About Octave Crémazie
Lived 1827 – 1879 (aged 51). Octave Crémazie was a Canadian poet, writer and bookseller.
Octave Crémazie (; April 16, 1827 – January 16, 1879) was a French Canadian poet and bookseller born in Quebec City. Recognized both during and after his lifetime for his patriotic verse and his significant role in the cultural development of Quebec, Crémazie has been called "the father of French Canadian poetry."
Octave was the youngest of the four surviving children of Jacques Crémazie and Marie-Anne Miville.
While still in his early twenties, Crémazie helped found the Institut canadien, an organization devoted to the promotion of French Canadian culture. in Montreal and the Institut canadien de Québec. The book included the following remarks: "In a word, the publishers wanted this book to stand as the most enduring monument that could be raised to the memory of the most patriotic, and indeed the most hapless, of our poets."
A statue depicting a French Canadian soldier stands in Montreal's Saint-Louis Square (Rue de Malines and Saint-Denis) with Crémazie's name across the top and the years 1827–1879 (his years of birth and death). Underneath the soldier are the words: Pour mon drapeau je viens ici mourir (literally: "For my flag I come here to die"). There is also a Montreal metro station named for him on the orange line, located on the boulevard likewise named in his honour.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Octave Crémazie's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Octave Crémazie?
Canadian poet (1827-1879)
When was Octave Crémazie born?
Octave Crémazie was born on 16 April 1827 in Quebec City.
When did Octave Crémazie die?
Octave Crémazie died on 16 January 1879 in Le Havre.
What was Octave Crémazie's occupation?
Octave Crémazie was a poet, writer and bookseller.
What nationality was Octave Crémazie?
Octave Crémazie was Canadian.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Octave Crémazie. https://biography.guide/octave-cremazie/
MLA: "Octave Crémazie." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/octave-cremazie/.
Chicago: "Octave Crémazie." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/octave-cremazie/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-24 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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