William Bent Berczy

Who was William Bent Berczy?

William Bent Berczy was a farmer, painter and political figure in Upper Canada.

He was born in London England in 1791, the son of William Berczy, and came to York with his family in 1794. He grew up in York, Montreal and Quebec City. He served in the Corps of Canadian Chasseurs during the War of 1812. From 1818 to 1832, he lived on property near Sandwich, where he grew tobacco. From 1828 to 1834, he represented Kent in the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada. In 1832, he settled on the property at Sainte-Mélanie-d'Ailleboust of his wife, Louise-Amélie Panet, who had inherited it from her father, seigneur Pierre-Louis Panet. Berczy was lieutenant-colonel in the Lower Canada militia, reaching the rank of colonel.

He died in Sainte-Mélanie-d'Ailleboust, Quebec in 1873.

Two paintings by Berczy hang in the National Gallery of Canada, Huron Indians leaving residence near Amherstburg and Blessing of the Fields.