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5495

MsMs!

no-2.

Ifa

iSS:i

THE SECOND REPORT

OF THE

MISSISQUOI COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY

ILLUSTRATED

1907
NEWS TYP., ST. JOHNS, QUE.

Mb M

ILLUSTRATIONS.

SIR JAMES MC?HERSON LEMOINE.
DR. ARTHUR GEORGE DOUGHTY.

E. R. SMITH, Esq.
LATE JOHN HUNTER, Esq.
HOMESTEAD LATE JOHN HUNTER.
LATE JUDGE SOLOMON BIXGHAM.
RESIDENCE S. B. DERICK, Esq.

M. E. FILER, Esq., (Caldwell Manor House.)
ANTHONY DERICK HOMESTEAD.
W. M. PATTISON, Esq.
CATHOLIC CHURCH, Clarenceville.
R. B. DERICK, Esq.
U. T. CHILTON, Esq.
T. H. DERICK, Esq.
CHAS. DARBY, Esq.
J. ROBINSON, Esq.

COWANSVILLE FLOURING Ml LI,.

MRS. F. U. DERICK.
TRUMAN B. DERICK.
OLD BLOCK HOUSE, Philipsburg.
D. B. MEIGS, Esq., M. P.
J. J. B. GOSSELIN, Esq., M. L. A.
LATE HON. THOS. WOOD, M. L. C.
LATE HON. PHILIP H. MOORE, M. L. C.
LATE GEO. CLAYES, M. P.
LATE CALVIN DERICK, Esq.
LATE REUP.EN H. VAUGHAN.

iit00iaqw0t (Eowttg iftatonral

for 190B-0r.

Honorary Presidents,

HON. W. W. LYNCH, J. S. C.

HON. J. C. McCORKIIJ,, J.S.S.

HON. vSKNATOR G. 11. BAKER, K.C.

JNO. P. NOYKS, Esq., K. C.

President,
CHAS. (). .TONES, Esq.

Vice-President,
E. E. SPENCER, Esq.

Secretary-Treasurer,

CHAS. S. MOORE, Esq.

President of Woman's Committee,

MRS. S. A. C. MORGAN.

WOMEN ' S COMMITTEE.

Mrs. E. I.. Watson, Dunham.

Miss E. I,. P>aker, Dunham.

Mrs. C. I,. Cotton, Cowansvillc.

Mrs. Hiram C. Blinn, Stanbridge.

Mrs. E. Sornberger, Bedford.

Miss Ine/. Watson, Pike River.

Miss C. M. Derick, Clarenceville.

Mrs. F. X. A. Giroux, Swettsburg

Miss D'Artois, Farnham.

Mrs. Hugh Montgomery, Philipsburg.

LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS.

St. Armand East— Secretary, John
Krans ; Directors, J . H. Burley, Ed.
Spencer, A. Carpenter, A. J. Ingalls, H.
J. Ingalls.

St. Armand West — Secretary, I.oftus

M I S S I S Q U () I CO U X T Y H I VS T O R I C A L S O C I E T V

Smith ; Directors, J. C. Bet-man, H. X.
Sigsby, C. E. Tittcmore.

Freliglisburg — Secretary, K. E. Spen-
cer ; Directors, H. C. Blinn, T. N. Shep-
herd, Rev. Canon Davidson.

Philipsburg — Secretary, Andrew Somer-
ville ; Directors, H. B. Streit, Rev. A.
A. Ireland, E. E. Burke, Gco. S. Jones.

Bedford — Secretary, A. J. Stevens;
Directors, Fred. C. Saunders, X. C. Da-
vis, Geo. Capsey, J. H. Gough, J. J.
Mullin, P. J. Boisseau, M.D., J. Ed. I,e-
beau, X.P.

Dunham— Secretary, E. I/. Watson ;
Directors, R. I'. Small, David Westover,
Major J. G. Gibson, Jos. I,ec.

Dunham Village— Secretary, Asa Ry-
kert ; Directors, Joseph Baker, Joseph
Selby, Dr. A. D. Stevens, Wm. Baker.

Cowansville — Secretarv, P. C. Du-

Boyce ; Directors, Rev. W. P. R. Lewis,

M. O. Hart, X.P., H. F. Williams, W.
U. Cotton.

Sweetsburg— Secretary, W. H. Lynch ,
Directors, P\ X. A. Giroux, F. H. Pickle,
M.D.C.M.. W. F. Shufelt, C. S. Boright.

Stanbridge — Secretary, C. H. Hibbard ;
Directors, P. C. Moore, C. E. Blinn, E.
H. Eaton, Col. A. II. Gilmour.

Clarenceville — Secretary, Wm Meade
Pattison ; Directors, John A. Hawley,
A. W. Strong, M.D.C.M., Samuel Adams,
Rev. Wm. Robinson.

St. Thomas — Secretary, Jas. Collins ;
Directors, Stephen Derick, B. V. XTaylor,
R. L. Derick. Jas. Cochran.

Farnham— Secretary, W. S. McCorkill ;
Directors, A. E. D'Artois, Mayor, D. B
Mcigs, James Scott, \t. A. Bcriau, X.P.

SIR JAMES MCPHERSON LEMOINE, OF SPENCER GRANGE"
CITY OF QUEBEC, D.C.L., F. R. S. C.

Born January 25, 1825, now Life Member of Missisquoi County
Historical Society.

Missisquoi
County Historical Society,

SPECIAL MEETING,

A special meeting of the Missisquoi
County Historical Society was held in
the Parochial Hall, Stanbridge East, on
Friday afternoon the I3th July, 1906, at
which were present among many others :
Chas. (). Jones, President, and C. S.
Moore, Secretary of the Society, Hon. J.
C. McCorkill, J. P. Xoyes, K.C., A. L.
Oilman, School Inspector, Cowansville ;
E. R. Smith, Editor of The News ;
Messrs. Giroux, Baker, Lynch and W. U.
Cotton, Advocates, Sweetsburg ; Rev.
R. T. Overing, C. H. Hibbard and others
Stanbridge East ; Asa Rykert, Miss Ry-
kert and Miss Baker, Dunham ; Andrew
Somerville, Philipsburg ; N. H. Davis,
Bedford ; Madame Giroux, and Miss Eilie
Baker, Sweetsburg ; Miss Cote, St.. Hya-
cinthe ; George Robinson, Westmount ;
Mrs. S. A. C. Morgan, Mr. Moorehouse,
and Mr. and Mrs. Sornberger, Bedford ;
Miss Chandler, New York, and Mesdames
Theodora Moore, C. II. Hibbard and
others, Stanbridge East.

The President, Mr. Chas. O. Jones, in
opening the meeting stated its principal
object to be a discussion of the proposed
excursion to Isle-aux-Noix where the
Vermont Historical and kindred societies
hoped to join in an international cele-
bration on a day to be fixed. Mr. E. R.
Smith, editor of The News, J. P. Noyes,
Esq., K.C., the Hon. J. C. McCorkill,
and F. X. A. Giroux, Esq., in the order
given, made remarks bearing upon the
different aspects of the proposed trip. It

was finally moved by Hon. J. C. McCor-
kill, seconded by Mr. Giroux, that the
following committee be appointed to
make all arrangements, vi/,., Messrs. E.
R. Smith, J. P. Noycs, C. O. Jones and
C. S. Moore. — Carried.

Mr. C. H. Hibbard then read an excel-
lent paper, carefully prepared, upon the
St. Albans Raid. To bring out the inter-
national .importance of the events con-
nected with the arrest of the raiders
here he gave the causes which led up to
the final act, with consequences which
caused gravest anxiety to British and
American statesmen, and brought renown
to the Canadian Bar, where the case was
ably conducted.

Hon. J. C. McCorkill, in his usual
pleasing manner, supplemented Mr. Hib-
bard's paper with interesting remarks
upon that remarkable raid, closing with
references to the change and development
in Canadian national feeling.

Excellent short speeches were made by
the Rev. R. Y. Overing, Messrs. W. H.
Lynch, F. X. A. Giroux, W. Cotton — the
three latter rising barristers of Sweets-
burg, who have already given evidence of
being something more than an ornament
to their profession.

Lieut. -Col. Gilmour had kindly written
notes on the Canadian artists, Eaton

Missisquoi
County Historical Society,

SPECIAL MEETING.

A special meeting of the Missisquoi
County Historical Society was held in
the Parochial Hall, Stanbridge East, on
Friday afternoon the I3th July, 1906, at
which were present among many others :
Chas. (). Jones, President, and C. S.
Moore, Secretary of the Society, Hon. J.
C. McCorkill, J. P. Xoyes, K.C., A. L.
Oilman, School Inspector, Cowansville ;
E. R. Smith, Editor of The News ;
Messrs. Giroux, Baker, Lynch and W. U.
Cotton, Advocates, Sweetsburg ; Rev.
R. T. Overing, C. H. Hibbard and others
Stanbridge East ; Asa Rykert, Miss Ry-
kert and Miss Baker, Dunham ; Andrew
Somerville, Philipsburg ; N. H. Davis,
Bedford ; Madame Giroux, and Miss EHie
Baker, Sweetsburg ; Miss Cote, St.. Hya-
cinthe ; George Robinson, Westmount ;
Mrs. S. A. C. Morgan, Mr. Moorehouse,
and Mr. and Mrs. Sornberger, Bedford ;
Miss Chandler, New York, and Mesdames
Theodora Moore, C. H. Hibbard and
others, Stanbridge P7ast.

was finally moved by Hon. J. C. McCor-
kill, seconded by Mr. Giroux, that the
following committee be appointed to
make all arrangements, vi/.., Messrs. E.
R. Smith, J. P. Noyes, C. O. Jones and
C. S. Moore. — Carried.

Mr. C. H. Hibbard then read an excel-
lent paper, carefully prepared, upon the
St. Albans Raid. To bring out the inter-
national importance of the events con-
nected with the arrest of the raiders
here he gave the causes which led up to
the final act, with consequences which
caused gravest anxiety to British and
American statesmen, and brought renown
to the Canadian Bar, where the case was
ably conducted.

Excellent short speeches were made by
the Rev. R. Y. Overing, Messrs. W. H.
Lynch, F. X. A. Giroux, W. Cotton—the
three latter rising barristers of Sweets-
burg, who have already given evidence of
being something more than an ornament
to their profession.

Lieut. -Col. Gilmour had kindly written
notes on the Canadian artists, Eaton

I S S I S O U 0 I COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

and Eclson, both natives of this co-unty,
but was prevented from attending the
meeting by the serious illness of his' son,
Mr. Arthur Gilmour. Through the court-
esy of both of these gentlemen, the mem-
bers of the Miss. His. Society had re-
ceived a kind invitation to visit their

picture gallery — of which they availed
themselves — to the great pleasure of all.
The day was a fine one ; there seemed
to be a lively interest in the Society and
the proposed excursion and pic-nic seem-
ed to be favorably looked upon.

DR. ARTHUR GEORGE DOUGHTY, M.A., LIT D., C.M.G., F.R.H.S.
Born in England and came to Canada in 1886. Private Secretary of
Provincial Minister of Public Works in 1897, and Secretary to the
Treasurer in 1899. Appointed Dominion Archivist in 1904, now
Life Member of Missisquoi County Historical Society, has pub-
lished several works.

Annual Meeting.

Bedford, August 24, 1906.

The annual meeting of the Missisquoi
County Historical Society was held in
the town hall at 2.30 p.m., the president
Mr. C. O. Jones, in the chair. Among
those present were Hon. Judge Lynch,
Knowlton ; J. P. Noyes, Esq., K.C.,
Rev. W. P. R. Lewis, Major J. G. Gib-
son, Mr. W. M. Shufelt, Cowansville ;
Mr. Wm. Mead Pattison, Rev. Rural
Dean Robinson, Clarenceville ; Messrs. F.
C. Saunders, Geo. Capsey, Nelson Davis,
Bedford ; Messrs. Asa Rykert and E. L-
Watson, Dunham ; Mayor A. E. D'Ar-
tois, Farnham ; Mr. Andrew Somerville,
Philipsburg ; Chas. S. Moore, Stanbridge
East ; Mrs. W. A. Moore, Mrs. S. A. C.
Morgan, Mrs. G. Freligh, Mrs. Robert
Butler, Mrs. Palmer, Miss Palmer, Miss
B. A. Noyes and other ladies were pre-
sent.

The first order of business after rou-
tine was the president's report, which
was as follows :

President's Address.

An annual address before such a Socie-
ty as ours may be likened to a mile-
stone erected by the wayside, not only
io mark progress, but to direct the fu-
ture course. It has been said by some
one, that the past is the principal means
by which we may judge the future and,

as interest in the Society increases it
will be a matter not only of interest but
no doubt, of value, to note our periods
of buoyancy and depression as reflected
in these annual a'ddresses of your officers.
It is not my intention, however, to en-
ter very fully into details of our work
during the year but to present rather, a
brief general aspect of its progress since
cur last annual meeting, leaving to the
Secretary the duty of going more fully
into the particulars of administration,
contenting myself with an expression of
my personal views an.l conclusions, and
making such suggestions as I may deem
of possible value in furthering the work
undertaken by our Society.

In endeavoring to widen our sphere of
influence I have heard the usefulness or
necessity of the Society questioned by
thoughtless people. It is well we are
not all of that frame of mind. What is
useful and what is necessary depends
much on the point of view. I think
there can be no question, for it has been
generally conceded too long to be ques-
tioned, that a love of ancestry tends to
ennoble, and it is reasonably certain
that a knowledge of deeds accomplished
and difficulties surmounted by our an-
cestors "strengthen the feeling of content-
ment and satisfaction with our own lot
in life. As the toil and hardships un-
dergone by our immediate ancestors, the
primitive settlers of this community, be-
come more familiar to us we cannot fail
to become more 'reconciled to existing
conditions. To many a narrative of the

M I S S I S Q U O I COUNTY HISTORICAL S O C I E T Y

descendant of the old pioneer have I
listened, the narrator an old man, per-
haps, who told of his grandfather's com-
ing to this then new anjc.1 unknown land,
following the lakes and rivers, then the
only feasible means of access to this re-
mote locality, of the innumerable hard-
ships suffered, of the primitive home with
its meagre outfit and of the constant
daily struggle to* provide sustenance of
the simplest character for the little
household, and I have often wondered if
we now occupied the lands formerly be-
longing to those pioneer worthies and
if, by any chance, we were their un-
worthy descendants. We scarcely ever
hear their names mentioned. Their self
sacrifice and sufferings are forgotten, al-
though we now en;oy the 'benefits re-
nuliting from their arduous la-bors. These
tales of a by-gone day are interesting
and, in many instances, border upon the
sensational . It is strange, when one
comes to think about it, that the sense
of human gratitude, which is akin to
that great love which is embodied in the
greatest) of ail the commandment, has not
led us to interest ourselves more deeply
in preserving at least the memory of
that goodly race of pioneer heroes whose
struggles meant, and still mean so much
for us. There can be no question but
that the records cf early hardships, uv-
plete as they are with " woe and wear-
iness," are much under, rather than
over-drawn. I now recall the case of me
pioneer, whose first furniture consisted
of the smooth sawn top of a stump for
a ta/Me, a rough bench made from a
plank hewn from a log, and a few blocks
of wood sawed to a proper length for
seats. For the purpose of heating the
domicile and cooking the food, a circle
of stones was built at one end of the
cabin, with a rude chimney of sticks and
clay. Contrast this witth our equipment
of to-day and enumerate, to accentuate
the difference, the articles of utility, net
to speak of comfort or luxury, to which
we are accustomed. Such contrast should
lead us to more fully appreciate our pre-
sent? sutrounding^ and induce a state of

mind replete with contentment, which is
the essence of true living.

Immediately following the last annual
meeting steps were taken looking, to the
is siting of an annual report intended to
be the initial number of such a publica-
tion for our Society. Its issue was de-
layed through various causes, but Messrs.
10. R. Smith & Son, who had the mat-
ter in hand, finally produced a work
7/hich was not only creditable to them
as publishers but also to the Society
for which it was published. The appear-
ance as well as contents called forth fa-
vorable comment from the press as well
as in oth^r quarters. I ta'<e the liberty
of quoting an editorial which appeared
in the Montreal Gazette of the 5th of
May last. Writes the Gazette :—

" It is interesting;, in these clays, when
Canadian history has so widened its
scope as to be associated, sometimes
conspicuously, with the history of the
Empire— to which, indeed, it is central—
to read the gathered data of such a so-
ciety as this, data dealing mainly with
a single county. There was a movement
once begun to write the history cf every
cmnty in older Canada. Several coun-
ties have fj'ich a record already, and it
would not be a bad idea if some plan
were adopted of complet'ng the series.
In the old countries, q\ich local histories
— histories of counties, cnoceses, towns,
parishes— have often been published, and
some of them are elaborate in prepara-
tion and beautifully illustrated. Whether
or not such a society as this would find
in the formal undertaking of such a his-
torical task a responsibility adapted to
its energies, the members cannot help
contributing to the general result. If
that .result were only kep>t definitely in
view, we do not doubt that, in a few
years, the goal would comie into sight
and the strong united endeavor would
have its rewartl. And if every county
had its historical society and adopted,
though without rigor, a like gale or pur-
pose, what a mass of material the gen-
oral historian would be able to consult.

E. K. SMITH, Editor of "The News,"

St. Johns, P. (I
Life Member MissUquoi County Historical Society.

M I S S I S 0 1" O I COUNTY HIST O R I 0 A I, S O C I E T Y

Meanwhile, it must surely give pleasure
to Eastern Townships people and espe-
cially to Missisqiuoi people, wherever they
may 'be to .see in this report the first
fruits ef what is sure to prove a credit-
able harvest."

So just, appreciative and impartial a
commendation of our purpose as a Socie-
ty is decidedly an encouragement for a
continuance in well doing.

Early in the summer a correspondence
began embodying a proposition to the
effect that we should hold our annual
outing in conjunction with the Vermont
Historical and Patriotic Societies and a
conference with the officers of those so-
cieties was held in St. .Johns at which-
were present Messrs. J. P. Noyes, E. R.
Smith and myself representing our So-
ciety and Gel. Forbes and W. H. Crockett
representing the Vermont Societies.
Arrangements were proposed and discuss-
ed, mainly to cover difficulties of trans-
portation, and a day was chosen for the
gathering. To decide upon our arrange-
ments in connection with the subject a
meeting of the Society was held at Stan-
bridge East— the only one since our an-
nual meeting— at which the matter was
discussed favorably and our co-operation
decided upon. But in the meantime our
Vermont friends found such difficulties ;n
the way that thay suggested a post-
ponement until another year when it is
to be hoped that circumstances will fa-
vor the carrying out of the project suc-
cessfully.

I am sure it will not be out of place
for me to make a few suggestions along
the line of what I consider a feasible and
proper manner of successfully prosecut-
ing our work. I do not wish, however,
to be understood as mapping out <a course
for my successor, even by suggestion,
but simply to place my own views upon
record. Our principal object as a society
is to" produce at as early a date as pos-
sible, an accurate and creditable history
of our county. As the best means to at-
tain that end I would suggest that we
concentrate our attention and energies

upon some single municipality for the
year. I am convinced that a diligent
prosecution of such work would result in
a creditable history of such municipality.
The following year we could take up an-
other municipality and so on from year
year to year until all are exhau'stod. A
beginning might be made with, say, St.
Arm-ami West, and continuing on in the
successhe years following the order of
priority of settlement. All this I am
aware, requires money, more than we
have at present, or possibly may have
in the near future. The officials cannot
do this work alone or furnish the funds
1o carry it on. They cannot give their
entire time to the affairs of the Society
or supply the money which should come
from the members. It. is obvious we
cannot by our present system, or lack of
system, prosecute this work successfully.
Our efforts lack concentration and defi-
niteness through want of money to put
matters in a practical shape. By bring-
ing our energies to bear on some single
point, with the judicious expenditure of
a reasonable sum of money, a great deal
more could be accomplished, in fact, I
am sure, we could complete a creditatble
history of the entire 'County.

Another suggestion I think of impor-
tance is to make an attempt to interest
the children in our work, hoping better
things of the coming generation when it
assumes control of the society in the fu-
ture. The lack of means has prevented
us from offering prizes to the pupils of
the various Academies and schools in the
County for the best papers on local his-
torical subjects. By such a policy I
think we might instil in the minds of
pupils a liking for research work as well
as some knowledge of the events which
have gone before. . In the years to come
the Society would reap the benefit of
such effort for, whilst we have the pre-
sent in mind, we should also look to the
future of our Society.

And, what is of greater importance we
should secure the cooperation of the
older people in every community to effect

Missisgroi COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

whicL the local officials of the Society
should act with zeal and promptness. In
a few years many of our older residents
must, in the natural course, pass away.
Many cf them possess knowledge, accur-
ate or traditional, of some interesting
event of the earlier development of their
community. This work may be done
without much outlay and only requires
systematizing to become practicable.
While the question of a museum and li-
brary building for the Society, which is
so often broached, may be held 'in abey-
ance until such time as the Society has
given further evidence of its usefulness
and vitality, the other work mentioned
should he attended to at once. We ate
wont to reproach our forbears with ne-
gligence in this respect but, whether
true or not, I do not well see how we
can excuse our cwn presrnt neglect and
indifference with regard to this phase of
the work.

In concluding I whh to say a few
words in appreciation of the cordial re-
lations existing among the officers of the
Society. The perfect harmony between
them has tended to greatly increase the
effectiveness of the work. While it was
not my intention to refer to any one by
name, I feel that in strict justice I
should do so. Mr. Moore, who has dis-
charged the exacting duties of Secretary-
Treasurer, is certainly entitled to t-he
fullest measure of our regognitdon, and I
take this occasion to acknowledge not
only an official but also a deep sense of
personal obligation for the aid he has
always so willingly rendered. I would
also thank the many friends, both with-
in and without the Society, who have
shown their interest and have given us
aid, many o-f whom I have had the pleas-
ure of meeting personally and others
with whom I have conducted a correspon-
dence which has been not only a source
of pleasure to me but, I trust a benefit
to the Society, as well.

I thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for
the sympathy and interest which you
have shown by your presence here to-day

and if I may for the moment assume the
role of a prophet, I will forecast a grow-
ing future for the Society, for the main-
tenance and increase of yoftir interest can
only result in its permanent good, and,
as the years pass, each one bringing
some added element of usefulness, until
thL- accomplishment of our objects will
result as the reward of our continued
eft'ort.

The Secretary-Treasurer, Mr. Chas. S.
Moore, then read his report showing the
condition of the Society from the busi-
ness point of view. It was as follows :

Secretary's Report.

In presenting results of the work of the
year which closes with this meeting to-
day, lei me say, at the outset, (lest you,
Mr. President, and I receive more than
our share of glory) that the very satis-
factory condition of this society, finan-
cially and otherwise, is in a large meas-
ure, due to the untiring zeal of our ex-
officers, to the president of the woman's
branch, to Mr. \Vm. Mead Pattison, of
Clarenceville, Mr. E. R. Smith of The
St. Johns News, and to many other
friends.

Special mention should be made of Dr.
George McAleer, of Worcester, Mass.,
who, though absent many years, has
never lost interest in his native land.
The well bound and illustrated volume
which many of you received as a per-
sonal gift from Dr. McAleer, dealing iiv
a most interesting and scholarly manner
with the derivation of the name of Mis-
sisquoi, was, in itself, a fine gift to our
society and to the literary productions
of our native country.

Another happy surprise was the re-
ceipt of ten dollars from the Eastern
Townships Bank, through the General

JOHN HUNTER, ESQ.,

Born at Belfast, IreLind, June 12th, 1805, died at Olarenceville,
Que., August 2lst, 1884, aged 79 years. Very prominent man
and faithful public servant, influential member of Anglican
church, Trustee of Claranceville Academy, Model Farmer.

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY i

Manager, James McKimion, Esq. May
other banking institutions follow this
noble example !

We regret exceedingly the absence of
the Hon. Mr. McCorkill. He was called
away by telegram on official business.
as he was about to leave his home in
Cowansville to attend this meeting in
Bedford. His patriotism for his native
county and the whole Eastern Town-
ships, is a source of inspiration for those
of us who are living and working in this
part of the Province of Quebec ; and his
deep interest in the welfare of this so-
ciety is most encouraging to its officers
and members, who will miss to-day the
eloquent words of patriotism with which
he is want to address us.

The unavoidable absence of one of our
officers, Mr. F. X. A. Giroux, is also
deeply regretted. Mr. Giroux is a most
helpful and courteous friend of this so-
ciety, and his bright, kindly words we
shall miss to-day.

Perhaps the most important work of
the past year was the compiling and
publishing of our first annual report.
The distribution of circulars, especially
to the non-resident sons and daughters
of Missisquoi, calling attention to the
society and its first publication, has been
a most productive means of advertising ;
adding many names to the list of mem-
bers, thus aiding to place our finances
upon a sound footing. Seven hundred
and fifty reports were issued. Of these,
100 copies were purchased by the Prov-
incial Secretary of Quebec, to be used as
prizes for the public schools. Three hun-
dred and sixty-two copies have been sold,
exchanged, and distributed to members
of the society (each member receiving a
copy with his membership card) leaving
a balance of 288 reports in the hands of
the secretary.

At present writing we have 150 sons
and daughters of Missisquoi upon our
service roll — 97 of these residing in the
county and 53 beyond its borders. The
different municipalities of the county are
represented as follows : Cowansville and
Sweetsburg 42, Clarenceville and St.
Thomas 16, Farnham 14, Bedford 7, Dun-

ham 7, Stanbridge 7, Frelighsburg 2,
and Philipsburg 2. From Dan even unto
Beersheba, have we drawn our non-resi-
dent members. Montreal and St. Lam-
bert have given us 7, St. Johns 15,
Sherbrooke i, Knowlton 2, Huntingdon
], Mansonville i, the Province of Onta-
rio 5, Alberta i, and the United States
20 — representing 14 different states. I
might say, in passing, that ten members
of the family of Mr. Pattison are enlist-
ed in the Missisquoi Historical Society
— no other family in the county ap-
proaching this record.

Only one special meeting has been held
by the society during the year, namely
that of July I2th at Stanbridge East.
The meeting was called by the officers
for the purpose of arranging a picnic at
Isle-aux-Noix-, if possible joining our
friends, the Vermont Sons of the Revo-
lution, at or near that point. Unfortu-
nately this arrangement was found to !K;
impracticable on account of unsatisfac-
tory transportation facilities. After the
transaction of business, a most interest-
ing paper, dealing with the St. Albans'
Raid of 1864, was read by Mr. C. H.
Hibbard, of Stanbridge. This was fol-
lowed by short impromptu addresses by
the Hon. J. C. McCorkill and other gen-
tlemen.

Perhaps some mention should be made
of the Secretary's correspondence. Let-
ters to the secretary have come from the
length and breadth of our land, and from
nearly every state in the Union ; from
interested individuals, and from officers
of similar societies. A few of these let-
ters dealt with the danger we incurred
in considering the proposition of an
American society, " The Vermont Sons
of the Revolution," to cross our borders
and mark the resting place of one Capt
Remember Baker who was killed at the
beginning of the Revolutionary war, at
or near the mouth of the Lacolle river.
The officers of the society failed to ap-
preciate any danger from this action.
We should have been glad to meet the
"Sons of the Revolution," or any other
society of like character, and to join
them in a friendly picnic, if this had

M I S S I S Q U 0 I COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

been possible. As to erecting a monu-
ment on our soil to the memory of a
brave man (for he must have been brave
to venture within our borders) — marking
a spot where the American troops were
defeated by our own — surely this should
in no way incur the resentment of the
Canadian people. The strong man, con-
fident of his power, smiles good natured-
ly at small liberties taken by others.
We, as a nation, are becoming too big
and strong to notice such trifles as the
erection of a monument on our side of
the line, to a Revolutionary hero, even
were such an event to take place to the
tune of " The Star-spangled Banner ''
and with " spread-eagle " speeches. Let
us, as a society, encourage the most
friendly relation with all societies of si-
milar aims, either in this country or in
the great republic to the south.

The important work of interviewing
the aged residents of the county has, I
regret to say, been neglected, or only
carried on in an unsystematic and de-
sultory way. This work should be done
at once, if the society ever hopes to col-
lect all known facts relating to the early
settlement of this county. We iind by
experience that individual members can-
not be relied upon to interview those in
their immediate vicinity. Some plan
should be adopted for canvassing each
municipality, in a systematic and busi-
nesslike manner, thereby gathering ma-
terial for a history of the county.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR YEAR
ENDING AI:G. 1 8, 1906.

RECEIPTS.

•77

Balance from 1905 $

From membership fees and sale

of annual report 172.36

4 photo plates 10.00

Total receipts

EXPENDITURE.

Copying manuscript for report i oo

Postage and stationery 10.55

Printing annual report 95-OO

Printing circulars 3.32

Printing cards 2.00

Incidentals 1.15

Total expenditure $113.03

Balance on hand $70.11

Since the books were audited I have
received $2.00 in cash. Outstanding ac-
counts amount to $100.00 receivable, and
534.30 payable, leaving a balance of
$67.70 to the good. This added to ba-
lance of cash on hand gives, for net
assets of the society, the sum of $137.81.

This was followed by the address of
Mrs. S. A. C. Morgan, President of the
Women's Committee of the Society,
which was as follows :

Address
Women's Committee,

MISSISQUOI HISTORICAL SO-
CIETY.

In the case of a society so aibly officer-
ed as is the MissisquoiCounty Historical
Society, it would seem as if the Women's
Committee of the same were almost a
supernumerary, though as yet it remains
in the state of " arrested development."

However, we respectfully acknowledge
the honor conferred on us as help-mates
without questioning whether it be from
courtesy or from acceptance, of woman's
adjudged proclivity for ferreting and re-
\caling.

Happily, there are a few things to re-
cord of women's special work during the
past year, showing a lively interest in
the society at home and abroad,

- In January we received from Mrs. E.
Sorn'-jerger, of Bedford, a very ably wriit-
ten article entitled " The Life History

HOMESTEAD 01- THE LATE JOHN HUNTER, Ksy., Clarenceville, Qiu

M I S S I S 0 IT O I COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

of Rev. V. X. Jersey." It was published
in the Alissisquoi Historical column of
The News and must have 'been very glad-
ly received by those who still cherish the
memory of that Christian gentleman
whose sterling common sense, humor and
kindliness appealed to the hearts of all
who knew him.

In March we received a highly valued
letter from Mrs. Henry D. Post, daugh-
ter of Mr. John Coatsworth, secretary
of the late Bishop Stewart, whom he ac-
companied to America in the year 1807.

Although Mrs. ' Post has t.een a resi-
dent of Holland, Mich., for many years,
she says : "I am a loyal daughter of
Missisquoi," and announces her wish to
become a member of this society. She
also enclosed in her letter some currency
of the " Confederate .States of America "
for our proposed museum and library.
Such marks of interest shown are very
encouraging. \Ve have received them
from many quarters whence it was least
expected, and for all of which we offer
grateful acknowledgement.

Mrs. E. L. Watson, of Dunham, in a
letter to the Secretary, expresses pleas-
ure at becoming a member of the Missis-
quoi Historical Society, and shows her
interest in its work by sending a series
of articles entitled " Sketches o*f Cana-
dian Villages," written in 1867 for the
" District of Bedford Times," one of
which, re -published in The News, March
1 6th, 1906, gave a vivid account of the
early settlement of Dunham <by the Loy-
alists, one of whom was Mr. Joseph
Baker, grandfather of Mrs, Watson and
of Hon. G. B'. Baker, 'Senator, and for
many years the representative for Mis-
si sq-uoi Co.

Among others whom we have heartily
welcomed during the past year, is Miss
Whitwell, of Philipsburg, the only sur-
viving daughter of the late Rev. Richard
Whitwell, who was among the early pion-
eers of Church of England in the East-
ern Townships.

The Rev. gentleman crossed the ocean
in 1821 in company with the Hon. and
Rev. Dr. Stewart.

The lives of our venerable members of
eighty years and upwards almost bridge
the space covered by our history with
all its marvelous progress. All honor to
them.

At the suggestion of Mrs. Theodora
Moore in her thoughtful address before
this society last year, that a prize be
offered by individuals, singly or combin-
ed, for the best paper on local history,
contributed by a pupil of our schools, a
prize of five dollars was offered by Mr.
J. P. Noyes and was won by Miss Jessie
Baker Ruiter, fourteen years of age. It
is an admirably written article, entitled
The Histo y of Cowansville, and was
published in The News Historical col-
umn.

Ht is a precedent which we hope to see
followed by other schools. It depends
largely, however, on the parents and
teachers, who naturally enough establish
the ideals that their children and pupils
are expected to strive for.

We are particularly fortunate in hav-
ing as' enrolled members of our society
several of the leading educationists of
the Province of Quebec, among whom
are Miss Carrie M. Derick, of MoGill
University ; Miss E. L. Baker, of Dun-
harm Ladies College ; Mr. N. C. Davis, of
Bedford Academy, and others high in the
ranks of their profession.

We are indebted to Miss Chamberlain,
of Ottawa, for an interesting account of
her grandfather Knapp's early settle-
ment in Dunham, which was published in
The News and duly acknowledged by let-
ter of appreciation. A letter of. thanks
was also sent to Dr. McAleer for the la-
test contribution by him to our histo-
rical work.

And an open letter was also addressed
to the women of Missisquoi through the
columns of The News urging them to

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

unremitted activity in enlisting the in-
terest of the young in the work of this
society.

The women's work of the past year is
soon recorded, therefore the paper that I
am required to read before you, to-day,
according to the by-laws of the Women's
Committee, is mainly a pica for the ex-
istence of this society.

In ' The Simple Life ' by Chas. Wag-
ner, we read : " The history of humanity

is the history of indomitable hope

To press forward under his burdens, to
guide himself in the dark, to retrieve his
faults and his failures, to escape despair
even in death, man has need of hoping

always that form of confidence that

turns toward the future."

Such was the hopte of our forefathers,
as they gathered before their blazing
hearths where they made sanctuaries for
themselvfcs, reverently reading the word
of God from their Dutch or English Bi-
bles, their children listening with hushed
and respectful attention.

There they hospitably entertained; their
neighbors after the day's toil ; an& all
joined in the rude jokes, folk-scngs, le-
gends and ghost stories handed ctown to
them from the Fatherland.

The children inherited the simple cre-
dence and kindliness of the fathers, while
they absorbed the vigor and the genuine
and unpretentious life of the woods in
which they were matured.

Thus they grew to true manhood and
womanhood, " holding league of heart to
heart," while they— fathers and sons-
advanced with indomitable energy against
the serried army of forest giants— the
towering pines and hemlocks — that con-
fronted them, and whom they conquerred
without 'bloodshed, occupying their coun-
try and proving themselves veritable
masters of the soil, since bequeathed to
us as Missis .jii'Oi County, the garxjen of
our province.

Our esteemed and lamented friend, the

late Mr. Erastus Chandler, in his quaint
little volume, entitled " Poems and Es-
says," says in his characteristic way : —
" All honor to our brave pioneers who,
often with very limited means, courage-
ously faced the rigors ' of a Canadian
winter and disputed with the bear and
the wolf, the right of possession. And
often too, when the wolf hunger was
at his door, the wolf lupus was de-
vouring his little flock ; and while bear
bruin was destroying his little crops,
bare naked half exposed his limbs. It
was by the sweat of his brow that these
fields were cleared, on the income of
which we riot and surfeit ourselves."

Let us ask those who -smile derisively
at or who are indifferent to the work of
this society, and yet who are justly
proyd of the bravery of our volunteers—
to whom is the greater honor due ? to
the makers of our homes, who spent their
lives in untold hardship and self-sacrifice?
or to the defenders of our frontier dur-
ing a few days of threatened invasion —
net by a hostile nation — but by a fren-
zied horde ?

Grateful remembrance is due to the
patriotic zeal of our defenders, as has
already been substantially attested hy
this society. But how vastly superior
were the obstacles surmounted and the
benefits achieved by the former, honor to
whom should be heartily endorsed, not
only hy their ctescendants, but by all
who have the happiness to be resident in
the County of Missisquoi.

In rescuing from oblivion what re-
mains of the past bearing upon the per-
sonality of our ancestors and their pro-
ceedings in opening tip the country, we
find a valuable book of reference in " The
Eastern Townships " by Mr. Cyrus Tho-
mas— information gleaned by the author
forty years ago ; therefore, so much in
advance of us. May I ask, has the au-
thor a place of honor in the Missisquoi
County Historical Society ?

In the late Mr. Chandler's " Poems and
Essays " we find further light thrown

JUDGE SOLOMAN UINGHAM

Graduate of Darmouth College, N. H. Born at Tinmoth, Vt.
June 18th, 1793.

MISSIS QUOI COUNTY H I S T 0 R I C A I, SOCIETY

upon the humorous incongruities that
were often met with in the early days.

We are greatly indebted to Dr. Mc-
Aleer for the impetus that our society
has received by his valuable gift, " The
Etmiyology of Missisqiuoi," which has al-
ready won the unstinted praise of the
public and the gratitude of this society.

Another pamphlet of Dr. McAleer's de-
serves mention here. It is entitled " Re-
miniscent and Otherwise." The reminis-
cence of old customs and conditions is
very faithfully and happily expressed.
But I must confess that the unpatriotic
senti'ments expressed on page 5 of the lit-
tle 'brochure are a blot on the fair page,
and not in harmony with the aims of
this society, nor with the doctor's gen-
erous and painstaking acts in behalf of
his native land. The " Otherwise " in
the title must have indicated the doc-
tor's mood at the time of writing.

May the above mentioned, books be like
the seed grain from our own soiL From
them as starters we hope to reap; an
abundant harvest in the future.

It was once quite the fashion for the
grandmothers of the present mature gen-
eration, to make what were called " al-
bum quilts," composed of patchwork
blocks contributed by the personal friends
of the lady chiefly interested. Each block
contained the autograph of the donor
written in indelible :ink on a white cen-
terpiece. These bed quilts are in exist-
ence to-day, an interesting memorial of
the past.

So each county by contributing its own
block of patchwork history will enable
some future historian to compile an au-
thentic and comprehensive history of our
country, which already attracts the ad-
miring attention of the whole world.

Its history from the beginning will lie
read with interest by future generations
at home and abroad. Let us gather up
the broken threads before they run into
oblivion.

present day, like a spring freshet, spreads
everywhere without depth or destination,
and regardless of its source, swishes and
swashes till its proper channel is well
nigh lost.

It is the aim of this society and of si-
miilar ones to 'deepen the sentiments of
the people and keep them within their na-
tural bounds for the forming of a na-
tion. This is done by taking a point of
view above the every-day furrows to see
where we started and whither we are
tending ; then by holding our course till
we, as a people, attain the position
among nations that is predicted for us.

Allow me to. present for the considera-
tion of this society the advisibility of
preparing for the pupils of our schools a
leaflet of questions relating to the Coun-
ty of Missisquoi ; to be pasted on the
fly-leaves of their geographies or his-
ries ; the answers to be found 'by their
own research. The idea, if accepted, can
be expanded to make it effective.

As other societies show no scorn for
decorations and badges it has occurred
to me that it would give ours a more
distinctive character were we to adopt a
membership badge ; let us say, of some
form suggestive of the meaning of Mis-
sisquoi.

Our ex-President, Mr. Noyes, in his ad-
dress to us last year, remarked : — " Per-
sonally, I have reason to feel gratified
during my official term, for many pleas-
ant acquaintances which otherwise, L
never would have made."

So, while endeavoring to throw light
upon those who have gone before, we are
at least, broadening our view concerning
Ihose who live in the present, and
strengthening our social fellowship.

Last year the Women's Committee of
this society was reprerentcd by Stan-
brkl^e East, tLris year by Bedford ;
therefore I beg that the honor be passed
along to another municipality, hoping
it may equalize the interest of the work.

The restless and superficial life of the

Gentlemen, allow me to remind you

M i s vS i s g r o i COUNTY HISTORICAL s o c i K T v

that the Women's CommRtcc is still in
an undeveloped state. To-day, would it
not be well to appoint a member of that
committee in each municipality, with
power to select her own helpers if more
are needed.

If miy suggestions savor of1 audacity1
it, is because, as the ideas have arisen in
my mind I have hastily advanced them
before my light is extinguished.

Respectfully submitted,

S. A. C. MORGAN,
Pres. of Women's Committee.

of thanks on behalf of the society to
them respectively was carried.

Moved by Mr. Noyes, seconded by Mr.
Pattison, that the report of the secreta-
ry-treasurer be accepted, and that a bo-
nus of $£5 be voted by the society to
him. — Carried.

Moved by Mr. Noyes, seconded by Mr.
Rykert, that seeing the generous action
of Hon. J. C. McCorkill, Provincial
Tresurer, in subscribing, on behalf of his
government, for 100 copies of our first
annual report, that the sincere thanks of
the society be respectfully conveyed to
him. — Carried.

ihe Hon. Judge Lynch then addressed
the meeting in his usual felicitous man-
ner, closing his encouraging remarks by
offering a pri/,e of $10 to any boy or
girl in any school in the county lor tli.-
best historical essay on any one of tl.^
six original townships. At this uoiat
the secretary read a letter from D: .
George McAlecr, of Worcester, Mass ,
who offered $30, to be divided into three
prizes of $15, Sio and §5 respectivelv,
for the three best historical sketches of
the County of Missisquoi.

Mr. E. I/. Watson to supplement the
first proposition generously offered $5
for a second prize in the competition for
the prize of $10 offered by Judge Lynch

Mr. Pattison offered a copy of Herbert
Spencer's Philosophy of Style for the
best essay on local history written by a
female pupil of any high school in the
county, either Catholic or Protestant.

It was stated by each of the generous
donors of these prizes that the competi-
tion was open to all schools in the coun-
ty, French and F^nglish, whilst Dr. Mc-
Aleer did not limit his prizes to school
pupils alone.

On motion of Mr. Noyes, seconded by
Rev. Mr. Lewis, the kind offers of Judge
Lynch, Dr. McAleer, and Messrs Watson
and Pattison were accepted and a vote

On motion of the Hon. Judge Lynch,
seconded by Mr. E. I/. Watson, all the
ollicers of the Association were declared
re-elected.

Mr. J. P. Noyes, ex-president of the
society, who had contributed to the last
annual report of the society a paper on
the etymology of Missisquoi, in which he
had dissented from the conclusions taken
by Judge Girouard on the name and
meaning of Missisquoi read a letter
which he had written to the Hon. Judge,
recanting his former views. This letter
appears on another page

Concluding remarks on the etymology
of Missisquoi, was then made by Mr. An-
drew Somerville followed by a short ad-
dress touching upon aie interesting f*?t.
hitherto unmentioned — the landing at
Philipsburg in 1759 of the famous Brit-
ish Ranger Rogers and his party.

On motion of Mr. Pattison, seconded
by Mr. Capsey, the following gentlemen
were elected honorary life members of
onr society : — Sir James Macpherson Le-
inoine, of Spencer Grange, Quebec ; Dr.
Dr. Arthur George Doughty, M.A.; C. M.
G. Lut, D.F. R.H.S., Dominion Archiv-
ist, Ottawa, and E. R. Smith, of The
News, St. Johns.

The Secretary read a letter from the

STEPHEN B. DEIUCK HOMESTEAD, 3rd Con. Xoyan.

M I S S I S Q U O I COUNTY HI S T () R I C A L S O C I E T Y

Rev. E. M. Taylor, of Knowlton, ex-
pressing regret at his inability to be
present and inviting our officers to be
present at the Bronie annual meeting on
the ,-'oth inst.

Mrs. H. D. Post, of Holland, Mich.,
sent the following message : — " Not want
of interest in the Historical Society but
necessity prevents me from being present
the 24th inst. May success attend al)
your efforts."

The meeting then adjourned.

CHAS. S. MOORE,
Secy-Treas.

NOTE.

The officers of this society brought the
matter of the above mentioned prizes
before the public at the teachers' insti-
tute held in Bedford Oct. 8th. The Rev.
Ernest Taylor, secretary of the Brome
Co. Historical Society, the inspector of
schools, showed a keen interest, and is
ably assisting to further our efforts.
Also at the suggestion of the President
of the Woman's Committee, Mrs. S. A.
C. Morgan, a list of questions on the
geography and history of this county is
being prepared for the schools.

Members of the Missisquoi County
Historical Society.

HONORARY MEMBERS.

Sir James McPherson Lemoine, of Spen-
cer Grange, Quebec.

Dr. Arthur George Doughty, M.A., D.C.
L., C.M.G., F.R.H.S., Dominion Arch-
ivist, Ottawa.

Edgar Rfissell Smith, St. Johns,
Que.

LIFE MEMBERS.

Hon. W. W. Lynch, L.L.D., Knowlton,

Que.
Hon. J. C. McCorkill, Cowansville,

Que.

Dr. George McAleer, Worcester, Mass.
Walter Lynch, Esq., Mansonville, Que.
Arthur Meigs, Esq., Jacksonville, Fa.

ANNUAL MEMBERS.

Abbott D. E., Huntingdon, W. Va.

Aver A. A., Montreal.

Ayer Henry A., Columbus, Ohio.

Baker A. S., San Francisco, Cal.
Baker Miss E. L., Dunham, Que.
Baker Hon. Senator, Sweetsburg, Que.
Baker G. H., Sweetsburg, Que.
Beach Geo. M., Cowansville, Que.
Bell Walter J., Cowansville, Que.
Bingham Amherst W., New lTlm, Minn.
Black Henderson, St. Johns, Que.
Blinn H. C., Frelighsburg, Que.
Bonneault G., St. Johns, Que.
Boright C. S., Sweetsburg, Que.
Brown E. Nelson, Calgary, Alta.
Burke Everett A., Toronto.
Burnet Thomas E., Farnham Centre,

Que.
Buzzell Enoch, Cowansville, Que.

Cadorette F. X., Clarenceville, Que.
Chandler Linus L., Oowuisville, Que.

Chilton Major, Clarenceville, Que.
Choquette Ed., Farnham, Que.
Choquette W. F., Farnham, Que.

M.D.C.M., Farnham, Que.
Cedric L., Cowansville,

Corneau J. B.
Cotton, Mrs.

Que.

Cotton C. S.
Cotton H. H

Sweetsburg, Que.

Cowansville, Que.
Cotton Miss, Cowansville, Que.
Cotton W., Cowansville, Qne.
Cornell M. S., Stanbridge, Que.
Cousins Charles R., St. Johns, Que.
Curley Robt., Cowansville, One.
Currie E. F., Bedford, Que.
Curtis C., New Haven, Conn.

Darche Rev. Father, Clarenceville, Que.
D'Artois A. E. Mayor, Farnham, Que.
Derick Miss Carrie, M.A., McGill Univer-
sity, Montreal.
Derick Lucy, Pasedena, Cal.
Derick R. B., St. Thomas, Que.
Derick Stephen B., Clarenceville, Que.
Desautels Alph., Farnham, Que.
Dickinson Mrs., Bedford, Que.
Dion J. A. E., Montreal, Que.
Donaghy John, St. Johns, Que.
Duboyce P. C., Cowansville, Que.
Duvernet E. E. A., Toronto.

Fortin J. A., Bedford, Que.

Foster G. G., K.C., Montreal, Que.

Freligh Mrs., Bedford, Que.

Fuller Geo. L., M.D., C.M., Cowansville,
Que.

Fuller H. Leroy, M.D., C.M., Sweets-
burg, Que.

Gervais Alphonse, St. Johns, Que.
Gibson f John G., Major, Cowansville,

Que.
Gilmour A. H., Lieut. Col., Stanbridge,

Que,

Giroux F. X. A., Sweetsburg, Que.
Gleason E. S., Sweetsburg, Que.

HON. AND LIEUT. COLONEL HENRV CALDWELL'S MANOR HOUSE
On tlie 1st Con. of Noyan, Richelieu River, present owner Merrit Filer.

M I S S I S 0 U 0 I COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY 21

Goddard E. W., Sweetsburg, Que.
Gool'd R., St. Johns, Que.
Goyette Ed., Cowansville, Que.

Haines F. S., vSt. Lambert, Oue.

Haines Win. Mead Pattison, New Lis-

keard, Out.
Harris Wm., Rev. Rural Dean, Farnhaiu,

Que.

Hawley John A., Nutt's Corners, Que.
Hawley J. C. M., Nutt's Corners, Que.
Hibbard C. H., Stanbridge, One.
Hopkins F. I,., Franklin, Vt.
Hunter Thos., Venice, Oue.

Ireland A. A., Rev., Philipsburg, Que.

Johnston G. M., Cowansville, Que.
Jones C. O., Bedford, Que.

Kemp A. E., M.P., Toronto.

Krans Mis. Charlotte Sheaf, New York.

Lambkin Mrs., Knowlton, Que.
Lamoureux Emile M. J., Sweetsburg.

Que.

Lander John, Dr., Cowansville, Que.
L'Ecuyer Gilbert, Clarenceville, Que.
Lewis Wm. E., Clarenceville, Que.
Lewis Rev. W. P. R., Cowansville, Que.
Longeway G., Dunham, Que.
Loud George, Farnham, Que.
Lynch W. H., Sweetsburg, Que.

McKinnon James, Sherbrooke, Oue.
Martin J. E., K.C., Montreal.
Martin J. H., St. Johns, Que.
Macloughlin J., St. Johns, Que.
McClatchie James, Cowansville, Que.
McConkey E., St. Johns, Que.
McConnell Rev. J. H., Clarenceville,

Que.
McCorkill R. C., M.D., C.M., Farnham,

Que.

McCorkill W. S., Farnham, Que.
McNamara Mrs. M., Bedford, Que.
Miltimore E. S., Scottsmore, Que.
Mitchell A. E., K.C., Huntingdon, Que.
Montgomery Geo., Montreal.
Moore C. S., Stanbridge, Que.
Moore Mrs. Theodora, Stanbridge, Que.
Morgan Mrs. S. A. C., Bedford, Que.

Noyes J. P., K.C., Cowansville, Que.
Nye Clarence, Cowansville, Que.

O'Halloran James, K.C., Cowansville,

Que.

Oliver Dr., M.D.C.M., Cowansville, Que.
Overing Rev. R. Y., Stanbridge, Que.

Pattison Albert Mead, Montreal.
Pattison Miss Charlotte E., Asuza, Cal
Pattison Miss Charlotte Harriet, Clar

enceville, Que.

Pattison Eugene T., Tacoma, Wa.
Pattison George S., Toronto.
Pattison Rev. Thomas, Baltimore, Md.
Pattison Wm. Bingham, Detroit, Mich.,
Pattison Wm. Mead, Clarenceville, Que.
Payette J. A., St. Johns, Que.
Perchard H. G., St. St. Johns, Que.
Pickle F. H., M.D.C.M., Sweetsburg,

Que.

Pinsonnault J. L., St. Johns, Oue.
Post Mrs. Henry D., Holland, Mich.

Rice Windsor V., Salt Lake City, Utah.
Robinson Rev. Rural Dean, Clarenceville,

Que.
Rodger D. A., M.D.C.M., Cowansville,

Que.
Ross A, E., Cowansville, Que.

Ruiter Eli, Cowansville, Que.
Rykert Asa, Dunham, Que.
Rhicard Percy, Stanbridge, Que.

Sails Herman B., Fort Smith, Ark.
Saunders Fred C., Bedford, Oue.
Sawyer Charles H., Burlington, Yt.
Sawyer W., Clarenceville, Que.
Scott J. E., Farnham, One.
Seguin J. A., Farnham, Que.
Short Geo. E., Cowansville, Que.
Shufelt Wm., Sweetsburg, Que.
Simpson Geo. D., Janesville, Wis.
Slack Geo. E., M.D.C.M., Farnham, Que.
Small E. P., Dunham, Que.
Smith L. Lewis, Montreal.
Smyth Joseph, Cowansville, Que.
Spencer E. E., Frelighsburg, Que.
Strong N. A., M.D.C.M., Clarenceville,

Que.
Struthers R. B., M.D.C.M., Sudbury,

Ont.

M I S S I S 0 U O I COUNTY HISTORIC A I, S O C I K T V

Tippings James A., Clarenceville, Que.
Townsend Heber, Hartford, Conn.
Trescott R. B., Williamantic, Conn.
Truax Geo. A., Farnhani, One.

Vaughan David, Slanbridge, Que.
Vilas Win. F., Cowansville, Que.

Watson K. I/., Dunham, One.

Watson Mrs. E. L., Dunham, Que.
Watson Rev. W. H., Cowansville, Que.
Wilkinson Geo. H., St. Johns, Qut.
Whitfield Mrs. Goo., Cowansville, Que.
Whit well Miss M. A., Philipsburg, Que.
Wood Dr. II. W., St. Johns, Que.

Yeats J. S., M.D.C.M., Dunham, Oue.

ANTHONY DKKICK HOMESTEAD, South Street, Clarenceville. (Over 100 years old.)

Contributions

To the Museum of the Missisquoi County Historical Society
during the year ending in August, 1906, held by WM.
MEAD PATTISON, corresponding secretary
for Clarenceville.

From Sir James M. LeMoine, Spencer
Grange, Quebec. Cabinet sized photo-
graph of himself.

From Weber Townsend, Hartford,
Conneticut, United States. "A Fam-
ily Record of Henry Townsend,
first, who emii'graited fromi Oounty
Norfolk, England, about the year 1630,
and some of his descendants." Pub-
lished in Birkenhead,, England, in 1893.

From Henry T. Ayer, of Columbus,
Ohio, formerly of Abbott Corners, St.
Armand East.

Pamphlet. Abbott's Corner, continu-
ed after first Baptist church in the
county, held in September, 1899, at Ab-
bott's Corners.

From George McAleer, M. D., of
Worcester, Mass., U. S. Five volumes
eatjtled "A Study of the Indian place
name Missisquoi," with all the author-
ities who have written on the subject.

From John D. Johnson, Esq., of St.
Thomas. "Original Deed of the Hon.
Henry Caldwell to Daniel Colton,, of
Coldwell Manor, 1789. Original minutes
at the organization of the first agricul-
tural society of the County of Bedford
(now Missisquoi), held in the village of
Philipsburg, March 15, 1828. The gift
of Orin Baker Kemp, Esq., of Water-
loo, Que.

By direction of the Hon. Sydney
Fisher, minister of agriculture of Can-
ada, through the Dominion Archivist,
Ottawa, Ont., -Arthur George Doughey,
M. A., C. M. G., Lt. D. F. R. S. U.,
Ottawa, various copies of documents
and letters in the archives of Canada
relating to the fortifications on the
River Richelieu as far back as the year
1775, principality relating to Fort Len-

nox, Isle Aux Noix, St. Johns
and Chambly. These copies were
obtained by Dr. Doughty at the ex-
pense of much labor and research at a
time when the Archives were in the
course of removal to their new quar-
ters at Ottawa.

From Mrs. Daniel Billings,, of Clar-
enceville, daughter of the late George
W. Johnson, lieutenant in the Clarence-
ville Rangers at the Battle of Odell-
town, in the Canadian rebellion of
1837-38.

Plan of the battlefield and disposi-
tion of the forces at Odelltown Stone
Church, Lacolle.

From Albert Mead Pattison, of
Hutchinson and Wood, architects,,
Montreal. Two charts.

First. Plan of outbuildings and
grounds, Fort Lennox, Isle Aux Noix,
1905.

Second. Plan of fortification. Fort
Lennox, Isle Aux Noix, 1905.

Antiquities presented to the society
and the donors. From Sir James M.
LeMoine( City of Quebec, iron cover
of peephole of door of cell No. 6, of
military prison, Fort Lennox, Isle Aux
Noix, 1819.

From Rodney Reynolds, of Clarence-
ville, Powder Horn, once the prop-
erty of the late Hon. Philip H. Moore,
of St. Armand West, bearing date
1763.

From Major Claude B. Jamieson,, of
Venice, Clarenceville. Indian stone
implements found in vicinity of Jamie-
son Point, on Missisquoi Bay, 1880.

From Wm. L. Scott, of Clarenceville.

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Cavalry Horse Pistol, bearing the
stamp of the Tower of London, Eng.,
carried by the late Robert Wright, of
the Huntingdon Squadron, in the Can-
adian rebellion of '37-38.

From the same donor: Indian pipe
and hatchet combined, bowl in head of
steel hatchet, handle two feet long,
bored through so as to be used in
smoking. Evidently made in France
and sold to the Indian.

From Wm. Mead Pattison: Cord of
seventeen buttons worn by the Im-
perial regiments stationed on Isle Aux
Noix.

Canon Balls from the camp of Mont-
gomery and Scuyler, opposite Isle
Aux Noix, in siege and capture of the
Island in 1778.

Twenty musket flints from same
camping grounds. Bullets from Queen
Bess muskets of the period.

Flint lock musket, carried by G. W.
Johnson during the Canadian rebel-
lion of 1837-38.

From same donor: Piece of cast iron
canon captured from the Canadian
rebels of 1837-38 by Lieutenant G. W.
Johnson in the engagement at Odell-
town church, Lacolle, and when firing
a salute on the Queen's Birthday at
Clarenceville in 1865, exploded on ths>
square and Lieutenant Johnson in
charge of it, narrowly escaped. The
fragment passed through the roof of a
building near by and was found in
the attic.

Portfolio of Newspapers, published
in Canada and the State of Vermont
during the war of 1812-12 and Cana-
dian rebellion of 1837-38.

Copy of the New York Herald of
April 15th,, 1865,, with accounts of the
assassination of President Lincoln and
the taking of Richmond, Va., by Gen.
Grant and surrender of Gen. Lee.

Programme at presentation of colors
by the county council of Missisquoi to
the 60th Battalion Volunteer Militia at
Bedford, May 24th, 1871, and Order of
Exercises thereat.

The secretary at Stanbridge East has the following articles
contributed for a future Museum : *

Given by Mrs. Philo Lambkin, of
Knowlton, just before leaving her home
in Riceburg, where she had resided
many years. A pair of cards for card-
ing wool or cotton, brought from Hoi-
den, Mass., nearly one hundred years
ago by Mrs. Martin Rice, mother of
Mrs. Lambkin, and a bayonet which
was found by Mr. Ernest Lambkin in
the vicinity of Eccles Hill immediately
after the famous Fenian raid.

A pamphlet, being "A sermon preach-
ed in Trinity Church, Seigniory of St.
Armand East, Lower Canada, on the
21st day of May, 1816, being the day ap-
pointed by proclamation for a general
thanksgiving to Almighty God for His
great goodness in putting an end to the
war in which we were engaged against

France," by the Rev. James Reid,.
Montreal, printed by W. Gray, 1816."

Mrs. George Walsh, of Waterloo, pre-
sented two volumes of the American
Magazine of Useful and Entertaining
Knowledge. Published in Boston in
1835.

Mr. Robert Burleign, o." St. Armand,
gave an ancient volume of the "His-
tory of the State and Sufferings of the
Church of Scotland by William Crook-
shank, A. M. Published in London in
1869."

Several old American and Canadian
newspapers from Mr. Wm. Mead Patti-
son.

Mr. Fred C. Wurtele, librarian of

'EASTVIKW" RKSIDENCE OK WM. MEAD PATTISON, former Custom House, Modern.

i\I I S S I vS 0 U O I CO U X T Y HIS T O R I C A I, VS O C I E T V 25

the Literary and Historical Society of
Quebec. A volume of the "Seventh
Series of Historical Documents, 1905.
Blockade of Quebec in 1775-76 by the
American Revolutionists. (See Boston-
ians.)

Edited by Mr. Fred C. Wurtele.

Mrs. Post, from Holland, Mich.,
daughter of the late John Coatsworth,
Esq., who was secretary of the revered
Lord Bishop Stewart, contributes sev-
eral confederate bills of different de-
nominations and two ancient letters,
addressed to her father, Mr. J. Coats-
worth. Dunham, District of Montreal,

Lower Canada, from his brother in
England. These letters are dated 1835-
1836, written before the time of en-
velopes and stamps.

Many would-be contributors are
waiting for a safe and permanent de-
pository for valuables.

Mr. Fred Saunders' reference to the
collecting- of all books and pamphlets
written by residents of this county
should be kept in mind. The county
will gladly keep in trust for the society
any that may be sent for a colllection
—that in a few years will be highly
prized.

Etymology of Missisquoi.

Letter of Mr. Noyes to Hon. Judge Girouard.

' Cowansville, P. Q., 8th Aug., 1906.
Hon. D. Girouard,,

Judge Supreme Court,,
Ottawa.

Dear Sir,— It may not matter much,
and you may not care much, but still
I think I ought, in all fairness, to tell
you that I have come to the conclusion
that your view of the etymology of
Missisquoi is, to my mind, the nearest
correct, despite my having written in
a contrary sense not only to you, but
in my paper on the word in the first
report of the Missisquoi County His-
torical Society.

I had never doubted that the name
was Indian and was connected with
some peculiarity which led to its ab-
original adoption. The difficulty with
me at the outset of investigation, and
all along, was to find the Indian tribe
most likely to have used the name at
that particular place. When I came to
put down upon paper my particular
reasons for adopting the theory I did
and compared them with those given
by you and others, mine did not seem
so absolutely clear and conclusive as
I anticipated. I had, among other
things, carelessly taken for granted
that Missisquoi river emptied into
Missisquoi Bay, and confounded river
and bay as having some significance in
connection with the name. I was and
am sure the Indians never used that
river for any purpose whatever. As a
matter of fact, the river empties into
Maquam Bay further up the lake, as
well as into Missisquoi Bay. I was
also under the impression that the
Abenakis Indians never halted for any
length of time at or around the bay,
but were only casual visitors. I also
find that impression wrong. All the
information as to name centres around
the bay, and the river may be put
aside as affording no assistance, as
well for the reasons given in my paper

before referred to as from information
since gained.

That the Abenakis were about the
bay at an early day is shown by your
two letters in the Bulletin des Recher-
ches Historiques as well as by Dr. Mc-
Aleer's booklet. They were there ap-
parently when the map-makers had
placed Lake Champlain on their maps,
but left the bay nameless. And it is
little likely that the Abenakis would
have been about the bay so long a time
and for so many and such continuous
periods, and for special purposes, be-
tween the time which intervened from
the making of the maps and the
first white settlements, without giving
it a name.

The letter from Chief Laurent of the
Abenakis tribe, quoted by you in your
second letter, and which I had not
seen when I wrote my paper, has the
greatest weight with me. He seems an
educated and intelligent man. 'His
knowledge of his people and their lan-
guage make him the best posssible wit-
ness. He tells us the word is Abenakis,
and gives its meaning. Taking this in
connection with the presence for so
long a time about the bay of that par-
ticular tribe; that no other Indian
name has such strong evidence to sup-
port it; that there is no proof in favor
of any other name — the difference being
as to the meaning — with such convinc-
ing reasons for acceptance, and the
reasons I give further on forces me to
adopt his name and meaning, which
are practically yours,, making allow-
ance for the difference between the
French and English of it. He says the
name was "Mesipskois," meaning "the
place where flint is to be found."

I am not unmindful of the fact that
he gives Dr. McAleer another possible
name, "Messsemskikoik," meaning a
place where there is an abundance of
tall grass or hay, but the doctor seems
to lead up to and invite the tall grass

'St. JACQUES" CATHOLIC CHURCH AND PRESBYTERY, Clarenceville, erected 1905-0.

i s vS i s o r o i c o u x T Y HISTORICAL s o c i E T v

naine, and while ton courteous to dis-
courage him the chief seems after all
to prefer the flint stone name. It ia
obvious that it is not so easy to meta-
morphose Missisquoi out of "Messsem-
kikoik," as out of "Messipskois."

Dr. McAleer has zealously exhausted
all the other Indian words containing
the "Missi," or "Messi," used by other
tribes in other places. It is, to my mind,
a fatal objection to them, even if the
Abenakis were not in question, that
none of those tribes are known to have
frequented bay or river, whilst the
Abenakis were there and have a name
which, in its evolution, fits the nearest,
and best in sound and could the most
easily be formed from the word "Mes-
sipskoik." I think we have the best
reason for that name. If it is expert
evidence we want, the Abenakis have
the best, in fact, the only qualification.

When I was studying the question
after seeing your first paper, it seemed
to me that the weak spot was as to
there having been flint stones in or
about the bay or river. I believed there
were none. Shortly after our Historical
Report was issued it was reviewed in
the St. Johns News by E. L. Watson,
Esq., of Dunham, an English Univer-
sity man who settled there about half
a century ago — a gentleman of culture,
and reading interested in research
work. His opinions on such subjects
have great weight with me. He wrote
before Dr. McAleer's book was pub-
lished. Upon this question he said in
his review: "The patriarch, Mr. Law-
"rence, whom I saw on first arriving in
"this country forty-seven years ago
"(in 1859), who was then about 90 years
"old, told me he had often camped with
"the St. Francis Indians (Abenakis) on
"his trips from Lawrenceville to the
"bay in fly time, for the advantage of
"their smudges. This drew my atten-
tion to John Wadso, the very intelli-
"gent St. Francis Indian of whom Mr.
"R. E. Robinson, the Vermont histor-
"ian says he told him the derivation of
"Missisquoi was from the Mas-seep-
"kee, signifying land of arrow flints.
"There is certainly at the embouche-
"ment of Pike River into Missisquoi
"Bay. not far from the ferry to
"Venice, a bed of gravel in which one
"can without much trouble fill one's
"pockets, as I have myself done, with

"defective Indian flint points. And I
"have somewhere read of this place
"having been a source of supply to In-
dians living considerably distant."

I wrote Mr. Watson after reading Dr.
McAleer's book, for information as to
the spot where flint stones were found
to discover their proximity to the bay.
He wrote me as follows:

"You ask where the sand-gravel-
flint bar from which I collected the de-
fective arrow heads and spear points
"is situated. It is close to the ferry to
"what goes by the name of Venice. I
"think Parkman mentions this arrow
"and spear-head factory and its ex-
"tensive distributive supply, but I am
"not sure. At all events, I had at the
"time of my visit recently read of it,
"and was greatly surprised at coming
"upon it and at the abundance of de-
fective, rejected points there to be
"gathered without search. I could not
"find a perfect one. The material is
"a black flint, not so silicious as the
"Lake Superior semi-transparent, nor
"the more opaque Lake Manitoba, nor
"of such capacity for chipping down
"to shape as either, which may account
"for the amount of refuse. I am mail-
ing you one.'"

And this sample I am now mailing you
as an exhibit in support of your view.

Apart from all this, there are topo-
graphical features which add strength
to that name theory. Pike river,
where the flint stones were found,
empties into Missisquoi Bay on the
north towards the Abenakis country.
It is navigable for canoes quite a dis-
tance up stream, in fact,, lumber was
rafted down it for a large area of
country up to less than half a century
ago. The Abenakis or St. Francis In-
dians could come in their canoes up
the Yamaska river to Farnham. It is
only a short distance from there over
an unobstructed 'country to Pike river,
and that river, as pointed out, contains
near its mouth the flhit stones so much
desired by aborigines as mentioned by
Mr. Watson. If you look at the map
facing page 78 of Dr. McAleer's book
you will find the spot marked 14, Pike
river, near the place called Venice to
be about the place where Mr. Watson
found the flint stones. In the explana-

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

tions of the map 14 is callled "du
Rocher," a significant name in this
connection. Evidently the stones at
that point were the flint stones in ques-
tion. Thus, as Mr. Watson's flint stom-s
were found at or near the spot marked
14 on that map, and there designated
as a rocky place on Pike river near
where it empties into Missisquoi bay;
as it was not only at a place which the
Abenakis frequented, but where, if
there was no proof of their having fre-
quented it, the circumstance that it
was on a feasible route for them in
their expeditions, and the further cir-
cumstance that flint stones were a
necessity for them in the early time,
convinces me that we must look to the
Abenakis for the name and its mean-
ing. So I think we may fairly conclude
that the word came through the
changes which time would naturally
make in the pronunciation of Mes-sips-
koik by successive generations of white
men not all speaking the same langu-
age and unfamiliar with the written
word, to be the name as we now have
it. You have already pointed out some
of those changes made by French, Eng-
lish and Dutch in the evolution of the
modern statutory word.

I have already given my reasons for
attaching no importance to the river
as having- any connection with the
name of the bay, because there is no-
thing peculiar about the river to war-
rant the name being extended to a bay
into which it did not al-
together empty, and .because it
was altogether outside of any
ordinary or feasible route for the In-
dians by canoe, or on their routes for
hunting or war. There is the further
reason that there is nothing in or about
the river to suggest the appropriate-
ness of a single name of the many
given by different persons and in dif-
ferent ways, and catalogued by Dr. Mc-
Aleer, as distinguished from that given
to the bay. ' As to abundance of tall
grass or as to marshes, all the lakes
and streams of the Province frequent-
ed by the Abenakis had them in as
great and some in greater abundance
than Missisquoi bay or river, whilst
only the bay in question had flints in
its vicinity. There could bo an.l there
is no marked or controlling reason for
specializing that place as a grassy

place, or as having an unusual abund-
ance of tall hay or grass, or as a marsh,
or any of the other names put for-
ward for acceptance, whilst there are
special and exceptional reasons as re-
spects flint stones. Nowhere else in our
Eastern Townships waters were flint
stones found, so far as T can "carr,
at least, not in sufficient quantity to
attract attention.

To sum it all up:

1. Before Missisquoi,, unJev any
form of its name, was on a map, the
Abenakis Indians were there.

2. It is an Abenakis word and the
meaning that Indian tribe gave is the
one best entitled to acceptance.

3. The Abenakis word Mes-sips-koik
means the place where flint stones are
found.

4. The Abenakis manufactured spear-
heads and arrow points from the flint
stones they found where Pike river
empties into the bay.

5. It is reasonable to suppose that
those Indians would have an appro-
priate name for the place of an indus-
try so important for them in war and
in hunting.

6. When their name substantiallly
agrees with that given to the bay it is
a reasonable presumption that it was
given for the purpose mentioned.

7. In the evolution of the name from
the aboriginal tongue to its present
statutory shape, Missisquoi would in
the 'Course of time be more easily
formed from Mes-sips-koik by dropping
the p and final k which the Indians
did not pronounce, and taking q in-
stead of the first k as pointed out by
Chief Laurent, than from any other
name given. No other Abenakis word
given is so easily worked over into
Missisquoi.

Other reasons might be given, but
my only present concern is to confess
my error and accept your view of the
question. I shall take an early oppor-
tunity to submit this recantation to
our Historical Society.

Yours truly,

JNO. P. NOYES.

R. H. DERICX'S RESIDENCE, 3rd Con., Xoyan.

Parliamentary Representation

Of Missisquoi from the Beginning of Parliaments

in Canada.

By the Imperial Act of 1791 the Prov-
ince of Lower Canada was given a
legislature and, for such purpose, was
divided into counties mostly named
after English counties or shires. Mis-
sisquoi was thereby included in the
limits of Bedfordshire, which then com-
prised what is now Missisquoi, Iber-
ville, Rouville and so on to the St. Law-
rence river and so continued until 1829,
when new counties were created and
Missisquoi was constituted, but not
covering the same territory as now. It
then comprised only St. Thomas, St.
George de Clarenceville,, St. Armand,
Stanbridge, Dunham and Sutton. The
list of members here given are taken
from Christie's History of Canada for
the period prior to the union of 1841.

Legislature of Lower Canada.

1792— J. B. M. Hertel de Rouville.

1796— Nathaniel Coffin.

1800— John Steele.

1804— W. S. Moore.

1807— W. S. Moore.

1809— John Jones.

1810— Alexis Debleds.

1814 — Henry Georgen.

1816— Thomas McCord.

1820— John Jones,, jr.

1824— Jean B. R. Hertel de Rouville.

1827— The same.

It will be observed that the old fel-
lows were kept pretty busy voting, the
elections toeing frequent. Tak-

ing into consideration that there was
only one polling place in the county
and that was probably in the vicinity
of St. Hyacinthe, the electors in the
remote parts of Missisquoi probably
did not take much interest in elections.
The poll then lasted for a couple of
weeks.

After the Act of 1829.
Under, this act Missisquoi was given

two members, which continued until
the union in 1841.

1829 — Ralph Taylor and Richard Van
Vleit Freligh.

1831 — Ralph Taylor and Stevens
Baker.

1834— William Baker and E. Knight,

There were no more elections until
the union with Upper Canada in 1841]
when the representation was restricted
to one member only.

After the Union of 1841.

1841— Robert Jones.

1844— Hon. Jas. Smith, Atty. Gen.

1846— Hon. Wm. Badgley, Atty Gen.

1847— Hon. Wm. Badgley, do.

1851— Seneca Page.

1854— James M. Ferris.

The county was then divided into two
ridings during the next parliament.

1857 — Jas. M. Ferris, for East Riding;
Hannibal H. Whitney, for West Rid-
ing.

1861 — Jas. O'Halloran, K. C.

1863 — Jas. O'Halloran, K. C.

Members After Confederation— House
of Commons.

1867 — Browne Chamberlain.

1870— George B. Baker, K. C.. for un-
expired term.

1872-«eorg€ B. Raker, K. C.

1874— William Donahue.

1878— George B. Baker, K. C.

1882— George B. Baker, K. C.

1887— George Clayes.

1888— Daniel B. Meigs, for unexpired
term.

1891— George B. Baker, K. C.

1896 — Daniel B. Meigs.

1900 — Daniel B. Meigs.

1904— Daniel B. Meigs.

i s s i s g r o i c o u x T v n i s T o R i c A L vS o c i E T Y

Members of Legislative Assembly.
Quebec.

1867— Josiah S. Brigham.

1871— Josiah S. Brigham.

1875— George B. Baker. K. C.

1876— George B. Baker, K. C., on ap-
pointment as Solicitor General.

1878 — Ernest Racicot, K. C.

1881— Elijah E. Spencer.

1886— Elijah E. Spencer.

1888— Elijah E. Spencer, after election
trial.

1890— Elijah E. Spencer.

1892— Elijah E. Spencer.

1897— J. c. McCorkill. K. C.

1898 — Dr. Cederic L. Cotton.

1900— J. B. Gosselin.

1904 — j. B. Gosselin.

Legislative Council.

Prior to the union of Upper Canada
and Lower Canada in 1841, the only
distinctive local Legislative Councillor

for Missisquoi as part of Bedfordshire
was the Honorable Paul H. Knowlton.

After the Union of 1841.

1841— Hon. Paul H. Knowlton, life
member, to 1863.

1841— Hon. Philip H. Moore, life mem-
ber, to 1867.

1860— Hon. Asa B. Foster, elective
member, to 1867.

After Confederation in 1867.— Senators.

1867— Hon. Asa B. Foster.

1876 — Hon. Gardner G. Stevens.

1896— Hon. George B. Baker.

After Confederation, Quebec Legisla-
ture— Legislative Councillors.

1S67— Hon. Thomas Wood.
1898— Hon. John C. McCorkill.
1903— Hon. E. F. de Verennes.

MAYOR URIAH TRAVER CIIILTON, former Townsend Homestead.

The Missisquoi German or Dutch.

Nearly a century ago Washington
Irving began his Knickerbocker His-
tory of New York with an address to
the public in which he stated his pur-
pose to be "to rescue from oblivion the
"memory of former incidents, and to
"render a just tribute of renown to the
•'many great and wonderful transac-
tions of our Dutch progenitors, Died-
"rich Knickerbocker, native of the City
"of New York, produces this historical
"esssaj'. Like the great father of his-
"tory, just quoted, (Herodotus), I treat
•'of times long past, over which the
"twilight of uncertainty had already
"thrown its shadows, and the night of
"forgetfuhiess was about to 'descend for-
"ever."

This paper is not so pretentious, nor
will it be so amusing as that of the
gifted writer just mentioned, its ob-
ject being the more modest one of
spurring up investigation as to an im-.
portant class of the early settlers of
Misssisquoi county, whose posterity
has exercised a more or less dominant
influence therein. For the twilight of
uncertainty and more regretfully the
night of forgetfulness lingers to some
extent about those first settlers, at
least in the popular mind,, and al-
though the time is not markedly dis-
tant there are circumstances which
make present investigation in a mea-
sure difficult for one not of the race or
generation. The records are few and
incidental, and the traditions so lightly
thought of as not to have inspired suc-
ceeding .generations to follow the ex-
ample of other classes of settlers and
give those records and traditions to
the public. Is this due to modesty, ig-
norance or indifference? The records
are few and incidental because they
seem less connected with the antece-
dents or history of the people than
with their urgent needs and, on the
part of the government, the necessi-
ties of administration in their behalf.
It is in vain one looks to the public
archives for an explanation of deter-
mining value as to the racial origin of

the people who first settled in Missis-
quoi in the Parishes of St. Thomas, St.
George de Clarenceville and St. Ar^
mand. One gathers there, mostly
through incidents connected with de-
tails having little bearing upon their
past, that immediately after the disast-
rous campaign of Gen. Burgoyne they
began to drift towards Canada and, at
the close of the revolutionary war,
came in larger numbers. It is through
their requests for land grants, com-
pensation for losses and clashes with
the government as to location that
their presence is made known in the
public records. It is rather to direct,
attention to those early settlers to the
end that further investigation of a
more special character may show their
merits and their historical place than
with the expectation of saying the last
and indisputable word about them,
that this paper is written. Obviously,
its value, if any it may have, must be
local.

There has been from the earliest days
a prevalent notion in the Eastern
Townships that the early settlers in
question were Dutch. They were called
Dutchmen,, just as the descendants of
other peoples there were called English
or Scotch, Irish or French, meant not
so much as a term of reproach or dis-
paragement as a quick means to lix
racial descent in a period when the
worries of living were more pressing
than accurate definition. Besides, the
difference in language between Dutch
and German was not so marked as to
enable people, who knew neither
tongue, to distinguish the true racial
type. In a generation or so the original
language had mostly disappeared and
English had become the common one.
In later days it became a matter of
conjecture to those not of the blood,
how there could have been so many
Dutchmen in America at the time of
the Revolutionary War, taking into
consideration that the Dutch only be-

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL S 0 C I E T V

gan settlement in New York in 1623;
that in 1628 the population was only
270; that there was no rush of emigra-
tion from Holland; that the settlements
were rather for trading posts with the
Indians than for permanent location;
that in 1646 there were scarcely 100
men left in all the settlements and that
in 1664 the colony passed from Holland
to England, when Dutch emigration
practically ceased and Englishmen
came. It seemed improbable that in
little more than a century later,, when
the Revolutionary war occurred, there
could have bg£n any considerable num-
ber of descendants left of those early
Dutch settlers of Manhattan, par-
ticularly as intermarriages with Brit-
ish immigrants would, in the natural
course, tend to obliterate the original
paternal name. Even to-day there are
but few of those old Dutch Manhattan
names in existence there. So, it would
be little likely that the Misssisquoi
people in question were of the original
Manhattan stock. And then, the Missis-
quoi ''Dutchmen" were loyalists, whilst
the American records .show that the des-
cendants of the early Dutchman of Man-
hattan were nearly all rebels.

"The twilight of uncertainty" as to
origin has been largely dispelled
through the efforts made to discover
the antecedents of the U. E, Loyalists.
In the ferreting out of information as
to those worthies it has been made
reasonably clear that the early settlers
in those Misssisquoi parishes were of
German and not of Dutch origin.
When the Revolutionary war ended
there was a large emigration from
the Mohawk Valley of New York and
vicinity to the Niagara frontier and to
Dundas county in Ontario, and other
points. It is through the investigation
of those emigrants by historical stu-
dents in that Province that the Ger-
man descent can best be traced. The
history of their starting point in the
old world prior to emigrating to this
continent and, later, their proximate
starting point for Canada, as set forth
in numerous historical papers of On-
tario's historical workers of recent
years, is exceedingly interesting and
through them the following trace of the
Missisquoi people in question is gath-
ered.
That part, of the German Palatinate

of which Heidelberg was the capital
was the scene of many devastating
wars of old, particularly the long wars
of Louis XIV. The population had early
embraced the Protestant cause and
had subsequently excited the enmity
of that ambitious monarch through
having kindly received the French Pro-
testants who had fled from France
after the revocation of the Edict of
Nantes. The country was the scene of
many battles; was over-run many
times; villages and towns were destroy-
ed and the inhabitants suffered the
greatest privations and the most piti-
ful miseries. They emigrated to Eng-
land by the thousands, where they
were hospitably received, naturaliza-
tion laws changed to make them Brit-
ish subjects offhand, and public
measures taken to afford them relief,
but which proved inadequate, the num-
ber being so large and the needs so
great. In the spring oi 1709, 7,6-00 reach-
ed London alone and by October the
number had increased to 15,000. and
they kept coming. An attempt was
made to scatter them throughout Eng-
land and finally to send them to the
colonies, whither most of them desired
to go. At about that time four Mo-
hawk chiefs were paying a visit to
England and out of generosity, or
through sympathy for a landless peo-
ple, they gave a grant of a tract of
land on the Schoharie, a tributary of
Mohawk river, for the use of the un-
fortunate exiles. Governor Robert
Hunter of New York furthered their
emigration to this colony, conceiving
the idea of employing them to make tar
from the pine there growing for Brit-
ish navy use, but as there was little pitie
near the Schoharie and the Mohawk,
land was obtained for them mostly on
the east side of Hudson river, in what
is now Dutchess county. It was sup-
posed that their former residence near
the Black Forest had given them
special aptitude for tar manufacture.
In March, 1710, the first contingent of
those German Palatines sailed for
New York to the number of 3,200, in
ten ships, a couple of which were lost
by the way. Other contingents follow-
ed, not all landing in New York colony.
Those who were settled as tar makers
on opposite banks of the Hudson in
Dutchesss and Ulster counties were

CLAKENCEVILLE HOUSK, THOMAS 11. DEKICK, Modern.

M I S S I S 0 U 0 I COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

bound by contracts which they con-
ceived a species of slavery; the land
was p*or and the tenant tenure not rel-
ished; they were badly fed, housed,
clothed, and poorly paid, and, to cap
all, the tar business pro>ed a disas-
trous failure. Germans, as a general
rule, do not take kindly to what they
conceive to be injustice aand oppres-
sion. They murmured and then went
on what would be called to-day a
strike. There was a clash with
the authorities, and they were finally
told to shift for themselves, but only
in the colonies of New York and New
Jersey, outside of which they would be
considered deserters, a condition little
likely to terrrify them. A portion re-
mained in the original tar belt sec-
tion; a number of families secured land
further south where they founded the
town of Rhinebeck; others settled near
by on both sides of the Hudson; others
went to New Jersey and Pennsylvania,
the latter a prohibited colony, but a
greater number went to the Schoharie
grant in the Mohawk country. There
in addition to severe hardships,, in
founding their settlements,, they were
persecuted with law suits by an Albany
clique with the result that many of
them accepted an invitation from the
Governor of Pennsylvania and settled
in that colony. Those who remained
prospered and had acquired fine prop-
erties when the revolution came, after
enduring hardships which would have
discouraged men of weaker mould.
Many English and Irish settled among
them there, as well as along the Hud-
son, and intermarried, whereby came
Germans with the Celtic names of
Moore, Savage and Mitchell to trouble
future genealogists. The land tenure
imposed on those Germans ^along the
Hudson led to trouble about a century
later. There were political parties
called Hunkers and Barnburners and
state elections were fought under those
vulgar But significant titles. It was
the counterpart of the old seigniorial
battle of this province and, in the end,
the lords had to give way there as
here. The Palatine people were lucky
in finding near where they settled Sir
William Johnson, who had extraor-
dinary influence with the Indians. The
revolution brought about a division
among the settlers, but the great ma-

jority remained loyal despite the ill
treatment they had received from the
English colonial officials. In the fall
of 1775 or winter of 1775-76, Gen. Schuy-
ler, whose family had had litigation
with the Schoharie Germans about
their lands, invaded their country with
a strong force and disarmed the in-
habitants. Under sundry pretexts,
among others that all the arms had not
been given up,, he again invaded the
locality, giving to his followers free
license to plunder the suspected dis-
loyal inhabitants. There was great
destruction of property and the sacri-
fice of many lives. The thrifty Ger-
mans offered many temptations for
easy spoliation to the lawless soldiery
who indulged in little discrimination
between the assets of friend or foe.
That was the prelude to what was
called on the one side reprisals and, on
the other, outrages, during the war. It
was not a comfortable country ror eas$
living in those days. Sir John Johnson,
the son and successor of Sir William,
with 200 men escaped to Montreal,
which he reached after many hard-
ships, in June, 1776,, and from there he
sent scouts to the Mohawk to show the
way to those who wished to cume to
Montreal or the British posts at Isle
aux Noix or Chambly. It was a trying
position to remain and a hazaardous
one to follow Sir John Johnson with
their families. They were harassed by
their opponents and by Indians bribed
to espouse the American cause. Their
property was boldly taken or destroyed
and their lives and liberty put in con-
stant peril. East and west they were
hemmed in by their opponents; the
west was an unsettled wilderness,
whilst Canada on the north had just
been released from capture and was
neither easy of access nor beyond sus-
picion as a place of safety. The route
taken by Sir John and his party in their
hurried journey to Montreal is said by
Mr. Ernest Cruikshanks in his story of
"Butler's Rangers," to have been
through the Adirondacks Mountain
region to St. Regis and thence to
Caughnawaga, where they arrived
hungry and exhausted with fatigue and
hunger. In the spring of 1776 the
Seneca and Cayuga Indians started
from the German settlements to go to
Montreal to open a passage for traders

M I vS vS I S 0 IT O I COUNTY HISTORICAL vS O C I E T V

and to make a path for Col. Johnson,
whom they expected to return.

It is tolerably clear from subsequent
events that but few, if any, of the
people who later settled about Missis-
quoi bay,, or between the bay and the
Richelieu river, came in by the route
indicated by Sir John Johnson, if the
one he pointed out was the one which
he had followed. And the reason for so
thinking is, that most of those who
settled there came only at the close of
the war and had been enrolled in the
loyal corps of that part of New York
where they lived, which were formed
subsequent to the time he had pointed
out the road to the British posts in
Canada. Among those German loyalists
of the Hudson, Mohawk and Schohario
valleys there were formed battalions
and corps known by the name of the
King's Royal Regiment of New Tork,
sometimes called "The Royal Greens:"
the Queen's Rangers; the Loyal Rang-
ers and Butler's Rangers,— the latter
the most formidable fighting corps of
all, perhaps because the best led — most
of whom had been accustomed to In-
dian warfare. It has been remarked by
an investigator that there is scarcely
a name of Dutch origin on the roll of
those corps and that they were almost
exclusively descendants of those Ger-
man Palatines. Included in one or the
other of those corps were the Germans
of Dutchess county and the Hudson
Valley, from whom came most, if not
all, of those who settled later in Missis-
quoi. In a memorial to the Canadian
government dated at Misssisquoi bay
in February, 1785, a number of those
Germans therein stated that they had
joined the British forces in 1777, and
had lost all they possessed at or prior
to their departure. They pointed out
in that memorial that they had been
struck from the provision list of those
receiving government aid, part in May
and all in October. 1784. They were at
the fray in October, 1783, and were
bound to stay, the date showing that
they came at once when the war ended.
The reason why their names were
struck off the provision list, and they
were cast off for the moment by the
government, was because they stub-
bornly refused to remove from where
they then were to the places pointed out
for them by Gov. Haldimand in another

part of the province. Coming at the
close of the war they could journey by
Lake ChanKplain w:th less inconven-
ience than by Sir John Johnson's route,
and would land near where they locat-
ed and \vrestled with the governor for
provisions and land, and where many
of their descendants now live. They
had learned in the troubles and vicis-
situdes of their old home in the Pala-
tine the value of pathetic appeal, resis-
tance and migration. In the new world
the lesson was many times repeated
and in the end they mostly had their
own way. It was a sturdy and a stub-
born race. Most of those who had
espoused the loyal cause, and probably
all who bore arms, came with their
families to Canada when the war was
over. Their old home was no place for
men who had fought the rebels so zeal-
ously, particularly if they had property
to exi-ue the cupidity of the thriftles*
•and mercenary. The relations and
friends of the expatriated loyalists,
who had remained behind, soon found
the conditions not only uncongenial,
but dangerous, and came drifting in
at intervals for some years after-
wards. The great majority of those
from the Mohawk Valley, as already
mentioned, went to Ontario, where
generous grants of land were given
and material assistance furnished by
the government for many years. But
it may be said that the bulk of those
Germans who settled in Missisquoi,
as before pointed out, were descended
from the Palatine Germans, of Dut-
chess County, N.Y., and places along
the Hudson river, who would find the
route by way of Lake Champlain the
most feasible and the shortest by
which to reach safety and homes on
British soil in Canada.

It is no part of the purpose of this
paper to discuss the U.E. Loyalists.
They have been written about until
there is an abundance of literature on
the subject, much of which unduly
extols a spurious, non-combative
kind. But there has been much less
said and written about the loyalists
of German descent. It is clear the
Missisquoi loyalists were of German
descent. They and their descendants

CHARLES DEUBV HOUSE, Clarence ville.

MISSIS OUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

were and are <an industrious, thrifty
class of people, though of the old
stock it might be said, as Washing-
ton Irving' said of the early Manhat-
tan Dutch, that they were given to
frequenting- "the fostering nurseries
of politics, abounding with those gen-
ial streams which give strength and
sustenance to faction." ,Some, indeed,
many of the descendants of those old
Mi?sisqoi Germans have attained pro-
minence in various useful and scholar-
ly walks of life. It is greatly to be
regretted that none of them have felt
the kindlings of ancestral pride in-
spiring them to gather up the history
mid traditions of their people, whose
struggles and trials, borne with in-
domitable courage from the terrible

days when they left the Palatine and
started out into the \vorld to find
a safe and permanent abiding place
until success crowned their efforts in
a distant corner of the world, are as
adventurous, as romantic and as in-
teresting as those of any people, who,
in like numbers, settled at any time
in North America. It is time they
were exploited. They are as worthy
of it as the old Puritans of New Eng-
land, but, unlike those old Puritans,
they have produced no historian to
recount their deeds, no poet to sing-
their praise, nor eulogist to portray
their virtues, or commend their
merits.

JNO. P. NO YES.

Paper of Mr. Somerville

ON ROGER'S RANGERS IN MISSISQUOI.

As early as 1759, the spot on which
the village of Philipsburg stands ap-
peared in Canadian history, for it was
there that the famous British Rang-
er Rogers and his party landed on
their way to attack the Abenaki?
Indians, on the St. Francis river, who
lived somewhat north of where the
city of Sherbrooke is now built.

Of all the Canadian Indians, none
had comimiitted greater depredations
upon the New England settlements
than had these savages of the St.
Francis. The Seven Years' War,
which finally ended in the conquest of
Canada, was then being waged, and
the British Commander-in-Chief, Gen-
eral Amherst, resolved to turn the
tables on the Abenakis, and teach
them such a lesson that hereafter they
would never venture into New Eng-
land. Rogers and his Rangers, were
selected for the dangerous task.

On September 13, 1759— the very day
on which was fought the battle of
the Plains of Abraham before the
walls of Quebec — Rogers and his .party
left Crown Point, on Lake Champlain.
in whaleboats, for the headwaters of
Missisquoi Bay. Ten days later they
landed in the little cove down to
whose shores the Main or Day street
of Philipsburg now runs. At that
time the beautiful hills which rise
from the shores of the Bay, were
densely wooded, and to the east and
north, as far as the eye could see,
there was an unbroken forest.

Rogers concealed his boats and a
large portion of his provisions on the
shore of the little cove, and left two
Indians on guard. In case the boats

were discovered by the enemy, these
Indians were to follow Rogers and
give him information of the fact.

Rogers then set out through the
forest for the St. Francis River, but
he had not proceeded far when the two
Indians overtook him, bearing the
news that the boats and provisions
left at Missisquoi Bay had been burn-
ed. This cut off Roger's retreat, and
made almost certain the clanger of
pursuit.

The remainder of the s>tory
( f the exi edition is not part
of the history of Missisquoi,
and those who wish to read it in de-
tail will find it related in Parkman's
"Wolfe and Montcalm."

It will be remembered that on the
night of October 5th, Rogers and his
men fell on the Abenakis, sleeping in
their village, when upwards of 200
of the Indians were killed. Twenty
women prisoners were taken, of whom
fifteen were at once released. The In-
dians' corn was taken, and then the
village was burned. Five English
captives were released, and six hun-
dred scalps, taken from the heads of
New England settlers, were found in
the village.

Rogers then decided to retreat by
way of the Connecticut river, and
after a few days, his force broke up
into small parties, so as to be better
able to sustain themselves by hunt-
ing. On the retreat all suffered the
pangs of hunger, and the hardships
of a toilsome march. On the expedi-
tion, Rogers lost 49 men, or about o,ne-
third of his total force.

JOHN ROBINSON, St. Thomas, Que., on site of McClellan Homestead, Modern.

The Early Settlement of Cowansville,

By Miss Jessie Baker Ruiter.

The following interesting account of
the early settlement of Cowans ville,
won the $5.00 prize offered by John
P. Noyes, Esq., K.C., for the best es-
say on local history to be competed
for by the pupils of Cowansville Acad-
emy. It was written by Miss Jessie
Baker Ruiter, aged 14, who was in
Grade No. 3, Model .School, She is a
daughter of Mr. P. Arthur Ruiter.
Esq., and grand-daughter of Stevens
Baker, Esq.

The critic to whom this essay was
submitted for perusal, kindly remarks:
"The scholar who wrote this essay is
to be congratulated on her production.
It evinces not only knowledge of early
local history, but an interest in it."
Again 'The young person who wrote this
composition shows a commendable
knowledge of the earlier history of our
village, which no doubt will lead her.
as years go by, to take an interest
in the history of mankind. I hope
that her creditable effort will induce
other pupils at the Academy to make
a response next year, should the op-
portunity be given them."

Early in the year 1802, Captain
Jacob Ruiter sailed from the State of
New York, up the beautiful Lake of
Champlain, with his young wife. He
landed at Missisquoi Bay, at the vil-
lage now known as Philipsburg. Leav-
ing his wife there, he made his way
through the forest to prospect a grant
of land given him by the Canadian
Government, this section of land com-
prising what is now the village of
Cowansville, and running westerly
nearly to Fordyce 'Corner. Having
_ located his claim, he proceeded to
erect a temporary dwelling-house on
the lot which is now at the rear end
of the Ottawa Hotel, nearly back of
the small building occupied by James
0. Dean's confectionery and bicycln
shop. Cold weather coming on, he

returned to Philipsburg to spend the
winter there with his family. In the
spring he returned to this village,
bringing his wife and infant son on
horseback, this being the only way of
travelling at that time. As there were
no roads, they had to follow the marks
made on the trees the previous year,
commonly known as the "blazed trail."
Mr. Ruiter then commenced to hew
himself out a home in the forest. On
March 29th, 1804, another son was add-
ed to the family, which was the first
white chiM born in Cowansville, and
was afterwards known as the late
Philip Ruiter. In the course of time,
four sons and three daughters were,
born, thus making a family of nine
children. Game was very bountiful
at that time, so that their larder was
well filled. It is also said that fish
was then abundant in the Yamaska
River, so plentiful in fact, that the
mother of the young family often used
to start her fire in the morning, and
go down to the river's edge and catch
a salmon large enough to give the
family a breakfast by the time the
kettle on the stove was boiling, but
other provisions were scarce. About
the only grain was Indian corn, and
as there were no mills nearer than
Frelighsburg, they had to tie their
bag of corn on the back of an ox,
and lead him through the woods,
which meant a two days' trip. At
that time a trip to 'Montreal by oxen
on a sled in summer took from four
to six days, instead of two hours as
at the present time.

The only way the pioneers had of
securing money to buy the necessaries
of life was when clearing up their
land they gathered the ashes which
remained, leached them, and boiled
the lye down to a kind of salts, or
potash, for which they found a mar-
ket in Montreal. One of Captain .1.

MISSISQTJOI

COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Ruiter's sons, Jacob, settled near
Adamsville, and built a mill, the first
on record in these parts. His oldest
son, John, had the land farthest west,
now owned by Messrs. John and
Henry Jones. He built a house, now
occupied by John Jones, after his first
wooden house was burned to the
ground. Another son, Philip, had the
next farm east towards Cowansville.
To his daughter, Eliza, who married
William Stevenson, he gave fifty acres
of land adjoining and east of Philip's,
while Nelson, another son, owned and
cleared up the farm on River street
now owned by Arthur Ruiter. He
was always interested in things tend-
ing to the welfare of the village of
Cowansville, and when it was incor-
porated, he was for many years a
councillor. He died at a ripe old age
on the farm where he started life,
leaving a family of three sons and
four daughters.

His son George, owned the south
nde of the river, and his house was
where the residence of Mr. G. K. Nes-
bitt now stands. He also gave the
present site of building to Trinity
Church. He was one of the first to
open a store and harness shop. The
late Hiram Traver, married another
daughter, Evelina, and built the white
houise Apposite Mr. 'Nesbitt's, now
owned by Dr. Oliver and used as a
tenement house. Some years later he
built a shoe shop between that and
the residence of Mr. F. P. Arsenault,
which he also built. He was the first
one to open a shoe shop, which he
attended for a number of years. Later
he built the brick building used as
a tenement and owned by Mr. W. S.
Cotton, on the corner of the south side
of the bridge, and opened up a store
which he kept for a few years, finally
selling his stock to a young firm. He
retired to i>. farm near Mansonville,
where he died some years ago.

Captain Ruiter's youngest son,
James, owned the land on the north
side of the river, keeping hotel for
a time in his brother George's house,
on the present site of Mr. Nesbitt's
residence. He built the brick building
now owned by Messrs. Strange and

Nye, and kept hotel for many years.
By this time Cowansville was begin-
ning to be quite a little village. -It
boasted of two hotels, one owned by
James Ruiter, and the other by Mr.
W. H. Kathan, on the site of a por-
tion of the present Ottawa Hotel.

Mr. Peter Cowan was the first post-
master and storekeeper in Cowans-
ville. He was a Scotchman by birth,
and came to this place about seventy
years ago, a young man, with his
young wife, a Miss Hackett. They
started life here, amid the hardships
of a new country, his first home be-
ing in the house now owned and oc-
cupied by Mr. Charles Gleason. He
built the old Eureka Block, the south
end, as far as the tower being used
for store and post office, Avhile the
north end was used for a horse-shed.
Mr. Cowan was a good, influential
and upright man in his dealings with
the public, and was connected with the
young town's welfare.

Quite a number of prominent men
started their business career in Mr.
Cowan's employ; for instance, the late
Col. A. B. Foster, who built and op-
erated our present railway; also the
late David Brown, who was after-
wards Sheriff of the county, and many
others later. Mr. Cowan retired from
bis store, anl far-a^i for many years
on the farm known as Willow Brooke,
now owned by his son-in-law, Hon. G.
B. Baker. He built the present house
which was lately occupied by Mr. S.
S. Swasey, and spent his last days
Mere. He was Sher.fi of the District
for several years, which office he held
until his death. His family consisted
of four sons and two daughters. The
daughters are now living, the eldest,
Mrs. George B. Baker (Senator), the
younger, Mrs. Charles Ruiter. The
sons are all dead. The town was
named after Mr. Cowan, changed from
Nelsonville, which was the name of
the town originally called by Captain
Ruiter after Lord Nelson, of whom he
was a great admirer.

The first church in .Cowansville was
built by the Congregational denomina-
tion, on the site of their present
church, in the year 1852, fifty-four

COWANSYILLK FLOfHINCi MILL.

Containing part (if the old Cowan Mill.

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

years ago. The land was donated by
Captain Ruiter for a church, either
a Presbyterian or Church of England,
whichever would take advantage of
the offer .and build first. As neither
had taken any steps at the above
date, Rev. R. D. McConnel, a Congre-
gational minister from Brome Corner,
took advantage of the offer, and se-
cured the services of the late Freeman
Eldridge, who was a builder and con-
tractor.

Andrew Cowan built the first grist
mill, a part of which still stands, and
is owned by Mr. Nelson Buzzell. He
also built the residence now owned
by Mr. L. L. 'Chandler, our present
post master, while Mr. Carter, a bro-
ther-in-law of Mr. Cowan, built the
residence now owned and occupied by
Hon. J. C. McCorkill, our present Pro-
vincial treasurer. A writer in the Bed-
ford Times in 1867 when Cowan & Car-
ter were both living says the grist mill
was fount by Messrs. Carter & Cowan.

The first doctors in Cowansville were
the late Doctors Charles Cotton and
Charles Brown. Dr. Brown lived in
the .house which is. now the Methodist
parsonage, and he built the store oc-
cupied by W. J. Bell and Co., where
he kept the post office, and was also
postmaster for some time.

*See footnote.

The only public building that Cow-
ansville boasted of sixty years ago
was what was known as "the old court
house," used as court house, dwelling
house, public hall, church, school and
council chamber. It stood on the site
of our present Academy and Town
Hall. j

Among the first teachers were Miss
Lalanne and the Rev. J. C. David-
son, father of Canon Davidson, of
Frelighsburg. Mr. Davidson was also
the first Rector of Trinity Church,
Cowansville.

Mr. O'Halloran was the first law-
yer, and lived in the white house near-
ly opposite Mr. Nesbitt's, and is the
oldest living resident of that time in
Cowansville to-day. The late Hon. A.
B Foster, was clerk for some time in
Mr. Peter Cowan's store, when he was
a young man. There was a little in-
cident occurred in the store, but I can-
not say for sure whether it was in
Mr. Foster's time, or Mr. Alexander
McKenny, who also clerked for Mr.
Cowan for some years. When the
clerk and the late James S. Ruiter,
both young men of about the same
age, were fooling with some gunpow-
der around the stove, the gunpowder
exploded, and Mr. Ruiter was sudden-
ly thrown or blown through the side
of the building and landed in the mid-
dle of the street minus considerable
hair, but not seriously hurt, strange
to say.

Col. Foster was the clerk in the incid-
ent. See his life in " Some Early Shef-
t'ord Pioneers."

After Mr. W. H. Kathan gave up
the hotel business, he kept store for
some time, after which he retired and
built the house wehere Mrs. A. B.
Foster now resides, which he occu-
pied until he left Cowansville twenty
or twenty-five years ago, when he
moved to Ohio to live with a son,
where he died a few years ago.

Mr. John Carr was one of the first
furniture makers in Cowansville, using
the house now occupied by Mr. M.
Vail, next to the telephone office, and
living in the house where Miss Stine-
hour now resides. Another one of
the old settlers was Mr. .Gilbert Wells,
who built the house now owned and
occupied by Miss Stuart. He was a
farmer, tilling the land now owned
by Mr. Henry Cotton, and also as far
north and including the farm owned
by Mr. Beattie.

"The writer of _this essay is in error as to first Cowansville doctor. The first was Dr. Newell, who was

mentioned.

Jacob Ruiter must have come to Missisquoi Bay with the other Baiters' in 1783. and later returned to New
York for bi« family. As he was an officer in one of the loyal corps he could not have comfortably remained
so long in his old home. He was one of the grantees of the Township of Dunham in 1796, and must have been
here prior to that.

:\i i s s i vS o r o i c o u x T Y H i s T o R i c A

s o c i K T Y

Before closing, it might be interest-
ing to many of our citizens, who
seern to think that our present indus-
tries, such as the Dairy Supply Com-
pany, and W. F. Vilas Implement
Works, were the only industries Cow-
p.nsville ever had, to know that fifty

years ago, we had three sawmills, a
large tannery, a woollen factory, and
two shops within a mile of Cowans-
ville, employing as many men as are
employed in the present industries
mentioned.
Cowansville. June 1st, 1906.

RESIDENCE OK Mits. F. U. AND Miss CARRIE M. DERICK, M. A. South Street, Clarenceville.

Brief Sketch of Dunham.

(From Historical Society's Notes Column in News.)

These valuable notes, taken from
one of a series of articles written in
1867 for the District of Bedford Times,
entitled "Sketches of Canadian Vil-
lages," have been sent for publica-
tion in this column, by Mrs. E. L.
Watson, of Dunham, who is a grand-
daughter of Mr. Joseph Baker, herein
mentioned, and niece of Col. Stevens
Baker, who was one of the two who
first represented this county in Par-
liament. Incidentally, it might be
mentioned that the Hon. G. B. Baker,
Senator, so many years a Conserva-
tive member for Missisquoi, is a dis-
tinguished descendant of Mr. Joseph
Baker, this noble pioneer, whose wife,
Molly Stevens, has been mentioned in
the "History of the Eastern Town-
ships" as "a woman of energy and
strong mind, and possessing much love
for British institutions, "and "her fam-
ily espoused the cause erf the loyalists
at the beginning of the American Rev-
olution." In a kind letter to the Sec-
retary, Mrs. Watson, expresses pleas-
ure at becoming a member of the
Missisquoi Historical Society, and feels a
deep interest in the work, and writes
heLpful, encouraging words that stim-
ulate one to renewed energy, and
makes one hopeful for the future.

The sketch of Dunham opens with
an excellent description of its "geog-
graphical position and aspect." The
writer then says:

"The date of the beginning of the
settlement of the township will not be
stated with precision, because the
dates have not been definitely ascer-
tained. The cutting down of the first
trees in the profound forests was done
incidentally, and not as a clearing for
tillage. Elias Truax had made a be-
ginning in St. Armand, and, in cutting
out a sled road to a beaver meadow,
to get hay for his cow and two oxen,
he cut through a corner of Dunham.

He was born July 4th, 1772, and it is
said that apparently he has years of
health and enjoyment before him.

"Joseph Baker, and Molly Stevens,
his wife, from Petersham, Mass., ar-
rived in December, 1799, bringing their
family of seven young children. They
came to Georgia, Vt., with a wagon.
It had a canvas top and was drawn
by four oxen. Th? country was s^ new
that there was not a wagon road only
part of their way from Georgia to their
destination, and they waited for a
change of weather, and proceeded with
a sled, and were three days on the
way, near 40 miles from Georgia to
Dunham. Before they arrived at
Georgia, there was one day that they
could not get through to a stopping
place, and they passed the night in
the wagon.

"George Adam Shufelt and Henry
Church, frpm Caldwell's Manor, came
in March. 1799. Isaac Gleason, from
Graf ton. Vt, settled in 1799, and about
1801, brought two bushels of corn at
one load on his back, about 24 miles,
from Philipsburg to his home near
Cowansville. And he pnid three dol-
lars a bushel for it. This toilsome
event is mentioned as it suggests what
is sometimes needful to be done in a
new country. Roads through the for-
est cannot be made in a day. In
sparse populations i( is the work of
years. Captain Jacob Ruiter, from
Hudson, and Captain John Church,
from Claverack, N.Y., who came into
Canada at the time of the American
Revolution, moved into Dunham a
year or two later than those who have
been mentioned.

"In 1799, Lorenzo Dow, of Connecti-
cut, young in years and young in the
ministry, was sent from a Methodist
Conference in Massachusetts to make
a new circuit in the northwest part
of Vermont. That circuit embraced

M I S S I S 0 U O I COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Sutton and Dunham, and probably the
accolents of Missisquoi Bay, in Can-
ada. Coming from Connecticut on
horseback, at the rate of thirty miles
a day, his horse was disabled, and
he arrived at his destination with a
borrowed horse that had to be sent
back, and with only one cent in his
pocket. Another .minister was sent tq
the same circuit, who favored Mr.
Dow with the use of a horse some of
the time; but he travelled mostly on
foot, and in October, the same year,
and without leave of the Bishop, he
left the circuit and sailed from Que-
bec for Ireland. Whether anybody
had preached in Dunham before Mr.
Dow, the writer has not been in-
formed, nor has he met any person
who remembers his preaching there,
or can tell w.here his preaching places
were. Besides school houses, one of th«
early preaching places was a barn in
Dunham village. There are now (1867)
in the township, 9 houses of public
worship, 4 post offices, 3 academies, a
suitable number of district schools, a
court house, jail and town hall. By
the census of 1861, the population was
3,903, of whom 687 were of French ori-
gin. Thomas Selby, Dunham, is the
Mayor, and P. S. Armington, Dun-
ham, (Secretary-Treasurer. Stevens
Baker, of Dunham, (son of Joseph
Baker from Petersham) and Ralph
Taylor, of St. Armand, were the first
representatives of Missisquoi County
in the Provincial Parliament, and were
elected in 1829, and Col. Baker still
lives in Dunham.

After describing the pretty village
of Dunham, and giving some hints
for its improvement, and mentioning
for special care, a beautilful elm in
front of All Saint's Church, the writ-
er mentions minutely all the buildings
and industries the village contained.
He states that Mr. P. Dunning's tan-
nery was established in October, 1829.
In the notes from Dunham which
were published in the News dated
March 16th, it should read -.ie tan-
nery in Dunham was established by
Orrin Dunning (not by P. Dunning)
in October, 1829." It should also be
added, that at his death, his eldest
son, Edward, succeeded to the bus-
iness; and after a few years he gave

up the business to his younger bro-
ther, also named Orrin. Later it
passed out of the family, and Mr.
George England, from Knowlton, car-
ried it on. At his death the old build-
ing was demolished.

Just now, when the interest in the
dairying business is so keen, the ag-
riculturists may be pleased to be in-
formed that the first cheese factory
was established and worked by E. E.
Hill, in 1S65 (Was this the first one
in the province?) In July, 1866, the
quantity of cheese made was 1,600
pounds per day. The number of cows
furnishing the milk was 800, mostly
belonging to 25 'persons.

The first post office in the township
was in Dunham village, Sylvester Arm-
ington was the first post master, and
was succeeded by Edward Baker. The
writer continues: — "A mail-stage goes
from this office to Stanbridge Rail-
way Station and back, and the mail-
stage from Sweetsburg to St. Alban.s
passes both ways every day except
Sunday. It is probable the post office
was established in 1826. The first
mail was carried on horseback and
sometimes in a one-horse vehicle by
Timothy Smith, of Philipsburg, and
he was succeeded by John Brill, of
Pigeon Hill. In 1834 or 1835, Levi
Stevens, of Dunham, amd Stephen
Chandler, of Stanbridge, began to run
a two-horse stage from St. Johns to
Stanstead, and back twice a week. The
route was via PrilLpsbur^, Stanbridge
Dunham, Churchville, Brome and
Georgeville. The contract was for £100
a year, and it ought justly to have
been more than double that sum.
There had been no stage on this
route before, and Stephen Maynard,
of Dunham, succeeded them in the
spring of 1837, and continued about six
years. .Sections of the road, both in
mud and snow, were a dread to the
driver and a study to the traveller."

The following incident, related by
Mrs. Watson, supplements the refer-
ence to Lorenzo Dow, in the above
narrative. "In speaking of the ear-
liest religious services held in Dun-
ham by Mr. Dow, my father told me .
an amusing story of his mother's ex-
perience at one of these meetings held

ivUMAN B. DEIIICK, Noyan. (Very old.)

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

in a barn. I cannot say of what de-
nomination they claimed to be( my
grandfather was a member of the
Church of England.) At these meet-
ings they were exhorted and prayed
over, and the new converts became
so excited that they often fell down
and had hysterical symptoms, which
were called the work of the Holy
Spirit wrestling them from Satan's
powe:. At this meeting th? preacher
and his converts were in that part of

the barn where the cattle were tied
up, and my grandmother was on the
barn floor. One man had fallen down
in a "fit," and the preacher was pray-
ing over him in a loud voice, when
seeing my grandmother looking
through a crack in the partition wall,
he stopped and shouted, "Woman! you
had better be looking after your own
sins, than peeking after the ' slain of
the Lord.' "

A Stanbridge Incident of the Troubles of 1837.

(From Historical Notes Column in News.)

The following touching incidents
during the Canadian Rebellion of 37—
38, should arouse more than passing
interest. .Several items have been
published in this column from the old
Missisquoi Post. We were anxious to
know something about the editors,
who, it was remarked, must have been

men of unusual attainments. Thus
we are greatly pleased that "A Daugh-
ter of H. J. Thomas," who is well
known and highly respected by a large
circle of friends, and who evidently
inherits ,her father's talent, has con-
tributed this pathetic story and the
introductory reflections.

(See next two pages.)

Incidents of the Canadian Rebellion of

1837-38.

Rebellion presupposes either criminal
neglect or high-handed authority —
sometimes both— on the part of the
"powers that be."

(iru-vanoe.s there \vm- at that time
in the administration of law, and the
absence of needed laws, in Upper and
Lower Canada, the nature and the
result of which have passed into his-
tory, always from a partizan stand-
point.

The proverb, "the truth is not to be,
spoken at all times," has become a
political axiom. The infallibility ol
rulers, temporal and spiritual, must
be upheld.

A, crisis had come when nothing less
than wrath and violence would bring
about the reforms needed, especially
in rural districts. After suppressing
the rebellion, in many cases by hang-
ing, government virtually acknowl-
edged the justice of the belligerents'
claims, not only by granting the
measures for which they contended,
but even honored those leaders who
had returned to the country by giv-
ing them high positions in the Legis-
lature, as if by way of atonement to
their party.

It is the established policy of all the
governments to suppress the lawless
uprising of their irate subjects before
adjusting their claims. They must
first be taught loyalty. If they are
hanged, they will know better next
time.

The Tories held office and opposed
the "Patriots," hundreds of whom
proved their claim to the title by free-
ly sacrificing their lives, homes and
property, that municipal and other de-
layed forms of justice might be estab-
lished.

To-day, we are the inheritors of the
concessions that they obtained.

Many were the thrilling scenes in
that two years' struggle, some of
which were enacted at Stanbridge
East.

A paper entitles th-i Missisciuoi Post
had been established at that place by
two enterprising young men—Sol Bing-
ham. son of Judge Mayro Bingham,
of Vermont, and H. J. Thomas, son of
a widow whose husband, George
Thomas, died in the British army at
Quebec.

Their paper was the organ of the
Patriots— Radicals or Rebels— named
according to the political leanings of
the. speaker. When the troops were
called out, one of their first acts was
to suppress the Missisquoi Post, which
they did by drowning the press in the
mill pond, and dismembering the of-
fice furniture ai d casting it into the
street. The .proprietors, Bingham and
Thomas, were not at home that day.
Business had called them through the
woods to Vermont.

The youthful and attractive Mrs.
Thomas, who was Emily, third daugh-
ter of Mr. Martin Rice, sr., of Rice-
burg, was ill with consumption.

After her husband's proscription,
She was renoved with her infant
daughter, to her father's home, say-
ing to her sorrowing parents as she
entered the house, "I have come home
to die."

As the end approached, Mr. Rice
communicated with her husband, then
at Montpelier, Vt.

Shortly afterwards, Mrs. Thomas re-
ceived from her husband the affecting
letter that follows:—

Montpelier, Jan. 17th, 1838.

Beloved Emily,

Your kind father has given me news
which has filled me with the deepest

aiissisgroi COUNTY HISTORIC A i, s o c i E T v

sorrow. Kind and affectionate wife,
when I left home you thought you
could not allow me to bid you adieu.
You begged of me to go away as I
had done every other morning.

But I can no longer refrain from ad-
dressing you— I fear, for the last time,
in this world of trouble.

What shall I say? Words have for-
saken me. So far, our hearts have
been united by the strongest ties of
nature, and can it be supposed we can
now resign ourselves to the separa-
tion which seems about to take place?

You have fortified your mind for
the trial, but I have not. You may
have passed the trying moment, but
to me the trial yet seems beyond en-
durance. Would that providence
might permit us to journey together
to the yet unseen world!

But our child — the dear innocent?
God may have wisely decreed that one
of us shall protect and cherish it in
its helpless youth. Should it survive
its mother, it will be a comfort to me
if I live, and also to all surviving
friends.

My feelings will not permit me to
write much more. I have no intimate
friend to sympathize with me, nor to.
whom I can unbosom my sorrow— yet
all are friends and friendly.

Under all these trials, I am in a
measure supported by the certainty
that I am still in kind remembrance
by you. While life remains, your af-
fection is unchangeable.

Must I— can I — bid you adieu, no
more to meet you in time! Would to
God that our spirits could at this mo-
ment hold sweet communion in the
everlasting and happy abode prepared
for us by the Almighty Ruler of Heav-
en and Earth!

God has promised to wipe away all
tears. "Whom he loveth, he chasten-
eth."

Most amiable wife, forever we are
destined never again to meet in this
vale of tears. I must be permitted to

bid you a solemn adieu! God be with
you!

While life remains, I am
Your most affectionate husband,

HIRAM J. THOMAS.

To Mrs. Emily A. Thomas, Stan-
bridge.

P.S. — I have written to father Rice
that I will return immediately if Col-
onel Jones will give a written permis-
sion, and he must be an unfeeling man
if he will not.

The permit was granted, but a com-
pany of soldiers guarded the house
with the intention to arrest Mr. Thom-
as soon as his wife had breathed h.-r
last.

Shortly before her death Mrs. Thom-
as requested the attendance of the
captain at her bedside, begging him
to allow her husband to remain with
her while she lingered, as the end was
near.

The captain, a former friend of hers,
was deeply moved and kindly granted
her request. She passed away at
8 o'clock on the evening of February
12th, 1838.

At the early dawn next morning,
the sentry on guard near the "Line,"
at Pigeon Hill, called out to a passing
team with two women, "Who goes
there? Give the pass-word.' "I do
not know the pass-word. I am taking
a woman home who has been watch-
ing with Mrs. — mentioning the
name of a sick woman in that neigh-
borhood. "Pass on," was the order.

So the quarry was lost at daylight.

The offending press of the Missis-
quoi Post, after lying for sixty years
or more at the bottom of the mill
pond, was resurrected, and is now in
the possession of Mr. Matthew Cor-
nell, of Stanbridge East.

DAUGHTER OF H. J. THOMAS.
Bedford, June 7th, 1905.

Impressions of a New Comer Fifty
Years Ago.

I have been told that a paper re-
counting the impressions of one coin-
ing to this place (Dunham) 50 /cars
ago, might prove of some interest to
the readers of the "Historical Notes,"
and perhaps bridge the way for some-
thing better from them. When a lad
of 17, having determined to emigrate,
in the spring of 1859, I started to join
the working staff of the late Col.
Stevens Baker, than whom, never was
a more kindly gentleman, and as iar
as circumstances permitted, a more
scientific and practical agriculturist. I
had been recommended to this part of
Canada by a patient of my fatner's,
whose nephew, Frederick Dampier,
had spoken most highly of the ad-
vantages and the hospitalities ho had
received.

After a fifteen days passage in the
Nova Scotian, not then consider*;! to
be unduly prolonged, I n-ii.-hoJ Port-
land, not at that time, before its
great fire, the substantial, well devel-
oped city it now is, but ra nice an en-
larged New England vilk'yc of white
painted rectangular ediik'es, unlike
anything to be seen in the old land,
but rather reminding one of ihe loy-
box or the daub-pictured edifices at
that time used to adorn the A-:i'-rican
clocks. Though the Grand Trunk
Railway had been established there
for many years, yoked oxen were to
be .seen trucking in the main streets.

The road bed of the Grand Trunk
was then in a very shaky state from
the recent thaw, and I was not too
soon warned that it was not safe to
view the novel objects from, the plat-
form. The jolting and swaying iaen
experienced, though only travelling at
the rate of twelve miles an hour, I
have never since experienced. There-
was an hour's stop at Island Pond for
refreshments, but not being prepared
for the fierce dive-in assault amongst

the "fixings" of the experienced trav-
ellers, I had to be satisfied with some
excellent dough-nuts within my reach,
and as good as they were novel to me
at that time. The resumed progress
through the night being very slow,
we did not reach Longueuil until
daylight. There was a hearse waiting
to receive the body of a prominent
merchant of Montreal, named Bruiere,
which we had brought across with us.
He had been drowned when landing
from the packet at Calais. He must
have been a man of some importance
at that time, for all the bells' of the
French churches in the city, including
the big "Bourdon" of the parish
church, were tolling for him through-
out the morning, and at his funeral,
the parish church was crowded to the
doors.

The state of the depot at Longueuil
\vas both dirt-grimed and ramshackle,
not likely to impress an emigrant with
the idea of a progressive and pros-
perous go-ahead country. The cros-
sing on the ice, between hummocks
of ice twenty-five feet high, and pools
of water quite eighteen inches deep,
was experienced, as you may suppose,
by a newcomer, not without some ap-
prehension as well as interest. The
ride on the stage through Hochelaga
also, was not very cheering, so early
in the morning, until the St. Law-
rence Hall was reached. There was
a most comfortable, semi-European
hotel, much frequented by the officers
of this then well garrisoned station.
The monstrous stove was replenished
with four-foot maple, and we soon
partook of a cheering, and comfort-
ing, well-served meal. At dinner we
lingered, in a marked contrast to our
late meal snatched at Island Pond.
The officer, who seemed from his rank
to be looked upon as the head of the
table, remarked that he had heard
"they were ploughing at Lachine."

MISSISQI/OI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

From the appearance outside of the
dining hall, we were disposed to take
his observation rather as an evidence
of a desire to 'be polite, than as a re-
cord of fact. The weather changing
for the better, I started to find out
the house of the one of the officers
to whom I had brought a parcel, then
quite a favor, and passed through the
Roman Catholic cemetery, which is
now Windsor Square, to upper Sher-
brooke street. There, from the upper
windows of Gen. Ord's house, I beheld
the finest view I had then ever be-
held, taking in the unfinished Vic-
toria bridge, the St. Lawrence, partly
free of ice up to Laprairie, with the
mountains of the Eastern Townships,
my future home. Montreal was then
a city of only 75,000 inhabitants, and
the military element was much to the
forefront, and greatly contributed to
the gaiety and life of the place. The
change to fine weather, and the drip-
ping eaves of the houses, warned me
that to safely cross the river and
reach Dunham, I must not linger. So,
returning across some open fields
skirted by buildings in course of erec-
tion, I engaged a carter to take me
to the station of the Stanstead, Shef-
ford and Chambly Railroad, leaving
St. Lambert. I had made a precau-
tionary bargain with my French Can-
adian driver, but notwithstanding
what I supposed was a settled agree-
ment, my youth and exigencies had
to yield to a further demand put forth
to my surprise, in most emphatic and
forcible English. I found the depot at
West Farnham merely a rough shed
upon tall upright cedar posts, but
there was a good plank road down to
Bucks Hotel. I admired its excel-
lencies, not then being in the secret
of its very necessary existence to
bridge over the floating swamp which
I experienced the next day. At Bucks
Hotel, I roomed with Mr. Landsberg,
then a fresh arrival like myself. He
soon after was taken into the service
of Mr. Whitfield, then the chief mer-

chant and mill-owner of the place. The
hotel proprietor's single team, by
which he was to forward me to Dun-
ham, not being able to take myself,
two packages, and driver through the
clay roads, the driver had got the
stage to take the heaviest package,
and put it off by the side of the road
where it turns off to Brigham, then
on the stage route to Dunham. The
mud in the neighborhood of Bowker's
Hotel was just a pool of liquid slush,
and the people came out to see us
"go through" which, owing to our
horse being a good one and fresh, we
successfully accomplished. I rode as
far as the place where we took up
the trunk, but from thence I had to
walk, sometimes accompanied by the
driver, until we came to the house,
then recently built, of the Martin bro-
thers. .Somewhat cheered by the bet-
ter road and the appearance of better
buildings, I remember I began to feel
more encouraged, especially as Mr.
John McElroy, splitting wood in front
of his stone house, told us we were in
Dunham. But here again, the road
became almost impassible, and we had
to walk close to the rails until get-
ting to Mr. William Baker's piece of
macadamized road, opposite Mr.
Wood's stone store, the horse came
to a halt. Had the horse been only
an ordinary one, we should never have
got to our destination that night, but
we did, and I was most kindly receiv-
ed and refreshed after my long tramp
with soaked feet. Here was then a
sick child. My ears being attentive.
I had heard Dr. Gibson say to Mr. B.,
"I gave it to your Stewart" (his son.)
I thought he said steward. I so con-
cluded that I had come to an extensive
farm, for where I lived none but very
large farms employed a steward. This
was on March the 26th. I found that
spring in England and Canada were
not as contemporaneous as I had ex-
pected.

EDMUND L. WATSOX.
Dunham, Feb. 2, 1906.

A Brief Dunham Chapter.

THE CHAMBERLAINS.

It was fromt this family came Browne
Chamberlain, Esq., at one time editor;
of the Montreal Gazette, the first
member of the House of Commons at
Ottawa, after Confederation, and sub-
sequently Queen's printer. His bio-
graphy should some time be publish-
ed in these reports, though it is not
likely any one in the county has the
facts to draw upon.

Among the papers of the late Dr.
Smith was found the following inter-
esting document, which helps to fill
out the history of Dunham. It was an
extract from a letter written by Miss
Chamberlain, of Ottawa.

'.Dr Browne Chamberlain went to
Dunham in 1810. He was married to
Miss Diana Knapp b\ the Rev. Mr.
Cotton. Dr. John Chamberlain was in
Dunham before that time, and had al-
so resided in Frelighsburg, but left
the latter place in 1814 and went away
to Upper Canada, and Dr. Browne
Chamberlain succeeded him. Dr. Jos-
hua Chamberlain came to visit his
brother in 1824 and settled first in Nel-
sonville, practicing with his brother,
Dr. Browne Chamberhiin till the lat-
ter's death, when he moved to Fre-
lighsburg in 1829, and lived till his
death in 18S3. They had a large range
of practice, including Brome, Sutton,
Farnham, Granby, Shefford, St. Ar-
mand, Potton, and along the line in
Vermont. Dr. Calvin May went to
Missisquoi Bay, as it was called at
that time, in 1800, and practiced there
for years, his son, Dr. Horatio May,
assisting, him, and succeeding to the
practice at his father's death. Dr.
Brigham studied under Dr. Horatio
May, and succeeded him.

In 1798, my Grandfather Knapp went
to Dunham, and bought land there. I
have an old mortar which he made
from the knot of a tree at that time.
He also made milk bowls, chopping
and bread bowls of the same mater-

ials. I remember seeing some of them
but the old mortar is the only one
left. My grandfather and .-jrandmother
were of the old Tory or U. E. Loyal-
ist stock, and came to America early.
He had the first mill in the country.
In those days they made barrels of
methoglin which took the place of
cider. He also had one of the earliest
orchards in the Townships. Capt.
Knapp, who was a cousin of my grand-
father, got a grant of land from the
Government for his services, the same
as the Wells' got in Farnham,. Mr.
Baker did not go to Dunham till after
my grandfather, and bought land next
to him, where Mr. Joseph Baker used
to live."

THE OLD BLOCK HOUSE AT
PHILIPSBURG.

This old Block House was built in
1838-39 as a protection against the
Canadian rebels, as they were called.
It was garrisoned in 1840 by Colonel
Dyer's corps of Volunteers, followed
by a squadron of the Queen's Light
Dragoons. The Fenians who were
captured near Pigeon Hill in 1866, had
their preliminary examination in the
old Customs House at Philipsburg,
and were confined for safe keeping in
the old Block House, guarded by a
company of the Royal Canadian Rifles
—regulars.

Several years ago, the Numismatic
Society, Montreal, offered to repair the
old fort or Block House, but permis-
sion could not be obtained from the
so-called owners, although several at-
tempts were made by citizens of
Philipsburg. The picturesque old
house, with its historic associations,
was finally demolished three years
ago by the present owners of the land
upon which it stood, to the great re-
gret of all lovers of such interesting
landmarks which mark a period in
history.

TIIK OLD BLOCK HOCSK, J'liilipslmnj, CJue.

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL S O C I E T Y

THE FRELIGH FAMILY.

FROM WHOM FRELIGHSBURG IS
NAMED.

Abram Freligh, who was a physic-
ian, came to what is now known as
Frelighsburg, from Clinton, Dutchess
County, New York, in the month of
February, 1800, bringing- with him his
wife and family of twelve children.
It is reported that Mr. Freligh, who
was a irqan of means, required a cav-
alcade of twenty-one teams to haul
the goods that he brought with him.
Mr. Freligh was a man of means and
position in New York, and held sev-
eral slaves, all of which he freed prior
to his departure for Canada. He pur-
chased the grist and saw mills and
fulling mills, together with 200 acres
of land, paying $4,000 for them. He
died the following July, and was suc-
ceeded by his son Richard, who died
in the 50's. There was located at
Frelighsburg what was known as a
"trip hammer shop," as early as 1802,
in which most of the mill irons used
in the early saw mills of Brome and
Missisquoi were made. The founder
of thjs industry was one Isaac Smith.

Of the sons of Abram Freligh, one
Galloway moved to Bedford, in 1826,
and became the first postmaster, open-
ing the post office in the building re-
cently occupied by Leander Gosselin,
as grocery, and burned on the 10th
of March 1905. This building wag
built by Hon. Robert Jones on the site
of the present Hotel Tarte, and remov-
ed by the late Abel L. Taylor to the
place where it burned. In 1844, Mr.
Galloway Freligh, together with Na-
thaniel Brown, John Chandler, Abel
L. Taylor and C. Martindale, were ap-
pointed a commission to try inferior
cases. This commission was recorded
in Kingston, Ont., in the first regis-
ter of commissioners.

THE RICE FAMILY.
STANBRIDGE.

Among the pioneers of Missisquoi
County was Mr. Martin Rice, who,
with his wife, Lucy Wheeler, and their
three children, Horatius, Seraph and
Irving, emigrated from Leicester,

Mass., to Canada in 1809, settling first
at Philipsburg, where three more chil-
dren, Allen, Lucy and Martin, were
added to the family.

During the war of 1812, Mr. Rice
served as horse-shoer for the militia
of his adopted country at Isle-aux-
Xoix.

Next the family resided in the vic-
inity of St. Armand Station, where
another daughter, Emily, was born.

Subsequently, the family removed
to Bedford, where Mr. Rice became
the owner of the water privilege now
owned by the Bedford Mfg. Co. Here
he built a trip-hammer shop, which
he afterwards sold to Hon. Robert
Jones, who replaced it by a grist mill.

From Bedford, Mr. Rice removed
to Stanbridge East, where he built
another shop and bought the farm
now owned by Mr. Matthew Cornell.
Here four more children were added
to the family circle, namely, Mary,
Charles, James and Jane.

For many years Mr. and Mrs. Rice
led 'the choir of St. J antes' Church,
Horatius, Seraph and Lucy assisting.
This was during the pastorate of
Rev. James Reid, Rt. Rev. Bishop
Stuart being in charge of the bishop-
ric.

His lordship, who was by birth an
English or 'Scottish nobleman, was a
frequent visitor to Mr. Rice's house,
and at one time paid a pretty compli-
ment to his hostess by saying that
when he heard Mrs. Rice sing, it re-
minded him of angels.

Mr. Rice was one of the chief pro-
moters and the largest contributor,
with one exception, to the erection of
the first church at Stanbridge East.

When the church was dedicated —
about 1832— Mrs. John Corey, a pro-
tege of Rt. Rev. (Bishop iStuart, and
Mrs. Rico were the sponsors, giving
the name St. James in compliment to
their pastor, Rev. James Reid.

During his residence at Stanbridge
East, Mr. Rice bought from Mr. Sen-
eca Page the farm since known as the
"Rice Farm," at Riceburg, where he
erected another trip-hammer shop and

MISSISQUOI COUNTY rl I . S T O R I C A I, SOCIETY

his sons built a foundry, machine-
shop and an iron smelter.

Here his active life was brought to
a close, May llth, 1852.

His widow survived 'him till the
close of 1857. Their ashes rest with
those of their children in the family
cemetery, "River View," Riceburg,
in the spot which he admired and
upon which he 'bestowed extra care,
intending some day to locate a resi-
dence and a garden in that place,
whose sweet repose and tender asso-
ciations now exceed anything that he
had contemplated.

The large-hearted hospitality, the
intelligence and musical talent of the
Rice family contributed largely to the
refinement and pleasure of the social
circle in which 'they moved.

Stanbridge, June 9th, 1905.

THE ARTHUR FAMILY IN
STANBRIDGE.

(The well known local historian, Mr.
iHenry Ross, Stanbridge 'East, has
furnished the following important bit
of history. — Ed. Notes).

Amongst those whose name is still

revered by some of our oldest inhab-
itants, there is none perhaps more
Nvorthy of remembrance Ithan Wm.
Arthur, who arrived here from Ireland
in the summer of 1820. Young Ar-
thur was a person of highly polished
manners and fine education, and was
immediately engaged 'to teach a select
school here for the term of one year,
which was duly conducted to the ad-
vantage and interest of all. After
teaching a second term he was en-
gaged by the people of Dunham to
open a school in that place, at a
greatly increased salary. While teach-
ing in Dunham, he became acquaint-
ed with the daughter of Mr. George
Washington Stone, to whom he was
afterwards married. Mr. and Mrs.
Arthur subsequently removed to Fair-
field, Vt., where they were placed in
charge of the county high school, but
after the lapse of a few years they

returned to .Stanbridge with the in-
tention of making this place their
permanent home. They did not re-
main here very long, however, Mr.
Arthur's friends in Vermont, during
his absence, secured his appointment
as ipastor in the Baptist 'Church, at
Fairfield. Soon after leaving Stan-
bridge a son was born, whose name
subsequently occupied a conspicuous
place in history as Chester A. Arthur,
President of the United States. From
Fairfield :Mr. Arthur removed to Bur-
lington, Vt., where he continued in the
service of the Baptist Church for
many years.

B1NGHAM FAMILY RECORD.

Made by the late May Winch Bing-
ham Krans, who died at Clarence-
ville, January 2nd, 1900, at the resi-
dence of her daughter, Mrs. Pattison,
and was buried in Trinity Church
Yard, Frelighsburg, Que.

The first of the family was Sir Per-
cival Bingham, a naval officer during
the reign of Mary and Elizabeth, was
Governor of Curragh, Ireland, died in
3598, and whose 'monument may be
seen in the South Aisle of Westmin-
ster Abbey, London England.

Thomas Bingham, said to be the
first to emigrate to America, from
Sheffield, England.

'Solomon Bingham, graduate of Dart-
mouth College, N.Y., born at Tin-
moth. Vt., June 18th, 1793, married
Silvia Dickinson. Issue: —

1 — Ma.ro V.

2. — 'Sappho — married Arnold Baker.

3. — Moore — Now in Cambridgeport,
Mass., U.S.

1.— Stella— Peter Smith's mother.

5.— Nathaniel.

6. — Am'herst Willoby — Now in Berk-
shire, Vt.

7. — Hannah — Mrs. Ebenezer Martin.

8 — 'Solomon.

9. — Algernon — died at two years of
age.

10.— Mary Winch (mow at Berkshire,
Vt., Mrs. S. L. Krans.)

11.— Julia— born at Brookville, St.
Sebastian.

HON

>IP H. MOOHK. M. L. C.

MISSISQUOI' COUNTY HISTORIC A L SOCIETY 51

1. — Maro Bingham — only child, Jos-
eph.

2. — Sappho— Children, Moore, William
S., Olive and Thomas.

Moore Baker's children— Olive and
Thomas.

4.— Stella— Children, Peter, Charles,
Mary, Ellen.

5.— Nathaniel— Nil.

'6.— A-mherst - - Children, Willoby,
Bingham, Frances, Adelade, Edna,
Horatio, Emily, Lydia, Ellen, Alice
and Eugene.

7. — Hannah — Mrs. Ebenezer Martin —
children viz: Sappho, Stella, Silvia and
Frank.

10.— Mary Winch— Mrs. S. L. Krans
viz: Harriet (Mrs. Wm. N. Vaughan),
Edward H., Charlotte (Mrs. Pattison)
Bingham and 'Charles.

Harriet Vaughan's children —

George Edward, born in St. Johns,
January 8th, 1874.

Charlotte Edith, born in St. Johns,
January 17th, 1875.

Married Hugh Thomas, of Wolver-
hampton, England, in 1904, and resid-
es there.

Edward Horatio Krans, born June
5, 1S39; died in - — , April 5th, 1890,
aged 51 years.

Children— Horatio 'Sheef, M.A., voca-
tion, professor.

Edward Sheef, medical student, N.
Y. City.

Mrs. Pattison's Children.

1.— Mary L., born Septem 4th, 1866.

2-— William Arthur Bingham, born
February 18th, 1870.

3. — George Alexander, born Sept. 3rd,
1872— Issue : Gertrude Beatrice, aged
S years.

4. — Eugene Thomas, born Dec. 12,
1874 — Issue: Eugenie Maud, Born Jan-
uary, 1905.

5.— Charlotte Edith, 'born April 25th,
1877; single.

6.— Albert Mead, born April 9th,
1880; single.

Harriet Lydia, born March 19th,
1885; single.

S. — Charles Harold, born May 20,

1.— Mary L., B.A., at home; single.
2. — William, at Detroit, Mich.; sin-
gle.

3 —George, Montreal and Toronto;
married.

4.— Eugene, Tacoma Wash., U.S.A.,
married.

5. — Edith, music teacher, Azum, Cat.,
single.

6.— Albert iMead, Montreal; course
in Arts and Architecture, McGill Univ-
ersity, Montreal.

7.— Harriet Lydia, at home; McGill
Ncrmal iSchool.

8. — Charles Harold, at home; course
in Architecture; our farmer pro tern!

More Krans than Bingham!

>HON. P. H. MOORE.

The following sketch is an extract
from an historical paper read before a
literary society at Knowlton, P.Q., in
December, 1904. The accompanying
portrait scarcely does Mr. Moore jus-
tice. He was a tall, large, well-pro-
portioned man, of dignified bearing, in
fact, a man of striking appearance.

HONORABLE PHILIP HENRY
MOORE.

Was born at Rhinebeck, Dutchess
County, N.Y., the 22nd February, 1799,
the son of Nicholas Moore and Cath-
erine Streight, who moved an 1802 to
Moore's Corners, 'St. Armand West,
now known as St. Armand Station.
From the names of his parents and
the place of his birth, it Avas evident
that he was of Irish-Dutch parentage.
Apart from the district school he at-
tended an Academy at St. Albans, Vt.
On reaching his majority he farmed
for a short time and then was in mer-
cantile business for a few years at
Bedford. He was named a Justice
of the Peace when 22 years of age, an
office at that time of honor and re-
sponsibility. He retired from "business
at Bedford to the ancestral farm,
where he took a prominent part in
the Moore's Corners battle of the re-
bellion of 1837, for which he was of-
ficially thanked by Sir John Col-
borne, Commander in Chief. He was
the predecessor of the late Richard
Dickinson as registrar of Missisquoi
and on the union of the Provinces in
1841, was appointed a Legislative

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Councillor of Canada, an office which
he held until Confederation in 1
In the early years of his Parliamen-
tary career, he was chairman of the
Rebellion Losses Committee, the .pay-
ment of which losses subsequently,
led to the 'burning of the Parliament
House, in Montreal. As the Parlia-
mentary library was burnt at that
time Mr. Moore was deputed by Par-
liament to visit the United States, as
well as the Federal Government, as
those of the different States, to. pro-
cure public documents to replace those
lost. He met the then President of
the United States, as -well as Govern-
ors of many States, and was highly
successful in his efforts. He was in-
strumental in securing the charter of
the Montreal and Vermont Junction
Railways, and was president until his
death. 'He was also President of -the
Missisquoi Agricultural Society, and
a member of the Municipal Council of
his parish at different times.

When Confederation took place in
1867 under the rule adopted at the
time by the Government of the day,
the position of Senator for the dis-
trict passed to the elected Legislative
Councillor— the Hon. A. B. Foster. Mr.
Moore was offered the position of
Legislative Councillor in the Provin-
cial Parliament, but declined to he-
come a candidate for the Dominion
House of Commons. He was defeat-
ed, and thereupon retired to private
life. He died on the 21st of Novem-
ber, 1880. He took a prominent -part
in the debates in the Legislative Coun-
cil while a member, and with his col-
league, Hon. F. H. Knowlton, labored
ardently for decentralization. He was
a zealous worker in every way to pro-
mote the interests of the Eastern
Townships, and the 'welfare of its peo-
ple.

HONORABLE THOMAS WOOD.

The Honorable Thomas Wood,
whose portrait appears on another
page, was a member of the Legislative
Council of the Province of Quebec
from Confederation, in 1867 to 1898.
He was born in Dunham, in March,
1815. His parents were Thomas Wood
and Mary Skeele, who came from the

United States. After following agri-
culture up to early manhood, he went
to Montreal, where he was in the em-
ploy of John Baker, who kept the
Commercial House, at that time much
patronized by Eastern Townships peo-
ple.

After a few years commercial exp.er-
ience in Boston, he returned to his
native Township, and married Ann
Jane, daughter of Capt. N. S. Stevens,
and sister of the late Levi Stevens,
of Dunham Flat. She died in 1841,
leaving one son, Hannibal, who, after
practicing medicine in Knowlton and
St. Johns, became collector of Cus-
toms at the latter place. In 1845 he
marriejl Elizabeth, daughter of Capt.
W. B. Seeley, also of Dunham, by
whom he had three children, Charles,
dying young, Frank, who died a year
afier his father, and a daughter, Mrs.
Frank Baxter, now living.

He was a successful merchant for
many years, and through his Montreal
connection, was helpful to the early
settlers, by turning over much coun-
try produce for them. He had been
Mayor of the Township, and, after
its incorporation, of the Village of
Dunham. He was a Justice of the
Peace for many years, when it was
a mark of credit and a sign of dis-
tinction. He was Chairman of the
Trustees of Dunham Academy; Presi-
dent of the Missisquoi Junction Rail-
way; President of the District of Bed-
ford Rifle Association; President of
the Missisquoi Agricultural Society,
and also of the 'Horticultural and
Fruit Growers' Association, and was
Warden of the County Council of Mis-
sisquoi. In the promotion of the Hor-
ticultural and Fruit Growers' Asso-
ciation he was most practically in-
terested and was a constant and var-
ied contributor.

He was a member of the Episcopal
Church and for many successive years
represented the congregation of All
Saint's Church in the Diocesan Synod.
He was a Conservative in politics,
and in 1861 unsuccessfully contested
the County for the old Canadian Par-
liament. In 1867 he was called to the
Legislative Council, in which he sat
for upwards of thirty years, becoming

HON. THOMAS WOOD, M. L C.

LATK GEOKUE CLAYES, M. P
Bedford, Missisquoi.

MISSISQUOI CO U X T Y HISTORICAL S 0 C I E T V

one of its most useful members. He
died November 13th, 1898, aged 83.

GEORGE CLAYES, Esq.

There was a time when Mr. Clayes
was a prominent man in Missisquoi,
and nis fame even extended beyond
its borders. He has not been dead
a long time, and yet it is difficult to-
day 'to obtain much information about
him. This may be due to the fact
.that he left no children or family to
.perpetuate his memory, and political
memories die when mutual help ceas-
es. His portrait, appearing- herewith,
shows him to be an alert, wide-awake
man. He was born at Meriden, N.H-,
in 1828, the son of Rev. Dana Clayes,
married his cousin .Sophia L. Clayes,
in 1855, settled in Bedford in 1861.
where he was engaged in mercantile
life for some years, and then retired
with a competency. He died in March,
18SS. In early life he lived for a time
in Minnesota, where he was elected
to the State Senate. He early took an
active part in politics, after he became
a resident of Missisquoi County. He
ran for the local Legislature in 1871,
and was defeated, and again in 1881,
with a like result. In 1882 he contest-
ed the seat for the House of Com-
mons with Senator Baker, and was
again defeated. He was successful in
the general election of 1887, defeating
his old opponent. He did not long
continue in public life, dying after
only one session and while his sec-
ond was in progress. He was a stud-
ious man, of vast information on all
sorts of subjects, a polished speaker
with a knack of saying cutting things
in an epigrammatic way, and a strong
debater. It was sometimes thought
his facility in the use of criticism was
a cause of weakness. It was generally
conceded that the resurrection of the
Liberal party in the County was due
to his hard fights for many years and
his dominant influence in organiza-
tion. Whether that was a good thing
or not depends from the party point
of view, but does not detract from his
capacity as a leader of men.

DANIEL BISHOP MEIGS, Esq., M.P.

On another page will be found a
portrait of Mr. Meigs, and here will
be given a few brief facts as to his
personality and career, to satisfy the
possible curiosity of those who, years
hence, may read these pages and
want to know something about Par-
liamentary representatives of the
County. It is the intention to pur-
sue a like course for the future ;in our
reports in respect to those who may
have represented the County of Mis-
sisquoi in any legislative capacity. It
was not done in our first report
through lack of experience and haste
in preparation, but that can be sup-
plemented later. Obviously, such
sketches must be a bare, brief state-
ment of facts, so far as possible, in
order to avoid the suspicion of politic-
al partizanship on the one hand, and
the possibility of exciting personal
jealousies on the other.

Mr. Meigs was born in Henryville,
P.Q., on the 1st day of June, 1835, and
his age may easily be reckoned at any
time from that epoch. His father
was Daniel Meigs and his mother was
Caroline Laselle, of -Swanton, Vt. It
is not claimed that his father was a
U. E. Loyalist, or started in life with
only loyalty as caipital, or was any-
thing else than a hard-headed man of
good sense, who obeyed the laws of
the land 'where he lived, worshipped
God without fringes on his faith, and
was thrifty in making an honest dollar
and turning it to good account. His
son received a good business educa-
tion ,and whilst a young man started
in business at West Farnham, now the
town of Farnham. He acquired mills
there and engaged largely in the ex-
port lumber 'business as well as in
mercantile pursuits. By business cap-
acity and foresight, thrift and square
dealing, he acquired a handsome fr -
tune and retired to private life a num-
ber of years ago, since which time ho
has travelled a good deal.

In 1888, on the death of the late
George Clayes, he was elected member
of the House of Commons for
qtioi to replace the deceased mem-
ber, after a sharp contest. At the gen-
eral election in 3891. he was defeated

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

by his old opponent, now Senator
Baker, but at the general elections of
1896, 1900 and 1904, he was successful,
and is now the member for the Coun-
ty,, after a hot contest on each occa-
sion. Thus he 'has faced the electors
on five occasions, in four of which he
was a winner. Mr. Meigs does not
claim to be an orator, in fact, thinks
the supply is larger than the demand,
yet he can make a plain, (practical, ef-
fective business speech when the occa-
sion requires. He talks business, ren-
dered more telling at times by a
dry humor, of which <he appears to be
unconscious, and it is this, with other
qualities, which makes 'him strong
with his electors and popular in the
House. iHe looks carefully after the
interests of his constituents, never
goes back on a friend and has never
crowded any of his relatives or their
understudies into the public service.

He has often been Mayor of Farn-
ham, and filled other local offices of
trust and responsibility. He has never
seemed hungry for office, not even
at first, to be a member of Parlia-
ment. That with him was an acquir-
ed taste. He has been twice married,
but has no children.

More might be said, but Mr. Meigs
is, despite his long career in politics,
a modest man, inclined to look upon

praise, even that which is merely fair
appreciation, as flattery with an ob-
ject. With his characteristic dry hu-
mor he admonished the writer — who
tried to get some facts from him for
this sketch under the threat, in case
of refusal, to manufacture the facts,
and in reply got barely thirty words —
"now if you make up any lies, make
good ones. Hence, there has been a
strict adherence to facts.

JOSEPH J. B. GOSSELIN,Esq. M.L.A.

Mr. Gosselin was born in the <par-
ish of St. Alexandre, in the County of
Iberville — the native parish as well of
the late Hon. Mr. Mercier and Charles
Thibault, advocate— in the year 1848.
He was the son of Francois Gosselin,
of that parish, now living, at the ripe
age of 90 years. After a practical edu-
cation, Mr. Gosselin engaged in bus-
iness, locating in 1886 at Notre Dame
de :Stanbridge, where he has since been
prosperously engaged in commercial
life. After filling some local offices,
he was elected to the Quebec Legisla-
ture in 1900, after a sharp contest, and
was re-elected in 1904 by acclamation.
He has never taken a prominent part
in debates in the House, 'but has serv-
ed dilligently on many Committees.
His portrait appears on another page.

]). B. MKIUS, M. P

.1. .1. H. (iOSSELlN. M. L. A.

The St. Albans Raid, 1864.

The eventful years of 1861 to 1865 are
familiar as embracing the period of
the Civil War in the United States.
Reference to that national calamity
vividly recalls interesting reminiscen-
ces associated therewith which awaken
an admiration and a sympathy for
the heroes and martyrs of those
troublesome times, for the frequent
evidences of their untiring devotion
to duty, for their patient endurance
in long-suffering and hardships, and
the keen disappointment at unwelcom-
ed reverses and defeats, which, how-
ever, are for the time, almost forgot-
ten in the hour of their unspeakable
joy at the sound of victory. These
and many other equally thrilling ex-
periences peculiar to war, are embod-
iec in the story of that memorable
struggle.

An incident of more than ordinary
local significance and one directly
identified with the hostile operations
of that critical period in the United
States, should command some special
interest and attention from the peo-
ple of the 'County of Missisquoi, but
more particularly from the members
of this Historical Society, not on ac-
count of the close proximity of the
scene of its occurrence to our Cana-
dian border, but in consequence of
the visit of the authors and perpetra-
tors of this incident to this and other
localities in the County, together with
some interesting features attending
the same and the circumstances which
compelled these men to seek refuge
upon Canadian soil. An act, which for
a time, threatened most serious com-
plications of an international nature,
between Great Britain and the United
States, a brief account of which I shall
endeavor to give under the title of
the St. Albans' Raiders.

It is a well recognized, historical fact
that, during the great civil struggle,
detachments from both the Northern
and Southern armies were frequently

sent into the enemies territory, to re-
mote and isolated localities, for the
purpose of rapine anc, marauding,
upon which occasions, defenceless and
peaceful citizens were subjected to
most harsh and cruel treatment, fre-
quently resulting in death, or even
(something infinitely 'worse, in the
event of offering resistance as a just
protest against such violence These
offensive expeditions are recognized
by the laws of nations as legitimate
acts of war, but, it ds nevertheless
most earnestly and universally con-
demned from a moral standpoint as
emphatically in direct discord with en-
lightened ideas and conditions of nine-
teenth century citizenship. When one
belligerent, however, resorts to such
nefarious methods, under the erronious
impression, no doubt, that the end jus-
tifies the means, it is but natural the
other should be fired with a spirit of
retalliation.

The thought is here suggested: Did
the then 'President of the United
State, Mr. Lincoln, sanction or endorse
such tactics? We are naturally
prompted to believe he did not, be-
cause the history of the Wai-
tells us that such a spirit was quite
at variance with the high and noble
•principles pervading the whole life
and character of one whose name is
dear to every generation of his coun-
trymen as embodying only what
stands for purity in heart, in mind
and in statesmanship. We may, per-
haps, reasonably assume that the
President was powerless to prevent it.

It is an expedition of this nature,
and the acts and experiences of those
comprising the same, which forms the
subject of this paper, the desire being
to refer more particularly to certain
incidents of sufficient ^importance and
interest to this Society, as to merit
consideration from a purely 'historical
standpoint, in so far as those incidents
transpiring upon Canadian soil, are

M I S S I S 0 U 0 I COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

concerned, but which derive their im-
portance irom circumstances leading
up to the same, and the threatening
serious consequences which were, for-
tunatelv averted.

In accordance with a desire of the
Confederate Government to harass and
loot Northern towns and villages in
close proximity to the Canadian bor-
der, in retaliation for similar acts on
the part of the Northern or Federal
army in the South, a certain young of-
ficer, Lieut. Bennet H. Young, was
commissioned to organize and take
command of a -small company, consist-
ing of about twenty Confederate sol-
diers, ex-prisoners of War, who had
escaped from the Northern lines, for
this purpose. Having secretly .secur-
ed the desired compliment of men at
Chicago, 111., Lt. Young submitted his
proposed plan of attack for approval
to Messrs. Clay and Thompson, the
Confederate Government Agents, at
Montreal, suggesting as a first point
of operation, the little town of St.
Albans, Vt. Receiving the sanction
of these agents to said plan of cam-
paign, he proceeded accordingly on
the 19th day of October, 1864, to the
execution of the same, when the ap-
pearance of this little band of mar-
auders on their streets was the first
intimation of such intentions receiv-
ed by the surprised and very much
alarmed citizens of that town. About 3
o'clock in the afternoon, attacks were
simultaneously made upon the three
banking institutions, namely, the St.
Albans Bank, the National City Bank
and the National Bank. Being fully
armed, this little band of intruders
experienced no difficulty in holding
the (people in the streets at bay, and
forcing the surprised and frightened
bank officials to a state of unwilling
submission to their demands for the
contents of the safes, consisting of
many thousands of dollars in .paper
currency and valuable securities.

During the excitement created by
this episode, several shots were ex-
changed between citizens and raiders,
resulting in one of the former, named
Morrison, being fatally wounded.
Strange to say, this man Morrison,
was a -'copperhead," a term applied

to .Southern sympathizers, and almost
the only one in the community. In ad-
dition to this raid upon the banks, it
was the intention of these Southerners
to set fire to the town, but becoming
alarmed, they almost immediately de-
camped, remaining long enough only
to secure for themselves sufficient
horses upon which to escape to the
Canadian border. These horses they
took from livery stables and from ve-
hicles in the streets. After their de-
iparture from the town a pursuing
party was immediately organized by
the citizens, which followed the fugi-
tives, but failed to overtake them be-
fore they had reached the imaginary
line between the .State of Vermont and
the County of Missisquoi, in Canada,
which territoryy once reached, they
were immune from arrest by United
States authorities, in accordance with
the neutrality laws of nations.

We could perhaps better imagine
than describe had we been witness of
.this flight along the route from St.
Albans, to the Canadian border, the
ajtonishment and dismay of the farm-
ers inhabiting the districts through
which the raiders travelled, as they
paused in their work to look upon the
rapidly passing riders in their eager-
ness to reach British territory, fully
realizing that capture by the victims
of their day's episode 'meant to them,
certain death.

I am indebted to a prominent mem-
ber of this Society for an article from
the pen of one of St. Albans leading
ladies, Mrs. J. -Gregory Smith, wife of
the then 'Governor of Vermont, the
late Hon. J. Gregory Smith, which was
published in "The Vermonter" Magaz-
ine, not long since, giving a most in-
teresting and graphic account of this
raid, extracts from which I here give.

Mrs. Smith says: "During the last
year of the great Civil War, a start-
ling event occurred in the town of
St. Albans, Vt., that caused great ex-
citement all over the country and
brought our quiet little town into na-
tional notriety. A band of .Southern
ruffians who had fled into the neu-
tral territory of Canada, concocted a
scheme to wreak their vengeance upon
the towns situated upon our Northern

LATE CALVIN DKRICK, ESQ.,

Second son of Philip Deiick, loyalist, who came to Canada March 17th,
1776, prominent in Church and Municipal affairs.

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

border. This conspiracy having fail-
ed in the State of New York, they
turned their attention to Vermont. On
October 10th, 1864, three strangers
made their appearance at the Tre-
mont House, in St. Albans, two others
registered at the 'American Hotel at
the same time. Their manners were
peaceable, and under a pretence of a
desire to hunt in the wooded parts of
the county they borrowed or bought
firearms and ammunition. One man of
a religious turn apparently, spent
faours in reading the Bible, often
aloud to his companions. For a week
these advance scouts of a band of
thieves were studying the habits of
the people, the situation of the banks,
noting the livery stables and other
places where horses were kept, also
examining the more prominent resi-
dences. On the 19th of October, the
day of the raid, several more stran-
gers registered at the hotels. It so
happened that on. this particular day
about forty of our most active citi-
zens were at Montpelier, whecg the
Legislature was then in session. The
afternoon was cloudy, rain threatened,
almost everybody was indoors. As
the town clock struck three, the hour
for the banks to close, four of these
strangers entered the St. Albans Bank
where the teller was counting money
to place in the safe. The teller, see-
ing pistols in their hands and mur-
der in their eyes, sprang into the
back room, and with the assistance
of another clerk, tried to close the
door. It was burst open, and the
robbers, levelling pistols at their
heads whispered "Not a word. We are
Confederate soldiers. We have come
to take your town. We shall have
your money. If you make the least
resistance we shall blow your brains
out." Certainly an astonishing threat
in our law-abiding community. While
two of the raiders held the unarmed
clerks at bay, the others gathered all
the money they could find, and turned
to go just as some belated merchants
came in with deposits. These they
seized, pushing the astonished owners
into the back room. With pistols
pointed at the cashier's head, the rob-
bers demanded the United States
bonds and other valuables, but his
coolness kept them waiting till shots

were heard outside the building, and
fearing arrest, they decamped with
less money than they left in the
vaults, blundering, no doubt, in con-
sequences of oevrdose-s of whiskey, with
which they had fortified their cour-
age. Two other St. Albans' banks
wrere simultaneously attacked. Five
men entered the National City Bank
and Four others robbed the National
Bank. Thirteen raiders in all were
engaged in robbing the three banks.
Bennet H. Young was the leader. He
rode up and down the street on a
stolen horse, shooting right and left
as he directed the operations of his
men. There were many narrow es-
capes. A ball passed through the
shawl of one woman. There was one
fatality, Elias Morrison, a contrac-
tor, who was building the Weldon
House, received a bullet in ihis bowels
and died soon afterwards."

Anticipating an attack from these
raiders upon the Governor's residence,
Mrs. Smith, who was alone at home
with the .servant maids only, Mr.
Smith being away at the time in Moiit-
pelier, tells how she barricaded the
house with the assistance of her ser-
vants, and armed them with what
firearms were available in the house,
awaited the coming of the enemy; re-
solved to protect her home and that
of her husband and children, even, if
necessary, at the cost of her own lives.

Having reached Canadian territory
in safety, as already stated, Lieut.
Young's command separated into
smaller units to more effectively avoid
detection and capture, taking differ-
ent directions; some going to Frelighs-
burg, others to Dunham and Waterloo,
and one party of four to Stanbridge
East, where they were arrested by the
local authorities, by orders of the
Canadian Government, in compliance
with a request of the United States
Government, who demanded their ex-
tradition on a charge of robbing the
St. Albans' banks, also citizens of
that town. Upon receipt of orders
to look out for and arrest the raiders,
the local magistrates, Nelson H. Whitr
man and Manly BUnn, and Edward
C. Knight, bailiff, proceeded to Stan-
bridge East village, upon the night
of the day of the raid, where they

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

found two of their men comfortably
quartered for the night in anticipation
of the much desired rest after a day
full of excitement and tragic experi-
ences, and immediately arrested them
in their beds. A search of their clothes
revealed rolls of greenbacks amount-
ing to several thousands of dollars,
which were, of course, taken from
them. These prisoners gave their
names as .Spurr and Bruce, and con-
fessed to the charge of being implic-
ated in the St. Albans' raid under
Lieut. Young, and in reply to a ques-
tion stated that they were Jeff Davis'
boys. They were armed with Colt's
revolvers, but evidently did not carry
these weapons with the intention of
resisting arrest by the Canadian au-
thorities. It is a matter of record
that the above named .gentlemen were
ably assisted in this arrest by Mr.
C. W. Martindale, Mr. Irving Briggs,
and a Mr. Cross. The prisoners were
afterwards put in charge of Messrs.
C. H. Baker and Irving Briggs. An-
other raider named" Thomas B. Col-
lins was arrested in the other hotel
of the village owned by Henry Ba-
con, and a fourth, named John E.
Lackey, was taken . charge of while
standing on the sidewalk opposite
Bacon's Tavern. The prisoners were
all dressed in civilian clothes, but
claimed to be soldiers of the Confed-
erate army.

Upon the following night, October
20th, news came to the village that
two strange men, presumably raiders
also, were seen to enter a barn sit-
uated on a farm occupied by Mr. Mal-
colm Ross, in the first concession of
(Dunham, about two miles east of
Stanbridge East. Scyiire N. H. Whit-
man, with a number of citizens, pro-
ceeded thither immediately, and find-
ing the two men as reported, concealed
in the hay in said barn, took them
into custody without any resistance
upon the part of these raiders, as they
acknowledged themselves to be. These
prisoners gave their names to the
magistrate present as James A. Doty,
and Joseph McGrority. They also,
were armed with revolvers, and had in
their possession, sums of money
amounting to several thousands of
dollars, chiefly in greenbacks, which

they unhesitatingly handed over to
Squire "Whitman, confessing at the
same time, to having taken it, with
the other raiders, from the St. Albans'
Banks, upon the day previous. This
completes the list of St. Albans raid-
ers taken prisoners by the local au-
thorities of Stanbridge.

Lieut. Bennet H. Young, with some
of his men, were arrested in St. Ar-
mand East, by Bailiff George H.
Wells, of Frelighsburg, and were taK-
en to his home pending their removal
to Montreal by the Provincial author-
ities, where they subsequently were
brought to trial upon the charge pre-
ferred against them by the United
States Government, which \vill be re-
ferred to presently. It may here be
stated, incidentally, that several rolls
of U. S. greenbacks were found hid-
den away in various places by the
road side in the vicinity of Stanbridge
East, placed there undoubtedly by
the raiders of the St. Albans Banks,
from which it had been taken. One
roll of this description, containing the
sum of $500 was found a few days of-
ter the capture of the prisoners by Mr.
Joseph Pratt, of Stanbridge, on the
farm now owned by Mr. Orvill Stan-
ton, near the road leading from Stan-
bridge East to Riceburg, which was
later handed by the finder to J. C.
Baker, Banker and E. C. Knight, Bail-
iff, for delivery to the proper author-
ities. Two Colt's revolvers were also
found by local residents, near to what
is known as the Pru'ddledock bridge,
evidently thrown there by some of the
raiders. Our venerable townsman, Mr.
Samuel Rhicard, of Stanbridge, in-
formed the writer that he found a sim-
ilar weapon upon the evening of the
19th October, the day of the said raid,
in the road directly opposite Elder's
tavern. Another member of this band,
Dudley Moore, who had made his way
to Waterloo, apparently undetected,
was arrested in that village while
seated in a railway car, .upon a war-
rant issued by R. A. Ellis, Esq., and
which warrant was prepared by J. P.
Ncyes, Esq., then law student, and at
the present time an Honorary Presi-
dent of the Missisquoi Historical So-
ciety. George Scott, also a member of
Lieut. Young's command, was arrested

REUBF.N H. VAUGHAN, of St. Thomas, Que.

One of the earliest settlers on the Richelieu River anil Ferry-
man across Richelieu to Lacolle. Died at Noyan, Jan.
26th, 19i)5, ageil 101 years.

MISSISQUOI COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

about the same time, in the village of
West Farnharn, Missisquoi County,
by John O'Leary, a police officer from
Montreal.

The prisoners, thirteen in all, were
immediately taken to Montreal, under-
charge of officers of the Government
police force, and arraigned before the
judge of sessions, his Honor J. C.
Coursol. for preliminary trial for ex-
tradition to the United States, on the
charge of robbery. After a careful
review of the evidence the judge de-
cided that having no jurisdiction in
?uch cases, he could not try the pris-
oners who were consequently dis-
charged by the Court. It transpired
at this juncture of the proceedings
that Chief of Police Lamothe, of
Montreal, having in his possession the
money taken from the prisoners when
arrested, comprising several thousand
dollars in U. S. currency, upon hear-
ing of their discharge, immediately
returned this money to them without
authority of the Court, an act for
which he was censured by the City
Council.

The raiders, including Lieut. Young,
were again immediately arrested and
subsequently brought to trial before
Judge .Smith, of the Superior Court,
which event was a protracted and cer-
tainly anxious experience for these
daring sons of the Confederate South,
for upon the judge's final decision
hung the lives of these thirteen men.
In the event of the application for
their extradition being granted by
Judge Smith, their fate was most cer-
tainly a foregone conclusion and they
would have met with instant, and,
perhaps untimely death at the hands
of those who sought to avenge the
wrong that had been done the people
of 'St. Albans. upon that .memorable
occasion. Happily, however, for the
prisoners, the application for the ex-
tradition was refused by the Judge,
who uses the following words in the
closing remarks of this trial.

"I have endeavored to guide myself
by what is recognized by the civilized
world instead of suffering myself to
be swayed by popular cries by the
passions and influences which the
proximity of this lamentable convul-

sion has stirred up among ,us. And I
have come to the conclusion that the
prisoners cannot be extradited be-
cause I hold that what they have done
does not constitute one of the offences
mentioned in the Ashburton Treaty,
and because I have consequently no
jurisdiction over them. I am of the
opinion therefore, that the prisoners
are entitled to their discharge."

The conclusion of the learned
Judge's remarks, we are told, was
greeted with loud cheers in Court,
which the officers were unable to sup-
press, and which were taken up and
repeated by the crowds in the lobbies
and outside the building.

The most eminent legal counsel in
Canada was employed upon this case,
which had assumed an importance
that created an interest intense and
widespread, in consequence of its in-
ternational character, and threatened
grave complications of a nature from
which might have emanated results
involving two of the world's greatest
powers in a war of that magnitude,
sufficient perhaps, to have materially
changed the political map of the world
at that ti'mje 1 A fact which gives to
the St. Albans' Raid of October 19th,
1864, a significance worthy the atten-
tion of this Historical Society, by vir-
tue of what transpired in that chain
of events terminating in the arrest of
the authors and perpetrators of the
same by the citizens of the County of
Missisquoi, and within the 'County lim-
its, the particulars of which, as relat-
ed above, I was able to obtain from
the printed records of the trial of the
raiders, in the Government Library at
Ottawa, through the kind courtesy of
George F. O'Halloran, Esq., Deputy
Minister of Agriculture.

In concluding, it will be interesting
to mention the names; of the
late memjbers of the Montreal
Bar, who were connected with the
case, and the capacity in which they
were employed, as an evidence, beyond
question, how ably the interests of
those chiefly concerned were protec-
ted. The United States Government
were represented by Bernard Devlin
and Strachan Bethune. The prisoners
by the Hon. J. J. C. Abbot, and E.

MI S S I S Q U,O I COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Carter, Q.C. ; and the Canadian Gov-
.ernment by J. C. Kerr, all of whose
individual efforts in behalf of their
clients were strained to the utmost,
and called forth an eloquence in their
arguments, and appeals for justice, in
the sense in which that justice was

interpreted by each one of them, per-
haps seldom equalled in our courts of
law.

L. H. HIBBARD,

Stanbridge East.
August, 1906.

PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE
CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET

UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY

5495
M5M5
no. 2

Missisquoi County Historical
Society Report,
no. 2

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