Israël Landry

Israël-J.-D. Landry (December 1, 1843 – April 22, 1910) was a Canadian writer, teacher, musician, and publisher. He is known for founding the first French-language Acadian newspaper Le Moniteur Acadien. In 1955, he was declared a Person of National Historic Significance as part of the Acadian Men of Letters.

Early life and education Landry was born on December 1, 1843, in Dorchester, Canada East, Province of Canada, British North America (present day Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada) as the eldest son to Jean-Misaël Maynard, a farmer, and Constance Bélanger. He was baptized as Jean-Misaël Maynard on December 2, 1843, at the Church of St. John the Evangelist. He was likely educated at the Petit Seminare de Montreal as an Israël Ménard was enrolled there in 1857 and 1858. There he worked at the Rustico School for two years, serving as its principal. He also took special attention in teaching music and voice and serving as both an organist and choirmaster. He was also involved in a youth brass orchestra which was well renowned on the island. In Rustico is where he became interested in the efforts of the Acadians to protect their language.

He then moved to Chatham, New Brunswick, where he was the organist for St. Michael's Basilica and a music teacher. In March 1867 he wrote and published a prospectus for a French-language newspaper. Landry then moved to Shediac and on July 8, 1867, he published the first issue of Le Moniteur Acadien. Le Moniteur was the first French-language newspaper published in the Maritimes. The paper was successful and published weekly issues, and still publishes as of 2024.

Later in 1867, he ran in the first Canadian general election as the Conservative candidate for the seat of Westmorland. He was defeated by Liberal candidate Albert James Smith.

In 1868, Landry suspended publication of the newspaper for financial reasons and later sold it to its publisher, F.-X.-N.-Norbert Lussier.

Personal life and death

Landry was called Israël Maynard (or Ménard) from an early age. He changed his name from Jean-Misaël Maynard to Israël Landry around his arrival at Rustico.

Awards and honours In 1955, Landry was declared a Person of National Historic Significance as part of the Acadian Men of Letters. The Men of Letters also includes Pascal Poirier, Placide Gaudet, John Clarence Webster, and Ferdinand Robidoux. Their plaque is located at 229 Main Street in Shediac, New Brunswick.