Sir J. M. (James MacPherson) Le Moine

Born in Quebec City in 1825, Sir James MacPherson Le Moine was a Canadian author, lawyer, and public servant who became one of the best-known writers on Quebec’s past and character. He studied at the Petit Séminaire de Québec, was called to the bar in 1850, and wrote in both English and French.

Le Moine is remembered for blending local history, folklore, travel writing, and natural history. Sources describe him as a historian, folklorist, and ornithologist, and much of his writing focused on Quebec City and the St. Lawrence region. He was also active in learned societies, serving in leadership roles with the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec and later as president of the Royal Society of Canada.

In 1897 he was knighted by Queen Victoria. Today, he stands out as a lively interpreter of Quebec’s landscapes, traditions, and memories, with books that aimed to make the region’s history feel immediate and human rather than distant.