Jean-Louis Beaudry

The Honourable Jean-Louis Beaudry MLC
11th Mayor of Montreal
In office 1862–1866
Preceded by	Charles-Séraphin Rodier
Succeeded by	Henry Starnes
In office 1877–1879
Preceded by	William Hales Hingston
Succeeded by	Sévère Rivard
In office 1881–1885
Preceded by	Sévère Rivard
Succeeded by	Honoré Beaugrand
Member of the Legislative Council of Quebec for Alma
In office November 2, 1867 – June 25, 1886
Succeeded by	Sévère Rivard
Personal details
Born	(1809-03-27)March 27, 1809 Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Lower Canada
Died	June 25, 1886(1886-06-25) (aged 77) Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Resting place	Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery
Relatives	Prudent Beaudry (brother)
Profession	businessman

Jean-Louis Beaudry (March 27, 1809 – June 25, 1886) was a Canadian entrepreneur and politician. Beaudry served as mayor of Montreal three times, from 1862 to 1866, from 1877 to 1879, and from 1881 to 1885 for a total time served as mayor of ten years.

Born in Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Quebec, he was raised and worked on the family farm.^[1] After working as a clerk and shopkeeper, Beaudry opened a dry goods store with his brother in 1834. Beaudry became increasingly politically active. In 1827 he signed a petition in opposition to the proposed union of the upper and lower Canadas. In 1837 he became one of the vice presidents of the Société des Fils de la Liberté. When the Rebellions of 1837 occurred, Beaudry fled temporarily to the United States. He returned in June 1838 and resumed his business dealings which flourished.

Having established himself as a successful businessman, in 1860 Beaudry ran and was elected councillor. In 1862 he ran for mayor of Montreal and won. He was easily re-elected through 1885. He declined to run for a couple of years, but ran again in 1868 against William Workman. During the campaign Beaudry turned off voters with religious and negative overtones. Beaudry did not run for mayor again until 1877, where he won, and again in 1878. However, in 1879 he lost in a fierce campaign against Sévère Rivard. Beaudry was once again re-elected from 1881 through 1885. His younger brother Prudent Beaudry was mayor of Los Angeles (1874–1876).

He was a member of the Legislative Council of Quebec from 1867 until his death in 1886. He was buried in the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery.^[2]

During his 10 years served as mayor of Montreal, Beaudry:

• established fire and health departments
• inauguration of a City Hall on Notre-Dame Street
• was instrumental in keeping peace between the Protestants and Catholics through halting the Orange Order

• Gaétan Frigon: Jean-Louis Beaudry, entrepreneur, patriote, and politician, in Legacy. How french Canadians shaped North America. McClelland & Stewart, Toronto 2016; réimpr. 2019 ISBN 0771072392 p 66 – 68 (other sections: Victor Beaudry, mining magnate and Prudent Beaudry.)
  • (in French) Bâtisseurs d'Amérique: des canadiens français qui ont faite de l'histoire. ed. André Pratte, Jonathan Kay. La Presse, Montréal 2016, p 215–242 (plusieurs personnes)

• Ste. Croix, Lorne (1990). "Jean-Louis Beaudry". In Halpenny, Francess G (ed.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XII (1891–1900) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
• "Biography". Dictionnaire des parlementaires du Québec de 1792 à nos jours (in French). National Assembly of Quebec.