Pierre de Rastel de Rocheblave
Encyclopedia
Pierre de Rastel de Rocheblave (March 9, 1773 – October 5, 1840) was a fur trade
r, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada
.
He was born in Kaskaskia, Illinois
in 1773, the son of Philippe-François de Rastel de Rocheblave
, and moved to Montreal
with his family after the American Revolution
. Like his father, he entered the fur trade and he worked for his father at Detroit. He helped found the XY Company in 1798 and looked after the Athabasca department as a wintering partner. He was put in charge of the Red River department after the company merged with the North West Company
in 1804; he was later put in charge of the Athabasca and then Pic departments. In 1811, he was named manager for the new South West Fur Company. During the War of 1812
, he was named captain of the Corps of Canadian Voyageurs and served as major in the militia after the war. He was involved in coordinating the transfer of assets when the North West Company merged with the Hudson's Bay Company
in the 1820s and served as agent for the HBC until he retired from the fur trade in 1827.
Rocheblave purchased land at Coteau-Saint-Louis on the island of Montreal and elsewhere in the province. He helped develop the Champlain and St Lawrence Railroad. He was named a justice of the peace for Montreal district in 1821 and also served on various commissions. In 1827, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
for Montreal West. He was named to the Legislative Council
in 1832 and was named to the Special Council
that administered the province after the Lower Canada Rebellion
. He opposed the union of Upper
and Lower Canada and was president of an organization that opposed any such plan.
He died at Coteau-Saint-Louis in 1840. His widow Elmire, died in 1886. Both were buried in
the Church of Notre Dame, Montreal.
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
r, businessman and political figure in 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...
.
He was born in Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia, Illinois
Kaskaskia is a village in Randolph County, Illinois, United States. In the 2010 census the population was 14, making it the second-smallest incorporated community in the State of Illinois in terms of population. A major French colonial town of the Illinois Country, its peak population was about...
in 1773, the son of Philippe-François de Rastel de Rocheblave
Philippe-François de Rastel de Rocheblave
Philippe-François de Rastel de Rocheblave was a soldier, businessman and political figure in Lower Canada. He was sometimes referred to as the Chevalier de Rocheblave....
, and moved to 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...
with his family after the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Like his father, he entered the fur trade and he worked for his father at Detroit. He helped found the XY Company in 1798 and looked after the Athabasca department as a wintering partner. He was put in charge of the Red River department after the company merged with the North West Company
North West Company
The North West Company was a fur trading business headquartered in Montreal from 1779 to 1821. It competed with increasing success against the Hudson's Bay Company in what was to become Western Canada...
in 1804; he was later put in charge of the Athabasca and then Pic departments. In 1811, he was named manager for the new South West Fur Company. During the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, he was named captain of the Corps of Canadian Voyageurs and served as major in the militia after the war. He was involved in coordinating the transfer of assets when the North West Company merged with the Hudson's Bay Company
Hudson's Bay Company
The Hudson's Bay Company , abbreviated HBC, or "The Bay" is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and one of the oldest in the world. A fur trading business for much of its existence, today Hudson's Bay Company owns and operates retail stores throughout Canada...
in the 1820s and served as agent for the HBC until he retired from the fur trade in 1827.
Rocheblave purchased land at Coteau-Saint-Louis on the island of Montreal and elsewhere in the province. He helped develop the Champlain and St Lawrence Railroad. He was named a justice of the peace for Montreal district in 1821 and also served on various commissions. In 1827, 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 Montreal West. He was named to the Legislative Council
Legislative Council of Lower Canada
The Legislative Council of Lower Canada was the upper house of the bicameral structure of provincial government in Lower Canada until 1838. The upper house consisted of appointed councillors who voted on bills passed up by the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada. The legislative council was...
in 1832 and was named to the Special Council
Special Council of Lower Canada
The Special Council of Lower Canada was an appointed body which administered Lower Canada until the Union Act of 1840 created the Province of Canada. Following the Lower Canada Rebellion, on March 27, 1838, the Constitutional Act of 1791 was suspended and both the Legislative Assembly and...
that administered the province after 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...
. He opposed the union of Upper
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
and Lower Canada and was president of an organization that opposed any such plan.
He died at Coteau-Saint-Louis in 1840. His widow Elmire, died in 1886. Both were buried in
the Church of Notre Dame, Montreal.