François Malhiot (October 20, 1733 – January 28, 1808) was a businessman and political figure in

Lower Canada The Province of Lower Canada (french: province du Bas-Canada) was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence (1791–1841). It covered the southern portion of the current Province of Quebec an ...

. He was born at

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

in 1733, the son of Jean-François Malhiot. In 1768, he married his cousin Élisabeth, the daughter of Ignace Gamelin, and settled at

Verchères Verchères is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in Montérégie, Quebec, located on the south bank of the Saint Lawrence River. The population as of the Canada 2011 Census was 5,692. History In the 17th century, the settlement at Verchères w ...

. He sold dry goods, lent money for mortgages and speculated in the

grain trade The grain trade refers to the local and international trade in cereals and other food grains such as wheat, barley, maize, and rice. Grain is an important trade item because it is easily stored and transported with limited spoilage, unlike other ...

. He also invested in land. His property was damaged and Malhiot was taken prisoner during the

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

invasion of Quebec in 1775–6. In 1792, he was elected to the

1st Parliament of Lower Canada The 1st Parliament of Lower Canada was in session from December 17, 1792, to May 31, 1796. Elections for the Legislative Assembly in Lower Canada had been held in June 1792. All sessions were held at Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: ...

representing Surrey. Malhiot was named a

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

in 1799 and also served as a colonel in the local militia. He died at Verchères in 1808. His son François-Xavier also became a member of the legislative assembly and later was a member of the legislative council.

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* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Malhiot, Francois 1733 births 1808 deaths Members of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada Pre-Confederation Quebec people Canadian justices of the peace