[copyright 2017: Dennis M. Doiron]
July 6. A beautiful day.
At eight o’clock, we attended a high mass and sermon. After that, we left for Saint-Nicolas. At one o’clock in the afternoon, we left Saint-Roch, a pretty little town. At five o’clock in the afternoon, we arrived at Saint-Nicolas and went to Alexandre Demers’ house to wait for our wagon driver. At five-thirty in the evening, we left for Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, and at eight o’clock, we arrived at
[30]
___________________________
Delienne Rousseau's house. We found them very well. They were no longer waiting for us.
The weather is overcast with some drops of rain. At eleven o’clock in the evening, we go to bed to rest a little.
View of Saint-Nicolas and the Saint Lawrence River.
Circa 1900-1010.
________________________________________
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Click the link below to view the image.
______________________________________
Circa 1900-1010.
Collection numérique de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) :
July 7. Nice weather and very hot.
At seven-thirty, I went on a little walk. Here the land is fertile and the fields are very nicely leveled. We saw beautiful hay and oxe-eye daisy in abundance. At ten-thirty, I returned to the house. I sat under the trees so I could breath a little cool air while writing my notes. There is a crushing heat. Delienne truly has a little town house. I have her small boy who keeps me company. At one o’clock in the afternoon, I went to the neighbor’s for a short visit. They have a steam mill for sawing and planing and for other machines. At
five o’clock, we had a small storm with a little thunder, but at seven o’clock
[31]
_____________________________
_____________________________
a strong thunder and lightening storm arrived and the wind raged, but not as much rain as its appearance would have predicted.
Married May 24, 1892.
_______________The clay soil here makes the roads almost impassable after a storm. In the morning, I met Monsieur Olivier at the fromagerie. We had a good, long conversation. I stayed there for two hours and had a good time. Here, cheese is made with hot water. During the day, we had short downpours from time to time. At six o’clock, I went to pay a small visit at Nazaire Olivier’s house. He showed me his farm, which is very beautiful. He has eight arpents of potatoes planted and several arpents of rye. He also owns a magnificent sucrerie of young trees. We also saw the first harvest of hay taking place.
July 9. It is a very beautiful day.
We saw a lot of people pass by. Every
[32]
___________________________
morning the men who live along the river pass by to go to the woods in the third rang. At nine o’clock in the morning, I left to walk as far as Saint-Nicolas to visit my uncle Désiré Lamontagne, and at ten-fifteen I arrived at the house. We do not know each other at all. I introduced myself and I found them all doing well.
My uncle was renovating his house, he is adding a floor and changing all the walls. A part of the family is living in the barn and the rest are staying in the shed. After lunch, I went to see my aunt Calixte Lamontagne. She is doing very well for her age. Her son was preparing veal and chickens for the market in Québec. At three o’clock in the afternoon, I returned to Saint-Antoine. I arrived there at four-thirty and found the house locked. The women went for a walk and did not
Desiré Lamontagne, married Odelie Frechette, on January 25 1875. He was a half-brother to
Euphrosine Lamontagne Demers, Télesphore's mother.
__________________
[33]
_________________________________
return until five-ten. At six o’clock, we ate with a bon appétit, the exercise did us good. A potato merchant arrived and he paid sixty centins for ninety pounds delivered to the train station.
Désiré and Odelie Lamontagne's farmhouse, and the birthplace of Télespore's mother, before the renovation. They are standing to the right of the door, the others are unknown, but presumbably are their children. Circa 1885-90.
_________________________________
Delienne and her small boy worked in the garden. They made war against the potato bugs. They finished their work at ten o’clock. Delienne prepared us an excellent
lunch of grilled sturgeon that was served for the first time, followed by an excellent pudding with strawberries. After lunch, I slept a little more than two hours, and after that I relaxed by taking a walk. I met Isaïe Martineau, the brother of Lazaire Martineau of Saint-Fortunat. I continued my walk and visited Monsieur Rousseau’s house. He is building a big barn. I went to visit them at the worksite. I had supper with them and, after supper, I went to work for a little while on the construction of the
[34]
______________________________
the barn. Monsieur Rousseau has a rare family. He is the father of 14 children, all living. God blessed him because all his children are robust and intelligent. The oldest is only twenty years old. At nine-thirty in the evening, I returned to Delienne’s.
July 11. This morning is overcast, but at nine o’clock it is sunny.
The women left to go to the market during the morning. I went to the Post Office with the goal of finding someone to entertain me. I spoke an hour and a half with Monsieur Gingras. He knows very well all the people of Saint-Fortunat who live in the “cul de sac.” The people here are very fun to talk to.
In the village of St-Antoine-de-Tilly. Circa 1900-20.
_________________________________________________
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Click the link below to view the image.
______________________________________
Collection numérique de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) :
_________________
Old manor home of the Seigneur de Tilly.
Digital Collections of BAnQ: http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/2026918.
_________________
________________________________________________
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Click the link below to view the image.
______________________________________
Digital Collections of BAnQ: http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/2026918.
_________________
On returning to the house, there was again a new meal waiting for us for lunch. We ate the first raspberries of the year. In the afternoon, I left on foot to go to Joseph Dubuc’s house. I arrived at one-thirty, but
[35]
______________________________________
I met with other people as he has gone to Québec. His wife didn’t know me, but I introduced myself and spent the afternoon there. They welcomed me as a cousin. Joseph arrived at six o’clock. At six o’clock, a powerful thunderstorm with lightning came, and the rain struck in a downpour. They are very well settled in a pretty, nicely finished and constructed house near the river.
At eleven o’clock in the evening, we prepared to go to sleep.
At eleven o’clock in the evening, we prepared to go to sleep.
July 12. The weather is very nice this morning.
At eight o’clock, we attended the first communion for children, which took place at the old church where my grandmother Lamontagne was baptized, made her first communion, and was married. It is also in this parish that the father of my wife, Simon Lamontagne, and his wife spent the happiest days of their lives, because it is here that the beautiful days of their childhood were passed.
Simon Lamontagne with children, circa 1885-90. Standing: Alphonsine, Joseph, Delienne,
Sitting: Philomene, Simon Lamontagne, Victoria Lamontagne.
[36]
__________________________________
__________________________________
At two o’clock in the afternoon, we went for a walk along the beach. The tidal area stretches more than a mile along the shore. During the several hours that we were on the beach, we saw three large ships pass by. Here the rocky cliffs along the shoreline are at least seventy-five feet high and are cut so steeply that trees cannot grow. The day has been very beautiful. After supper, we stayed in the shade for some time on the swing. At eight o’clock, I went to sit with the ladies and we talked until nine o’clock, after which we went to bed.
July 13. Nice weather, the river is very calm.
Joseph Dubuc began to mow hay this morning with oxen pulling the mower. There is very little hay here. At two o’clock in the afternoon, Joseph came to drive us to Delienne’s house. He spoke with us until five o’clock in the evening. I went to visit the place where my grandmother Lamontagne was born and also where father Simon Lamontagne and his wife passed the first days of their married life.
[37]
__________________________________
The weather stayed overcast for a part of the day. We had fun at Joseph's house, we talked a lot about many things. Delienne was not well this afternoon. At nine o’clock, we each go to our rooms. It is raining.
July 14. The weather is overcast this morning and there is a strong odor of burnt land.
Delienne says she is a little better. At ten o’clock in the morning, the sun was shining very hot, but at noon the sky was covered with clouds again, and we heard the groan of thunder. Delienne has put herself to bed for a rest, and Henriette is doing laundry. The thunder groans all afternoon, and we saw rain falling all around us, but it didn’t come here. We waited for news from Sanford, but the day went by and still nothing. Several farmers started cutting hay yesterday. We learned this evening that five stations have burned on the Intercolonial Railroad. At nine o’clock, the weather is very nice.
[38]
_________________________________________
July 15. The sky is again covered with clouds.
The women rose rather early this morning. They are again not feeling well. It is necessary to gather our rags and pack our bags if we want to move this afternoon. All morning we spent rushing around to get ready to leave. Henriette altered her clothes. It was necessary to lengthen the belts on her skirts because she can no longer put them on. The climate of Canada is healthy for her.
At one o’clock in the afternoon, we left for Saint-Nicolas. Monsieur Isaïe Martineau was our wagon driver. We arrived at Narcisse Lamontagne’s home, a cousin, at two o’clock in the afternoon. They are occupied with cutting hay. At four o’clock in the afternoon, they were bringing a stone for the renovation of the house at my Uncle Désiré Lamontagne’s farm. The horse pulled out the scaffolding and made it fall. Fortunately, no one was hurt - they escaped with only a bad scare.
[39]
____________________________________
We passed the evening with a newly married couple. We hardly expected to find ourselves, so to speak, at a wedding party. I saw a plow team in the ancient fashion, an ox with a horse pulling a mower. It could not have worked more beautifully. It was also at Saint-Nicolas that I saw the birthplace of my dear old father.
July 16. The weather is again overcast.
At eight o’clock in the morning, I went to my Uncle Désiré Lamontagne’s house to work with others on the renovation of the old house where my dear old mother was born. It was a celebration for me to have the honor of putting my hands to this work. It is the second time that it has been renovated completely. We’ve had a beautiful day. This afternoon was very sunny. We spent the evening talking of current fashions and of the old days. At ten o’clock, we went to bed happy to think that this dwelling today is the ancient farmhouse that sheltered my mother
[40]
_________________________________
on the day she was born and several years after. I was far from thinking that when I left Sanford for my trip that this pleasure or, rather, this honor would have been reserved for me. Everyone living here is asleep in the barn or in the attic of the shed because the rooms of the house are not finished.
July 17. It is very sunny, but the weather is misty.
I worked all afternoon at my uncle’s house. It was very hot, but in the afternoon the sky was overcast and threatened rain. At five o’clock the rain began, and at six o’clock my aunt left for the next day’s market. They are expecting a very good market. Many wagons followed each other all along the road to the market, which is going to be crowded. At seven o’clock, there was a beneficial rain. I spent part of the evening at my uncle’s. At eight o’clock, I returned to Narcisse’s house for the night. He has gone to the market.
[41]
___________________________________
July 18. The weather is still overcast.
At eight o’clock, I returned to work with my uncle so that I could help him for a short time. It remained overcast with a little rain from time to time, but we worked all day. This evening my uncle was very tired. A seven o’clock, I returned to Narcisse’s house. At eight-forty-five in the evening, people were returning from the market. Narcisse arrived with my uncle Flavian Lamontagne from Dakota. He is an elderly man of sixty-eight years but appears very old and worn out. It has been fifty-two years since I last saw him. Here, I saw again an old barn loft in the old Canadian style.
July 19. The weather remains overcast.
At nine-thirty, we attended mass in the same church where my father and mother were baptized, made their first communion, and received the sacrament of marriage. After mass I went to visit
[42]
_____________________________________
the cemetery, a vast field where my ancestors and other old relatives sleep their last sleep. I had lunch at Narcisse’s house. After that, I gave myself permission to rest. At two-thirty in the afternoon, I returned to my uncle’s house. At five o’clock, we went to visit the very place where the old house stood where my mother was born. The garden is still there and the orchard, too. We saw the old farm road, and the cellar is still visible. They also told me that this was also the place where the first house was constructed 200 years ago on this property.
At eleven-thirty, we each take to our rooms.
At eleven-thirty, we each take to our rooms.
July 20. The weather is again cloudy.
At seven o’clock, we left from Narcisse’s home, who drove us in a good wagon pulled by two horses. In passing by the rectory, I
[43]
__________________________________
stopped for my baptismal record. At nine o’clock in the morning, we arrived at Alexandre’s house. The weather was overcast and threatened rain. All the farmers were hurrying to put their hay in the barns. At four o’clock in the afternoon, we went to pick raspberries at my Uncle Germain Demers’ farm. The pickings were plentiful. We found as many as we could possibly carry. The weather has been very hot all afternoon and very clear. This evening, Narcisse Demers and his family came to pass the evening with us.
July 21. Very sunny and hot weather all morning.
At three o’clock in the afternoon, the weather was overcast and threatened a storm. The farmers were racing to save their hay. I had lunch at Nazaire Demers’ home. His brother Isaïe came to spend the afternoon with us. They brought me to visit all the places where my father’s brothers were born and had passed a part of their lives. Isaïe
[44]
_____________________________________
spent the evening with us. We had a good time.
July 22. It is raining this morning.
At nine-twenty in the morning, we left from Alexandre’s home to go to Isaïe Demers’. We arrived at ten-twenty. The weather was still overcast, but at noon it was sunny. After lunch, we went to visit his land which is very good and very nicely cleared, leveled and drained. At three-ten, we heard the roaring of cannons welcoming the Prince of Wales to Québec.
At four o’clock in the afternoon, we left to visit the Québec bridge. At five o’clock, we are at the bridge. It is something curious to see because it is rare to see such a large mass of iron in a heap. It is difficult to describe the impression it makes on us in thinking about the terrible catastrophe that happened when it collapsed. At six o’clock, we left the bridge to return to Isaïe’s house. I carried back a souvenir of the bridge.
_________________________________________________
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Click the link below to view the image.
______________________________________
Collapse of the Pont du Québec, August 1907.
Collection numérique de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) :
[45]
__________________________________
__________________________________
At seven o’clock, we arrived back at the house. Nazaire and his daughter spent the evening with us. At eight o’clock in the evening, a strong electrical storm struck the parish but caused no damage.
July 23. The weather is again overcast, but at seven o’clock in the morning the sun was hot.
At eight-forty-five, we left Isaïe Demers’ home to go to Québec to attend the grand celebration of Québec’s Tricentennial. We arrived at noon. All the train cars were full of passengers. I ate lunch at Aunt [Orelie] Baril’s house with the Lamontagne uncles.
At three-thirty, we go to the city. We had the pleasure of looking upon Champlain’s ship, which was as realistic as possible. The sails are in the form of a square. At four o’clock in the afternoon, the procession began. We saw Champlain escorted by all his colonists, and the Indians who accompanied him followed. The honor guards of each organization and all the ships in the harbor were very well decorated, as well as the city, which did not lack any decoration. At six-fifteen, we returned to my Uncle Belanger at Champlainville [note: the area around Place Royale in the Lower Town]. At nine o’clock in the evening, there was a splendid fireworks. The whole city was illuminated, and the Parliament building is completely lit up.
http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/1951184.
Oralie Lamontagne married Antoine Baril February 5, 1866. She was the half-sister of Euphrosine Lamontagne Demers, Telespohore's mother.
___________________
_______________________________________________
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Click the link below to view the image.
______________________________________
Champlain´s ship, Le Don-de-Dieu, before Québec City,
Tricentenary Celebration 1908.
Collection numérique de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) :
___________________
________________________________________________
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Click the link below to view the image.
______________________________________
The parade through the city.
Collection numérique de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) :
http://www.banq.qc.ca/collections/images/notice.html?id=0002636280.
___________________
July 24. Nice, warm weather.
At nine o’clock in the morning, I returned to Uncle Belanger’s house because I am not well, an indisposition. Here we saw the Indian fort. They are staying in tents during the festival of Québec. At two o’clock in the afternoon, we left to go visit the Plains of Abraham and arrived at three o’clock. It is a vast field which holds a big, temporary building and some other small buildings, as well as canvas tents and a crowd of people. We also saw Indian camps here, twenty camps. All the Indians are outside. We also saw soldiers and the
[47]
________________________________
cavalry, the city of tents, their post office, and their branch bank. All is very interesting to see. The day has been very beautiful. At six o’clock in the evening, we returned to my Uncle Belanger’s house, while Uncle Flavian went to my Aunt Orelie’s for the night.
July 25. The weather is overcast.
At seven o’clock, we left for the market. We arrived at eight o’clock in the morning, The market spreads out over a square arpent filled with fruits and all kinds of farm products, as well as buyers and sellers. We saw some comical scenes here: a small blind man of thirty-six inches played music to earn his living, while a blind woman sang love songs.
At nine-forty-five we visited Champlain’s house, a residence of two floors with four rooms on the first floor and three on the second. It is located in front
[48]
__________________________________
of the river. The front steps are made of stone. We visited Champlain’s office. The chairs are of dark wood, and his goose feather pen is in the front of the desk. The desk chair is of leather. These notes were written in the house, I even used the pen to write them. The Prince of Wales left with a discharge of canons at eleven o’clock in the morning, and there is another at two o’clock. In the afternoon the river was foggy here. We met with Théode Gosselin and Donat Girard from Saint-Fortunat. At two o’clock, we left for Saint-Agapit.
_________________________________________________
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Click the link below to view the image.
______________________________________
Champlain's Habitation.
Collection numérique de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) :
http://www.banq.qc.ca/collections/images/notice.html?id=0003350934.
________________________
Donat Girard of Saint-Fortunat, the son of Narcisse and Julie Lamontagne Girard,
Phelomene Martel, and their chilren.
Phelomene Martel, and their chilren.
Circa 1915.
_____________________
July 26. The weather is still overcast, but at seven-thirty the full sun appears and it is hot. At nine-thirty, we attended the high mass and after that there was the veneration of Saint Anne’s relic on the occasion of the feast day of Saint Anne. Upon leaving the church, I met père Jean-Baptiste Aubin and Louis Baron who stayed several years in Sanford. Père Aubin came with us
[49]
_______________________________
us to Isaïe Demers' house to spend a part of the afternoon. At four o’clock, we went to Eugène Aubin’s house where père Jean-Baptiste will spend the evening. The village of Saint-Agapit is rather beautiful. I saw again the school that I frequented. It is at this school that I received the little education that I am happy to possess. The schoolhouse has been moved back a little bit, but I recognized it. All day long, we saw the special trains pass by for the celebration in Québec.
July 27. The weather is overcast.
At eight o’clock in the morning, I left to visit Saint-Gilles on foot. I visited the church and the cemetery. It was very hot. I had lunch at Victor Demers’ home. His house is constructed with wood from the old chapel. While we had lunch, the rain arrived and carried with it some fresh air. I came back by the main road. At four o’clock, I was back. I went
[50]
________________________________
to supper at Ambroise Simoneau’s home and passed the evening at Joseph Vermette’s. Saint-Agapit is the place of my birth. I became reacquainted with childhood friends that I was happy to shake hands with again because it is always good to recall memories of childhood. I found that they have a beautiful church at Saint-Gilles and that it is nicely finished.
______________________________________
_______________________________________________
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Awaiting Permission to Publish the Photograph.
Click the link below to view the image.
The village of Saint-Gilles looking north, circa 1910-20.
Collection numérique de Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ) :
http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/1951025.
http://collections.banq.qc.ca/ark:/52327/1951025.
_________________
July 28. The weather is clear.
At eight-thirty in the morning, I left to visit the farm where I was born. I went by the railroad tracks. I recognized everything along the way. I walked to the location of the house that sheltered me on the day of my birth. Monsieur Majorique Monfette, who is the owner today, received me with a very warm welcome. He walked me everywhere, and I had lunch in the house that my old father occupied when he left Saint-Agapit. I found that all was in very good order. At one-thirty
[51]
__________________________________
we left Saint-Agapit to go to Sainte-Julie [now, Laurierville]. At two-thirty, we went to Thomas Roy’s house, a cousin. We found him disabled, he has lost a hand. They appear to live rather well and appear happy to see us. The weather was very nice and very hot. At six o’clock, we made a visit to the former home of my uncle François Demers. The house is vacant, no one occupies the farm.
July 29. Nice and warm, the sun is red. It is very hot all morning long.
At ten-forty, we left to go to Louis Normand’s house in the center of town. We found his wife alone. Louis had gone to Québec. I went for a walk, some drops of rain fell. They have a beautiful village and good wooden sidewalks that are in bad shape. We were always ready to break our necks. At nine-thirty, we went to bed. Fifteen minutes later, Louis arrived from Québec.
At ten-forty, we left to go to Louis Normand’s house in the center of town. We found his wife alone. Louis had gone to Québec. I went for a walk, some drops of rain fell. They have a beautiful village and good wooden sidewalks that are in bad shape. We were always ready to break our necks. At nine-thirty, we went to bed. Fifteen minutes later, Louis arrived from Québec.
[52]
_________________________________
July 30. Nice and very hot.
We spent part of the day in the shade. I wrote two letters, one to my children in Sanford and the other to Joseph Lamontagne in Saint-Eleuthère. At seven o’clock in the evening, we took a walk. It was still very hot.
July 31. In the morning, it is nice and cold, but at nine o’clock in the morning it is very hot.
We left Sainte-Julie to go to Stanfold and arrived at nine-twenty. We made a tour of the village and visited the church. We found that not much had changed. We saw again the former, old store of Monsieur Baril which is owned today by Monsieur Girron. At eleven o’clock, we went to the hotel and had lunch. At four o’clock, we went to Victor Demers’ home, who was my neighbor in Saint-Fortunat for several years. They were
There was a fire next to the river. At six o’clock in the evening, we saw a big fire, which appeared to us to be in the village of Somerset [now, Plessisville}. At eleven o’clock, we again saw the fire. Père Frédéric Demers stays with his son Victor who is very well established. He has beautiful land and all that is necessary to be a good farmer. And he also loves to show off his property.
[53]
_______________________________
very surprised and appeared very happy to see us. There was a fire next to the river. At six o’clock in the evening, we saw a big fire, which appeared to us to be in the village of Somerset [now, Plessisville}. At eleven o’clock, we again saw the fire. Père Frédéric Demers stays with his son Victor who is very well established. He has beautiful land and all that is necessary to be a good farmer. And he also loves to show off his property.
No comments:
Post a Comment