Jean-Olivier Chénier

Origins

Jean-Olivier Chénier was probably born with Lachine in 1806. He belongs to a family of farmers but his/her François grandfather went down from a rich person family of merchants at the time of the News-France.

Thanks to his godfather, Rene-Joseph Kimber, Chénier undertake studies of medicine in 1820, which it finishes in 1828. It then will be established in the Saint-Beno4it cheese parish (today Mirabel) in what then was called the district of York.

It is quickly interested by the political life of the time, characterized by the fights separatists of the party of Louis-Joseph Papineau against the centralizing sights of the various English governors who follow one another. In 1829, it takes share with the elections in the district of York where it helps to make elect William-Henry Scott, the candidate of the patriotic Parti.

Into 1830, York is divided into three districts and Chénier is found in that of the Two-Mountains whereas new general elections are announced. The patriotic candidate is this time Jacques Labrie which succeeds in him-also being made elect. Chénier shouldered it of sound better during the electoral campaign.

In 1834, Chénier settles with Saint-Eustace. The elections are done this time in the context of the claims of the Quatre-vingt-douze Résolutions, claiming in London the full powerss in internal policy for the legislative Parliament of Quebec. The Patriots gain high-the-hand 77 of the 88 counties, of which that of the Two-Mountains, represented again by William-Henry Scott.

Insurrection of 1837

Little by little, Chénier is radicalized, noting the little of opening of the British authorities. The April 11th 1836, he is secretary of an assembly with Saint-Benoît, which invites the population to boycott the British manufactured goods and to found national manufactures. One thus should not be astonished, after the vote of the Résolutions Russell, in London, to see it taking an active part in the resistance movement which prepares. In June 1837, he is member of the Standing Committee of the Two-Mountains, which, inter alia, coordinates the resistance network with the other counties.

The October 23rd, Chénier is present at the assembly of Saint-Charles-on-Richelieu where it appears, after the Scott deputy, like the patriotic main leader of Saint-Eustace. But, whereas Scott is against the use of violence, Chénier recommends the armed insurrection. The government knows its implication quickly because, the November 16th, it appears on the list of people against whom the governor emitted a mandate of arrest.

At at the beginning of December, Scott withdraws movement definitively. Papineau sends Amury Girod in the county of the Two-Mountains to act there as general of the resistant forces. It must however take into account Chénier, become ordering camp of Saint-Eustace.

The battle of Saint-Eustace

The Bataille of Saint-Charles of November 25th, which ends in a defeat, demoralizes the insurrectionists. Chénier has few men to defend the village of Saint-Eustace vis-a-vis the governmental forces which prepare the attack. The priest Jacques Paquin then tries in vain to persuade it to deposit the weapons.

The December 14th 1837, the army of John Colborne arrives of Montreal by the island Jesus, flanked local volunteers ordered by Maximilien Globensky. The attack is given against Chénier and its men, cut off in the church, the presbytery, the convent and the surrounding houses. The confrontation is far too unequal and the Bataille of Saint-Eustace ends in seventy dead among Patriots. Chénier is killed several balls at the time when it leaves the church in flames.

Notoriety

In October 1970, the cell of the Front of Release of Quebec which removes then keep silent the minister Pierre Laporte bears the name of cell Chénier in the honor of the patriotic chief.

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