Salluste Duval (1852-1917), Inventor of the modern Organ

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			Click here for an Old Photograph (c.1880) of the Duval Family in St.Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec Adelaide Duval, bottom right with her Father above her: Louis-Zephirin Duval, Salluste Duval, top, left, with a roundish hat
	Clic here for more info on Salluste Duval's acquisition of his Diplomas




Salluste Duval ( February 1852- July 1917) Clarent-Salluste-Hermycle Duval was born in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. Doctor in Medecine, Inventor, Ingeneer, Organist, Musician, Professor of Mathematics & Mecanics at Laval University and at the Polytechnique, he was remarquable for his versatility & his ingenuity. His Father, Louis-Zephirin Duval was Notary of the Seigneur in St-Jean-Port-Joli, who at that time was Philippe Aubert de Gaspe (Author of Les Anciens Canadiens) and when Aubert de Gaspe died, it was in the home of Louis Zephirin that his wake was held. The Mother of Salluste, Athanais (Adelaide) and their brother, was Eleonore Verreau, daughter of Germain-Alexandre Verreau, a notary also, and of Ursule Fournier. Eleonore's brother was Hospice Anthelme Verreau, the educator who was also responsible for the first Old Folks home in Quebec. FAMILLE DUVAL VERREAU St-Jean Port Joli, Quebec Early in life, kindled by his Mother's gifts as an educator, Salluste Duval was fascinated by Science, Physics, Mechanics, Music and became Master in all these Arts. As a youngster he spent hours taking watches apart and inventing new uses for them and with them. In 1866-1867, when Salluste went to study at the "Petit Seminaire de Ste Therese", he met Joseph Casavant (1807-1874, son of Dominique Casavant and Marie Desanges Lacaillade) who had studied music there with l'Abbe Ducharme, the Superior of the College, from 1834 to 1837, and had built several organs. Joseph kindled Salluste's interest for Organs and discovered that the youngster could find solutions and make great improvements to them. Brought to St-Hyacinthe, Salluste started a serious association with Samuel and Claver Casavant, Joseph's sons, and until his death in 1917, Salluste's designs were intrinsic part of the Casavant's organ production, inventing the Pedal, which would be adopted everywhere, from Europe, USA to Canada. Though he never married, his family was important to him. An Aunt, Justine Verreau, his Mom's sister, was interested in History and Litterature. Her brother, his Uncle, Abbé Hospice-Anthelme Jean-Baptiste Verreau,(1828-1901) Educator, was learned, well-travelled and he founded the first Quebec elderly residence which bore his name; as he worked with Jacques Viger (1787-1858), a special Collection was created: the Fonds privé VIGER-VERREAU . Salluste's brother Arthur was also a Physician and Salluste was very close to his sister Adelaide Duval who was married to Guillaume Dupil, from whom she was divorced in 1905, and had a single child, Yvonne Dupil. In later years, Yvonne married Rene LeMyre (son of Charles LeMyre (seventh child of Joseph Nicaise Marsolet-Lemire and of Justine Papin) and Amelie Robert). Yvonne and Rene had 5 children: Gisele, dame Francois-Albert Angers, a musican and harpist; Simone, dame Gerard Gelinas,a journalist; Maurice, journalist sadly betrayed by the Second World War; Jean-Claude Salluste Duval LeMyre, journalist, writer and News Director at Radio-Canada from it's inception (1949) who married Olga Obry; Germaine, dame George Raitt, comedian. Salluste DUVAL was an eccentric with a large heart, who never hesitated in helping people in need. He died in Montreal, in his home on Wolfe Street, and was buried in St-Jean-Port-Joli
		Tire des notes de *Danielle Ouellet* *Dictionary of Canadian Biography* Volume XIV 1911-1920 Universite of Toronto Press Presses de l'Universite Laval

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