Picturesque Quebec : a sequel to Quebec past and present Part 72

[139] Hon. William Grant had wedded, at Montreal, on the 11th September, 1770, the widow of the third Baron de Longueuil, who had expired in 1755.

Hon Wm. Grant's decease is thus mentioned in the _Quebec Mercury_, on the 7th October, 1805:--"Died, on Sat.u.r.day, of an inflammation in his bowels, after a short illness, William Grant, Esq., of St. Roch. He came to this country shortly after the conquest; (about 1763). Under the old const.i.tution (prior to 1774) he was many years a Privy and Legislative Councillor. Under the present one, he was three times elected a representative to the House of a.s.sembly for the Upper Town of Quebec. He also, at different periods, filled several other important stations in the Province, in all which he manifested ability, a.s.siduity and activity. He embarked in speculative enterprise at an early age, whence his life may be truly said to have been a life of distinguished usefulness. His possessions are extensive and valuable". On a portion of the lot acquired and still occupied by Mr. Prudent Vallee, from the heirs of the late Peter Brebaut, on the 4th May, 1833, by deed, before L. T. McPherson, Esq., N.

P., there remains still the ma.s.sive ruins of what in the early part of the century was a stately stone dwelling, with vaulted rooms in the bas.e.m.e.nt.

The edifice faced towards St. Vallier street, and was surrounded by a high wall, with an iron gate on the St. Vallier street side, and an iron _porte-cochere_, enclosing what was once no doubt a blooming garden; it is now densely built over, since the great fire of 1845 swept over the locality like a tornado. This ostentations mansion is described in Mr.

Vallee's deed as the "Manor House," and we are led to believe that here for many a long day flourished the enterprising and wealthy "Seignior of St. Roch," the Hon. Wm. Grant, Receiver-General of His Majesty's rents, with Madame La Baronne de Longueuil, his respected spouse. The Grant estate, by a patent from Sir James Craig, dated 11th March, 1811, subsequently included what is now a most populous portion of St. Roch, styled "La Vacherie," because the city cows were daily brought to these moist lands adjoining the St. Charles. However, this opulent family had another manor, built by the Baronne very shortly after her marriage with Mr. Grant, in 1770, on the lovely Island of St. Helene, opposite to Montreal. She had also erected, opposite to Molson's brewery, a _ba.n.a.l_ mill to grind the corn garnered in the neighborhood. The St.

Helene manor was probably the country seat during the summer mouths, and the St. Vallier street mansion _la maison de ville_ of its busy and successful master, who died in 1805, ten years after his n.o.ble lady, who had expired on the 25th February, 1795.

[140] This gentleman (Mr. William Henderson) was for many years Secretary of the Quebec Fire a.s.surance Company. I believe he is still living, and that he resides at Frampton, in the County of Dorchester, P.Q.

[141] Renaud & Brown's Mills at present.

[142] Report No. 3 of Commissioners of the Harbour of Quebec.

[142] Queen's Birthday, Brochure, 1880.

[144] QUEBEC PAST AND PRESENT, p. 353.

[145] QUEBEC AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS.--Chas. Roger, 1864.

CHAPTER IV.

[146] The residence of Jos. Shehyn, Esq., M.P.P., occupies now this historic site.

[147] SAUNDERS SIMPSON.--He was Prevost Marshal in Wolfe's army of Louisbourg, Quebec and Montreal, and cousin of my father's. He resided in that house, the nearest to St. Louis Gate, outside, which has not undergone any external alteration since I was a boy.--_From unpublished Diary of Deputy Commissary General Jas. Thompson._

[148] Recent evidence extracted by Dr. H. H. Miles, out of Jas. Thompson's papers and letters, strengthen the theory previously propounded, and indicate Miss Mary Simpson, daughter of Saunders Simpson, as the famed Quebec beauty of 1782.

[149] Paint and extensive repairs have very much improved the historical house--owned and partly occupied by Mr. Green, Surveyor of H. M. Customs, Quebec--this year until May tenanted by George Stewart, Esq., author of "_Lord Dufferin's Rule in Canada_," "_The Great St. John Fire_, 1877," &c.

[150] Major Perrault and his esteemed father, the Prothonotary, a warm friend to education, both lived there many years.

[151] Three only now exist.

[152] My old friend died in 1867--regretted as a scholar, an antiquarian and the type of the old English gentleman.

[153] This realm of fairy land, so rich in nature's graces, so profusely embellished by the late James Gibb, Esq., President of the Quebec Bank, was recently sold for a rural cemetery.

[154] The stately home of Thomas Beckett, Esq.

[155] The picturesque villa of R. R. Dobell, Esq.

[156] A mossy old hall founded by Mr. McNider in the beginning of the century; now occupied by the Graddon family.

[157] The grand mansion of the late Chas E. Levey, Esq.

[158] Owned by Mr. Morgan.

[159] The highly cultivated farm and summer residence of Andrew Stuart, Esq.

[160] The property of Charles Ernest Levey, Esq.

[161] The beautiful home of W. Herring, Esq.

[162] The rustic abode of the late Hon. John Neilson, now owned by his eldest son, John Neilson, P. L. Surveyor, advantageously known by his popular notes on Canadian Birds. Dornald with its umbrageous glens, undulating meadows, broad and dense hard wood groves, seems a veritable Eden to the feathered tribe and offers innumerable opportunities of observation to the eye of a naturalist.

[163] Recently acquired by James Bowen, Esq., founded by the late W.

Atkinson, Esq., in 1820.

[164] For account of the duel, which laid law one of the Hollands, see _Maple Leaves_ for 1863. The tree, however, has lately been destroyed by a storm.

[165] A stately Convent of Congregational Nuns.

[166] The ornate country seat of Robt. Hamilton, Esq.

[167] The cosy dwelling of And. Thompson, President Union Bank.

[168] The homestead of Hon. D. A. Ross, late Atty.-Genl., Province of Quebec.

PART II--ENVIRONS OF QUEBEC

[169] A. Brulart de Sillery, Marquis de Puisieux, was Minister of Foreign Affairs in France from 1747 to 1751.--O'Callaghan's _Paris Doc.u.ment Table_, vol. x.

[170] His career furnishes a curious instance of the lavish expenditure which ambitious sovereigns formerly required on such grand occasions. Let us quote his biographer's own words: "Son entree dans Rome fut superbe; il etait dans un carosse ouvert, en forme de caleche, tout brillant d'or, meme jusqu'aux roues qui etaient dorees. Ses chevaux etaient ferres avec des plaques d'argent qui ne tenaient que par un seul clou, afin que, venant a se detacher, elles fussent rama.s.sees par les pauvres, a qui, outre cela, il faisait jeter quant.i.te d'argent. Son carosse etait entoure de douze gentilshomme bien montes et superbement vetus; et de douze valets de pied d'une rich livree, suivis des carosses que le Pape avait envoye pour lui faire honneur. Sa Saintete fut sur un balcon pour voir son entree. M. l'amba.s.sadeur etait vetu en Chevalier de Malte, avec sa croix enrichie de diamants. Ce fut dans ce superbe equipage qu'il fit les visites des cardinaux."

[171] An authentic record still remains of the foundation of the mission; it is written in the language of Virgil, by Father Deguen, its first missionary, and heads the register of baptisms, marriages and burials of the mission. It runs thus: "Dominus de Sillery, eques militenses et sacerdos non adpridem factus, vir imprimis plus, reductionem Sancti Josephi, una et amplius leaca, supra Kebic.u.m ad ripas magni fluminis."

Jacta sunt fundimenta domus, Julii, 1637, et 14 Aprilis anni, 1638.-- _Bressani_, _Appendix_, p. 300.

[172] Il y avait (des pet.i.te forts) a Sillery, sur les fiefs Saint Michel, Saint Francois, Saint Sauveur, a Beauport, a l'Ile d'Orleans. "Les _Hiroquois_," dit la mere de l'Incarnation, "craignent extremement les cannons; ce qui fait qu'ils n'osent s'approcher des forts." Les habitants, afin de leur donner la cha.s.se et de la terreur, ont des redoutes en leurs maisons pour se defendre avec de pet.i.tes pieces.--_Abbe Ferland's Notes_, p 92.

[173] _History of the Hotel-Dieu_, Mere Juchereau.

[174] Abbe Faillon's _Histoire de la Colonie Francaise en Canada_, vol.

ii., p. 28.

[175] The hotel was later kept by one Pierre Letarte.

[176] Faillon cautions students to be careful not to confound the name of the parish of Ste. Foye with the name "Sainte Foix" which M. Puiseaux had given to his manor, higher up than Quebec on the sh.o.r.e of the St.

Lawrence.--_Ibid_, vol. iii, p. 319.

[177] "Jacques Bra.s.sier, Jean Tavernier, Nicholas Josselin, Etienne Robin dit Desforges, Rene Douspin Jean LeComte, and Francois Crusson dit Pelate, belonged to those immortal seventeen heroes who, led on by their brave and youthful commander, Adam Dollard Desormeaux, shed their blood so n.o.bly for the salvation of the nascent colony at Montreal at the Longue Sault, on 21st May, 1660."--(See Faillon, vol. ii., p 416.)

[178] Ma.n.u.script owned by G. B. Faribault, Esq.

[179] _Histoire de la Colonie Francaise en Canada_, Faillon, vol. iii., p.

222.

[180] The insecurity produced in the colony at this period by the incessant inroads of the Five Nations was such that several colonists were on the eve of, and some did, return to France.