John Janvrin (29 August 1762 – 22 December 1835) was a businessman, politician, militia officer, and justice of the peace in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. Born in

Jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...

, Janvrin sailed to

Isle Madame, Nova Scotia Isle Madame is an island off southeastern Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. It is part of the Municipality of the County of Richmond. Once part of the French colony of Île-Royale, it may have been named for Françoise d'Aubigné, marquise ...

, in order there to manage ''Philip and Francis Janvrin and Company'', his brothers' business. He then established his own business, John Janvrin and Company, in fishing and retail on

Cape Breton Island Cape Breton Island (, formerly '; or '; ) is a rugged and irregularly shaped island on the Atlantic coast of North America and part of the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. The island accounts for 18.7% of Nova Scotia's total area. Although ...

.Roch Samson, "Fishermen and Merchants in 19th Century Gaspe"
(Minister of Supply and Services Canada, Hull Quebec 1984) Janvrin held a number of offices during his time in Cape Breton. He was a member of the Executive Council, a Lieutenant-Colonel in the militia, and a justice of the peace. Janvrin Island belonged to John Janvrin at one point and is now named after him. While carrying on his various commercial activities after his 1815 return to Jersey, Janvrin became increasingly interested in banking and brokerage. This led to interests in London, and there is reference in correspondence to "John Janvrin & Co. of the city of London." He was also a partner in the London brokers DeLisle, Janvrin, and DeLisle. As time went on, the Janvrin family began moving out of mercantile trade into banking and brokerage in London and on Jersey. Around the middle of the 19th century it concentrated its energies and capital in that sector of the economy.

References

1762 births 1835 deaths Canadian justices of the peace People from Saint Brélade People from Cape Breton Island {{NovaScotia-politician-stub