Henri-Elzéar Taschereau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sir Henri-Elzéar Taschereau
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| 4th Chief Justice of Canada | |
| In office November 21, 1902 – May 2, 1906 |
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| Nominated by | Wilfrid Laurier |
| Preceded by | Samuel Henry Strong |
| Succeeded by | Charles Fitzpatrick |
| Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada | |
| In office October 7, 1878 – November 21, 1902 |
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| Nominated by | John A. Macdonald |
| Preceded by | Jean-Thomas Taschereau |
| Succeeded by | John Douglas Armour |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 7, 1836 Sainte-Marie-de-la-Nouvelle-Beauce, Lower Canada |
| Died | April 14, 1911 (aged 74) Ottawa, Ontario |
| Spouses | Marie-Antoinette Harwood Marie-Louise Panet |
Sir Henri-Elzéar Taschereau was an important Canadian judge. He was born on October 7, 1836, and passed away on April 14, 1911. He became the fourth Chief Justice of Canada, which is the highest judge in the country.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Henri-Elzéar Taschereau was born in Sainte-Marie-de-la-Beauce, a town in what was then called Lower Canada. His family lived in a special manor house. He went to Université Laval to study law. In 1857, he became a lawyer, which means he was allowed to practice law in Quebec.
That same year, he married Marie-Antoinette de Lotbiniere Harwood. They had seven children together. After she passed away in 1896, he married his second wife, Marie-Louise Panet, in 1897. They had three more children.
A Career in Law and Politics
Taschereau started his career as a lawyer in Quebec City. In 1861, he decided to enter politics. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada. At that time, he was against the idea of Canadian Confederation, which was the plan to unite different colonies into one country.
In 1871, he became a judge in the Quebec Superior Court. Later, in 1878, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada. This is Canada's highest court. He also taught law part-time at the University of Ottawa.
Becoming Chief Justice
On August 14, 1902, Henri-Elzéar Taschereau was given a special honour. He was made a knight bachelor, which means he could use "Sir" before his name. In November 1902, he became the Chief Justice of Canada. He held this very important position for four years, until he retired in 1906.
In 1904, he became a member of the British Privy Council. This allowed him to be part of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council, which was a high court for some parts of the British Empire.
Family Connections
Henri-Elzéar Taschereau came from a family with a long history in Canada. His great-great-grandfather, Thomas-Jacques Taschereau, was the first of their family in Canada.
He was also related to other important people. For example, Elzéar-Alexandre Taschereau was a Cardinal, a high-ranking official in the Catholic Church. Another relative, Jean-Thomas Taschereau, was also a judge on the Supreme Court. Later, his grandson, Robert Taschereau, would also become a Chief Justice of Canada.
Henri-Elzéar Taschereau's first wife, Marie Antoinette Harwood, was the daughter of Robert Unwin Harwood. They had seven children. She passed away in 1896 and was buried in Vaudreuil.
His second wife, Marie Louise Panet, was born in Ottawa in 1868. They married in 1897 and had two sons. Their sons were Charles Elzear de Montarville Taschereau, born in 1898, and Henri Edouard Panet Taschereau, born in 1902.
