Julien (Jules)-Maurice Quesnel

Leaving nothing more than his name on a river (Fraser called it Quesnel’s river after their 1808 expedition), he left the North West Company in 1811 and returned to a world in which he felt more comfortable. Quesnel prospered as part of the merchant class in Montreal, and eventually became a partner in a wholesale company. He married Josette (Marie-Josephte) Cotte in 1816… no record can be found he and Josette had children. He was part of the establishment and was firmly part of the British institutions that made up the majority of the business community in Montreal at that time. In 1818 he became a member of the prestigious and exclusive Beaver Club, whose members were men of the fur trade. Jules Quesnel’s admission to the Beaver Club in 1818 is indicative of his rise to prominence.  Membership was restricted to wealthy merchants who had paid their dues as wintering partners in the fur trade and was limited to 55 members at any one time. He was involved with the harbour commission, he was captain in the militia, was a city councillor and member of the Legislative Council of the Province of Canada.

He died 20 May 1842 at the age of 55 years and six months, and was buried in the parish church of Notre Dame on the 23rd of May 1842.