Memorable Manitobans: Pascal Bréland (1811-1896)

Pascal Breland Click to enlarge

Farmer, MLA (1871-1874).

Born in the Saskatchewan Valley on 15 June 1811, son of fur trader Pierre Breland (1796-1829) and Marie Louise Josephe Bilidau (c1785-1817), he moved with his family to Red River around 1828 and took up farming. He gradually acquired most of Cuthbert Grant’s property in the St. François Xavier district, and received an official grant to this land in 1882. Bréland was also active as a free trader and a freighter.

In 1836, he married Maria Grant (1824-1854), a daughter of Cuthbert Grant, and they had fourteen children: Patrice Breland, Cycle Breland (1838-1842), Marie “Judith” Breland (1841-1907, wife of Casimir Dauphinais, daughter-in-law of Francois Dauphinais), Thomas Breland (1842-1876), Elisabeth Breland (1844-1846), Marguerite Breland (1846-?), Luxine/Lucie Breland (1848-1907), Clemence Breland (1849-?, wife of Firmin Hamelin, daughter-in-law of Salomon Hamelin, mother of Joseph Hamelin), Placidee Breland (1851-1870), Elisabeth “Eliza/Laiza” Breland (1853-1921), Josue Breland (1855-?, husband of Marie Flavie Dauphinais, son-in-law of François Dauphinais), Pascal Napoleon Breland (1857-1861), Gregoire Breland (1859-?), and Marie Justine Breland (1861-?).

In 1851 he was appointed magistrate for the White Horse Plains and, in 1857, he became a member of the Council of Assiniboia. During the 1869-1870 insurrection, he withdrew to the Qu’Appelle Valley, reappearing at St. François Xavier in April 1870 to warn that “men should now refrain from associating themselves with the murderers of a helpless prisoner.” Not surprisingly, the new leaders of Manitoba found him useful.

He was elected MLA from St. François Xavier in the first elections of December 1870, and in 1872 he was appointed to the North West Council, where he served until 1887. In 1874, he became a member of the executive of the North West Council, serving actively in treaty negotiations from 1874 to 1876. He was one of the founders of the Winnipeg Board of Trade, in 1873. His later utility was somewhat limited by his difficulty in speaking English, and by the 1880s events had passed him by.

He died at St. François Xavier on 24 October 1896 and was buried in the St. Francois Xavier Roman Catholic Cemetery. There are scattered papers at the Archives of Manitoba. He is commemorated by a plaque in the Medicine Rock Heritage Park in St. Francois Xavier.

See also:

Historic Sites of Manitoba: Medicine Rock Heritage Park (St. Francois Xavier, RM of St. Francois Xavier)

Pascal Bréland by Manitoba Historic Resources Branch (1984).

Pascal Bréland, Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

Sources:

E. H. Oliver (editor), The Canadian North-West, Its Early Development and Legislative Records, 2 volumes. Publications of the Canadian Archives, No. 9, 1914.

Death registrations, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Our First Hundred Years: A History of St. Francois-Xavier Municipality. St. Francois-Xavier Municipality Historical Committee, 1980. Manitoba Legislative Library, F5648.S234.

Dictionary of Manitoba Biography by John M. “Jack” Bumsted, Winnipeg: University of Manitoba Press, 1999.

We thank Paul Sash for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 1 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 Send corrections and additions to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban  | Firsts | Acknowledgements Support the MHS