Judge Taschereau is the eldest son of the late Pierre Elzéar Taschereau, who, prior to the union of the Provinces, was for many years a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada, and after the union, of that of the United Provinces. His mother was Catherine Hénédine, a daughter of the late Hon. Amable Dionne, who was at one time a member of the old Legislative Council. He is descended from Thomas Jacques Taschereau, a French gentleman who settled in the Province of Quebec many years before the Conquest. Various members of the Taschereau family have achieved high distinction in Canada, no fewer than seven of them having occupied seats on the Judicial Bench. The present Judge was born at the Seignorial Manor House, Ste. Marie de la Beauce, on the 7th of October, 1836. He was educated at the Quebec Seminary, and after completing his scholastic education, studied law in the office of his cousin, the Hon. Jean Thomas Taschereau. The last named gentleman was one of the most eminent lawyers in his native Province, and became a Puisné Judge of the Supreme Court of the Dominion upon its formation in 1875. He was superannuated about two years ago. Upon the completion of his legal studies, in October, 1857, the subject of this sketch was called to the Bar of Lower Canada, and immediately afterwards entered into partnership with his cousin, the eminent jurist already mentioned, at Quebec. He attained high rank in his profession, and subsequently formed partnerships with M.M. William Duval and Jean Blanchet. He entered political life in 1861, when he was elected to a seat in the Legislative Assembly for his native county of Beauce. He continued to represent that constituency until Confederation, when, at the general election of 1867, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the House of Commons. During the same year he was appointed a Queen's Counsel. The following year he was appointed Clerk of the Peace for the District of Quebec, but resigned that office after holding it only three days. For some time afterwards he confined his attention to professional pursuits. On the 12th of January, 1871, he was appointed a Puisné Judge of the Superior Court for the Province of Quebec, and held that position until his forty-second birthday--the 7th of October, 1878--when he was elevated to his present position--that of a Puisné Judge of the Supreme Court of the Dominion.