Memorable Manitobans: Louis Arthur Prud’Homme (1853-1941)

Louis Arthur Prud’Homme Click to enlarge

Lawyer, MLA (1882-1883), MLA (1884-1885), judge.

Born at St. Urbain, Chateauguay County, Quebec on 21 November 1853, son of Lieutentant-Colonel J. M. Prud’Homme and Marguerite D’Amour, he studied law, becoming a Barrister at Manitoba in 1881. He practised law in Manitoba until his appointment to a County Court Judgeship.

He was a well-known literateur, having edited L’Avenir de Beauharnois from 1875 to 1877, and contributed articles on Manitoba and the North West Territories to La Revue Canadienne, L’Opinion Publicque and La Nouvelle. He wrote The History of Manitoba and Northwest Territories, published in the Archives of the Royal Society of Canada. He wrote Notes Historiques sur la vie de Pierre Radisson, 1891. He was subsequently on the editorial staff of Le Metis and Le Manitoba newspapers.

In 1880, he married Appoline Celaniese Henault (1858-1929, daughter of H. B. Henault) with whom he had seven children: Joseph Henry John Prud’Homme, Marie Louise Prud’Homme (1883-?), Eleonore H. Prud’Homme (1885-?, wife of ? Sumner), Appoline “Pauline” Prud’homme (1888-1972, wife of Louis Philippe Roy), Flavie Prud’Homme (1890-?), Arthur Prud’Homme (1894-?), and Marguerite Prud’Homme (1896-1972, wife of J. Ernest Dumas).

He served as Captain of the 64th Battalion for ten years and, in 1880, was appointed Captain of the St. Boniface Infantry Company. He was a member of the Royal Society of Canada, St. Jean Baptiste Society of Manitoba (President), and St. Vincent de Paul Society (President). Acclaimed as the representative for La Verendrye in the Manitoba Legislature in an 1882 by-election, he was defeated by Maxime Goulet in the 1883 general election, then re-elected at a January 1884 by-election.

He died at his St. Boniface home, 711 Rue Saint Joseph, on 1 March 1941 and was buried in the St. Boniface Cathedral Cemetery.

Sources:

1901 Canada census, Automated Genealogy.

Who’s Who in Western Canada: A Biographical Dictionary of Notable Living Men and Women of Western Canada, Volume 1, edited by C. W. Parker, Vancouver: Canadian Press Association, 1911.

Pioneers and Prominent People of Manitoba, Winnipeg: Canadian Publicity Company, 1925.

Death registration [Apolline Celaniese Prud'Homme], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Judge Louis Arthur Prud'homme dies Saturday in his 88th year,” Winnipeg Free Press, 3 March 1941. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B9]

“Judge L. A. Prud’Homme, scholar and author, dies in St. Boniface,” Winnipeg Tribune, 3 March 1941, page 2.

“Final tributes paid to judge,” Winnipeg Tribune, 5 March 1941, page 2.

Obituary [Marguerite Dumas], Winnipeg Free Press, 4 July 1972, page 72.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 17 July 2021

Memorable Manitobans This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations. Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text: Custom Search Browse surnames beginning with: A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z Browse deaths occurring in: 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 Send corrections and additions to this page to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!