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Ludger Duvernay (January 22, 1799 – November 28, 1852), born in Verchères, Quebec, was a printer by profession and published a number of newspapers including the Gazette des Trois-Rivières, the first newspaper in Lower Canada outside of Quebec City and Montréal, and also La Minerve, which supported the italic=no and Louis-Joseph Papineau in the years leading up to the Lower Canada Rebellion.
In 1817, Duvernay left Montréal and opened his own printing house in Trois-Rivières, where there was notably little competition. His newspaper, Le Gazette des Trois-Rivières became the first Lower Canadian paper to be published outside of Quebec City or Montréal. In the paper's second year, it became bilingual with French and English versions. With his printing house, he also tried to publish literary works which he thought would enliven "the seriousness of business with the pleasures of literature". In 1820, he also published a religious monthly, named L'ami de la religion et du roi, whose unofficial editor was the priest of the Trois-Rivières parish. Numerous other royalist priests from France who were exiled after the revolution also contributed to the paper. In 1821, Le Gazette des Trois-Rivières, ends publication. Two years later, Duvernay began publication of a new paper named Le Constitutionnel, which only lasted for another year. Duvernay determined to keep a newspaper going in Trois-Rivières, decided to take advantage of a by-election occurring in the Trois-Rivières riding. L'Argus became that newspaper, which was entirely devoted the progress of the election, and supported candidate Pierre-Benjamin Dumoulin, however he was unsuccessful.
His printing house in Trois-Rivières, printed a few books and had a small bookstore with a bindery. Even with his youth, Duvernay became involved in the affairs of Trois-Rivières. He was the superintendent of highways and inspector of bridges and roads. He was also the inspector of the local fire society for 7 years. In 1825, Duvernay married Reine Harnois, with whom he had 9 children, four of which died in infancy.
In December 1826, the Canadian Spectator in Montreal asked Duvernay to join them as their printer, to which Duvernay agreed and joined them a month later. On the same day he agreed to print the Canadian Spectator, he purchased the paper La Minerve for £7 10S from then local law student, Augustin-Norbert Morin. Morin agreed to continue as the paper's editor for 6 months following the sale of the paper. When the editor of the Canadian Spectator died in 1828, Duvernay became the new editor and held that position until the paper died a year later. The same year the Canadian Spectator died, Duvernay purchased a new printing house for his La Minerve paper. La Minerve became a principal newspaper of Lower Canada, and a voice for the Parti patriote. Duvernay was known for using his paper to publish scathing insults and remarks about people if they were to say anything bad about him. Morin was elected to the House of Assembly of Lower Canada and devoted less time to La Minevre. Duvernay constantly forced his own view on his editors and several left in protest of his demanding.
In 1834, with George-Étienne Cartier and Louis-Victor Sicotte, Duvernay formed the secret society Aide-toi, le Ciel t’aidera and was appointed its president. Duvernay then conceived the idea of having a French-Canadian holiday, on June 24th which became Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day.
Duvernay attempted a political career by first running for a by-election in 1833, which he lost. He was going to run again in the 1834 general election, but people convinced him to stay for La Minerve to which he obliged. In 1837, he convinced himself to run for the general election which he won but the session was prorogued by Governor Lord Gosford, who was unhappy about the Parti patriote members.
1837 was a pivotal year for Lower Canada and Duvernay. It was in the autumn of 1837 when the Lower Canada Rebellion occurred. The Doric Club sacked a Montréal printing house in close relation with Duvernay's and soon his was threatened with the same fate. Governor Lord Gosford issued warrant for 26 influential members of the Parti patriote, including Duvernay. Duvernay fled Montréal before his arrest leaving his newspaper in the hands of the newspaper's printer. He was appointed officer of a small Patriote battalion, which took part in the Skirmish at Moore's Corners. The battalion was too small to face their opponents and were forced to abandon their cannons and rifles. Duvernay fled to the United States, where he lived in Burlington, Vermont.
In Burlington, Duvernay started another newspaper which he called Le Patriote Canadien which was sent to Lower Canada by mail. However, since he never received permission from the new governor, Lord Sydenham and with the rebellion's failure, Duvernay was forced to cease publication in 1840. In 1841, Ignace Bourget, Bishop of Montréal, came to Duvernay in Burlington and as spokesman for exiled revolutionaries, requested that French-Canadian priests would minster them. Soon all the exiles left would come to meet in Burlington to discuss building a Catholic Church church in Burlington, however, by this point most of the exiles had returned home. It is speculated that Duvernay didn't return home because of financial reasons as his American ventures left him broke and his printing house in Montréal was destroyed and sacked. Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine emerged as the new leader of the Reform Party and he requested that Duvernay return to lead the party's newspaper. Duvernay obliged and in 1842, La Minerve was reformed into the new spokes-piece of the Reform Party. La Minerve returned with protesting the injustices of the Act of Union 1840. His printing house now focused entirely on his paper, rather that also publishing books and keeping a book store. Over the 1840s a bitter rivalry would grow between Joseph-Guillaume Barthe and Duvernay over divergent political views. In 1845, Duvernay challenged Barthe to a duel, to which Barthe pursued legal action against Duvernay to which he was forced to stand down. When passing each other in the street, Duvernay beat Barthe with a stick and was imprisoned for a fourth time because of it, for 4 days.
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