Source: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

LANDRY, AMAND, farmer, teacher, and politician; b. 8 Dec. 1805 at Memramcook, Westmorland County, N.B., son of Allain Landry and Anastasie Dupuis (Dupuy), a descendant of Charles de Saint-Étienne* de La Tour; d. 12 July 1877 at Memramcook.

Amand Landry was educated at the Memramcook Public School; he taught school for a short time and then became a prosperous farmer and respected leader of the Acadian community of Westmorland County. In 1839 he married Pélagie Caissie (Casey) of Memramcook by whom he had seven children. The eldest son, Pierre-Amand Landry*, was an mla in New Brunswick, a federal mp, and a judge of the Supreme Court of New Brunswick.

Amand Landry had a long career in New Brunswick politics. He was first elected to the assembly in 1846; in 1850 he was defeated by William Crane* but in 1853 he won a by-election called to fill the vacancy caused by Crane’s death. He won re-election in 1854 and in 1856, was defeated in 1857, but returned to the house in 1861 and remained a member until 1870, when he retired from politics. Landry has been described as a Liberal; however, he had a mind of his own and always voted for what he considered to be the best interests of the Acadian people. He was a strong opponent of railway construction both in 1847 and in 1868 because he felt that the proposed line between St Andrews and Woodstock and the Woodstock branch railway would do nothing to benefit the Acadians.

Landry was a strong anti-confederate, and supported Albert James Smith* in the elections of 1865 and 1866. In the latter, which saw the defeat of Smith’s government, Landry was one of the eight anti-confederates returned; of these, six came from constituencies with a large French population. In opposing confederation Landry expressed the fears of the Acadian community, which did not wish to be absorbed into a larger political entity. Anxious not to lose their identity and individuality, they were suspicious not only of English-speaking Canadians but also of French Canadians and spurned attempts by Roman Catholic officials sent from Quebec to persuade them to vote for confederation.

Amand Landry was the first Acadian political figure of any importance in New Brunswick. He understood the Acadians’ problems, he spoke their language, and they, in turn, trusted him.

W. A. Spray