Elzear Duquette was a middle child born on a farm in Mirabel in 1910 who devoted his life to becoming a lovable oddball by pulling a coffin around the world.Duquette would go to far-away lands and pull the coffin all day and then sleep in it at night, also using it as a bathroom and a place to watch a little portable television.
He once pulled that sucker for seven years straight throughout Japan and other points east, returning for Jean Baptiste Day in 1976.He felt wounded when celebration organizers didn't honour his accomplishments in their events.
Nonetheless author Micheline La France wrote a book about his exploits at that time called Elzéar Duquette Sur Les Routes Du Monde. En Cercueil Roulant. You can borrow it at the BANQ library on Berri or get it used for about eight bucks.
Duquette would walk right into crowded towns with his flag-festooned death vessel, going right in front of the most heavily-trod areas of touristic Paris and park his coffin for all to see. \
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He told reporters that in spite of his fearless voyages, he still had no clue how to read a map.
What reaction people had to the ghoulish cart remains unclear.
One La Presse writer asked him why he did it and he rambled on that he had "too much freedom in his heart." Although he also conceded that if he had worked in a regular job "he probably would have liked it."He also said that he has to "fight the temptation to make friends" in the places he visits, as making such connections would "make him regret leaving."
Duquette was aged around 68 when he finally stopped pulling the infernal contraption and lived in St. Sulpice, 45 minutes from downtown Montreal with his dogs and cats.
One day a fire hit his building and he got out but then sought to rescue his cats and was found dead in the blaze along with one of the kitties he was hoping to save.
Duquette died by fire at 1485A Notre Dame on 6 Feb. 1988.
Quebecer Jean Beliveau more recently walked around the world in a similar fashion, although minus the coffin. He too became a hermit after returning, living in the woods with no running water.
Very interesting indeed. Ty 4 this.
ReplyDeleteI recall reading about this fellow at about the time he became known for his worldly adventures. It was such an interesting tale. I’m amazed I could have completely forgotten all about it.
ReplyDeleteA great story Kristian and thanks for the memory.
So how did he finance these expensive, overseas trips? Did he inherit money from a rich uncle or what? Perhaps it was ill-gotten gain?
ReplyDeleteMore importantly, how did he manage to obtain all of the surely vital paperwork necessary to haul a coffin (of all things!) across so many international borders without red tape preventing his so-called mission?
Sounds more than a little suspect to me. Let someone try that today.
I met Elzear in 1981 or 1983. At that time he had set himself up as sort of a roadside attraction in St. Sulpice. He had his coffin, with a handy shelf for a Coleman stove at the back, and an old Dodge or Fargo school bus with a wooden second storey addition on top, brush painted green.
ReplyDeleteHe said that he would pull the coffin into cemeteries to sleep at night, adding that they were very quiet places to camp.
He also said that he never got married because he was too sensitive, or something to that effect.
That's about all I can remember, but I have a couple of photos stored away.
Hi, I´m doing some research about Elzear and I would be interested in any small or big information about him, his life or his travels... please contact me at dondavel@gmail.com thank you!!
DeleteHi, I´m doing some research about Elzear and I would be interested in any small or big information about him, his life or his travels... please contact me at dondavel@gmail.com thank you!!
ReplyDelete