UN AMI

De son côté, la Gazette de Québec (1), l'organe de la population anglaise, disait :

“ On the 18th instant, at his manoOr, after a long and painful illness, the Honorable G.-E, Taschereau, seignior of the seigniory of Taschereau, or Nouvelle- Beauce, colonel of the second batallion of the Quebec militia, member of the Legislative Council, grand voyer of the District of Quebec, and surperintendent of Provincial Post Houses. The virtues which distinguished this truly respectable citizen, cannot be comprised in an ordinary biographical notice. His life deserves to be known, down to the minutious particulars. Itis sufficient to observe that he fulfilled the duties of the different situations he occupied, with a remarkable order and discernement ; as grand voyer, he greatly contributed to the improvement of the Province ; and it was by his assiduous attention that Nouvelle-Beauce has become a flourishing settlement in a few year.

“He served with distinction in 1775. No man was more conspicuous for loyalty and zeal for the king's service than he. He succeeded to an estate of little value ; but he created by histalents and industry one of the most considerable fortunes in Canada.

“He saw the approach of death with a firrnness which can only be given by" a conscience unsullied and without reproach ; his death was that of a truly wise man. The tears, the regret and sincere grief of his family are the strongest proofs of his domestic virtues.

(1) Numéro du 21 décembre 1809,

«eo ; Ki ÿ £ $

“ He was interred yesterday,in the church of Ste- Marie, Nouvelle-Beauce, in the presence of a numerous concourse of his tenants ” (1).

M. Gabriel-Elzéar Taschereau avait épousé en premier mariage, le 23 janvier 1773, Elizabeth Bazin, Il en eut quatre enfants. D'une deuxième union avec mademoiselle L.-F, Duchesnay, il laissa trois enfants, Gabriel-Elzéar Taschereau, ordonné prêtre en 1796, et qui mourut à Ste-Marie de la Beauce, en 1822,était né du premier mariage. Du second mariage, on connaît : 1. /ean-Thomas, qui épousa, en 1806, Marie Panet, fille du premier président de l’Assemblée du Canada et d'où descend le cardinal archevêque de Québec ; 2. Antoine-Churles, qui épousa à Deschambeault, le 18 janvier 1819, Adélaïde-Elizabeth de la Gorgendière, fille du seigneur de Deschambault et de St-Joseph de la Beauce ; 3. Marie-Louise, qui épousa à Ste-Marie, dans la chapelle seigneuriale, le 17 septembre 1804, Jean-Olivier Perreault.

(1) Le 5 octobre 1809, Pierre Marcoux fut nommé grand voyer et inspecteur des grands chemins et rues pour le district de Québec, à la

place de Gabriel-Elzéar Taschereau. Il mourut à Berthier, le 20 novembre 180g (Canadien de 1809, p. 221).