François-Xavier Pagé
François-Xavier Pagé (May 30, 1833[1] – February 24, 1912[2]) was a farmer and political figure in Manitoba. He was a member of the Convention of Forty and served in the Legislative Assembly of Assiniboia.[1]
The son of Joseph Pagé and Agathe Letendré, he was born in St. François Xavier, Manitoba. He married Philomène Lavallée. Pagé was arrested in August 1870 while scouting for the Métis during the arrival of the Red River Expeditionary Force.[1]
François Xavier was born May 30, 1833 at St. François Xavier. He was the son of Joseph Pagé1 (b. 1783) and his second wife Agathe Letendré (b. 1790). François-Xavier is the brother of Alexandre Pagé who was also a representative to the Convention of Forty. François Xavier married Philomène Lavallée, daughter of François Lavallée and Josephte Morin. His wife was born 8 November 1843 at Saint-Boniface. The couple had fourteen children. According to the Red River Relief Committee, in 1867 Xavier Pagé had one horse, three oxen and only harvested 40 bushels of wheat, suggesting that he made his living as a tripman for cart brigades.
François was one of the representatives of Saint-François-Xavier to the Convention of Forty in January 1870 at the Red River. On 19 January, Pagé was one of the four members of this convention (along with Ambroise-Dydime Lépine, John Sutherland and John Fraser) who went to find out if William MacTavish still considered himself the governor of Assiniboia. MacTavish responded that he was devoid of all authority and strongly urged the formation of a new government. Returning to the convention with this news, Pagé raised the motion to adopt the Provisional Government with Louis Riel as president, becoming a councilor of the Provisional Government when it was formed. Pagé was sent out as a scout for the Métis at the approach of the Red River Expeditionary Force and was arrested along with François-Xavier Dauphinais and Pierre Poitras on 24 August 1870. He was called upon to testify at the trial of Ambroise Lepine in 1874.
He died in St. François Xavier at the age of 78.[2]
His brother Alexandre was also a member of the Convention of Forty.[1]
References
- "François Xavier Pagé. (1833-1912)" (PDF). Virtual Museum of Métis History and Culture. Gabriel Dumont Institute of Native Studies and Applied Research. Retrieved 2013-12-24.
- "Genealogy Searches for Unrestricted Records". Government of Manitoba. Registration number 1912-003927. Retrieved 2013-12-21.