David Morrison Armstrong | |
|---|---|
| Member of theLegislative Assembly of the Province of Canada forBerthier | |
| In office 1841–1851 | |
| Preceded by | New position |
| Succeeded by | Joseph-Hilarion Jobin |
| Member of theLegislative Council of the Province of Canada, Sorel Division | |
| In office 1855–1867 | |
| Member of theLegislative Council of Quebec, Sorel Division | |
| In office 1867–1873 | |
| Preceded by | New position |
| Succeeded by | Pierre-Euclide Roy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1805 (1805) |
| Died | April 14, 1873(1873-04-14) (aged 67–68) |
| Resting place | St Pierre church, Sorel |
| Political party | French-Canadian Group Reformer Conservative |
| Spouse | Léocadie Deligny |
| Relations | Jacques Deligny (father-in-law) |
| Children | 1 daughter |
| Residence | Berthier |
| Occupation | Merchant; insurance agent |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Britain |
| Branch/service | Lower Canada militia |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Unit | 4th Battalion, Berthier Militia |
David Morrison Armstrong (1805 – April 14, 1873) was a merchant, insurance agent and political figure inCanada East in theProvince of Canada (nowQuebec). He represented the electoral district ofBerthier in theLegislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from 1841 to 1851. From 1855 to 1867 he sat in theLegislative Council of the Province of Canada, and in theLegislative Council of Quebec from 1867 until his death. He initially opposed the union of theLower Canada andUpper Canada into the Province of Canada, and supported the reform movement forresponsible government. After responsible government was achieved, he gradually became aConservative.
Armstrong was born inMaskinongé, the son of Edmond Armstrong and Elizabeth Dunn. His father had been a captain in theRoyal Navy, serving during the American Revolutionary War, and then was the harbour master of Montreal. His mother's family wereUnited Empire Loyalists who emigrated to Canada.[1] He was educated in part at the English school in Maskinongé.[2]
Around 1824, Armstrong moved with his parents toBerthier, where he established himself as a merchant, as well as an agent for insurance companies. He married Léocadie Deligny in 1831. She was the daughter ofJacques Deligny, who had been a member in theLegislative Assembly of Lower Canada for over twenty years, first for the district of Warwick, and then for Berthier.[1][3]
Armstrong was ajustice of the peace and a commissioner for the trial of Small Causes. He entered the militia, eventually becoming lieutenant-colonel of the 4th Battalion of the Berthier Militia.[1]
His daughter Amélie marriedMichel Mathieu, who served in the Canadian House of Commons.
Following the rebellion in Lower Canada, and the similarrebellion in 1837 inUpper Canada (nowOntario), the British government decided to merge the two provinces into a single province, as recommended byLord Durham in theDurham Report. TheUnion Act, 1840, passed by theBritish Parliament, abolished the two provinces and their separate parliaments, and created theProvince of Canada, with a single parliament for the entire province, composed of an electedLegislative Assembly and an appointedLegislative Council. TheGovernor General retained a strong position in the government.[4][5][6]
Armstrong stood for election in the first general election in 1841 and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of the new province, representing the electoral district ofBerthier. He was re-elected in 1844 and 1848, but defeated in 1851.[2]
In the first session of the first Parliament, elected in 1841, Armstrong was a member of theFrench-Canadian Group from Canada East, who opposed both the new union of Canada, and the government ofGovernor General Sydenham. Following Sydenham's death in late 1841, he continued to oppose the government of the new Governor General,Sir Charles Bagot, until Bagot was forced to reorganise his government by taking in Reformers, led byLouis-Hippolyte Lafontaine andRobert Baldwin. Armstrong supported the new government, and also voted in opposition when the Lafontaine–Baldwin ministry felt compelled to resign.[2][7]
Armstrong subsequently became identified with the Reform group, until his defeat in 1851.[2]
In 1855, he was named to theLegislative Council of the Province of Canada for the Sorel division and served untilCanadian Confederation in 1867, when theprovince of Quebec was created. He was named to theLegislative Council of Quebec in 1867, again for the Sorel division. By the time he sat in the Legislative Council of Quebec, he was considered a Conservative. He served in the Quebec Legislative Council from 1867 until his death inSorel in 1873. He was entombed in the vault of the church of St Pierre at Sorel.[2]
1st Parliament of the Province of Canada
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