Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry
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Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry (July 20, 1721 – December 11, 1797) was a seigneur, military engineer and political figure in Lower Canada. His first name was also sometimes written Joseph-Gaspard.
He was born in the town of Quebec in 1721, the son of Gaspard-Joseph Chaussegros de Léry. He joined the colonial army in 1733 and became an assistant engineer in 1739. Chaussegros de Léry took part in raids against the British in New England, helped maintain French fortifications in New France and was in charge of the construction of Fort Saint-Jean (later Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu). In 1753, he married Louise, the daughter of François Martel de Brouague, commandant of the Coast of Labrador. He took part in Montcalm's capture of Fort Oswego in 1756 and, in 1757, was promoted to captain for his success at the Battle of Fort Bull. He was wounded at the Battle of the Plains of Abraham and sent back to France in 1761. He had become the seigneur of Léry after his father's death.
Chaussegros de Léry was not given any opportunities by the French and returned to Quebec by way of England in 1764. He was named chief road commissioner by Governor Guy Carleton in 1768 and served on the Legislative Council and Executive Council of Quebec. In 1792, he was named to the Legislative Council of Lower Canada. He sold the seigneury of Léry in 1766 but later acquired the seigneuries of Perthuis, Rigaud-Vaudreuil, Gentilly, Le Gardeur and Sainte-Barbe.
He died at Quebec in 1797.
His son Louis-René also served on the legislative council and his son Charles-Étienne was a member of the executive council and the special council that administered the province after the Lower Canada Rebellion. His daughter Catherine married seigneur Jacques-Philippe Saveuse de Beaujeu and was the mother of Georges-René Saveuse de Beaujeu.
[edit] Honours
The DeLery Building at the Collège militaire royal de Saint-Jean was named in his honour.
