THE OLD TRADING POSTS

Lachine dates from 1666, when La Salle laid the foundations .

of the palisaded village of Lachine, at the spot of the C. P. KR.

bridge. The mission of La Presentation at Dorval was founded .

nearly about the same time. Lachine became a parish in 1676, and St. Annes in 1685. Considerable traffic was then going

on at these two posts. René Cuillerier had his store below, on .

the lower road, then known as Côte St. Sulpice, exactly on the site of the homestead of John Fraser, near the old aqueduct and the King's stores. This post was known as Fort Cuillerier. Adjoining s'ood Fort Remy, or Lachine (1), where Jean Millot, who purchased from La Salle did a large business. Some arpent: further, to the west, upon the holding of Ed. Witgre-s, to day, near the canal lock, in the house in fact and the storehou:e that his family occupies today, was the trading depot of Charles LeMoyne de Longueuil and his brother-in-law, Jacques LeBer. These are probably the most ancient buildings on the island of Montreal, having been built in 1671. A mile further up, near

(1) In a note of Mr. Remy written obout 1705, it is stated that the fort Lachine was ‘‘vulgairement et suivant la carte de cette isle appelé fort Remy à cause

‘“ des trois redoutes à pierriers et canons que nous avons fait bastir de nosdeniers.” ”

Régistre de Lachine. The stone wind mill was used as the fourth redoubt,

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the Lachine wharf, on the land at present occupied by Hanna’s Hotel, François LeNoir dit Rolland had a fort which bore his name, and at which he did a large business. Two miles b.yond, at Dorval, upon the land of Mr. Alexis Brunet, Pierre Le Gardeur, Sieur de Repentigny, had also a store in the Fort d: La Presentation, which he had just acquired from the Seminary. The history of all these forts is given in my ‘Old Lachine,” and my ‘Old Forts of Lachine” (1)

(1) It is evident to every one examining the registers of Lachine, that none of the successors of Mr. Remy were as careful in the description of the parties to acts of civil status, but no fault can be found with regard to the military, and if after 1706, no mention is made of the forts, nor of the officers in command, it must have been because they were no longer occupied by regular troops, and if still guardéd at all, were left to the care of the local militia. It may be that the regular troops were more needed at the far west posts such as La Présentation, near Prescott, Cataracouy, Niagara, Détroit, etc. Even, at Ste Annes, a fort was kept at l'Isle aux Tourtes and an other one at Fief Senneville late in the 18th century.

I have never in the registers come across the name of a single officer in charge of Fort Cuillerier. We know from the report of Mr. de Catalogne, an eye witness, that it was in existence in 1689, and it is specially alluded to in the registers of the 5th of June, 1695, the 28th of May, 1698, andthe 24th of September, 1702. With regard to Fort La Présentation, it would seem that it was either destroyed or abandoned shortly after the year 1689, probably in about 1691, when it passed to J.-Bte. Bouchard dit Dorval, who, when named in the registers, is never connected with the fort. The registers of 1687 and 1689 are the only ones which refer to the coinmanding officer, Mr. de Cruzel; and an entry made in a register of burial of the 2th of May, 1693, seems to establish that it was no longer in existence : Reference is there made to the Fort of the Church or Fort Remy, and ‘‘les deux autres forts”, evidently meaning Fort Rolland and Fort Cuillerier, which beyond doubt were still kept,

I'have collected from the registers of Lachine the following names of military officers both before 1706 and since :

Fort La Présentation :—Claude de Masre, sieur de Cruzel, 30 septembre 1687 et 2 décembre 1689,

Fort de l'Eglise ou Remy :—-Jean Louis de la Corne, sieur de Chapt, commandant, 16 février 1688.

Jean Bouillet, sieur de la Chassaigne, commandant, (Mr. de la Chassaigne était absent pour cause de maladie lors du massacre, 5 août 1689, Voir Le Vieux Lachine, p. 37.) 14 juin, 1er août et 2 décembre 1689; septembre 16%; 10 septembre 1702, |

Gabriel Dumont, sieur de Blaignac, son lieutenant, 1er août 1689.

Olivier Le Mercier, chevalier de Beaurepas, lieutenant, 2 décembre 1689, 25 juillet et septembre et octobre 1690.

Jean de Liesseline, enseigne et commandant, ler août et 18 octobre 1689 et 21 mars 1690. à .

François Le Gantier, sieur de la Vallée de Ranée, commandant de 1692 à 1704.

Jacques Malleray, sieur de la Mollerie, commandant, 3 juillet 1699.

Le Verrier, commandant, 19 mars 1703. :

Guillaume de Lorimier, commandant, 12 juin 1706.

Fort Rolland :—Jean Despéré, sieur de l'Isle, commandant, 22 février 1688.

César Marin, sieur de la Massière, commandant, 1er août, le 18 octobre et 15 décembre 1689 ; 21 mars 1690.

Daniel Crisolon, sieur Dulhut, (signe Dulhut), commandant, 7 juin 1700.

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At Ste. Annes, the Baie d’Urfé mission was opened about 1674, at Pointe Caron. Antoine de la Fresnay, Sieur de Brucy, theretofore ‘ lieutenant au régiment d'Auvergne,” had in 1670, a fief on Isle Perrot (opposite Girdwood’s Island), consisting of 10 arpents by 30, where, as early as 1671, in addition to a big trade, he carried on the liquor traffic with the Indians, on behalf of Mr. Perrot, Governor of Montreal.

This post was considered more advantageous than any in Lachine. It was more to the front, and its proprietors were thus enabled to forestall the other traders when the Indians brought their furs down the St. Lawrence or the Ottawa river. The post is famous in the history of the colony, on account of the troubles which it caused so many high personages in the year 1674, among other+, de Fenélon, d’Urfé, de Brucy and Perrot himself.

Le Bois de Brucy, on the fief de Brucy, Ile Perrot, opposite St. Aunes, is called after the Sieur de Brucy.

In 1815, the fief de Brucy belonged to the representatives of Ignace Chesnier. Bouchette, p. 166.

In 1672, Robert Perroy, Mathurin Roullier and Toussaint Hunault dit Deschamps were already installed at the end of the

Jacques Dumesny, sieur de Noray, (signe Dumesny), commandant, 18 août 1690; 27 juin 1691; 24 février 1694, et aussi 1696, 1697 et 1698.

Guillaume de Lorimier, commandant, 1692, et 22 mai 1705.

Louis Le Sénechal, sieur D’Auberville, commandant, 8 décembre 1693.

Frs. de Frenel, sieur de la Ripardière, seigneur de Viette, commandant, 3 février 1700.

De Mantes, commandant, 18 février 1706.

Military officers at Lachine after 1706 :—

Collet, Claude, soldat de la compagnie de Mr. de Lignerie, 28 février 1707.

Picoté de Bellestre, Frs., officier de la marine, 7 juillet 1719.

De Blainville, officier dans les troupes de la marine, 20 mai 1745.

De Cathalogne, Gédéon, lieutenant, officier d’un détachement de la marine, 28 mars 1707; 29 mai 1746.

De Lorimier, Guillaume, père et fils, capitaine dans les troupes de la marine ou officier de marine, 7 juillet 1719; 25 août 1722 ; 3 novembre 1727; 8 février 1730; 26 avril 1733; 17 janvier 1736; 23 décembre 1740 ; 29 juin 1730 ; 27 janvier 1737; 17 février 1743; 17 janvier 1744.

Gauthier, René, sieur de Varennes, lieutenant d’une compagnie du détachement de la marine, 17 janvier 1737.

Largenterie, Etienne, lieutenant dans les troupes de ce pays, 17 mai 1720.

Le Moyne, Jos., sieur de Longueuil, capitaine de Mr. de la Corne, 17 janvier

Quesnel, Charles, lieutenant d'une compagnie des troupes de la marine, 19 avril 1746.

De Senneville, officier dans les troupes de la marine, 13 novembre 1738.

De la Verendrye, Pierre, officier dans les troupes de la marine, signe de Laverendrie, 14 avril et 13 novembre 1738.

Vital Caron, capitaine de la côte, 26 septembre 1717; 17 octobre 1717.

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