judge, seigneur
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. He was a member of the Senate of Canada representing the Gulf division from 1867 to 1873 and served as mayor of 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...
from 1853 to 1854.
He was born Joseph-Ulric Tessier in Quebec City in 1817 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...
. He articled in law with Hector-Simon Huot
Hector-Simon Huot
Hector-Simon Huot was a lawyer and politician in Lower Canada.He was born at Quebec City in 1803, the son of merchant François Huot, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec. He articled in law with Louis Lagueux, was called to the bar in 1825 and set up practice at Quebec City...
and was admitted to the bar in 1839. Tessier was elected to city council in 1846. The following year, he married Marguerite-Adèle Kelly, heiress to the seigneury of Rimouski. In 1851, 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 Portneuf. He helped found the North Shore Railway in 1853 and, in 1858, the Banque Nationale
Banque canadienne nationale
The Banque canadienne nationale was a Quebec-based bank in Canada.In 1859, several prominent Quebecers founded the Banque Nationale in Quebec City as a banking institution controlled by French-speaking businessmen and dedicated to promoting their interests.In 1924, the Banque Nationale, which was...
, serving as its first president. He was part of a group that lobbied for Quebec City as the capital of Canada 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...
in 1857. Tessier was a professor in the faculty of law at the Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
. In 1858, he was elected 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...
for the Gulf division; he served as Minister of Public Works in the Executive Council
Cabinet of Canada
The Cabinet of Canada is a body of ministers of the Crown that, along with the Canadian monarch, and within the tenets of the Westminster system, forms the government of Canada...
from 1862 to 1863. Tessier was speaker for the Legislative Council from 1863 until Confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, when he was appointed to the Senate. He was named 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...
in 1863. In 1869, his wife inherited the seigneury of Rimouski after the death of her mother; Tessier also purchased the seigneuries of Le Bic, Saint-Fabien, Saint-Simon, Saint-Mathieu, Trois-Pistoles and part of Île-d’Orléans. In 1873, Tessier resigned from the Senate to become a judge in the Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court
Quebec Superior Court is the highest trial Court in the Province of Quebec, Canada. It consists of 144 judges who are appointed by the federal government.Chief Justices : [partial listing]* Edward Bowen...
in Quebec district; in 1875, he was named to the Court of Queen's Bench.
His published works included:
- Emma ou l’amour malheureux, a story based on the choleraCholeraCholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic at Quebec City that appeared in the city newspaper Le Télégraphe in 1837 - Essai sur le commerce et l'industrie du Bas-Canada, a study on the Quebec economy published in 1854
He died in Quebec City in 1892 and was buried in the Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont
Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont
The Cimetière Notre-Dame-de-Belmont is located at 2176 avenue Chapdelaine in Quebec City in the province of Quebec, Canada. The cemetery was built between 1857 and 1859.-Notable interments:...
.
One son, Auguste
Auguste Tessier
Auguste Tessier was a lawyer, judge and political figure in Quebec. He represented Rimouski in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1889 to 1907 as a Liberal....
, later served in the Quebec assembly and as a judge; another, Jules
Jules Tessier
Jules Tessier was a Canadian lawyer and politician.He was born in Quebec City, Quebec, the son of Ulric-Joseph Tessier and Mariane Perrault. He was educated at the Quebec seminary and at the Jesuit college in Montreal, and was admitted to the Quebec Bar in 1874. He was created a Queen's Counsel in...
, served in the Quebec assembly and the Canadian Senate.