He was born Joseph-Louis-Conrad Kirouac to Cyrille Kirouac, a flower merchant, and Philomène Luneau in Kingsey Falls, Quebec. Prior to taking religious vows and becoming Brother Marie-Victorin, he was known as Conrad.[1]
Although Brother Victorin is on record as having suggested that Montreal build its own botanical gardens as early as 1919,[2] the Garden was not authorized until 1929 when Montreal Mayor Camillien Houde approved it, with construction beginning in 1931.
Subsequent administrations, both municipal and provincial, opposed the Garden as a boondoggle; however, Brother Victorin continued to champion its cause, promoting it at every opportunity, leading specimen-collection expeditions, recruiting Henry Teuscher as its designer, and protecting it from being converted into a military flight school, even during the Second World War.
Brother Victorin is also known for his writings: his Flore laurentienne is a botanical record of all species indigenous to southern Quebec, and was the first such record to be compiled. He also wrote the preface to an historical biography of another fifth cousin, Zephirin Paquet. Sa famille, sa Vie, son Oeuvre. Essai de Monographie Familiale, par frère Alcas.[3]
Brother Victorin died in Montreal in a car accident in July 1944, and he was entombed at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal.[4] A building at the Université de Montréal, where he had taught botany, was subsequently named for him.
Legacy
The Marie-Victorin rose, developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, was named in his honour.[5]
To honour the centennial of his birth in 1985, a park was established in his hometown of Kingsey Falls, named Parc Marie-Victorin. Originally 3 acres, it has expanded to nearly 30 acres, with volunteers and a small permanent staff. The park has been a leader in the province for horticultural development in the green movement.[6]
In the early 1990s, a private high school in Montréal was opened and named for him. The school is still open but its name was changed in 2006.[citation needed]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brother Marie-Victorin.
January 29, 2023
marie, victorin, kirouac, marie, victorin, redirects, here, other, uses, marie, victorin, disambiguation, brother, marie, victorin, april, 1885, july, 1944, canadian, member, brothers, christian, schools, noted, botanist, quebec, canada, known, father, botanic. Marie Victorin redirects here For other uses see Marie Victorin disambiguation Brother Marie Victorin F S C April 3 1885 July 15 1944 was a Canadian member of Brothers of the Christian Schools and a noted botanist in Quebec Canada He is known as the father of the Botanical Garden of Montreal Bro Marie Victorin Kirouac F S C Born 1885 04 03 April 3 1885Kingsey Falls Quebec CanadaDiedJuly 15 1944 1944 07 15 aged 59 Montreal Quebec CanadaResting placeNotre Dame des Neiges CemeteryNationalityCanadianOccupation s Religious Brother teacher and botanist Contents 1 Biography 2 Legacy 3 Gallery 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditHe was born Joseph Louis Conrad Kirouac to Cyrille Kirouac a flower merchant and Philomene Luneau in Kingsey Falls Quebec Prior to taking religious vows and becoming Brother Marie Victorin he was known as Conrad 1 Although Brother Victorin is on record as having suggested that Montreal build its own botanical gardens as early as 1919 2 the Garden was not authorized until 1929 when Montreal Mayor Camillien Houde approved it with construction beginning in 1931 Subsequent administrations both municipal and provincial opposed the Garden as a boondoggle however Brother Victorin continued to champion its cause promoting it at every opportunity leading specimen collection expeditions recruiting Henry Teuscher as its designer and protecting it from being converted into a military flight school even during the Second World War Brother Victorin is also known for his writings his Flore laurentienne is a botanical record of all species indigenous to southern Quebec and was the first such record to be compiled He also wrote the preface to an historical biography of another fifth cousin Zephirin Paquet Sa famille sa Vie son Oeuvre Essai de Monographie Familiale par frere Alcas 3 Brother Victorin died in Montreal in a car accident in July 1944 and he was entombed at the Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery in Montreal 4 A building at the Universite de Montreal where he had taught botany was subsequently named for him Legacy EditThe Marie Victorin rose developed by Agriculture and Agri Food Canada was named in his honour 5 To honour the centennial of his birth in 1985 a park was established in his hometown of Kingsey Falls named Parc Marie Victorin Originally 3 acres it has expanded to nearly 30 acres with volunteers and a small permanent staff The park has been a leader in the province for horticultural development in the green movement 6 In the early 1990s a private high school in Montreal was opened and named for him The school is still open but its name was changed in 2006 citation needed Brother Victorin has been inducted as a member of the Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame 7 He is fictionalized as a central character in Andre Forcier s 2019 film Forgotten Flowers Les fleurs oubliees in which he is portrayed by Yves Jacques 8 Gallery Edit The Brother Marie Victorin Statue at the Montreal Botanical Garden The standard author abbreviation Vict is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name 9 References Edit Genealogy of Quebec and French America Conrad Kirouac accessed 20 SEPTEMBER 2017 Le frere Marie Victorin l ame du Jardin botanique by Yves Gingras in Quatre Temps vol 30 June 2006 pp 16 19 Zephirin Paquet Sa famille sa Vie son Oeuvre Essai de Monographie Familiale par frere Alcas Quebec Canada 1927 Repertoire des personnages inhumes au cimetiere ayant marque l histoire de notre societe in French Montreal Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery 1 Marie Victorin rose About Parc Marie Victorin Archived from the original on 2013 08 10 The Canadian Science and Engineering Hall of Fame The Hall Archived 2014 11 09 at the Wayback Machine Canada Science and Technology Museum Alex Rose Roy Dupuis pukes actual rainbows in Andre Forcier s Les fleurs oubliees Cult MTL October 25 2019 International Plant Names Index Vict External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Brother Marie Victorin Kirouac Family Association Inc Bilingual Web Site Retrospective of Kirouac s life at l Universite de Montreal in French Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marie Victorin Kirouac amp oldid 1094842086, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
