Home Sweet Heritage Home - Rouleau, Dr. Edward Hector



	Rouleau, Dr. Edouard Hector 114 - 18th Avenue SW 1843-1912 Edouard Hector Rouleau was born at L’Isle Verte, Quebec on October 31, 1843. He attended Ecole Laval Normal and studied classics at Nicolet College. In 1870 he graduated with a medical degree from Laval University. After practicing in Bic, Qebec until 1877, he moved to Ottawa and then Bryson. In 1884 he married Catherine O’Meara, "daughter of a prominent merchant of Irish extraction." Prior to the Riel Rebellion of 1885 the Rouleau’s relocated to Battleford, Saskatchewan where Edouard’s brother Charles was a Stipendiary Magistrate of the North West Territories. Edouard worked as the attending surgeon for the North West Mounted Police and provided medical services to the French, Metis and native populations. When Chief Poundmaker became ill, Rouleau "provided him with generous and skilful treatment until his recovery." As hostilities escalated, the Rouleau’s were captured by Poundmaker’s warriors but were released because of Edouard’s previous kindess to the Chief. After the rebellion Edouard and Catherine moved back to Quebec but in 1887 moved to Calgary and set up practice. Around the same time the Dominion government appointed Edouard’s brother Charles to Calgary as a Stipendiary Magistrate to replace Jeremiah Travis. The brothers settled their families in Calgary’s French, Catholic Mission area near St. Mary’s Church and built homes within blocks of one another. In 1899 the area was incorporated as the Village of Rouleauville. The Rouleau’s were respected community leaders and devout Catholics. Dr. Rouleau regularly sang in St. Mary’s choir and worked to establish Holy Cross Hospital. He served as the first president of the St. Jean Baptiste Society, chancellor of the Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, in 1888 was appointed Belgian Consul for the Northwest Territories and in 1889 became one of the first members of the North West Territories Medical Association. Rouleau supported the establishment of a Separate School Board and chaired the board in 1897-1898 and 1905-1906. As a physician he was respected and loved. A colleague described Rouleau as an ideal family physician, "kindly, courteous to the last degree, always charitable, compassionate and self sacrificing." His favourite motto was "Courage, Madame courage." In politics Rouleau was a staunch Conservative and long-time supporter of Sir John A. Macdonald. The doctor served as surgeon to the North West Mounted Police in Calgary until his dismissal in 1911 when Laurier’s Liberal government took office. Edouard and Catherine had four children. Son Albert became the first Albertan born Catholic priest and daughter Albertine became a nun with Sisters of the Faithful Companions of Jesus. Dr. Rouleau died in 1912. Rouleauville Park in the city’s Mission District is dedicated to their memory and the many contributions they made to the community during their lifetime.
Previous \| Next