Jacob Nicol

Jacob Nicol, QC (April 25, 1876 September 23, 1958) was a Canadian lawyer, newspaper publisher, and politician.

The Hon.
Jacob Nicol
Senator for Bedford, Quebec
In office
July 14, 1944  September 23, 1958
Appointed byWilliam Lyon Mackenzie King
Preceded byRufus Henry Pope
Succeeded byLouis-Philippe Beaubien
Member of the Legislative Council of Quebec for Bedford
In office
September 16, 1929  September 23, 1958
Appointed byLouis-Alexandre Taschereau
Preceded byJoseph-Jean-Baptiste Gosselin
Succeeded byJoseph-Oscar Gilbert
MLA for Compton
In office
1923–1929
Preceded byCamille-Émile Desjarlais
Succeeded byAndrew Ross McMaster
MLA for Richmond
In office
1921–1923
Preceded byWalter George Mitchell
Succeeded byGeorges-Ervé Denault
Personal details
Born(1876-04-25)April 25, 1876
Roxton Pond, Quebec
DiedSeptember 23, 1958(1958-09-23) (aged 82)
Sherbrooke, Quebec
Political partyLiberal
Other political
affiliations
Quebec Liberal Party
RelationsMichel Auger, uncle
CabinetMinister Without Portfolio (1934-1936)
Minister of Municipal Affairs (1921-1924)
Provincial Treasurer (1921-1929)

Early life

Born in Roxton Pond, Quebec, the son of Philip Nicol, farmer and tool manufacturer, and Sophie Cloutier, Nicol was educated at Feller College, McMaster University, and Université Laval à Québec. He studied law with Henry Thomas Duffy and Louis-Alexandre Taschereau. He was called to the Quebec Bar in 1904 and was created a King's Counsel in 1912.[1]

Law career

He practiced law in Sherbrooke, Quebec with Wilfrid Lazure and Silfrid Couture until 1935. From 1906 to 1921, he was a crown attorney for the District of St. Francis. From 1921 to 1931, he was a member the Board of Education of the Province of Quebec.[1]

Newspaper owner

In 1910, he was one of the founders of the newspaper La Tribune in Sherbrooke, where he remained an owner until 1955. He was also an owner of the Le Soleil in Quebec City from 1927 to 1948, L'Événement in 1936, L'Événement-Journal from 1938 to 1948, and Le Nouvelliste de Trois-Rivières until 1951. He also an owner of radio stations CHLN and CHLT. From 1945 to 1955, he was a director and vice-president at the National Bank of Canada.[1]

Political career

He was acclaimed to the Legislative Assembly of Quebec for the district of Richmond in a 1921 by-election. A Quebec Liberal, he was re-elected in Compton in 1923 and 1927. He was a Minister of Municipal Affairs in the cabinet of Louis-Alexandre Taschereau from 1921 to 1924. He was the Provincial Treasurer from 1921 to 1929. In 1929, he was appointed to the Legislative Council of Quebec for the division of Bedford. He was speaker from 1930 to 1934 and leader of the government from 1934 to 1936. In 1934, he was a minister without portfolio in the cabinet of Taschereau. In 1944, he was summoned to the Senate of Canada for the division of Bedford on the advice of William Lyon Mackenzie King. He held both posts until his death.[1]

Honours

He received honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from Bishop's College in 1927, McMaster University in 1928, and Laval University in 1952. He was made a Knight of the Légion d'honneur in 1948.[1]

He died in Sherbrooke in 1958.[1]

References

  1. "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.
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