Jean-Joseph Girouard

Who was Jean-Joseph Girouard?

Jean-Joseph Girouard was a notary and political figure in Lower Canada.

He was born at Quebec City in 1794, of Acadian descent, and lived with his grandfather, Jean Baillairgé, after his father's death in 1800. When Baillairgé died in 1805, his mother became the housekeeper for a parish priest, who also tutored the children. Girouard trained as a notary, qualified to practice in 1816 and set up practice at Saint-Benoît. He also served as a volunteer in the militia during the War of 1812 and was named captain in 1821. In 1818, he married Marie-Louise Félix from the village of Saint-Benoît.

He resigned his position in the militia after a number of his friends were dismissed as militia officers because of their association with the Patriotes. Girouard was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada for Deux-Montagnes in an 1831 by-election held after the death of Jacques Labrie and supported Louis-Joseph Papineau in the assembly. He supported the Ninety-Two Resolutions and was reelected in 1834. In 1837, his name was on a list of rebel leaders to be arrested.