Some of these photos, and others can
be seen
here
(However, without explanations, on
The website of Morin Heights
Historical Association).
Excerpts typed from (page 438...) of
the book:
History of Argenteuil
"Mille Isles"
Organized 1st July 1855
"...The
first settlers in Mille Isles were
John and
Henry Hammond
as is shown in a sketch in the history of Lachute. They lived in the north
part of the parish some time, after the other settlers came in, and as they
owned a yoke of oxen, in winter after heavy snowfalls they often kindly
broke out the road past their neighbours’ dwellings...
The old settlers of Mille Isles, who are
still alive, all have their stories of hard work, performed in winter’s cold
and summer’s heat, and oftentimes with but a scant
supply of even coarsest fare. It will be recollected that it was in Mille
Isles Carruthers
made two barrels of potash
on a diet of potatoes and water. All the different methods of conveying
grist to and from the mill, which were adopted by early settlers in older
localities, were here repeated.
John Hammond, for want of a horse
once brought a grindstone weighing 80 lbs., on his back form Lachute – 20
miles...
A Post Office was established in Mille Isles
many years ago, William Pollock
being the first Postmaster; ...
...
Philip Good ... bought 150
acres... in Mille Isles, on which he has lived many years; he is much
respected in the parish. He was in Capt. McKnight’s Company of Rangers
during the Fenian raids, has been School
Commissioner, Municipal Councillor, and an active
promoter of all local improvements. ...
Samuel Campbell,
from the County of Derry,
Ireland, about 1837, took up 200
acres of land in this parish, which land is now owned by his son John, he
died in May 1875. He had six sons and two daughters that grew up.
Thomas, his third son, learned the
blacksmith’s trade... was married in February, 1867, to
Esther Lee
of Lachute. He was a man of intelligence, and held prominent local
positions, and belonged to the Orange Order, as his father had also. His
first wife (by whom he had two boys and one girl,) died in September, 1872.
About a year afterward he married
Mary Riddle of this parish, by
which marriage he had one son and one daughter.
Samuel,
the youngest of his first wife’s children, learned his father’s trade ...
has erected a fine shop in a central location, and his thriving business,
with his energy, indicates that he is one of the rising young men of the
parish.
Mathew Hammond,
from the County of Cavan, Ireland, settled in the
east part of Gore in 1830 ... In 1840, his eldest son,
James,
also came with his family, and settled in Mille Isles on 100 acres, which is
now owned by James Patterson.
He arrived in June, and on the 17th of the following months his
wife was suddenly seized with illness, and died within two hours.
Mr. Hammond had the honour of owning the
first wheeled vehicles in Mille Isles, which was a cart. After the death of
his wife, he married Nancy Pollock
of Gore, by which marriage he had
ten children that grew up. By the first marriage, he had six sons and one
daughter; the latter was married to
Philip Good; the sons, also,
settled in this section. Mr. Hammond died in 1874.
James, his
second son, three years after coming to Mille Isles, began work on Los 21
and 22, 3rd range, on which he now lives – at that time covered
with a dense forest. He has cleared
150 acres, which
he chopped nearly all himself. The old arch where he made potash, and
earned his first money, may still be seen in his meadow, a poplar tree, 18
inches in diameter, growing close beside it. He was married 13th
August, 1845, to
Matilda, daughter of
Henry Maxwell of Mille Isles. Mr. Hammond, as
well as his neighbours, during all the early years of his pioneer life, had
to go to Lachute to get a horse shod; and all his loads were drawn on the
“slide car” the most
primitive of all means for conveying loads. He belonged to Capt. Pollock’s
Company of Rangers, and has served as Municipal Councillor and valuator. He
has had twelve children, of whom six sons and five daughters are living.
Mr. Hammond has good farm buildings, a goodly number of horses, cattle and
sheep, and though the labour he has performed during the last half century
seems enough to sear out any human frame, he still can accomplish in a day
an amount of work from which most young men would shrink."
Information about the 1861 census of Mille
Isles can be seen
here
(Morin Heights Historical Association.)
Interesting to note that
there were 572 people. Women were listed as "Wife", men were listed as
farmers, labourers or by a profession, ages was recorded too.
Source: Shirley Captain (450)
562-4480
Colours
and dimensions artwork may be slightly different from the original.
