The descendants of Abel Turcault devoted themselves to the nineteenth century, almost entirely on the cultivation of land. This work, they accomplished with great care and a true sense of honor. Always faithful to the old ancestral home, now the Island of Orleans can be as proud of Lands Turcotte that Europe's cathedrals.
Life on the farm includes various work that day, repeatedly, as the hours to the watch face. Amid these daily chores, meal provides the small community during a stop. It's time for discussions where everyone is asked to give his opinion on various subjects. In some families, the main subject is the name of politics. Over the years, the tradition is taking shape and children are discovering a vocation as a politician. Thus the children of the Turcotte family appear in the mosaic of French Canadian politics. The following pages we present some of Joseph Edward, Arthur, Sylvio Joseph Narcisse, Jean Joseph, Jean Celestin Avila.
Joseph Edward Turcotte, born in Gentilly October 10, 1810, became a lawyer, writer, journalist, MP, Member of the Legislative Assembly, Minister and Speaker of the House, as the union of two Canadian ... He married at Notre-Dame de Quebec, November 15, 1842, Demoiselle Catherine Charlotte Buteau-Flore, Quebec, before the Superior of the Seminary of the city and a distinguished company ... Hence, ten (10) children, among whom Joseph Edward, also a lawyer, man of letters ... Henri-René Arthur, lawyer, MP, President of the Assembly ... Amedee-Auguste-Lucien, who came to study at the Sorbonne in Paris, was a professor at Laval University in Quebec and led the newspaper "The Canadian" ...
Gustavus Adolphus, who follows with that surname will undergo further changes ... This is not surprising in this bilingual country, with the attendance of people speaking English and speaking the French with an emphasis marquée.45.
The morals of Quebec voters are part of our ethnological heritage and, when there was no radio or television campaigns were sometimes so very picturesque.
| Photo of Joseph Edouard Turcotte |
Source: Archives Nationales du Quebec.
The Honorable Joseph Edouard Turcotte
Our research has led to the National Archives of Quebec, we found two things particularly amusing. The relationship is done in "Members of the Trois-Rivieres, A13-17 series of the collection" Pages trifluviennes "Francis J. Audet and "Rally" (1923).
The central character in the story is the Hon. Edward J. Turcotte who lived from 1808 to 1864. Born in Gentilly, he entered politics in 1841.
He was elected MP for the first time in 1841 and that for the riding of Saint-Maurice. In 1854, he changed and became the county member for Muskie, then de Champlain in 1858, and finally Trois-Rivieres in 1861.
We see President of the Legislative Assembly from 1862 to 1863. One of his biographers, Father Napoleon Caron, wrote of him in "Rally of l April 1928" that was "Trifluvien into the bone marrow.
Note that the terrace Turcotte, Trois-Rivieres, was named in honor of Hon. Edward J. Turcotte.
The fact that we bring lies in the election campaign of 1854. Unfortunately, it does not say who his opponent but pointed out that Mr. Turcotte was "too little known in the county where he Muskie presented.
Bel speaker to the sonorous voice, gestures natural and very expressive, the sentence always clear and clairevoyante, always calm and master of himself "(N. Caron), the candidate does not, however, will use these assets to impress her meeting.
| Drawing of Joseph-Edouard Turcotte |
Although armed, the Hon. Joseph Edward Turcotte takes on the wrist to curry favor with his constituents. Drawing by Suzanne Doucet in 1924.
Source: Quebec, Le Soleil, Thursday, October 25, 1973, p. 17.
Situated in St-Alexis in front of a group and less heated than sympathetic, Mr. Turcotte tried in vain to speak.
"I can not speak, but sing," cried suddenly to the surprise of his audience. They consented and the beauty of his voice surprised. "Bless God's sake," exclaimed one resident, "sings better than Xavier Baron.
The Xavier Baron was the cantor of the parish and also a man of Herculean strength. This exclamation was born in the candidate's mind an idea that does not lack color.
"Let go get him, your Baron. cried he to the voters. " We'll get him on the wrist and me. If baffles me, I withdraw my candidacy, but if I win, the whole village agrees to vote for me. That you will he?
It went to everybody and even with enthusiasm. The battle began not before the two adversaries were at first "looked into the eye."
Mr. Turcotte was maimed right arm (he was injured) but history says that "if it gave him an advantage over his opponent ... "
It is probably true since the fight was fast and that a sharp blow, violently overthrew the candidate's hand and that his opponent twice.
And this man was elected County Muskie!
Another picturesque is connected to the same Edward Turcotte. It is narrated by Father Napoleon Caron "The rallying from 1 April 1928" but it does not give the date of the incident.
It was still during an election campaign and Mr. Turcotte was speaking at Baie-du-Fevre (Yamaska). A young man against his party, had the strange idea to come into the room with a ... calf.
He did not flinch and let go without even saying a word more "screaming" from the poor fool who urged his master's throat to make him cry, of course.
After three "interventions" of the poor animal, he always calm, turned to the young man and said: "Young man, do you really stop to hurt your poor little brother."
"After a pause caused by the surprise, it was of" cheers "to the speaker and the flight to the intruder as" four strong men "took it upon themselves to make getaway.
"All then massed around the candidate who sent them a long and vigorous speech which was listened to with respect and warmly applauded," says Caron.
We may add that Mr. Turcotte did much to Three Rivers and even entire Mauricie. Among other things, he was a founder and first director of the company Forges Radnor (1854) .46.
Arthur Turcotte was born in Notre-Dame de Montreal, January 19, 1845. He was the son of Flora Catherine Buteau and Joseph Edward Turcotte.
He married in Bécancour January 16, 1873, Eleanor Elizabeth Mcdonald. She was the daughter of Angus McDonald, timber merchant.
He was educated at Collège Sainte-Marie in Montreal, then Stoneyhurst College in Lancashire in England and at Laval University and McGill Unniversité.
He made his clerkship with Master Laflamme and between the Bar December 5, 1878.
He practices his profession in Trois-Rivieres in association with Charles Dumoulin. He was appointed prothonotary of the Superior Court in Montreal in August 1890.
He became president of the company printing the Concorde. Then, he was director of the British Empire Life Association, alderman and mayor of Trois-Rivieres.
He was elected Conservative independent Legislative Assembly in the riding of Trois-Rivieres-elections of April 18, 1876. He was reelected in 1878. It is this liberal and was defeated in 1881 and was elected to the elections of March 26, 1884. Reelected in 1886, he resigned in 1888 following his appointment as minister. He was re-elections of May 25, 1888 and was defeated in 1890. He was elected speaker of the Legislative Assembly June 4, 1878 until December 2, 1881. He became minister without portfolio from January 29, 1887 under the government Mercier. He is Attorney-General of May 3, 1888 to August 22, 1890, then interim prime minister in 1887, still under Mercier.
He died in Montreal October 12, 1905 at the age of 60 years and 8 months. He was buried in St-Louis de Trois-Rivieres, October 16th 1905.47.
| Photo of Arthur Turcotte |
Source: National Archives of Quebec, Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The Hon. Arthur Turcotte.
Joseph-Sylvio-Narcisse Turcotte was born in St-Jean de l'Île d'Orléans December 29, 1879. He was the son of Wenceslas Turcotte, carpenter, and Olympus Clavet. He married October 28 Filteau Marie, daughter of Lucien Filteau, merchant, and Anne Desrochers.
He studied at the Ecole Normale Laval and the Quebec Seminary. He was admitted to practice as a solicitor in July 1905. He practiced six months in the county of Mégantic and County Normandin, Lac St-Jean. He became representative of the chamber of notaries from 1927 to 1930, then mayor of the canton of Normandin from 1917 to 1922, mayor of the same municipality from 1926 to 1928, from 1932 to 1933 and from 1935 to 1947. He was also prefect of Lac St-Jean, warden of the parish of St-Cyrille Normandin from 1940 to 1943. He was then elected to the Legislative Assembly in the riding of Lac St-Jean in 1916 and was not represented in 1919.
He died at Normandin September 21, 1969 at the age of 89 years and 6 months. He is buried in the cemetery Normandin September 27, 1969.
He was the father of Jean-Joseph Turcotte, député.48.
Jean-Joseph Turcotte was born in County Normandin Lac St-Jean March 6, 1917. He was the son of Joseph-Sylvio-Narcisse Turcotte, notary and deputy of the Legislative Assembly and Marie Filteau.
He married, April 10, 1944, Laurette Simard, a teacher and daughter of Arsene Simard, farmer, and Clara dystrophy.
He studied at the College of Beauceville, seminar Chicoutimi and at Laval University. He practiced his profession in Normandin in the study of his father under the name of Turcotte & Turcotte.
He was director of the credit union Normandin and Recreation Association Normandin. There was also a founding member of the Chamber of Commerce Normandin, then alderman of the village Normandin from 1949 to 1955, mayor from 1955 to 1957, Reeve of Lac St-Jean-west from 1957 to 1961, MP for Roberval to the Legislative Assembly by-elections of October 15, 1958. He was defeated in 1960.49.
Joseph Celestin Avila Turcotte was born in Quebec in the parish of Saint-Sauveur on 25 Novermber 1882. He was the son of Selim Turcotte, shoemaker, and Henriette Langlois. He married Marguerite Turcotte, daughter of Ernest Turcotte and Alphaïde Thibodeau, St. Pierre de Sorel April 19, 1909.
| Photo of J. C. Avila Turcotte |
He studied at the music academy in Quebec. It was used to package stores in Quebec and the National Railways of Lac Saint-Jean. He became an accountant with the Sorel Richelieu Navigation Co. and in LB Leclerc, contractor. Founder and President of Sorel Sand Company in 1906 he became manager of the company's industrial Sorel 1908 to 1912. From 1924 to 1926, he was a timber merchant in 1926 and founder and president of the Sorel Harbor Tug Ltd.. He was also director of Many Shoes Ltd., Founder and president of the credit union Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel in 1945. His political career began in 1921. He was alderman of the city of Sorel and chairman of the finance committee until 1936. It was then warden of St. Pierre de Sorel 1955 to 1958. In the elections of October 28, 1929 he was elected Liberal MP for Richelieu in the Legislative Assembly. He was reelected in 1931, 1935 and 1936. In 1939, he was not represented.
He died February 10, 1968 at the age of 85 years and 2 months. He was buried in Montreal cemetery of St. Gabriel Parish February 13 1968.50.
Source: Family Collection of Madame Jeanne-Frappier Turcotte (Sorel)