Jonathan Saxton Campbell Würtele

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Jonathan Saxton Campbell Würtele (January 27, 1828 – April 24, 1904) was a Quebec seigneur, lawyer, judge and political figure. He represented Yamaska in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1875 to 1886.

He was born at Quebec City in 1828, the son of merchant Jonathan Würtele. He studied law with Jean Chabot and was called to the bar in 1850. He practiced law at Montreal with Henry Hague Judah. After the death of his father in 1853, he inherited the seigneuries of Deguire (also known as Rivière-David), Bourg-Marie-Est, Saint-François and La Lussaudière. He settled at Saint-David-d'Yamaska, where he served as justice of the peace, chairman of the school board and mayor. He helped found the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste there and also served as its president. In 1854, he married Julia, the daughter of Wolfred Nelson. He founded the Yamaska Navigation Company in 1858 which transported goods along the Yamaska and Saint-François Rivers. Würtele was chief clerk of the Seigneurial Commission, charged with settling the claims for compensation following the abolition of seigneurial tenure in 1854.

He returned to his law practice in partnership with John Abbott from 1866 to 1868 and then with Frederick Thomas Judah. He also taught commercial law at McGill College. In 1873, he was named Queen's Counsel. He married Sarah Braniff in 1875, after the death of his first wife.

Würtele served as provincial treasurer from 1882 to 1884 and speaker for the legislative assembly from 1884 to 1886. In 1886, he was named judge in the Quebec Superior Court, first for Ottawa district and, in 1888, for Montreal district. In 1891, he was named associate judge in the Court of Queen's Bench and, in 1892, puisne judge in the same court.

He died at Montreal in 1904 and was buried in the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.

[edit] External links

• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online
• Biography from Assemblée nationale du Québec (French)

Political offices
Preceded by Louis-Olivier Taillon	Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec 1884-03-27 – 1886-06-28	Succeeded by Félix-Gabriel Marchand