Charles Bertrand
Encyclopedia
Charles Bertrand was a Quebec
businessman, seigneur
and political figure. He represented Témiscouata
in the 1st Canadian Parliament
as a Conservative
member.
He was born Charles-Frédéric Bertrand in L'Isle-Verte, Lower Canada
in 1824, the son of Louis Bertrand
, who purchased the seigneury of Île-Verte in 1849. He attended the Petit Séminaire de Québec
. In 1850, Bertrand married Arthémise Dionne, daughter of Benjamin Dionne
, and, that same year, his father gave him control over the seigneury. He owned several mills, a factory producing agricultural implements, a foundry and four schooner
s. He owned cutting rights for timber and operated a sawmill
; he also owned a store in L'Isle-Verte. He served as mayor there in 1859 and from 1881 to 1885. Bertrand was also a director of the Témiscouata Railway.
He died in L'Isle-Verte in 1896. Just before his death, the industrial empire that he had built there began to fall apart, due to competition from other companies, bad luck, his son's lack of interest in the business and the unexpected death of Jean-Baptiste Raymond, whom he had been grooming to take over the operation.
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....
businessman, 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 represented Témiscouata
Témiscouata (electoral district)
Témiscouata was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1979....
in the 1st Canadian Parliament
1st Canadian Parliament
The 1st Canadian Parliament was in session from November 6, 1867 until July 8, 1872. The membership was set by the 1867 federal election from August 7 to September 20, 1867, and it changed only somewhat due to resignations and by-elections until it was prorogued prior to the 1872 election.It was...
as a Conservative
Conservative Party of Canada (historical)
The Conservative Party of Canada has gone by a variety of names over the years since Canadian Confederation. Initially known as the "Liberal-Conservative Party", it dropped "Liberal" from its name in 1873, although many of its candidates continued to use this name.As a result of World War I and the...
member.
He was born Charles-Frédéric Bertrand in L'Isle-Verte, 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...
in 1824, the son of Louis Bertrand
Louis Bertrand (Quebec seigneur)
Louis Bertrand was a Canadian seigneur, businessman and political figure.Bertrand was born in Cap-Santé, Quebec in 1779. He worked as baker at the Petit Séminaire de Québec, then moved to L'Isle-Verte in 1811 and opened a store there...
, who purchased the seigneury of Île-Verte in 1849. He attended 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 1850, Bertrand married Arthémise Dionne, daughter of Benjamin Dionne
Benjamin Dionne
Benjamin Dionne was a businessman and political figure in Canada East.He was born at Kamouraska in 1798. He entered business at Cacouna as a merchant around 1825. He served as lieutenant-colonel in the local militia and also as mayor of Cacouna...
, and, that same year, his father gave him control over the seigneury. He owned several mills, a factory producing agricultural implements, a foundry and four schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
s. He owned cutting rights for timber and operated a sawmill
Sawmill
A sawmill is a facility where logs are cut into boards.-Sawmill process:A sawmill's basic operation is much like those of hundreds of years ago; a log enters on one end and dimensional lumber exits on the other end....
; he also owned a store in L'Isle-Verte. He served as mayor there in 1859 and from 1881 to 1885. Bertrand was also a director of the Témiscouata Railway.
He died in L'Isle-Verte in 1896. Just before his death, the industrial empire that he had built there began to fall apart, due to competition from other companies, bad luck, his son's lack of interest in the business and the unexpected death of Jean-Baptiste Raymond, whom he had been grooming to take over the operation.