François-Xavier Malhiot

Who was François-Xavier Malhiot?

François-Xavier Malhiot was a merchant, seigneur and political figure in Lower Canada.

He was born François-Xavier-Amable Malhiot at Verchères, Quebec in 1781, the son of François Malhiot. Malhiot joined the Royal Canadian Volunteer Regiment as an officer and later became a lieutenant-colonel in the militia, serving during the War of 1812. In 1804, with one of his brothers, he took over the family business. In 1805, he married Julie Laperière and inherited land in the seigneury of Contrecoeur after the death of his father-in-law in 1807; he became principal seigneur in 1818. In 1814, he purchased land in the seigneury of Saint-Ours.

Malhiot was elected to represent Richelieu in the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada in an 1815 by-election held after an earlier election was declared invalid. In 1828, he was elected for Surrey in a by-election held after Louis-Joseph Papineau, who had been elected in two different ridings, chose to sit for Montreal West. In 1828, Malhiot was dismissed from his position in the militia by Lord Dalhousie after he supported resolutions critical of the governor's behaviour.