Joseph Gustave Desmazes (16 November 1806 – 22 September 1882) was a French naval commissioner who was Senator of Martinique from 1876 to 1882.

Joseph Gustave Desmazes
Senator of Martinique
In office
27 February 1876 – 22 September 1882
Succeeded byVincent Allègre
Personal details
Born(1806-11-16)16 November 1806
Saint-Pierre, Martinique, France
Died22 September 1882(1882-09-22) (aged 75)
Paris, France
OccupationNaval commissioner, Senator

Naval career edit

Joseph Gustave Desmazes was born in Saint-Pierre, Martinique, on 16 November 1806. His father was Joseph Desmazes (1746–1842), naval commissioner.[1] He joined the navy on 15 June 1819 and was commissioned on 26 December 1826. He became a sub-commissioner on 22 June 1840, deputy commissioner on 23 December 1847 and commissioner on 25 May 1853.[1] He was named ordonnateur (head of administration) of Guadeloupe on 25 May 1853.[2] He was interim governor in Martinique, then in turn in Guyana, Reunion and Guadeloupe.[3] He was acting governor of Guadeloupe from 26 February 1864 to 23 April 1864.[4]

In 1848 Desmazes married a creole from Martinique.[5] Desmazes was made a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1848, Officer on 18 September 1860 and Commander on 4 January 1870. He retired as commissioner-general in 1870. He became a municipal councilor at Fort-de-France, and president of the General Council of Martinique, where he represented the canton of Mouillage.[3]

Senator edit

On 27 February 1876 Desmazes was elected Senator of Martinique by 36 votes out of 44.[3] His election was sponsored by Victor Schœlcher.[5] He sat with the Republican left. He refused the dissolution of the chamber demanded by the Broglie-Fourtou ministry in 1877, and supported the Republican ministries that followed. He was reelected in the triennial renewal of 5 January 1879 by 37 of 43 votes, and again sat with the Republicans in the senate.[3] He died of an attack of apoplexy (stroke) in Paris on 22 September 1882.[2]

Notes edit

Sources edit

  • Cahoon, Ben, "Guadeloupe", Worldstatesmen, retrieved 2018-03-31
  • Garric, Alain, "M Joseph Gustave DESMAZES", Geneanet (in French), retrieved 2018-03-31
  • "Informations", Journal de Loiret (in French), 26 September 1882, retrieved 2018-03-31
  • Le Figaro (1876), Sénateurs et Députés: silhouettes à la plume (in French), au Journal Le Figaro, retrieved 2018-03-31
  • Robert, Adolphe; Cougny, Gaston (1889–1891), "DESMAZES (JOSEPH-GUSTAVE)", in Edgar Bourloton (ed.), Dictionnaire des Parlementaires français (1789–1889) (in French), retrieved 2018-03-31