Sawmills were a common sight in many villages across Quebec in the 19th century. The Township of Rawdon was no exception. Indeed, a sawmill built on the first range by Philémon Dugas and his partners marked the start of the township’s development. Most of these mills were powered by water. The equipment consisted of a single reciprocating saw and a manual log-feeding mechanism. This equipment was housed in a building with a relatively simple structure. They produced planks and boards for the local market. The logs were sawn very slowly, and production rarely exceeded a few hundred planks or boards a day. For the most part, these mills operated part-time and on a seasonal basis. Often situated alongside a flour mill, these mills became the focal point of villages or emerging settlements.
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 five 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 five 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
Emplacement no 2 – Lot 20 – Rang 4 – Moulin Burns / Desrosiers / Bordeleau / Breault
Site no. 3 — Lots 18 and 19 — Range 5 — Dugas / Truesdell / Lord / Copping / Mason / Neveu mills
Site no. 4 — Lot 22 — Range 7 — Hobbs / Bagnall / Munroe mills
Site no. 5 — 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.
The Dugas family
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.
A contract (13) drawn up before notary S. Ulric Brien dit Desrochers concerning a financial transaction (loan and mortgages) confirms the business relationship between Firmin Dugas, the son, and John Copping. In this contract, Firmin Dugas was identified as Esquire and bourgeois, while John Copping was identified as a miller. This deed 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 (March 16), Saint-Liguori received its civil recognition in 1880 (June 26). Lot 24 of Range 1 will be part of the territory of the Township of Rawdon annexed by decree dated May 9, 1854 to the parish 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 (14):
“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.
Emplacement no 2 – Lot 20 – Rang 4 – Moulin Burns / Desrosiers / Bordeleau / Breault
This sawmill was situated on Lot No. 20 of the fourth range in the township of Rawdon, placing it near the bridge crossing the Rouge River at the start of Chemin de Kildare close to Chemin Forest.
The list of concessions available on the website of the Office of the Surveyor General of Quebec (see references) identifies the first owners of Lot No. 20. The north-western half (100 acres) was granted to George Copping, with letters patent issued on 18 December 1834. As for the south-eastern half (100 acres), it was granted to Patrick Byrne. The letters patent were issued on 22 May 1832.
A notarised deed signed before Maître Jules Bourgeois on 9 March 1871 records the sale of a plot of land on Lot 20, Range 4, including a sawmill on the Rouge River.
This deed of sale between Archibald Burns and Onésime Bordeleau states that the plot measures ‘one and a half arpents in width by two arpents in depth’. It is bounded at the front, rear and north by the land of the seller, Archibald Burns, and on the other side by the Rouge River. The deed mentions that a house and a sawmill are built on the plots of land. The transaction also included two plots of land intended to provide access to the sawmill from the public road.
Archibald Burns states that he acquired this plot of land, ‘on a larger scale’ (he purchased a larger area than he is selling), from Patrick Burns by a deed drawn up before the notary Louis Joseph Riopel on 13 June 1866.
In his book Up to Rawdon (page 69), Daniel Parkinson notes that over the years, various spellings – Burn, Burns, Byrn, Byrne, Byrnes and Byron – have been used to refer to this family from Rawdon. He also mentions that Patrick Burns is said to have had a son named Archibald, born on 12 August 1839. Although there is no conclusive evidence, it seems logical to regard the transaction between Patrick and Archibald Burns as a ‘father-to-son’ transfer. Archibald married Anna Maria Kyte on 9 April 1878. They had seven children. Archibald died in 1914 and Anna Maria in 1921. It has not, however, been possible to determine which of the two, Patrick or Archibald, built the mill.
Onésime Bordeleau’s mill was recorded in 1871. The information on file indicates that the mill was valued at $600, which was the price paid for it a few months earlier. It operated twelve months a year and required only one employee to run it. This person’s annual wage was $96. Using water power and with a capacity of 25 HP, the mill was capable of sawing 400 logs per year, worth $200, and producing approximately 3,500 planks, worth $300.
Onésime Bordeleau sold this mill on 25 August 1874 to Denis Desrosiers. The deed of sale was signed before Maître Ulric Brien dit Desrochers. The transaction included, in addition to the mill, a certain quantity of raw materials. It could have yielded a good profit for Onésime, with a sale price of $1,100. However, for unknown reasons, Onésime Bordeleau reclaimed the mill and had to sell it again. On 26 February 1879, he signed the sale of the mill to Léon Breault before Maître Jules Bourgeois for a price of $700.
The mill site
Without a map showing the mill’s precise location, it is difficult to determine the exact site of the mill on the south-eastern part of Lot 20, Range 4. However, given that the land in question comprises two acres and plots of land providing access to the mill from the public road, and assuming that this public road is Kildare Road, the mill is likely to have been built along the Rouge River, some 100 metres from Chemin de Kildare (Route 348).
Further research should make it possible to pinpoint its location more accurately and determine what became of the mill.
Site no. 3 — Lots 18 and 19 — Range 5 — Dugas / Truesdell / Lord / Copping / Barrie / Mason / Barrie / Neveu mills
These mills were situated at various locations near the site now known as Mason Falls. Having been built and rebuilt on several occasions, the sawmills and flour mills at Mason Falls enjoyed a long history.
Recent data obtained from systematic research into notarial archives carried out by Guillaume Petit has made it possible to confirm various details and to reassess certain hypotheses regarding the presence of mills near Mason Falls.
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.
Two sites at Mason Falls
Additional documentation provided by Guillaume Petit and further details supplied by Daniel Parkinson indicate that, during the first half of the 19th century, two sawmills are believed to have operated side by side at the site that would later become known as Mason Falls. One of these mills was built on the south-eastern half of Lot 18, Range 5, whilst the other was built on the south-western half of Lot 19. Further details follow.
Mills and privileges
Guillaume Petit stresses the importance of this question of privilege on his website. New information, obtained in February 2026 following Guillaume Petit’s research, confirms that, by virtue of this privilege, Philémon Dugas owned mills at another location, which allowed him to achieve the declared production capacity. A more detailed technical analysis would likely demonstrate that the mill’s location on Lot 24 did not have sufficient power to justify such a production capacity. However, one or more mills situated 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 of Range 5.
This new information also opens the door to another chapter in the history of the mills on Lots 18 and 19 of Range 5.
Avant les Dugas
Des informations récentes permettent de remonter le temps jusqu’aux premiers jours de l’existence du Canton de Rawdon. La liste de concessions (voir référence no 8) identifie les premières personnes qui ont obtenu des lots dans le Canton de Rawdon. Quatre familles ont obtenu des lots situés à proximité de l’endroit où coulent les chutes Mason soit:
Rang | Lot | Partie | Acres | Concessionnaire | Date (Lettre Patente) |
5 | 18 | ½ Sud-Est | 100 | Solomon Cook | 22 mai 1834 |
5 | 18 | ½ Nord-Ouest | 100 | Edward McGie | 4 février 1825 |
5 | 19 | ½ Sud-Ouest | 100 | Jeremiah Pratt | 22 mai 1834 |
5 | 19 | ½ Nord-Est | 100 | John Smiley | 19 janvier 1832 |
Le livre de Daniel Parkinson intitulé « Up to Rawdon » et ses mises à jour disponibles sur le site web contiennent plusieurs informations sur ces premières familles à occuper le canton de Rawdon. Du groupe, Jeremiah Pratt, un machiniste de moulins (millwright) apparait, à priori, comme le plus susceptible d’avoir été impliqué dans la construction d’un moulin.
La carte Holtby, développée par le secrétaire-trésorier de l’époque, contient des annotations identifiant les propriétaires des différents lots vers 1845. De gauche à droite et de haut en bas, une inscription manuscrite sur le lot 18 Nord-Ouest pourrait indiquer le nom de McGie soit le propriétaire initial du lot. La partie Sud-Est pourrait avoir déjà été morcelée et appartenir à une personne dont le nom est illisible. Une autre portion Sud-Est de ce lot semble indiquer le mot « parsonage ». Elle appartiendrait donc au presbytère de l’église anglicane. Pour la moitié Sud-Ouest du lot 19, elle appartiendrait à un dénommé Dugar (sic Dugas) tandis que la moitié Nord-Est appartiendrait toujours à John Smiley.
Philemon Dugas et les moulins à scie sur les lots 18 et 19 du rang 5
Le moulin Pratt-Dugas/Trusdell (½ S-O – Lot 19 – Rang 5)
Ces informations permettent de croire que Philémon Dugas (sic Dugar), déjà propriétaire et opérateur de moulin dans le rang 1, aurait acquis la partie Sud-Ouest du lot 19 de Jeremiah Pratt dans les années qui suivirent la concession originale de mai 1834 et y aurait installé un moulin à scie. Différents scénarios sont possibles (construction par Pratt et achat par Dugas, achat du terrain et construction par Dugas, collaboration/co-entreprise Pratt-Dugas et rachat par Philémon). Philémon en aurait confié l’opération à un de ses gendres, Daniel Trusdell de sorte que, dans son journal, George Copping fait référence au moulin Trusdell.
Daniel Parkinson reprend les propos de George Copping en date du 16 mars 1837 :
“Henry took a log over to Mr. Truesdell’s to be sawn.”
Outre la présence du nom de Jeremiah Pratt dans la liste des concessions, il n’a pas été possible de retracer des pièces justificatives permettant de confirmer ces hypothèses.
Le moulin Cook-Rood-Dugas/Trusdell (½ S-E – Lot 18 – Rang 5)
En ce qui a trait au demi-lot Sud-Est du lot 18, deux contrats signés le 29 août 1844 et le 15 octobre 1845 devant, respectivement, Me Joseph Dufresne et Me Antoine Gauthier contiennent de nombreuses informations pertinentes. Le deuxième acte de vente permet à Philémon Dugas et Daniel Trusdell (identifiés comme marchands de bois), d’acquérir conjointement la moitié sud-est du lot 18 (½ S-E Lot 18 R5) du rang 5 appartenant à Josiah S. Rood (également identifié comme marchand de bois) sur lequel est érigé un moulin à scie double de type anglais. Ce terrain dispose d’une superficie de cent acres. Des parcelles d’un acre avaient déjà été vendues à d’autres personnes incluant le Révérend Bourns (justifiant le terme « parsonage » de la carte Holtby). Vendu pour un montant de 300 livres anglaises, Philémon Dugas en garantit le paiement par une hypothèque en faveur du vendeur portant sur le demi-lot 19 du rang 5. L’acte de vente précise que ce demi-lot comprend un moulin, une maison et autres bâtiments.
Josiah Rood avait acquis ce terrain par contrat signé en 1844 devant Me Joseph Dufresne. Malheureusement, il n’a pas été possible de retracer une copie de cet acte de vente. Bien que les noms soient raturés, il est probable que ce titre de propriété signé devant Me Dufresne faisait référence à une vente par Solomon Cook (le premier détenteur des Lettres Patentes) et Hiram Bateman (?).
Ce deuxième moulin a été construit entre le 22 mai 1834, date de l’obtention des lettres patentes par Solomon Cook, et la date de la vente de ce moulin à Philémon Dugas et Daniel Trusdell (le 15 octobre 1845). Il n’a pas été construit par Philémon Dugas, mais les informations disponibles ne permettent pas de déterminer qui l’a construit.
À partir d’octobre 1845, Philémon Dugas est donc propriétaire de deux moulins à scie situés à proximité des chutes connues aujourd’hui sous le nom de Mason.
Le recensement de1851 corrobore le fait que Daniel Trusdell exploite les moulins de son beau-père.
Ces deux moulins resteront la propriété de Philémon Dugas jusqu’en 1853 alors qu’il publie une annonce dans le journal Montreal Herald du 23 juillet 1853 où il les met en vente avec des terres d’une superficie de 170 acres soit les 100 acres du lot 19 Sud-Ouest et les quelque 70 acres subsistant du lot 18 Sud-Est.
Emplacement de ces moulins
Une carte extraite du site du Greffe de l’Arpenteur général du Québec délimitant les lots permet d’établir que la rivière Rouge coule sur ces lots 18 et 19 du rang 5 et qu’elle chevauche la ligne délimitant le lot 18 du lot 19, le tout près de l’emplacement des chutes Mason.
La création du barrage puis du « pont-barrage » de la 3e avenue a modifié le cours de la rivière Rouge de sorte que des informations additionnelles doivent être obtenues pour déterminer l’emplacement exact de ces moulins.
The Dugas family ties
Philémon Dugas aurait donc confié l’opération des moulins sur les lots 18 et 19 du rang 5 à un de ses gendres, Daniel Truesdell. Daniel Trusdell, rappelons-le, a épousé Adaline Dugas en 1835. La Commission de toponymie du Québec (18) ajoute que Daniel Truesdell obtient, le 23 mars 1853, un lot dans le Canton de Chertsey. Il construit un moulin à scie en 1855 qu’il cède à son fils Daniel en 1871. Peu de temps avant l’obtention du lot dans Chertsey, soit le 8 février 1853 (Acte no 1150 – Me Jules Bourgeois), Daniel Truesdell cédera à Philémon Dugas, son beau-père, la part qu’ils avaient achetée conjointement.
Le 17 juin 1854, par acte no 1483 passé devant Me Jules Bourgeois, Philémon et sa femme Martha Edwards cèdent à William Lord, constructeur de moulins, et à John Copping maître-meunier, leurs gendres, la moitié sud-est du lot 18 du rang 5 bâtie d’une maison et d’un moulin à scie et la moitié sud-ouest du lot 19 bâti d’une maison et d’un moulin à scie double. John Copping aurait ensuite cédé les moulins à son beau-frère, William Lord (1817-1860), un mécanicien de moulin (millwright). Un schéma d’une partie du Canton de Rawdon tracé à la main et insérée au recensement de 1861, associe ces moulins à M. Lord (voir Lord’s mills en bas et à droite de la carte).
Au décès de ce dernier en 1860, John Copping aurait repris les moulins qu’il aurait donnés en garantie (le quart sud-ouest du lot 19 — Rang 5) lors de différentes transactions financières effectuées entre 1860 et 1870.
The Mason and Copping mills
À la suite de son mariage avec Mary Copping (1841-1912) le 9 avril 1861, Edward Mason obtient le moulin de John Copping. Son nom apparaît au recensement de 1871 comme propriétaire d’un moulin à scie et d’un moulin à farine. Ce recensement fournit des précisions sur les moulins appartenant à M. Mason. Il y est mentionné que ces moulins ont une valeur de 1200 $ chacun et des puissances déclarées de 20 H.P. pour le moulin à farine et 10 H.P. pour le moulin à scie. À cette période, la technologie des moulins avait évolué et il devenait maintenant possible de doter ces installations d’une force motrice beaucoup plus importante.
L’invention de la lame de scie radiale/circulaire vers le milieu du 19e siècle permet d’augmenter de façon substantielle la production quotidienne de ces moulins.
Cette lame de scie circulaire a été découverte par Maciej Zubek et sa sœur Agnieszka alors qu’ils exploraient les eaux des chutes Mason dans les années 1980. Jeunes adolescents, Maciej et Agnieszka, originaires de Pologne, étaient fascinés par la beauté du territoire entourant les chutes Mason. Aujourd’hui, la lame a été confiée à Elizabeth Chodkowski, membre du conseil d’administration de la Société d’histoire de Rawdon.
Daniel Parkinson nous en apprend un peu plus sur Edward Mason. Né le 11 septembre 1829 à Saint-Sulpice, il meurt le 25 août 1889, laissant à Mary 375 acres de terre, deux moulins à scie, un moulin à moudre les grains (grist mill), un moulin à farine, plusieurs maisons de ferme avec dépendances, une maison avec dépendances et une maison dans le village (documents de la famille Mason tels que cités dans le livre Up to Rawdon). Ce legs corrobore l’information à l’effet que Edward Mason avait fait l’acquisition du moulin à scie situé sur le lot 28 du Rang 10 de Rawdon et ayant appartenu à Jean Louis et André Brien Desrochers. Edward a fait prospérer son entreprise, faisant en sorte que les chutes situées à cet endroit portent aujourd’hui son nom.
From the Mason family to the beginnings of the tourism industry
Héritière des biens d’Edward Mason, Mary Copping les cèdera à son fils James Mason par acte notarié en date du 24 septembre 1890 passé devant Me Desaulniers. Dans le journal L’Étoile du Nord , James Mason Jr. advertised that the Mason family property was for sale. This “magnificent” property included 200 acres of land as well as sawmill and a flour mill. An article dated March 26, 1896, in the same newspaper reported that a fire had destroyed James C. Mason's sawmill and flour mill. The losses were estimated at $4,750 and covered by $2,700 in insurance. The mills were rebuilt.
Il n’a pas été possible d’identifier à qui et en quelle année James Mason a vendu ses moulins à scie et à farine. Cependant, le 14 avril 1908, Misaël Neveu et William Barrie créent la société « Barrie & Neveu » et, pour la constituer, mettent en commun certains actifs évalués à $ 24 000. William Barrie y contribue à hauteur de $ 12 000 notamment en mettant à la disposition de la société le lot 19 a du rang 5 avec un moulin à scie et un moulin à farine, la machinerie, un barrage et le pouvoir d’eau qui alimente le tout. Cette société fut bien éphémère, car, le 29 septembre 1909, William Barrie vendait à Misaël Neveu la propriété avec les moulins et procédait à une dissolution de la société, le tout consigné dans un acte de vente signé devant Me C. G. H. Beaudoin.
Misaël Neveu vend les moulins le 14 février 1913, mais les fait fonctionner jusqu’en juillet 1914 comme le permet l’acte de vente signé devant Me Gaspard-Alexis Archambault. Cette transaction fera passer ces terrains dans les mains de James Williamson Ross, un promoteur immobilier, et marquera les débuts de la vocation touristique du canton de Rawdon.
Emplacement des moulins aux chutes Mason
Deux éléments aident à localiser l’endroit où étaient situés les moulins : le contenu de l’acte de vente par Misaël Neveu à James Williamson Ross (no 8220 du 14 février 1913) passé devant le notaire Archambault et deux images, un tableau peint par Sarah Alice Mason Copping et une photographie des chutes Mason.
L’acte de vente identifie la parcelle de terrain objet de la transaction comme faisant partie du lot numéro 19a (pt 19a) du cinquième rang du canton de Rawdon et la décrit comme suit:
A line starting at the west corner of the said lot number nineteen a (19 a),
- thence continuing south easterly along the division line between the lots number eighteen s (18 s) and eighteen a (18 a) on one side, and nineteen a (19 a) on the other side to a point situated at four hundred and sixteen foot beyond the public highway,
- thence at right angle in a north easterly direction a distance of two hundred and eight foot, thence at right angle in a north westerly direction as far as the public highway,
- thence following along the public highway to the division line between the lots number nineteen a (19 a) and nineteen b (19 b),
- thence along this last division line in a northwesterly direction as far as the sixth range,
- thence along the division line between the fifth and sixth range to the starting point.
A plan accompanied this deed of sale.
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).
Work carried out by Yvon Laurin has made it possible to transpose the information extracted from the deed of sale onto a recent map of the municipality of Rawdon. Since 1973, Yvon has carried out numerous surveying projects in the Township and Village of Rawdon. A resident of Rawdon, he is very familiar with the municipality's territory and the area in question.
Un examen minutieux de cette carte permet de constater que le chemin public et l’ancien pont de la troisième avenue empruntent un tracé différent (beaucoup plus à l’est) du tracé actuel. La transposition effectuée par Yvon Laurin identifie le centre de la rivière Rouge tel qu’elle coulait avant le barrage créant le lac et les autres aménagements visant à alimenter les moulins en eau.
Il n’est pas facile de déterminer si les moulins sont situés sur le lot 18 ou le lot 19. Les moulins sont situés si près de la ligne délimitant ces deux lots que l’acte de vente de William Barrie à Misaël Neveu contenait une note à la marge indiquant qu’un nouvel arpentage avait déterminé que des bâtisses considérées comme des dépendances au moulin se trouvaient maintenant sur le lot 18.
La vue d’ensemble et la vue rapprochée démontrent à quel point la rivière Rouge serpente entre le lot 18 et 19 ce qui peut permettre à des moulins d’être installés sur deux lots différents tout en demeurant relativement près l’un de l’autre. Les épingles rouges identifient deux emplacements susceptibles d’avoir été utilisés pour y construire un moulin.
Pour en arriver à positionner ces épingles rouges, deux autres images ont aidé à déterminer ces emplacements. D’abord, un tableau peint par Sarah Alice Copping Mason montre la maison familiale et les moulins Mason tels qu’ils existaient avant la construction du barrage créant le lac Rawdon. Ce tableau permet d’apprécier certaines installations nécessaires au fonctionnement d’un moulin (canal d’amenée et canal de fuite). Daniel Parkinson mentionne que ce tableau a été peint de mémoire par sa tante Alice, née en 1873, alors qu’elle était âgée d’une quarantaine d’années. Daniel estime que ce tableau représente le moulin tel qu’il existait vers les années 1890.
Un examen minutieux du tableau révèle que les chutes Mason sont constituées de deux chutes. La première remplacée aujourd’hui par le barrage, d’une hauteur estimée à une vingtaine de pieds, est entrecoupée de la deuxième, beaucoup plus imposante (hauteur estimée à 80 pieds), par le bassin alimentant le moulin. Seul le début de la deuxième chute est représenté sur le tableau.
La deuxième image, une photographie de carte postale des chutes Mason datant de la fin du XIXe siècle montre l’emplacement d’un moulin. Cette fois, le moulin apparait beaucoup plus près de la rivière et dans la partie la plus imposante des chutes Mason. Il est permis de croire que cette photographie a été prise après l’incendie de 1896, un fois les moulins reconstruits à un emplacement légèrement différent.
GEOGRAPHICAL COORDINATES
Lots 18 and 19 — Range 5
46.0543⁰ N 73.6859⁰W
These approximate coordinates need to be validated by field surveys.
|
|
Site no. 4 — 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).
.
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. 5 — 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 dit 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 (16, 17) 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 Hémisphère, July 2015)
- Opening Rawdon Township: Early locations by Loyalists and the First Settlers, Daniel B. Parkinson
- Act # 386 – February 23, 1817, Notary Thomas Bédard, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Act # 1048 – June 21, 1817, Notary Pierre Mercier, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Act # 462 – March 9, 1818, Notary Thomas Bédard, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- List of land grants, Rawdon Township, Registry of the Surveyor General of Quebec
- Censuses of 1825, 1831, 1851, 1861 and 1871, https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca
- La Minerve newspaper, issue dated January 11, 1830, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Acts dated April 22, 1828, Notary Antoine Minier dit 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
- Act # 447 – July 21, 1865 — Notary S.-Ulric Brien dit Desrochers, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec
- Sous le clocher de Saint-Liguori/Jean Gagnon, 1979 (Under the bell tower of Saint-Liguori)
- Commission de toponymie https://toponymie.gouv.qc.ca/ct/ToposWeb/Fiche.aspx?no_seq=63997
- Act # 4156 – March 5, 1862 — Notary Jules Bourgeois, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)
- Act # 1018 – July 18, 1864 — Notary John Horan, notarial archives, National Library and Archives of Quebec)