HON. LOUIS ONESIME LORANGER.
Hon. Louis Onesime Loranger, whose name is prominently associated with the history of Montreal’s judiciary, retired from the bench in May, 1910, but has never ceased to feel a deep interest in his profession or in the great and vital problems which are most closely connected with the welfare and progress of the country.
He was born at Yamachiche in the province of Quebec on the 7th of April, 1837, a son of the late Joseph and Marie Louise (Dugal) Loranger. In the acquirement of his education he attended Montreal College and St. Mary’s College, the latter a Jesuit school of Montreal, and in preparation for the bar, having determined to make the practice of law his life work, he began a thorough course of reading and on the 3d of May, 1858, was admitted to practice at Montreal. He then joined his brothers, Hon. T. J. I. Loranger, late judge of the superior court and the late J. M. Loranger, K. C. They acquired an extensive practice and, in fact, were accorded a large share of the most important law work in the city during the greater part of the later half of the nineteenth century. Mr. Louis O. Loranger was created a king’s counsel by the Marquis of Lorne in 1881 and the honorary degree of LL. D. was conferred upon him by Laval University in 1901. He continued in the active profession of law until appointed judge of the superior court for the district of Montreal in 1882, and remained upon the bench for twenty-seven years, or until May, 1910, when he entered into the enjoyment of a full pension.
Judge Loranger’s public service aside from his connection with the judiciary has been extensive and of an important character. He was alderman of Montreal from 1868 until 1879, covering a period of eleven years, and he sat for Laval in the local legislature for a period of seven years, or from 1875 until 1882. He was attorney general in the Chapleau administration from 1879 until 1882. It was upon his retirement from that position that he was made puisne judge, continuing upon the bench for twenty-seven years thereafter. His public service also covers incumbency in the office of president of the St. Jean Baptiste Society in 1895-6. In 1906 he was elected governor of Laval University and the same year was made president of Notre Dame Hospital.
Judge Loranger was twice married. In 1867 he married Marie Anne Rosalie Lafranboise, a daughter of the late Hon. Mr. Justice Lafranboise. To them were born seven children: Louise, the deceased wife of Henry Masson; Louis J., a prominent advocate of Montreal, whose sketch appears elsewhere in this volume; Adele, now Mrs. H. Prefontaine; Caroline, now Mrs. Hubert Desjardins; Joseph, a well known advocate of Montreal; Maurice, a well known attorney of this city; and Rosalie, now Mrs. Emile Chaput, of Montreal. The mother of these children died in May, 1883, and Judge Loranger was again married in May, 1888, his second wife being Mrs. Antonette (Valois) Verin, a daughter of the late S. Valois.
Hon. L. O. Loranger is a communicant of the Roman Catholic church. He belongs to Club Lafontaine and is an advocate to conservative principles. He enjoys high reputation as a lawyer and as a debater and still takes an exceedingly active interest in political affairs. He has long since passed the Psalmist’s span of three score years and ten, having now reached the age of seventy-seven, but in spirit and interest seems yet in his prime. Old age need not necessarily suggest inactivity; on the contrary, there is an old age which grows stronger and better mentally and morally as the years go by and gives out of the rich store of its experience for the benefit of others. Such is the record of Hon. Louis Onesime Loranger, whose opinions carry weight in many councils and are always worthy of an interested hearing.