Frédéric-Auguste Quesnel

The Honourable Frédéric-Auguste Quesnel


Member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Chambly
In office 1820–1834
Member of the Executive Council of Lower Canada
In office 1837–1841
Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada for Montmorency
In office 1841-1844–1848-1866
Personal details
Born	(1785-02-04)February 4, 1785 Montreal, Quebec
Died	July 28, 1866(1866-07-28) (aged 81) Montreal, Quebec
Nationality	Canadien
Political party	Moderate
Residence	Manoir Souvenir, Square Mile
Alma mater	Collège Saint-Raphaël

The Hon. Frédéric-Auguste Quesnel (February 4, 1785 – July 28, 1866) M.P., K.C., was a Canadien lawyer, businessman and politician. He held a number of public offices and in politics he was a moderate who represented Chambly in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada (1820-1834); and Montmorency in the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada (1841-1844 & 1848-1866). From 1837 to 1841 he sat on the Executive Council of Lower Canada. Condemned by the Patriotes as a vendu in the Lower Canada Rebellion, in 1860 he was elected President of the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society. In 1859, he was elected President of the Banque du Peuple and his achievements in commerce and finance served to show that a French Canadian could make his fortune in business. His home, Manoir Souvenir (now a ruin) was one of the early estates of the Golden Square Mile.

In 1785, Quesnel was born at Montreal into a family well known in Canadien gentry society. He was the eldest son of Joseph Quesnel and Marie-Josephte Deslandes, step-daughter of Maurice-Régis Blondeau. His brothers included The Hon. Jules-Maurice Quesnel, a member of the Beaver Club, and his sister was married to The Hon. Côme-Séraphin Cherrier. Like all his brothers, he was educated at the Collège Saint-Raphaël from 1796 to 1803. Afterwards, he articled in the law offices of Stephen Sewell, and could speak both French and English fluently.