Charles Alphonse Pantaléon Pelletier

Who was Charles Alphonse Pantaléon Pelletier?

Sir Charles Alphonse Pantaléon Pelletier, KCMG, PC was a Canadian lawyer, militia officer, politician, publisher, judge, and the ninth Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.

Born in Rivière-Ouelle, Lower Canada, the son of Jean-Marie Pelletier and Julie Painchaud, he studied law at the Université Laval, was called to the bar in 1860 and entered practice in Quebec City. He married Suzanne, the daughter of lawyer Charles-Eusèbe Casgrain in 1861; his wife died during childbirth the following year. In 1866, he married Eugénie, the daughter of Marc-Pascal de Sales Laterrière, a doctor and seigneur. He was elected as a Liberal to the Canadian House of Commons representing the riding of Kamouraska, Quebec in a by-election held in 1869. There was no election in this riding in 1867 due to riots. He was re-elected in 1872 and 1874. He was also elected to represent Québec-Est in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec in an 1873 by-election; he resigned this seat in 1874 when the dual mandate became illegal. From 1877 to 1878, he was the Minister of Agriculture in the federal cabinet.

He was President of the Canadian commission for the Paris World Fair in 1878. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for his work on this commission. In 1898, he was promoted to Knight Commander.