Cyrille-Hector-Octave Côté
Encyclopedia
Cyrille-Hector-Octave Côté (September 1, 1809 – October 4, 1850) was a physician and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born Cyrille-Hector Côté in Quebec City
in 1809, of Acadian
descent, and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec
and the Petit Séminaire de Montréal. He became a teacher. In 1831, he started the study of medicine at McGill College
, but transferred to the University of Vermont
shortly afterwards. Although he graduated with a medical certificate there in October 1831, he was at first not allowed to practice in Lower Canada because he had completed his studies in less than five years. However, in April 1832, he was given his license and entered practice at Sainte-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie. In 1833, he moved to Napierville
. Later that year, he married Margaret Yelloby Jobson, the daughter of a prosperous local farmer.
In 1834, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for L'Acadie and was a radical member of the parti patriote. Côté became a leader for the Patriote movement in his region and joined Les Fils de la Liberté. After a price was set on his head, he left for the United States
. Although originally supporting Louis-Joseph Papineau
, he now allied himself with Robert Nelson and helped prepare a declaration of independence for Lower Canada
. On February 28, 1838, with Nelson, he led a group of Patriotes into Lower Canada; they were quickly dispersed. The American authorities arrested the group's leaders because the United States were officially neutral in this dispute but they were released shortly afterwards. At this point, Côté began to organize a group known as the Frères chasseurs
. In November 1838, Nelson and Côté took over the village of Napierville but were again defeated by volunteer troops loyal to the British
. He returned to the practice of medicine and settled at Swanton, Vermont. By 1840, he had abandoned the Patriote movement and moved to Chazy, New York
the following year.
He returned to Lower Canada in 1843, now a preacher for the Baptist
faith. In 1844, he was ordained a Baptist minister and settled at Saint-Pie, Quebec
. In 1848, he went to Philadelphia and helped prepare pamphlets to educate people about the Baptist faith, as well as translating an existing work into French
. In 1849, he went to Sainte-Marie-de-Monnoir (later Marieville, Quebec
).
He died in Hinesburg, Vermont
in 1850, after suffering a heart attack while attending a Baptist meeting there.
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 Cyrille-Hector Côté in 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...
in 1809, of Acadian
Acadian
The Acadians are the descendants of the 17th-century French colonists who settled in Acadia . Acadia was a colony of New France...
descent, 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...
and the Petit Séminaire de Montréal. He became a teacher. In 1831, he started the study of medicine at McGill College
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
, but transferred to the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
shortly afterwards. Although he graduated with a medical certificate there in October 1831, he was at first not allowed to practice in Lower Canada because he had completed his studies in less than five years. However, in April 1832, he was given his license and entered practice at Sainte-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie. In 1833, he moved to Napierville
Napierville, Quebec
Napierville is a municipality in the Jardins de Napierville Regional County Municipality in Quebec, Canada, situated in the Montérégie administrative region. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 3,352. It is the location of the seat of the Jardins de Napierville Regional County...
. Later that year, he married Margaret Yelloby Jobson, the daughter of a prosperous local farmer.
In 1834, 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 L'Acadie and was a radical member of the parti patriote. Côté became a leader for the Patriote movement in his region and joined Les Fils de la Liberté. After a price was set on his head, he left for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Although originally supporting 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...
, he now allied himself with Robert Nelson and helped prepare a declaration of independence for Lower Canada
Declaration of Independence of Lower Canada
The Declaration of Independence of Lower Canada was written in French by the patriot rebel Robert Nelson on February 22, 1838, while in exile in the United States, after the first rebellion of 1837....
. On February 28, 1838, with Nelson, he led a group of Patriotes into Lower Canada; they were quickly dispersed. The American authorities arrested the group's leaders because the United States were officially neutral in this dispute but they were released shortly afterwards. At this point, Côté began to organize a group known as the Frères chasseurs
Frères chasseurs
The Frères chasseurs were a paramilitary organization that fought in the Patriote Rebellion on the Patriote side, seeking to make Lower Canada, now Quebec, an independent and democratic republic....
. In November 1838, Nelson and Côté took over the village of Napierville but were again defeated by volunteer troops loyal to the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
. He returned to the practice of medicine and settled at Swanton, Vermont. By 1840, he had abandoned the Patriote movement and moved to Chazy, New York
Chazy, New York
Chazy is a town in northeastern Clinton County, New York, in the United States. The population was 4,284 at the 2010 census. The closest city is Plattsburgh, to the south. Chazy is from Canada. The zip code is 12921 and it is in area code 518.- History:...
the following year.
He returned to Lower Canada in 1843, now a preacher for the Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
faith. In 1844, he was ordained a Baptist minister and settled at Saint-Pie, Quebec
Saint-Pie, Quebec
Saint-Pie is a city in the Montérégie region of southwest Quebec. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 5,109. The Parish of Saint-Pie was amalgamated into the City of Saint-Pie on February 28, 2003.-Population:Population trend...
. In 1848, he went to Philadelphia and helped prepare pamphlets to educate people about the Baptist faith, as well as translating an existing work into 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...
. In 1849, he went to Sainte-Marie-de-Monnoir (later Marieville, Quebec
Marieville, Quebec
Marieville is a city in the Canadian province of Quebec. It is located within the Rouville Regional County Municipality in the Montérégie region about 30 kilometers east of Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census was 7,904.-History:...
).
He died in Hinesburg, Vermont
Hinesburg, Vermont
Hinesburg is a town in Chittenden County, Vermont, United States. The town was named for Abel Hine, town clerk. The population was 4,340 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in 1850, after suffering a heart attack while attending a Baptist meeting there.