Adolphe Guillet dit Tourangeau

Who was Adolphe Guillet dit Tourangeau?

Adolphe Guillet dit Tourangeau was a Quebec notary and political figure. He was a Conservative member of the Canadian House of Commons representing Quebec East from 1870 to 1874. He also served two terms as mayor of Quebec City.

He was born Adolphe-Elzéar Guillet dit Tourangeau in Quebec City, Lower Canada in 1831 and studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec. He articled as a notary, studied law at Université Laval and qualified as a notary in 1855. He set up practice in Quebec City, also serving as an agent for several insurance companies. He was a director for the North Shore Railway and the Quebec and Gosford Railway, later the Quebec and Lake St. John Railway. In 1863, he was elected to city council and he served as mayor from 1863 to 1866. During his time as mayor, a regular ferry service was established between Quebec City and Lévis. He served another term as mayor in 1870; after the end of his term, Tourangeau and several of his fellow councillors continued to occupy city hall, claiming that the election was invalid. They were eventually forced to surrender after supplies were cut off.