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.


Algonquians history

In 1609 the French became the allies of the Algonquians, Montagnais,


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MicMacs and Hurons tribes. This alliance would conduct New France
in a series of murderous wars against the Iroquois.


French - Montagnais dictionary - 1674
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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
.

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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 Co
unt 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


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brought back the peace and the colony could continue its development.


Huts in Outaouais

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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