(died 5 Feb. 194l, in his 64th year), merchant. (J.A.C. Huot, Joe Huot) Born at Beauharnois, Que. Parents: P.A. Huot and his wife Azilda Lapointe. J.A.C. Huot was in business with his father as a general merchant in Alexandria, and after his father’s death he continued the business on his own. J.A.C. Huot was described in his obituary in the Glengarry News as “one of this town’s most prominent residents,” and as “spokesman for his French-Canadian compatriots in this county over a long period of years.” He ran for mayor of Alexandria in 1909 against A.L. Smith but was not elected. (Glengarry News 1 Jan. 1909) The stationery of letters dated in 1911 and 1912 carries the title of “Alexandria’s Leading General Store P.A. Huot & Son Proprietors,” with fine portraits, set in oval frames, of P.A. Huot and J.A.C. Huot.

     In the issue of 30 June 1916 the Glengarry News reported at length on an open air meeting held by French Canadians at “Vachon’s grove,” where many intemperate statements were made about the status of French Canadians in GC and in Ontario generally. In the Glengarry News issue of 7 July J.A.C. Huot, as president of the St-Jean-Baptiste Society of Glengarry, and J.E. Leduc as its secretary, wrote to take the edge off this article and to say “that nothing occurred nor shall occur to interfere with the cordial relations which exist between the French and English speaking races of this great Dominion and particularly of this County.” A year later when an anti-conscription meeting near Alexandria was poorly attended, J.A.C. Huot was credited with preventing the larger meeting which was originally being promoted. (Ottawa Citizen, repr. Cornwall Freeholder 2 Aug. 1917 ) At one of the great public events of Alexandria’s history, the unveiling, 1 Oct. 1923, of the war memorial there by Governor General Byng, J.A. C. Huot read the French language address of welcome to the viceregal party. Huot was among those who gathered in Alexandria to honour F.T. Costello on his appointment as judge. (Cornwall Freeholder 2 Oct. 1929) He is said to have caused a sensation at this celebration by teasing the new judge in his speech with a reminder of how many strings he and Costello’s other friends in Alexandria had to pull to get him the judgeship.(Ostrom)

     Huot was the Liberal candidate for the Glengarry constituency in the federal election of July 1930 but he was defeated by Angus McGillis, Conservative. (Glengarry News 1 Aug. 1930) Huot was indeed long involved in Liberal Party activities. “A gifted speaker, the late Mr Huot was a familiar platform figure in every [electoral] contest during the past twenty years.” Clarence Ostrom suspected he was hoping for a senatorship. If so, the ambition, though it came to nothing, was not entirely unrealistic. In municipal politics, he was reeve of Alexandria at least twice, in 1912 and 1914.

     Huot retired from business in 1936. The business was, right up to this time, the store his father had operated. At this time the Glengarry News wrote, “After more than half a century in the mercantile trade, the familiar name of ‘Huot’ disappears from the local business scene with the sale on Saturday by our townsman Mr. J.A.C. Huot of his general merchandise establishment. We hear that Mr. Huot purposes moving to Ottawa… The purchaser is Mr. Leo de Grossellier of Sturgeon Falls, Ont., a young man whom we welcome to our business circles.” (Glengarry News 24 April 1936) Leo Des Groseilliers (1908-29 Feb. 1976), who proved a popular and successful merchant, operated the former Huot store till 1950, and was afterwards for many years clerk of the provincial court in Alexandria. His brother Lionel Des Groseilliers (1913-1969) owned the Alexandria Hotel, in Alexandria, 1948-1953.

     Whatever intentions Huot may have had of leaving Alexandria for his retirement, he appears to have been an Alexandria resident at the time of his death. His death, however, which was sudden, took place in Montreal, where he had gone on a visit to seek medical advice. He was married (1) in 1897 to Josephine (Josie) Charlebois, daughter of Ogiste (Augustus) Charlebois of the foundry firm Miller, Campbell & Charlebois. She died in 1936, survived by nine children (her obituary Glengarry News 21 Feb. 1936), and (2) in Montreal in 1939 to Miss Estelle Hébert, of Sherbrooke, Que., with Dr Monfette, presumably the Dr Monfette formerly of Alexandria, being best man. (Glengarry News 10 March 1939) According to the wedding announcement, the couple planned to take a two-month cruise on the Champlain from New York to South America as a honeymoon journey. J. A. C. Huot was the brother of J.A.Réal Huot and Fr J.A. Huot. Clarence Ostrom says that his relations with his father and brothers and sisters were sometimes stormy, and that he once began a store ”in opposition to his father,” also that at one time he had a store in Alexandria called Huot & Larose. (The Huot store was only a few steps away from Clarence Ostrom’s business premises, and the Glengarry News.) See also E. J. Dever.

Standard Freeholder & Glengarry News (QF) both 7 Feb. 1941 (both portrait) * farewell advert & announcement of retirement, GN 24 April 1936 * editorial tribute to J.A.C. Huot and sketch of his career, with hopes that he will stay in town, GN 1 May 1936 * Ostrom 104, 134, 203b *group portrait, Aexandria town council, GN 12 Dec. 1984 * Centre de recherche en civilisation canadienne-française, Université d’Ottawa: C2/196/1: Fonds of the Association canadienne-française de l’Ontario: a few letters from J. A. C. Huot and copies of letters to him 1912-1914, but the exchange, dutiful and routine, reveals little of what he was doing or thinking; topics, however, include the Green Valley School Case * his daughter Stella is one of four children presenting bouquet to Lord Dundonald, Glengarry News 29 July 1904 * plans to open general store in Alexandria, GN 21 July 1905 * buys a Ford car, GN 17 July 1914 * is a Ford car agent, GN 9 Aug. 1918 * 25th wedding anniversary celebrated, GN 15 Sept. 1922 * in Alexandria delegation to Ottawa to urge speedy rebuilding of post office, GN 9 March 1923 * war memorial: GN 5 Oct. 1923, with Fr text of the address and his portrait * elected president Alexandria Board of Trade, GN 20 Feb. 1925 * Ontario Liberal delegate, GN 23 Sept. 1932 * delegate from Alexandria town council to “Bonne Entente” gatherings, GN 18 Jan. 1935 * Leo Des Groseilliers: obituary GN 4 March 1976; Ostrom 134; gravestone, Sacred Heart Cemetery, Alexandria