George-Barthélemy Faribault (December 3, 1789 – 1866) was a Canadian

archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...

, born in

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

. Faribault was a first cousin of Jean-Baptiste, father of Alexander, founder of the city of

Faribault, Minnesota Faribault ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Rice County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 24,453 at the 2020 census. Faribault is approximately south of Minneapolis–Saint Paul. Interstate 35 and Minnesota State Highwa ...

, United States. After attending a school taught by a Scottish veteran of Wolfe's army, he completed by personal efforts the course preparatory to the study of law and was admitted to the bar in 1811. In 1812, Faribault served as a militiaman during the invasion of Canada by the Americans. In 1822, he entered the civil service, attaining in 1832 the rank of assistant clerk of the Legislative Assembly, an office he continued to hold after the union of the Canadas (1841) until 1855, when ill-health forced him to resign. Passionately fond of his country and of its past glories, he spent all his leisure in collecting documents and books pertaining to Canadian history. His fine collection (1700) of rare books and original manuscripts perished at the burning of the Parliament House in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

(1849). He courageously began a second collection, which he bequeathed to

Université Laval (; English: ''Laval University)'' is a public research university in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The university traces its roots to the Séminaire de Québec, founded by François de Montmorency-Laval in 1663, making it the oldest institutio ...

. Faribault published no original works, merely reproducing and annotating a series of rare historical papers in the transactions of the Quebec Literary and Historical Society, of which he was one of the chief promoters and benefactors. His principal publication is the ''Catalogue of Works'' relating to the history of America, with bibliographical, critical, and literary notes (Quebec, 1837), which, although superseded by a few later catalogues, ranks among the best. In 1859, he realized the long-postponed plan, conceived in 1761 by Montcalm's companions in arms, of erecting a memorial tablet over the soldier's grave. The epitaph written by the French Academy at the time the subject was first brought up and approved by William Pitt, was duly inscribed. In private life, Faribault was the type of the

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

gentleman, modest, hospitable, and charitable. He counted none but friend, and left the record of a blameless career, devoted to the service of God and country. He died in 1866. His daughter, Mathilde-Georgiana Faribault, married the Quebec portrait artist Théophile Hamel, (1817–1870).

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* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Faribault, George-Barthelemy 1789 births 1866 deaths Canadian archaeologists Academics from Quebec Pre-Confederation Quebec people