Zoé Laurier
| Lady Laurier | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
June 26, 1841[1][2] Montreal, Quebec, Canada |
| Died |
November 1, 1921 (aged 80) Ottawa, Ontario[3] |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Known for | Wife of Sir Wilfrid Laurier |
Zoé Laurier, Lady Laurier (née Lafontaine; June 26, 1841 – November 1, 1921) was the wife of Sir Wilfrid Laurier, the seventh Prime Minister of Canada.
Biography
Zoé Lafontaine was born on 27 June 1841 to Godefroy-Napoleon Robert and Zoé Lavigne [4][Note 1] in Montreal. Lafontaine was baptized on 28 June at the Notre-Dame Basilica.[5]
In Montreal, Lafontaine was educated at the School of the Bon Pasteur, and at the Convent of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, St. Vincent de Paul. She served as one of the vice presidents on the formation of the National Council of Women and was honorary vice president of the Victorian Order of Nurses.
In 1861, Lafontaine first met her future husband, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, at the home of Dr. Séraphin Gauthier, where both were boarding. During this time she was a piano teacher to Gauthier's children.[4][6]
On August 13, 1868, the two were married in the cathedral of Saint-Jacques.[6] The couple lived at Arthabaskaville until they moved to Ottawa in 1896. Ultimately, their union was childless, to Laurier's dismay. In 1874, Laurier began an affair with Émilie Barthe, who potentially begot him a son, Armand Lavergne. The affair continued until 1897, where it had to be broken off for political reasons.
Lafontaine served as one of the vice presidents on the formation of the National Council of Women and was honorary vice president of the Victorian Order of Nurses.[7]
On 17 February 1919, Laurier died. Lafontaine would outlive her husband by nearly two years. She died in Ottawa on 1 November 1921 at the age of 80.[5]
Her will bequeathed her Ottawa home to William Lyon Mackenzie King.[8]
Trivia
- Contrary to popular belief, Zoé Lafontaine is not related to Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine, the first Prime Minister of the United Province of Canada.[4]
- Zoé Laurier was fond of organizing musical evenings and card parties, where she enjoyed playing poker.[9]
- Lady Laurier was given a speeding ticket on 8 February 1910 for going 10 miles (16 kilometres) per hour.[10]
Legacy
- Graham-Laurier Provincial Park, in British Columbia, has a lake named 'Lady Laurier Lake' and a mountain named 'Lady Laurier Mountain', which is the highest peak in the park.[11]
- In 1985, a lounge in the Château Laurier was named in her honour. The lounge overlooks Rideau Street.
- CGS Lady Laurier, a Canadian Coast Guard Ship was christened after her. The ship operated between 1902-1960.[12]
- DuVillage, a specialty cheese maker, has a soft cheese called "Lady Laurier d'Athabaska".[13]
See also
Notes
- ↑ The genealogist Jean-Jacques Lefebvre is mistaken when he refers to her as Zoé Tessier.
References
- ↑ "Dictionary - Definition of ZOE LAURIER". Websters-online-dictionary.org. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
- ↑ "Automated Genealogy 1901 Census Transcription Project". Automatedgenealogy.com. 2007-05-10. Retrieved 2012-01-20.
- ↑ The Morning Leader - Google News Archive Search
- 1 2 3 Macdonald & Laurier Days » Answers from Historians Christopher Moore and Réal Bélanger
- 1 2 Généalogie Zoe Lafontaine
- 1 2 Biography – LAURIER, Sir WILFRID – Volume XIV (1911-1920) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography
- ↑ Morgan, Henry James Types of Canadian women and of women who are or have been connected with Canada : (Toronto, 1903)
- ↑ http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/on/laurier/natcul/natcul15.aspx
- ↑ http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-nhs/on/laurier/natcul/natcul6.aspx
- ↑ ARCHIVED - Fun-Picture Gallery-First Among Equals-Children's Version
- ↑ Ministry of Environment - Graham-Laurier
- ↑ ARCHIVED - USQUE AD MARE - The Lady Laurier - CCG Publications
- ↑ http://www.duvillage1860.com/#/products/lady-laurier-darthabaska.html
External links
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