Lordship of Champlain

The Lordship of Champlain was granted in 1664 on the north side of St. Lawrence river, between Trois-Rivières and Quebec, under the feudal system of the New France. Today, the territory of the former manor of Champlain is located in the administrative region of Mauricie in the Quebec, Canada. The capital was the town of Champlain.

The Lordship of Champlain stretched from the north shore of St. Lawrence river (west of the mouth of Champlain River) up towards the north, parallel to the lordship of Batiscan on the East side. The dividing line between the two domains has become the way of the "mainline" (north-south), split in two the municipalities of Saint-Narcisse and Hérouxville.

Toponymy

In 1632, during an exploration trip Samuel de Champlain, acknowledged founder of the New France, lent his name to the Champlain River. Subsequently, the first lord, Étienne Pézard de la Touche, adopted the place-name as Champlain to describe his lordship. The same place-name was issued by the authorities in the Catholic parish at provincial county (1829), the Municipality (1845) and the past federal County (1867).

History of the Lordship

Many browsers have circulated on the river before the creation of the Lordship of Champlain. The indigenous peoples are present in the Valley of the St. Lawrence from 5000 to 7000 years. The Viking shall be deemed to have sailed along the east coast of Canada and in the waters of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the 1000s, and the French fishermen frequented the Gaspé Peninsula before first trip of Jacques Cartier in Canada in 1534.

In 1535, during his second voyage of discovery on the St. Lawrence River, Jacques Cartier passed in front of the future town of Champlain. From 1580, the Basque people made several fishing trips on the St. Lawrence. In 1603, Samuel de Champlain went to Champlain area. He will erect the first permanent post which became the city of Quebec in 1608, while Trois-Rivières was founded in 1634.

On the territory of the future lordship de Champlain, the first attempt of colonization on land granted by August 16, 1643 at Champlain to Jacques Aubuchon of Trois-Rivières has not resulted mainly because of the remoteness and the Iroquois threat. Recognized as the leading pioneer of Champlain, he sold his share in 1645.

The fief Marsolet and fief Hertel, granted April 5, 1644, are located in the area of Upper-Champlain (western part of the municipality). From 1645, Jacques Hertel built a house on his stronghold while continuing to live in Trois-Rivières. In both of these fiefs, concessions lots of land began in 1666.

Grant of the Lordship of Champlain

According to a deed dated August 8, 1664, the lordship of Champlain was granted to Stephen Pézard de la Tousche, Governor Augustine Saffray Mézy and Bishop François de Montmorency-Laval. Its scope covers 1 ½ "lieue" of frontage and one "lieue" deep, on both sides of the Champlain River. The lease does not mention a name given to the lordship. The act of ratification shall be issued by His Majesty on May 24, 1689. In 1665, the first land grants were contracted in the Lordship of Champlain.

Actions relating to the manor residents say they live in "La Touche-Champlain" from 1668 or simply "Champlain" from 1669. In 1684, Monsignor François de Montmorency-Laval gives the official titles to the Catholic parish of Champlain, twenty years after the creation of the Lordship of Champlain, pointing out that the place is commonly called "Champlain". The first lord was called "De la Touche-Champlain" in 1680, or "Pézard Champlain" already in 1693 or "Pézard Latouche-Champlain" in 1702. A fort and a chapel were built in 1664-1665.

The first acts were registered in 1665 in the parish registers. The first church was built between 1666 and 1671 to replace the chapel of Fort La Touche. In 1671, a flour mill was put into operation. In 1679, the town of Champlain had 250 people divided into forty families, some were established since the founding of the Lordship. The Lord was able to grant all lots of land in the first row along the river. The brave census already operating about 900 acres, averaging about 25% of the licensed area (usually measured 2 acres land granted wide by 40 long).[1]

A first increase of the territory of the manor seems to have been granted before 1721 by the Jesuits, to Mr De la Tousche according to Jean Bouffard. Another increase, with a range of three "lieues" deep, was granted on April 28, 1697 to Madame De la Tousche by the Governor Louis Frontenac Buade and the steward Jean Bochart de Champigny. The ratification act shall be issued by His Majesty on May 28, 1700.[2]

Biography of Stephen Pézard the Tousche (died about 1696) military, nominal governor of Montreal, Lord of Champlain, colonizer.

Born in Blois (Orleans, France), (son of Claude Pézard and Marie Masson), military Stephen Pézard de la Tousche have left France in 1661 to come to work in Canada. He was immediately appointed to the position of Lieutenant at Trois-Rivières, then captain of the garrison. During this assignment, Etienne Pézard gave assistance to Pierre Boucher in the drafting of the document "Histoire véritable et, naturelle…" (real history and natural ...) (Paris, 1664).[3]

In June 1664, Stephen left Trois-Rivières, to perform the function of command of the garrison of Montreal. He married on June 20, 1664 at Notre Dame Church (Montreal) Madeleine Mullois de La Borde and five children were born of this union. Although he was appointed on the same day of his marriage as governor of Montreal by Augustine Saffray Mézy, this appointment was never effective. The lords of Montreal opposed, alleging their hegemony over the appointment of the Governor.[4]

Following this setback, Augustine Saffray Mézy granted him on August 8, 1664, a manor on the north shore of St. Lawrence river, west of the Champlain River. Stephen Pézard de la Tousche immediately activated to operate the Lordship, unlike the majority of the lords of his time. He immediately interlocked construction of a mansion near the mouth of Champlain River, on the edge of a rock and a church in 1665. This stately new concession Stephen Pézard de la Tousche exacerbated the Jesuits who believed their manorial fully vested on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River between the Saint-Maurice River and the Batiscan River. Meanwhile, the Jesuits actively pursuing settlement of Cap-de-la-Madeleine.

Through his contacts with the authorities of Trois-Rivières, as well as its efforts particularly among captains, established families, soldiers and immigrants, the Lord Stephen Pézard de la Tousche attracted many pioneers. He conceded 22 land grants in 1665. To celebrate its merit of colonizer in New France, the steward gave him as a gift a "flight" of the royal stables.[5]

The date of his death is unknown, and is not recorded in religious or civil records of the New France. Historians conclude he died in 1696, based on documents that highlight its name in 1695. In addition, according to historian Jean Hamelin, written in November 1696 refers to the widow Mary Magdalene Mullois, who survived him until 1704.

Ephemerides

• April 5, 1644: concession of the fief Marsolet and fief Tree to the Cross, located in the present territory of the Municipality of Champlain.

• August 8, 1664: grant of the lordship of Champlain. This date proves the founding of the town of Champlain, the eighth oldest town in the New France.

• 1664: Construction of Fort La Touche-Champlain, in Champlain, at the mouth of the Champlain River.

• 1664-1665: The first settlers moved to the side of the lordship of Champlain. One of 34 lots granted in 1664-65 by Lord Stephen Pézard La Tousche.[6]

• In 1666: concessions of the fief Hertel begin to be granted.

• 1667: concessions on fief Marsolet begin to be granted to tenants. Some of the first families come from Trois-Rivières, including Antoine Desrosiers and Pierre François Chorel Dandonneau.

• 1789: acquisition of the manor of Champlain by Joseph Drapeau (April 13, 1752 - November 3, 1810). He is a lord, a merchant and politician in Lower Canada. In 1809 and 1810, he was elected to Northumberland to House of Assembly of Lower Canada.

• 1797: sale of the manor of Champlain by Joseph Drapeau to buy half of that of the Isle of Orleans.

• Years 1830-1850: emergence of the present village in the center of town. In 1860, there are 20 locations in the village. In 1933, there were 150.

• 1854: the end of the feudal regime in New France.

• 1855: Creation of the Municipality of parish of La Visitation-de-Champlain in the first municipal boundaries of the Quebec.

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ date of the founding of Champlain on August 8, 1664, article by René Beaudoin, historian
  2. ↑ Geographical Names Board of Canada - Register Place names - Lordship Champlain
  3. ↑ Pierre Boucher, book "Histoire véritable et naturelle des mœurs et production du pays de la Nouvelle-France, vulgairement dite le Canada" (Real and natural history of morals and production in the country of New France, commonly called Canada), Paris, 1664 - Historical Society of Boucherville, I, 1964
  4. ↑ Pierre-Georges Roy, book "Les Gouverneurs de Montréal" (The Governors of Montreal), BRH, XI (1905), p. 165.
  5. ↑ {{Link of Canadian Biography, Jean Hamelin, biography Stephen Pézard de la Tousche Champlain, Volume I (1000-1700)}}
  6. ↑ Jean-Pierre Chartier, geographer, book "La Grande distribution de terres de 1665 - Le fief et seigneurie Latouche-Champlain" (The Great land distribution of 1665 - The fief and seigniory Latouche Champlain), 2009, Collection of the Historical Society Champlain inc. - Collection History Quebec, written with the collaboration of the regional county municipality (RCM) Les Chenaux.