gabriel-elzéar taschereau was born at quebec city, the son of thomas-jacques taschereau. at the age of 14, he aided in the defence of the town against the british attack in 1759. he later became a member of the legislative assembly and legislative council of lower canada, as well as a seigneur and a judge. taschereau inherited the seigneury of sainte-marie-de-la-nouvelle-beauce from his father and acquired the seigneuries of jolliet and saint-joseph-de-beauce and a part of linière, mingan and anticosti island.