Sir Louis-Napoléon Casault (July 10, 1823 – May 18, 1908) was a

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, ...

lawyer, judge, professor and political figure. He represented Bellechasse in the

1st Canadian Parliament The 1st Canadian Parliament was in session from November 6, 1867, until July 8, 1872 (4 years and 252 days). The membership was set by the 1867 federal election from August 7 to September 20, 1867. It was prorogued prior to the 1872 election. ...

from 1867 to 1870 as a

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

member.

Biography

He was born in

Saint-Pierre-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud Saint-Pierre-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud () is a parish municipality in Quebec, Canada. Demographics In the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Saint-Pierre-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud had a population of living in of its total ...

in 1823. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec, then apprenticed in law and was admitted to the bar in 1847. He practiced law at

Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...

. In 1854, he was elected to represent Montmagny in the

Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the Parliament of the Province of Canada. The Province of Canada consisted of the former province of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East (now Quebec), and Upper Canada ...

. From 1858 to 1891, Casault taught commercial and maritime law at the

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 ...

. In 1867, he was named

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

. He was elected to the House of Commons in 1867 but resigned his seat in 1870 to accept a post as judge in the

Superior Court of Quebec The Superior Court of Quebec () is a superior trial court in the Province of Quebec, in Canada. It consists of 157 judges who are appointed by the federal government. Appeals from this court are taken to the Quebec Court of Appeal. Jurisdicti ...

for Kamaraska district; in 1873, he was named to Quebec district. From 1894 until his retirement in 1904, he was Chief Justice for the Province of Quebec. He was knighted in 1894. Casault died at Quebec City in 1908. A small lake in the unorganized territory of Lac-Casault, Quebec, Canada, was named after him.

Family

Hon Justice Louis-Napoléon Casault married Elmire Jane Pangman, daughter of Hon. John Pangman, M.L.C., and Seigneur of Lachenaye, July 1870. Their family residence was "Londesir" 9 de Salaberry Street, Quebec. Lady Casault was elected the first President of the Quebec branch of the

National Council of Women of Canada National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ...

, when that institution was founded by

Ishbel Hamilton-Gordon, Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair Ishbel Maria Hamilton-Gordon, Marchioness of Aberdeen and Temair, (''née'' Isabel Maria Marjoribanks; 15 March 1857 – 18 April 1939) was a British writer, philanthropist, and an advocate of women's interests. As the wife of John Hamilton-Gor ...

. She was also a member of various other bodies of a religious or benevolent character.

References

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Casault, Louis-Napoleon 1823 births 1908 deaths Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from Canada East Conservative Party of Canada (1867–1942) MPs Members of the House of Commons of Canada from Quebec Judges in Quebec Canadian Knights Bachelor Politicians from Chaudière-Appalaches Université Laval alumni Academic staff of Université Laval 19th-century members of the House of Commons of Canada