Open Collections

[between 1781 and 1785]

1 bookplate : relief printing ; 3 x 1.5 cm

Deschenaux, Pierre Louis

Still Image

Pierre-Louis Deschenaux was born 13 February 1759 in Québec, the son of Joseph Brassard Deschenaux and Madeleine Vallée. Between 1768 to 1779, Deschenaux studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec. After leaving the seminary, he trained for two years in the office of the notary Charles Stewart, which the Dictionary of Canadian Biography notes was particularly unusual, as the majority of notaries learned the profession without such guidance. In June 1781, Governor Haldimand commissioned Deschenaux to practice anywhere in the province as a notary, and a few months later, he was made a lawyer. In 1784, Deschenaux married Geneviève Dumon, who died suddenly a mere two months after their marriage. He married again in 1787 to Marie-Joseph Perrault. Throughout his practice as a lawyer, Deschenaux was frequently involved in complex cases. In 1783, he worked with another notary to create an inventory of the estate of Louise-Madeleine Dusautoy, who was the widow of Francois-Etienne Cugnet. The Cugnet case was quite a controversial one, and Deschenaux became involved in a conflict of interest, as he also acted as attorney for Dusautoy's son, Francois-Joseph in a case against the widow Dusautoy. As a result of this case, Lieutenant Governor Hamilton forbade simultaneous practice of notary and lawyer. As a result, Deschenaux devoted himself to the profession of notary. In 1794, Deschenaux was appointed judge at the Provincial Court of Three Rivers, and in 1796 his salary was raised from £300 to £500. Deschenaux died 31 December 1802 in Trois-Rivières and was buried at the church there on 3 January 1803. His house was converted into a barracks and military residence, and following 1822, was converted into a bishop's palace.
References:
1) Douville, Raymond. 'Deschenaux (Brassard Deschenaux) Pierre-Louis'. Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Available online from http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/deschenaux_pierre_louis_5F.html, accessed December 10, 2014.

RBSC Bookplates

2015

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