Conrad Gugy The Hon . Conrad Gugy J . P . , M . P . ( c . 1734 – 10 April 1786 ) , was secretary to Sir Frederick Haldimand in Lower Canada , a seigneur and political figure . Early life . He was born at The Hague , the eldest son of Hans George Gugi ( b . 1700 ) , of Zuben Thurgau , a Swiss Captain of the Guards who later joined the Dutch service , and his Dutch wife , Thérèse Reis . Gugy purchased a commission in the Dutch army before joining a newly formed British regiment , the King ' s Royal Rifle Corps as a lieutenant in 1756 , serving under General James Wolfe at Quebec in 1759 . Life in Canada . He remained in Canada , and having been trained for the Engineers and as an accomplished linguist , he was chosen by Sir Frederick Haldimand , who became military governor of Trois - Rivières , Quebec in 1763 , to be his secretary . He resigned this position the following year and bought the seigneury of Grandpré with part of the seigneury of Grosbois - Ouest , where he built a manor house . Both seigneures were in Yamachiche , Quebec . In 1771 , he purchased Dumontier , next to Grosbois - Ouest ; Frédérick , located behind Pointe - du - Lac , and some lands forming part of Rivière - du - Loup . He was appointed a Justice of the Peace in 1765 . Gugy remained loyal to the British crown during the American Revolution , but was nonetheless harassed by various sympathizers of the cause . One of his tenants on his estate at Rivière - du - Loup accused him of threatening to whip anyone who supported the Americans , but his name was cleared after a trial . In 1776 , when the Americans were retreating , they burned some buildings on his seigneuries . In 1778 , when refugees started arriving from across the border , with the marked approval of the now Governor of Canada , his old friend Sir Frederick Haldimand , Gugy erected dwellings and a school on his seigneuries at Yamachiche , Quebec , to house them . Gugy ' s reasoning was " to the end of having an eye on them " , and this appealed to Haldimand who did not like the idea of the refugees intermingling with the local populace during those uncertain times . Gugy was appointed to the first Legislative Council of Lower Canada at its inception in August , 1775 , retaining the post until his death . In 1783 , he had taken a lease out on the ironworks of Saint Maurice , but died three years later . Personality and death . Conrad Gugy was described as a man of " large heart and hospitable to a fault " . In those early days in Canada , transport and taverns were rare , but Gugy enthusiastically received travellers , without distinction , into his home and hospitably entertained them . He loved horses , and was known to have made a gift of them to mark the pleasure which he had taken in the society of an occasional guest . Towards the end of his life , the owner of a neighbouring fief claimed that Gugy had been responsible for wilful damage to his property during the construction of buildings for the American refugees . In 1787 , Gugy ’ s seigneuries were put up for auction to pay the damages for which the jury had held him liable . Shortly after , however , the judgement was reversed , and his seigneuries were saved , but it was too late for him . In " Sketches of Celebrated Canadians " , it was reported that following the verdict , " He gently made his way through the crowd , and , going to his lodgings , without speaking one word , entered his room and locked the door . On its being burst next morning , his cravat was founded neatly folded upon an arm of the sofa , upon which he lay in a reclining position , stone dead . He had not committed suicide ; but , proud and sensative , he was absolutely killed by the humiliation of such a verdict . " Though Conrad Gugy was not married , his seigneuries were left to Elizabeth Wilkinson , who lived with him at his manor house . After her death , by his will , they were to pass to his brother , but as he had predeceased her , they were passed on to Conrad ' s nephew , Louis Gugy . In 1980 , a street - Rue Conrad Gugy - was named for him in Yamachiche , Quebec .