Théotime Blanchard
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Théotime Blanchard (May 8, 1844 – March 11, 1911) was a teacher, farmer, merchant and politician in New Brunswick. He represented Gloucester County from 1870 to 1875 and from 1892 to 1894 in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick and Gloucester in the Canadian House of Commons from 1894 to 1900 as a Conservative member.
He was born in Caraquet, New Brunswick, the son of Agapit Blanchard and Anne-Marie Poirier, and the grandson of Tranquille Blanchard. He taught school in Neguac and in Caraquet. In 1867, he married Marie Gauvin. Blanchard was later named a justice of the peace. In the legislative assembly, he helped lead the opposition to the Common Schools Act of 1871. Blanchard resigned his seat in the assembly and became inspector of weights and measures for Restigouche County in 1876. From 1887 to 1892, he served as customs inspector at Caraquet. Blanchard was the first Acadian elected to the provincial assembly and the House of Commons from Gloucester County. He was defeated by Onésiphore Turgeon when he ran for reelection in 1900 and again in 1904. He died in Bathurst at the age of 66 after being injured in a vehicle accident.
