Côme-Séraphin Cherrier
Encyclopedia
Côme-Séraphin Cherrier was a lawyer and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in Repentigny
in 1798, the son of a farmer and merchant. After his mother died in 1801, he was raised by the family of his uncle Denis Viger
. Another uncle was Joseph Papineau
. Cherrier studied at the Petit Séminaire de Montréal, articled in law with his cousin Denis-Benjamin Viger
and was called to the bar in 1822. His partners in law included Louis-Michel Viger
, Denis-Aristide Laberge, Charles-Elzéar Mondelet, Antoine-Aimé Dorion
and Vincislas-Paul-Wilfrid Dorion. Cherrier successfully defended Jocelyn Waller against accusations of having libelled the administration of Lord Dalhousie
. He also represented the seigneurs
during the process of establishing compensation when seigneurial tenure was abolished. He married Mélanie, the daughter of merchant Joseph Quesnel
and widow of merchant Michel Coursol, in 1833. In 1834, Cherrier was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Montreal County and supported the parti patriote. Although Cherrier did not supported armed resistance, he was arrested in December 1837; he was later put under house arrest after he became ill.
In 1842, he was named Queen's Counsel
. He was bâtonnier for the Montreal bar in 1855 and 1856 and was dean for the law faculty of the Université Laval
at Montreal. Cherrier became president of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
of Montreal in 1853. He ran unsuccessfully for the position of mayor of Montreal
in 1859. In 1865, he gave a speech to the Institut canadien-français opposing Confederation
. He was named a knight in the Order of St Gregory the Great in 1869. Cherrier was also a vice-president of the St Vincent de Paul Society at Montreal. He owned much property at Montreal and inherited property from Denis-Benjamin Viger in Montreal and Île-Bizard. He served as director and later president for La Banque du Peuple.
He died in Montreal in 1885.
His uncles Benjamin-Hyacinthe-Martin Cherrier
and Séraphin Cherrier
both served as members of the assembly.
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 in Repentigny
Repentigny, Quebec
Repentigny is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in the province of Quebec, located north of Montreal, on the lower end of the L'Assomption River and on the Saint Lawrence River. Repentigny and Charlemagne are the first towns off the island of Montreal.-History:...
in 1798, the son of a farmer and merchant. After his mother died in 1801, he was raised by the family of his uncle Denis Viger
Denis Viger
Denis Viger was a carpenter, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born in Montreal in 1741, the son of a shoemaker. He worked as a carpenter and also carved wooden objects for the church at Saint-Denis. In 1772, he married Périne-Charles, the daughter of François-Pierre...
. Another uncle was Joseph Papineau
Joseph Papineau
Joseph Papineau was a notary, seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.Joseph Papineau was the father of Louis-Joseph Papineau who had the great distinction of being a fiery player in the history of the French dominated British colony called Lower Canada...
. Cherrier studied at the Petit Séminaire de Montréal, articled in law with his cousin Denis-Benjamin Viger
Denis-Benjamin Viger
Denis-Benjamin Viger was a 19th century Lower Canadian politician, lawyer, businessman, and Patriote movement member.Viger was part of the militia in the early 19th century and then a captain in the War of 1812...
and was called to the bar in 1822. His partners in law included Louis-Michel Viger
Louis-Michel Viger
Louis-Michel Viger was a Quebec lawyer, businessman, seigneur and political figure.He was born in Montreal in 1785 and studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël at the same time as his cousin, Louis-Joseph Papineau. He articled in law with his cousin, Denis-Benjamin Viger, was admitted to the bar in...
, Denis-Aristide Laberge, Charles-Elzéar Mondelet, Antoine-Aimé Dorion
Antoine-Aimé Dorion
Sir Antoine-Aimé Dorion, PC was a French Canadian politician and jurist.-Early years:He was born in Lower Canada in 1818, the son of Pierre-Antoine Dorion, a merchant and member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada who supported Louis-Joseph Papineau...
and Vincislas-Paul-Wilfrid Dorion. Cherrier successfully defended Jocelyn Waller against accusations of having libelled the administration of Lord Dalhousie
George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie
General George Ramsay, 9th Earl of Dalhousie GCB , styled Lord Ramsay until 1787, was a Scottish soldier and colonial administrator...
. He also represented the seigneurs
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:...
during the process of establishing compensation when seigneurial tenure was abolished. He married Mélanie, the daughter of merchant Joseph Quesnel
Joseph Quesnel
Joseph Quesnel was a French Canadian composer, poet, and playwright. Among his works were two operas, Colas et Colinette and Lucas et Cécile; the former is considered to be the first Canadian opera....
and widow of merchant Michel Coursol, in 1833. In 1834, Cherrier 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 Montreal County and supported the parti patriote. Although Cherrier did not supported armed resistance, he was arrested in December 1837; he was later put under house arrest after he became ill.
In 1842, 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...
. He was bâtonnier for the Montreal bar in 1855 and 1856 and was dean for the law faculty of 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...
at Montreal. Cherrier became president of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society
The Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society is an institution in Quebec dedicated to the protection of Quebec francophone interests and to the promotion of Quebec Sovereignism. Its current President is Mario Beaulieu....
of Montreal in 1853. He ran unsuccessfully for the position of mayor of 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...
in 1859. In 1865, he gave a speech to the Institut canadien-français opposing 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...
. He was named a knight in the Order of St Gregory the Great in 1869. Cherrier was also a vice-president of the St Vincent de Paul Society at Montreal. He owned much property at Montreal and inherited property from Denis-Benjamin Viger in Montreal and Île-Bizard. He served as director and later president for La Banque du Peuple.
He died in Montreal in 1885.
His uncles Benjamin-Hyacinthe-Martin Cherrier
Benjamin-Hyacinthe-Martin Cherrier
Benjamin-Hyacinthe-Martin Cherrier was a surveyor and political figure in Lower Canada.He was born Benjamin-Hyacinthe Cherrier at Longueuil in 1757, the son of François-Pierre Cherrier, and studied at the Collège Saint-Raphaël. He settled at Saint-Denis on the Richelieu River, where he set up his...
and Séraphin Cherrier
Séraphin Cherrier
Séraphin Cherrier was a merchant and political figure in Lower Canada. He represented Richelieu in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada from 1815 to 1820....
both served as members of the assembly.