The Seigniory of Argenteuil
in New France 
The first inhabitants of this
territory were Native Indians
Before
the XVIst century, several tribes of Algonquians were already
living on a track of land
along the north side of the St. Lawrence river, between the
Outaouais and Trois-Rivières regions.
In 1609 the French became the allies of the Algonquians, Montagnais,
MicMacs and Hurons
tribes.
This alliance would conduct New France
in a series of
murderous wars against the Iroquois.
French - Montagnais dictionary - 1674
Click on the
engraving
One of the first dictionaries old French - Native Indian - 1544
The
Ottawa river then called the « Great River », became
the main road to the fur trade.
In
1640, the Iroquois exterminated the Huron nation who had
retreated
at the north of Quebec city. Then they attacked the Algonquins
and eliminated them from the Laurentians over a period of
approximately ten years.
Click on the
engraving
It was in that war context that in May 1660, the young Adam Dollard des Ormeaux
gathered
17 other settlers and joined by forty five huron and algonquin
warriors set a trap
at the place called the « Long-Sault » which was
situated between Grenville and Carillon.
Beautiful
and rare opuscule on Adam Dollard des
Ormeaux published in 1895
(© Copyright Count of Argenteuil - Reproduction
prohibited)
Click
on the pictures
They battled against hundreds of Iroquois warriors who were
prepared to destroy
the colony. The battle lasted several days. Only one Huron
survived the slaughter.
This
bloody battle was followed by a truce that lasted close to twenty
years
between the Iroquois and the French. Dollard des Ormeaux became a
hero.
Landscape of Argenteuil (Courtesy
: Office of cinema and television of Argenteuil-Laurentides).
The
war started again in the year 1680 and the Iroquois attacked
several
voyageurs in the area of the « Long-Sault ». In
august 1701 the signature
of The Great Peace of Montreal
brought back the peace and the colony could continue its development.
Huts in Outaouais
Click on the
engraving
Several documents accessible by the links of this
page must be opened with
The Seigniory of Argenteuil
The Argenteuil seigniory is situated on the south side of the Laurentians.
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A
satellite photo of the region of Argenteuil
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The authorities,
wishing to develop the north of the New France,
granted several new Seigniories
in the name of
the King of France.
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Argenteuil
sur Armançon, in
Burgundy - France.
Click
on the pictures
Two
pictures courtesy
of Mr Patrick Bertin.
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Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac and Palluau.
The Governor Frontenac granted to Charles-Joseph d’Ailleboust
des Musseaux,
the Fief and seigniory of Argenteuil. The new seignior was from
Ancy le Franc.
He was also the owner of a castle in
Argenteuil sur Armançon
in France (Burgundy) and named the seigniory after this place.
Coat of Arms of Ancy le Franc
and Pavillon of Burgundy.
Charles-Joseph d’Ailleboust des
Musseaux,
was governor by interim of Ville-Marie in 1651.
His ennoblement had been confirmed in 1652 by the King of France.
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The most ancient known d’Ailleboust
were Pierre d’Ailleboust,
physician of the King
of France, François the first,
and his son Jean, First physician of the King
of France, Henry IV.
Commemorative plaque in Ancy
Le Franc, in Bourgogne - France.
Photo courtesy : Mrs Sylvie Ravet-Biton.
After his arrival
in Montreal in 1643, the grandson of Jean,
Louis d’Ailleboust de Coulonge et
d'Argentenay
became governor of Ville-Marie (Montreal) in 1645.
He later became the third governor of New
France, in 1648.
Sceal of the Conseil Supérieur
of New France.
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Charles-Joseph
d'Ailleboust des Musseaux
boydyguard of the King of France, seignior of Isle Bourdon
and nephew of Louis, was conceded the seigniory of Argenteuil in 1680.
This territory measured 54 000 acres or 21 852 hectares.
Leftenant of the Montréal garnison, then
bailif of the Sénéchaussée,
he never occupied his charge of Seignior of Argenteuil.
Landscape of Argenteuil (Courtesy
: Office of the cinema and television of Argenteuil-Laurentides).
His son Pierre d’Ailleboust
d’Argenteuil
bought the Seigniory from him in 1697
and became the first real seignior of Argenteuil until his death in 1711.
Pierre d’Ailleboust d’Argenteuil married Marie-Louise Denys
de la Ronde
who will develop the seigniory and built between
1721 and 1724 the first Seigniorial Manor which
disapeared in a fire.
Marie-Louise Denys de la Ronde died in 1747.
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The Fief of Argenteuil was situated at 80 km from Ville-Marie (the
actual town of Montreal)
and comprises several islands for example Carion which became
Carillon over the years.
Nevertheless it’s only from 1732 that new arrivants started
get settled in the area.
In 1740 only five French families are established along the edge
of the Ottawa river.
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In 1746, the King of France granted a second
track of land to the Seignior of Argenteuil.
This new territory wasn’t developed fast enough for the
Governor
and was transferred to the Joliette county.
The Seigniory of Argenteuil is circled in
red.
The much bigger territory granted to the Seignior of Argenteuil
and named Seigniory of
d'Ailleboust is circled in blue.
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The
possessions of America seen by french in 1787
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The Seigniory of
Argenteuil changed owner several times
before becoming the propriety of Mister
Pierre Louis Panet in 1781.
Then it was sold
to Major Patrick Murray,
former commandant of Fort Detroit, in 1793,
who gave the name St. Andrews to the first village.
The Seigniory was later sold to Mister James Murray in 1803.
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Commemorative plaque
in St.Andrews of Argenteuil - Photo courtesy of Mrs Renée
Gauthier
The first settlers
came from Massachusetts in 1803.
They took part in the development
of the first village: St. Andrews (now St-André-Est)
and built the first paper mill in Canada.
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A map
of the seigniory of Argenteuil.
Click on the engraving
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Another map
of the seigniory of Argenteuil.
Click on the engraving
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Sir John Johnson bought the
seigniory 26 decembre on 1808 and encouraged
the American Loyalists to settle first in St. Andrews then in the
village of Carillon
and finally in the area called Lachute.
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St. Andrews in
Argenteuil. Details of a painting made in 1844. Photo courtesy of
Mrs Renée Gauthier.
Several views of
this painting exhibited at the regional museum
of Argenteuil in Carillon.
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The american settlers were followed by
immigrants from the British islands,
mostly Scotch and later, Irish. These Anglophones became
the nucleus for the development of the Seigniory.
This explains why the area was mainly anglophone until the
beginning
of the XXth century. In 1941 it fell to 36% and in 2001, 19%.
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The territory was
developed from the South to the North.
The groups of
newcomers worked on the land,
exploited the forests and mines, and gave birth to the actual
municipalities.
The French
segniorial regime was officially abolished in the province of
Quebec in 1854
that's why they don't exist anymore.
The only existing titles are those of Seigniors which are still
worn.
These titles are hereditary and are
transmitted from one generation to the other.
The title of Seignior of
Argenteuil created by Louis the
Fourteenth, King of France,
is not recognized since it became a Republic in 1789.
But it is still recognized by the countries part of the Commonwealth
and several other countries
under the monarchal system today.
The Seignior of Argenteuil today
The
present
heir to
the
ancestral
title
of
Seignor of
Argenteuil
is
Alain
Pierre Chebroux, also
Count of Argenteuil and
Baron
of
Grenville
More on the Argenteuil County : LCA
Thanks : This
informations is courtesy of His Imperial Highness Prince Normand,
The Mayor of Argenteuil sur Armançon (France), Sylvie Ravet-Biton,
Marc-Gabriel Vallières,
Patrick-Sohny de Perron, The Prefect of the
Argenteuil MRC (Quebec),
Renée Gauthier, The Bibliothèque Nationale du Québec and the
Canadian Atlas.
Translated by
Renée Gauthier
© Alain Chebroux, Count of Argenteuil :
www.count-argenteuil.com
©
Count Alain Chebroux of Argenteuil. The Seigniory and the County
: www.argenteuil.name
