Alphonse Desjardins - timeline
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1854 |
November 5 -- Gabriel-Alphonse Desjardins, eighth child in a family of fifteen, is born in Lévis. |
1864-1870 |
Studies at Collège de Lévis. |
1871 |
Enrolled in the Canadian militia and sent to Red River in Manitoba. |
1872-1876 |
Journalist at L'Écho de Lévis, a conservative newspaper. |
1876-1879 |
Journalist at the Canadien newspaper, of which his brother Louis-Georges is part owner. |
1879-1890 |
Desjardins records the proceedings at the Legislative Assembly of Québec. |
1879 |
September 2 -- He marries Marie Clara Dorimène Desjardins, from Sorel. They have ten children: six boys and four girls. |
1880-1893 |
Desjardins participates in the Lévis Chamber of Commerce as Secretary-Treasurer from 1880 to 1888. |
1891 |
For three months, he publishes his own newspaper, L'Union canadienne. |
1892-1917 |
He works as French stenographer at the House of Commons. |
1893-1900 |
He gives stenography courses at the Collège de Lévis. |
1893 |
He compiles Notes pour servir à une étude de l'assurance-vie (Notes for a study of life insurance). |
1900 |
December 6 -- The first caisse populaire is founded in Lévis. |
1900-1914 |
Steps taken to obtain legal recognition for the caisses. These steps led to the adoption of a law by Québec, but were left unanswered in Ottawa. |
1902 |
He becomes member of the International Co-operative Alliance, which grants him the privilege of having membership as an individual. |
1907-1914 |
Tours many regions, founding several caisses. |
1908 |
First trip to the United States, where he founds the Caisse populaire Sainte-Marie de Manchester in New Hampshire. He returned to the United States four times, founded eight other caisses, gave speeches and participated in
writing up the Act of Incorporation of the credit unions. |
1913 |
He is made Commander of the Ordre de Saint-Grégoire-le-Grand by the Holy See, in recognition for his contribution to Catholic charities. |
1914 |
Stricken with uraemia, he has to cut back on his activities. |
1920 |
Alphonse Desjardins dies on October 31. He is buried on November 4 at a stately funeral attended by several representatives of the Church and both governments. |
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