Desire Laneville (1860-1935)

From the Souvenir of New Hampshire Legislators, 1897. 

   Certainly one of the few American political figures bestowed the first name "Desire", Desire Laneville wasn't a native of the United States; his birth instead occurring in Quebec, Canada. A three-term member of the New Hampshire  House of Representatives from Manchester, Laneville had previously served a term on the Manchester city council. Born in Arthabaska, Province of Quebec, Canada on August 10, 1860, Desire Laneville was the son of Paul and Adelaide (Bourbeau) Laneville. 

   Removing to Manchester, New Hampshire with his family at age 6, Laneville would attend "the parochial schools" of that city and during his youth was employed in both a bobbin shop and grocery store. He married in that city in April 1879 to Cordelia Lucier, with whom he had at least five children, including Albert, Alice, Leola, Evelyne, and Pauline. Laneville continued grocery store work at the Morency store in Manchester and left that employ in 1890 to take work at a paint shop, located in the same city. 

   Partnering with F.H. Lussier, Laneville would be affiliated with that business for nearly a year, and after selling off his interest returned to grocery store work, and after partnering with J.F. Lacourse for a two year period left to join the Daniels-Cornell Co., a Manchester-based wholesale grocery house and flour dealer. In addition to the above places of employment, Laneville was also a founding organizer and captain in the Manchester Garde Lafayette in 1887, a French-Canadian military Garde "considered to be the first organized infantry of the national guard in the state of New Hampshire."

  Desire Laneville made his first entrance into Manchester politics in 1888, when he was elected to that city's common council. He served here for one term and in 1892 was elected to his first term in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, from Manchester's 4th ward. The 1893-94 session saw Laneville named to the committee on County Affairs and would win a second term in November 1896, subsequently serving on the committee on claims from 1897-98. In November 1900 he won his third and last house term and was again a member of the County Affairs committee during the 1901-02 session.     

   Despite living to age 75, Desire Laneville's life following his legislative service largely remains a mystery. He was later a resident of Goffstown in Hillsborough County and died in that city on February 15, 1935. A burial location for he and his wife Cordelia remains unknown at this time.

From the 1897 Souvenir of New Hampshire Legislators.