Georges-Casimir Dessaulles

Who was Georges-Casimir Dessaulles?

Georges-Casimir Dessaulles, was a businessman, statesman and Canadian senator. Dessaulles holds the record for the oldest serving politician. Appointed to the Canadian Senate representing the Province of Quebec in 1907 at age 80, Dessaulles served for 23 years before dying at age 102.

Dessaulles was born in Saint-Hyacinthe, Lower Canada in 1827, the son of Jean Dessaulles and a nephew of Louis-Joseph Papineau. Before becoming senator, Dessaulles was President of the Bank of Saint-Hyacinthe, and mayor of Saint-Hyacinthe. He also represented Saint-Hyacinthe in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1897 to 1900. In 1857, he had married Émilie-Emma, the daughter of judge Dominique Mondelet; in 1869, he married Louise-Frances Leman after the death of his first wife. His 100th birthday was marked as a historic moment in the senate, because Dessaulles had become only the second sitting senator to reach the age of 100. At his death in 1930, Dessaulles was the oldest sitting politician in the world. To date, no one has beaten this record.

Dessaulles is also renowned for only having spoken twice while serving as a Senator.