Several mills have been built on the Rouge River in Rawdon township since its creation in 1799. The Rouge River crosses Rawdon township upstream from lot 28 of the eleventh range (bordering Saint-Alphonse) to what was lot 27 of the township’s first range (now on the territory of Saint-Liguori).
This article identifies four sites that were suitable for the construction and operation of mills on the Rouge River. For each of these sites, the article describes the people or families responsible for their construction and subsequent operation. Where available, various technical characteristics of these mills are provided.
The Rouge River is the largest tributary of the Ouareau River. Its confluence is located in the municipality of Crabtree. Estimates by specialists (1, 2, 3) put the average flow at the outlet of Rawdon Lake at around 1.91 m³/second. The flood flow is estimated at 7 m³/second, while the flow during the low-water period (July to October) is assessed at only 0.7 m³/second. These flows are ten times lower than those of the Ouareau River.
There are a number of factors that influence the choice of a site for the construction of a water-powered mill. In simple terms, it must first be recalled that the power generated by the water varies according to flow rate and head. The chosen site must also facilitate the supply of raw materials (logs and grain) and have a customer base that needs the processed products (planks and flours). With the means of transport available at the time, it is highly likely that the first mills served a nearby territory.
These four sites are presented from downstream to upstream, starting with the one located on Range 1 in Rawdon township.
Site no. 1 — Lot 24 — Range 1 — Dugas mills
Site no. 2 — Lots 18 and 19 — Range 5 — Dugas / Truesdell / Lord / Copping / Mason / Neveu mills
Site no. 3 — Lot 22 — Range 7 — Hobbs / Bagnall / Munroe mills
Site no. 4 — Lot 28 — Range 10 — Desrochers / Cornellier / Mason mill
This screenshot comes from an interactive map, the Carte historique du Canton de Rawdon. Drawn using the Umap/Openstreetmap tool, it can be accessed by clicking on this link . The red push pins identify the sites on the Rouge River.
Site no. 1 — Lot 24 — Range 1 — Dugas mills
These mills were located near Route 346 (“Montcalm corner”) and the Montcalm Golf Club.
A genealogical study (4) of the first families to settle in Rawdon, conducted by Daniel Parkinson, reveals that the first rights of occupancy were issued to various immigrants having come mainly from Ireland.
Daniel Parkinson reports that a certain Joseph Dugas, an Acadian from Massachusetts, indicated in his application for a grant that he had been a resident of Rawdon township since 1816. The road he traced to his land provided the first access to the territory. His brother Philémon (sometimes identified as Philémon Firmin) followed him and, between 1816 and 1817, built a sawmill on lot 24 of Range 1.
In 1820, thirty families were granted the right to settle in Rawdon by government decree (Order in Council). Philémon Dugas obtained his ticket of location in November 1820. The site of this mill is shown on the map of Rawdon and Kildare townships prepared by Joseph Bouchette Junior, dated October 31, 1821.
To build his mill, Philémon enlisted the help of Isaac Dugas and his brother-in-law Pierre Richard, married to Isaac’s sister Félicité. Alexandre Riopel tells us, in an article published in 2014 in Histoire Québec, that the grandfathers of Isaac and Philémon, two brothers named Joseph and Claude were millers at the flour mill on the Achigan River and the lower mill owned by the Sulpicians. Philémon, Isaac and Pierre formalized their partnership in February 1817. In the same notarial deed (5), Pierre Richard agreed to cede lot 24 to the partnership. This partnership was short-lived. In June 1817, the partners agreed (6) to dissolve the partnership and sell the mill and lot 24 to Philémon Dugas. The deed also transferred the right to place a millstone to grind grain in the sawmill. Philémon Dugas and his wife subsequently, that is, between March 1818 and March 1820, partnered with Martin S. Parker (7).
Documentation presently available does not identify the person who sold lot 24 to Pierre Richard. There may have been other owners before Pierre Richard, but James Sawers, who died in 1813, was the first owner of this lot. He obtained 500 acres, that is, the northeastern half of lot 21, as well as lots 22 and 24 of Range 1, by letters patent dated July 13, 1799 (8).
To this sawmill, Philémon added, a few years later, a flour mill (grist mill), so that by the 1825 census (9), he owned both mills. Daniel Parkinson points out that Mr. Dugas made considerable improvements to his facilities. His house measured 36 by 30 feet, while his mills were 32 by 66 feet. The flour mill had three sets of stones. Two of these were used to produce wheat flour for export. The other was used to produce oat flour. The sawmill had two sets of saws. A fire that occurred during the night of December 31, 1829 (10), destroyed Philémon Dugas’s flour mill and sawmill, causing losses estimated at 1,500 pounds. The mill would, however, be rebuilt.
Family succession
Meanwhile, the Philémon/Firmin family grew, with the birth of at least nine daughters and one son. They also adopted John Copping, born around 1812 and still a minor at the time Philémon Dugas and his wife wrote their wills (11). The son, born on March 8, 1830, was named Firmin and was to take over the business. Philémon Dugas’s extended family would also contribute to the operation of the mills. The eldest, Bibiane, took Zacharie Clouthier as her husband. Philémon’s son by adoption, John Copping, first worked as an apprentice, then married Julie (1811-1872) in 1837. Adaline (1814-1873) married Daniel Truesdell in 1835. Finally, Anne (1822-1908) united her destiny with that of William Lord in 1846.
According to Daniel Parkinson (12), it is plausible that Philémon Dugas remained the owner of these mills until his death on July 19, 1864. Very early on, however, Philémon’s sons-in-law and sons played an active role in the operation of the mills in Rawdon and the surrounding area. The Copping family operated mills in Rawdon until the middle of the 20th century. The 1852 census mentioned that the flour mills then had a production capacity with four sets of stones....which suggests that the Dugas family operated mills on more than one site.
Various notarized contracts (13, 14, 15) concerning financial transactions (loans and mortgages) confirmed the business relationship between Firmin Dugas, the son, and John Copping. In these contracts, Firmin Dugas was identified as Esquire and bourgeois, while John Copping was identified as a miller. These deeds also showed that Firmin Dugas owned lot 24 of Range 1 with the flour mill, while John Copping owned the southeast quarter of lot 18 of Range 5 with the sawmill and flour mill.
Established as a Catholic parish in 1853, Saint-Liguori received its civil recognition in 1880. Lot 24 of Range 1 of Rawdon township is now part of Saint-Liguori.
Firmin Dugas, the son, died suddenly on March 16, 1889, at the age of 59, such that the mill was abandoned while a succession involving several lots and minor children was settled. Jean Gagnon, a Saint-Liguori historian, continued the story as follows (16):
“Later, around 1900, the water power was sold by Louis Dugas, Member of the Provincial Parliament, son of Firmin, to his cousins Sam, Georges and William Lord; they completely rebuilt the two mills and dug a canal over a distance of 7 arpents (about 400 metres) to carry water from the Rouge River. The mills were back in operation by September 1902 (p. 22).
“...the corn and buckwheat flour mill was gradually abandoned, but the sawmill continued to run. It was sold to a man named Chicoine during the “depression,” but he had to return it for lack of payment. Mr. Alcide Lévesque, the current owner, bought it from Georges Lord in 1938 (p. 138).” [Translation]
Jean Gagnon concluded by pointing out that, reportedly, this mill was still powered by water in the 1950s, produced an average of one million feet of wood per year and was in operation until the fire of 1976.
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES
Lot 24 – Range 1
46.0543⁰ N 73.6859⁰W
These approximate coordinates need to be validated by field surveys.
Site no. 2 — Lots 18 and 19 — Range 5 — Dugas / Truesdell / Lord / Copping / Mason / Neveu mills
These mills were located at Mason Falls, near the 3rd Avenue dam-bridge.e avenue.
The 1851 census records indicated that Mr. Dugas then had two sawmills with five sets of saws and a flour mill with four sets of stones. He also enjoyed a privilege that gave him a monopoly on water mills on the Rouge River from lot 24 of Range 1 to lots 18 and 19 of Range 5.
Guillaume Petit stresses the importance of this question of privilege on his site. Without irrefutable proof, it seems quite plausible that Mr. Dugas, because of this privilege, built a second mill at another location that allowed him to have the declared production capacity. Further technical analysis would probably show that the mill on lot 24 did not have sufficient power to justify such a production capacity. On the other hand, a mill installed on lots 18 and 19 of Range 5 could have had a much greater motive power. These lots correspond to a site known today as Mason Falls. The Holtby map supports this hypothesis, as the name Dugan (sic Dugas) appears as the owner of lot 19 in Range 5.
Philémon Dugas reportedly entrusted the operation of the mills to one of his sons-in-law, Daniel Truesdell, as mentioned by Daniel Parkinson. He quotes George Copping’s diary dated March 16, 1837:
« Henry took a log over to Mr. Truesdell’s to be sawn »
Daniel Truesdell was in fact identified as a miller in the 1851 census. The Commission de toponymie du Québec (17) adds that, on March 23, 1853, Daniel Truesdell obtained a lot in Chertsey township. He built a sawmill in 1855, which he transferred to his son Daniel in 1871.
After obtaining the lot in Chertsey, Daniel Truesdell reportedly transferred the mills to his brother-in-law, William Lord (1817-1860), a millwright. A map of Rawdon township, included in the 1861 census, associated these mills with Mr. Lord (Lord’s mill). On the latter’s death, John Copping is said to have retaken the mills, which he purportedly pledged as collateral (the southwest quarter of lot 19 – Range 5) in various financial transactions carried out between 1860 and 1870.
Edward Mason, who married Mary Copping (1841-1912) on April 9, 1861, is said to have obtained the mill from John Copping. His name appears in the 1871 census as the owner of a sawmill and a flour mill. This census provided details of the mills owned by Mr. Mason, mentioning that these mills were valued at $1,200 each, with a declared power of 20 H.P. for the flour mill and 10 H.P. for the sawmill. By this time, mill technology had evolved, and it was now possible to equip these facilities with much greater motive power.
Daniel Parkinson tells us a little more about Edward Mason. Born in Saint-Sulpice on September 11, 1829, he died on August 25, 1889, leaving Mary 375 acres of land, two sawmills, a grist mill, a flour mill, several farmhouses with outbuildings, a house with outbuildings and a house in the village (Mason family documents as quoted in Up to Rawdon). This bequest corroborates the information that Edward Mason had acquired the sawmill located on lot 28 of Range 10 in Rawdon and having belonged to Jean Louis and André Brien Desrochers. He grew the business, and the waterfalls on this site now bear his name.
A painting by Sarah Alice Mason Copping depicts the family home and the Mason mill. The painting illustrates some of the installations needed to operate a mill (inlet and outlet).
This late 19th-century postcard of Mason Falls shows the location of the mill. The configuration of the Rouge River was altered with the construction of the 3rde Avenue dam-bridge, which created Rawdon Lake. It has become difficult to determine the exact position of this mill.
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES
Lots 18 and 19 — Range 5
46.0543⁰ N 73.6859⁰W
These approximate coordinates need to be validated by field surveys.
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Misaël Neveu is said to have acquired it at the beginning of the 20th century, but there may have been another owner (Mr. Barrie) between Mr. Neveu and Mrs. Mary Copping. A 1915 Government of Canada publication identifies Mr. Neveu as the owner of a sawmill in Rawdon.
Site no. 3 — Lot 22 — Range 7 — Hobbs / Bagnall / Munroe mills
While the Dugas mills were the first to be built on the territory of Rawdon township, the second group of mills was built by George Hobbs around 1830.
These mills were located between chemin du Lac-Morgan and chemin de Saint-Alphonse (Route 337).
In a text entitled “George Hobbs, a Rawdon Loyalist” (Up to Rawdon – pages 337-345), Daniel Parkinson explains that, to his knowledge, George Hobbs was the only United Empire Loyalist to settle permanently in Rawdon. Born in New York State and married in 1797 in Prince Edward Island to Martha Crosby, an Irish woman, he reportedly arrived in Montréal between 1798 and 1800. A baker, George first settled with his family in Faubourg à m’lasse, then moved to Sault-au-Récollet in 1806. They applied for lands in Rawdon in 1820 and were granted them on January 15, 1821, by Order in Council. George Sr. and his son obtained letters patent for lot 22 of Range 7 in January and March 1834. The mills, built before 1831, were listed in the 1831 census (a sawmill and an oil mill).
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Members of the Bagnall family (Robert, William, etc.) purchased these mills on July 12, 1841, for $100. The property acquired from George Hobbs included the mills and 50 acres of land located on two thirds of the northeast quarter of lot 22 of Range 7. Robert Bagnall had already acquired 100 acres of land on lot 15 of Range 7e in July 1823.
Over the years, Robert Bagnall developed a large agricultural business and acquired several hundred additional acres. A lumber merchant and militia major, Mr. Bagnall was an influential figure in the community. In fact, a section of Daniel Parkinson’s book Up to Rawdon focuses on Robert Bagnall and his family. Mr. Parkinson mentioned having found documentation in the minutes of the meetings of the Anglican Church’s administrators and vestry members corroborating the information that Mr. Robert Bagnall also operated a sawmill.
The Bagnalls sold this mill on April 17, 1865, to George Munroe, as specified in deed of sale no. 1037 in the office of Notary John Horan. The 1851 census confirmed the presence of this sawmill on lot 22 of Range 7, but it was associated with George Munroe, who identified himself as a “millrite” [sic] or maintenance mechanic. Born in Scotland and aged 45 at the time of the census, Mr. Munroe was to operate the mill for the Bagnall family. The mill was described as measuring 40 feet by 30 feet, with two sets of saws. As noted by the census taker, this site had sufficient hydraulic power for all types of mills or factories, except in the month of July.
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES
Lot 22 — Range 7
73.7038⁰W 46.0758⁰N
These approximate coordinates need to be validated by field surveys.
The information available confirms that Messrs. Hobbs (~1825-1841), Bagnall (1841-1865) and Munroe (1865-????) all owned the mill located on part of lot 22 of Range 7 at different periods.
Site no. 4 — Lot 28 — Range 10 — Desrochers / Cornellier / Mason mill
The Desrochers grist mill was identified on the map drawn by James Dignan in 1844, following the survey of Ranges 9e, 10e and 11e of Rawdon township. This mill was located on lot 28 of Range 10 (see map below) of Rawdon township, at the very beginning of the Rouge River on the territory of Rawdon (after crossing the line dividing the townships of Rawdon and Kildare / municipality of Saint-Alphonse-de-Rodriguez)
The Holtby map also identified lot 28 of Range 10 in the name of “Deroche” [sic].
Born in Saint-Jacques, Louis-André Brien, known as Desrochers, owned a sawmill in addition to the flour mill. As reported in the 1851 census, the flour mill measured 25 feet by 25 feet and had two millstones. The sawmill had only one saw. However, these same census records specified that there was not enough water to operate the mills for a period of about two months a year.
The census records identified Louis Brien Desrochers and his son, also called Louis Brien, as well as Joseph Allard as millers. They were aged 59, 29 and 38 years old, respectively, at the time of the census.
According to Marcel Fournier, Mr. Brien, known as Desrochers, settled on Range 2 of Rawdon township around 1850. Mr. Brien Desrochers was elected mayor, the first in the history of Rawdon township, on December 17, 1855.
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES
Lot 28 — Range 10
46.1358⁰ N 73.7084⁰W
These approximate coordinates need to be validated by field surveys.
Unexplainedly, these mills and the land were bought back by Louis-André Brien, known as Desrochers, in a sheriff’s sale on June 15, 1861. A few months later, on March 5, 1862, they were resold to Narcisse Cornellier, a farmer from Saint-Ambroise who, in turn, resold them to Edward Mason, a machinist-millwright from Chertsey. The deeds of sale described the property located in Range 10 of Rawdon township (the lot is not specified) as follows: approximately 13 arpents (about 760 metres) deep by 1 arpent (about 60 metres) at the front and 3 arpents (about 180 metres) at the centre, bordered at the front by James Boyce, at the rear by the widow O’Colgan, on one side by John Shields and on the other side by Samuel Coltren. This site included two houses, two mills and a stable and had water power and privilege running through the property. The site was sold for $1,200. To ensure payment, George Copping intervened in the contract and accepted responsibility, jointly and severally, with Edward Mason, by mortgaging lot 20 of Range 4.
- Avis technique sur le Lac Rawdon/Pierre Bertrand Consultant, octobre 2023 (technical opinion of Rawdon Lake, Pierre Bertrand Consultant, October 2023)
- Plan directeur de protection du bassin-versant du Lac Rawdon — Rapport final/CIMA+, décembre 2013 (master plan for the protection of the Rawdon Lake watershed, final report, CIMA+, December 2013)
- Bilan de phosphore et prédiction de l’eutrophisation du lac Rawdon/Groupe Hémisphère, juillet 2015 (phosphorous report and eutrophication prediction for Rawdon Lake, Groupe Hémisphères, July 2015)
- Opening Rawdon Township: Early locations by Loyalists and the First Settlers, Daniel B. Parkinson
- Acte # 386 – 23 février 1817 — Me Thomas Bédard/Archives des notaires, BAnQ (Act no. 386, February 23, 1817, Notary Thomas Bédard, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Acte # 1048 – 21 juin 1817 — Me Pierre Mercier/Archives des notaires, BAnQ (Act no. 1048, June 21, 1817, Notary Pierre Mercier, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Acte # 462 – 9 mars 1818 — Me Thomas Bédard/Archives des notaires, BAnQ (Act no. 462, March 9, 1818, Notary Thomas Bédard, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Liste des concessions — Canton de Rawdon/Greffe de l’Arpenteur général du Québec (List of land grants, Rawdon Township, Registry of the Surveyor General of Quebec)
- Recensements de 1825, 1831, 1851, 1861 et 1871 — https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca (Censuses of 1825, 1831, 1851, 1861 and 1871, https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca)
- Journal La Minerve — Édition du 11 janvier 1830/BAnQ (La Minerve newspaper, issue dated January 11, 1830, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Actes du 22 avril 1828 — Me Antoine Minier dit Lagacé/Archives des notaires, BAnQ (Acts dated April 22, 1828, Notary Antoine Minier, known as Lagacé, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Up To Rawdon: Settlers at Rawdon Township, Lower Canada c. 1820-1852. Their Origins and Continued Migration Across Canada and the United States 2 vols. [S.l.]: Daniel B. Parkinson, 2013
- Acte # 447 – 21 juillet 1865 — Me. S.-Ulric Brien dit Desrochers/Archives des notaires, BAnQ (Act no. 447, July 21, 1865, Notary S.-Ulric Brien, known as Desrochers, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Acte # 4156 – 5 mars 1862 — Me Jules Bourgeois/Archives des notaires, BAnQ (Act no. 4156, March 5, 1862, Notary Jules Bourgeois, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Acte # 1018 – 18 juillet 1864 — Me John Horan/Archives des notaires, BAnQ (Act no. 1018, July 18, 1864, Notary John Horan, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Sous le clocher de Saint-Liguori/Jean Gagnon, 1979 (Sous le clocher de Saint-Liguori [under the bell tower of Saint-Liguori], Jean Gagnon, 1979)
- La Commission de toponymie du Québec https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=63997 (Geographical Names Board of Quebec, https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=63997)