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french_migration_glengarry [2022/12/16 15:23] – johnw41french_migration_glengarry [2024/03/03 20:24] (current) – external edit 127.0.0.1
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-====== FRENCH MIGRATION TO GLENGARRY - 1880-1920 ======+====== French Migration to Glengarry - 1880-1920 ======
                                                                              
-This is a summary of a presentation made on December 1, 2022 at the Centre Communautaire de Green Valley Community Center by Yvon R. Ménard, a life-long resident of Green Valley, a retired teacher and vey recently, a director on the board of Société Historique Glengarry Historical Society.+This is a summary of a presentation made on December 1, 2022 at the Centre Communautaire de Green Valley Community Center by Yvon R. Ménard, a life-long resident of Green Valley, a retired teacher and very recently, a director on the board of Société Historique Glengarry Historical Society.
  
-==Preamble: The French in North America ==+=== Preamble: The French in North America ===
  
 Considering that almost all Franco-Glengarrians can trace their ancestry back to Québécois families who in turn are direct descendants of migrants from France who came to settle in Nouvelle-France over 400 years ago, it stands to reason that I begin my presentation with a short trip into their past and rediscover part of the French adventure in North America. It’s an integral part of our history. Considering that almost all Franco-Glengarrians can trace their ancestry back to Québécois families who in turn are direct descendants of migrants from France who came to settle in Nouvelle-France over 400 years ago, it stands to reason that I begin my presentation with a short trip into their past and rediscover part of the French adventure in North America. It’s an integral part of our history.
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-Brief history of Scottish settlers in Glengarry+=== Brief history of Scottish settlers in Glengarry ===
  
 As most of you know, Glengarry was founded in 1784 by Sottish Loyalists, mainly from clan Donald and other Highland Scottish emigrants from the Mohawk Valley in New York. The Crown granted them land and helped them with supplies the first winter as compensation for their losses. Some veterans received land instead of payment for their salaries. In addition, the settlement was founded as a destination of Scottish emigrants after the recent Highland Clearances. Great Britain hoped the new emigrants would settle and develop this area, which became known as Upper Canada and later Ontario. Cornwall was also founded in 1784 by the veterans of Sir John Johnston’s regiment as a loyalist settlement, while Stormont and Dundas were founded later, in 1792.  As most of you know, Glengarry was founded in 1784 by Sottish Loyalists, mainly from clan Donald and other Highland Scottish emigrants from the Mohawk Valley in New York. The Crown granted them land and helped them with supplies the first winter as compensation for their losses. Some veterans received land instead of payment for their salaries. In addition, the settlement was founded as a destination of Scottish emigrants after the recent Highland Clearances. Great Britain hoped the new emigrants would settle and develop this area, which became known as Upper Canada and later Ontario. Cornwall was also founded in 1784 by the veterans of Sir John Johnston’s regiment as a loyalist settlement, while Stormont and Dundas were founded later, in 1792. 
  
-The arrival of the Ménard family in Green Valley (8th concession, Lancaster Twp)+== The arrival of the Ménard family in Green Valley (8th concession, Lancaster Twp) ==
  
 (I am convinced that this story is typical of many other French immigrants who  first came to settle in Nouvelle-France in the 18th century and then whose Québec descendants came to Eastern Ontario in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.) (I am convinced that this story is typical of many other French immigrants who  first came to settle in Nouvelle-France in the 18th century and then whose Québec descendants came to Eastern Ontario in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.)
 +
 In 1756, the first Ménard of our lineage arrived in Nouvelle-France. Jean-Baptiste was born in Franche-Comté, France, in 1732, near the Swiss border. He was a soldier in Montcalm’s army, married in Québec in 1758 and after surviving the Battle of Québec, settled down in Repentigny just east of Montréal and became a farmer. They had 10 children. In 1756, the first Ménard of our lineage arrived in Nouvelle-France. Jean-Baptiste was born in Franche-Comté, France, in 1732, near the Swiss border. He was a soldier in Montcalm’s army, married in Québec in 1758 and after surviving the Battle of Québec, settled down in Repentigny just east of Montréal and became a farmer. They had 10 children.
  
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 Now, I (Yvon), am a 4th generation Glengarrian. Born in 1941, I attended the same elementary school my grandfather had founded back in 1916: École Libre de Green Valley which later became École du Sacré-Coeur S.S. 11. I also attended G.D.H.S. (1954-56) and then, a private French school in Cornwall (1956-62), Collège Classique, and obtained my B.A. degree from l’Université d’Ottawa. After teaching French at CHS and NDDHS for two years, I returned to GDHS in September 1964 as a teacher and remained there for 33 years until my retirement in 1997. Now, I (Yvon), am a 4th generation Glengarrian. Born in 1941, I attended the same elementary school my grandfather had founded back in 1916: École Libre de Green Valley which later became École du Sacré-Coeur S.S. 11. I also attended G.D.H.S. (1954-56) and then, a private French school in Cornwall (1956-62), Collège Classique, and obtained my B.A. degree from l’Université d’Ottawa. After teaching French at CHS and NDDHS for two years, I returned to GDHS in September 1964 as a teacher and remained there for 33 years until my retirement in 1997.
  
-The seigneurial system in Québec+=== The seigneurial system in Québec ===
  
 What is the relevance, you might ask? Well, many young farmers had experienced this system before moving here or at least their fathers and grandfathers did. What is the relevance, you might ask? Well, many young farmers had experienced this system before moving here or at least their fathers and grandfathers did.
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 In 1701, Pierre Jacques de Soulanges and his brother-in-law, Philippe de Rigaud de Vaudreuil were granted seigneuries by the King in a territory west of Montréal between the St-Lawrence and the Ottawa Rivers that would eventually become the two most western counties in Québec. In 1719, habitants started clearing lands and a chapel was built in 1721. 150 years later, descendants moved here. In 1701, Pierre Jacques de Soulanges and his brother-in-law, Philippe de Rigaud de Vaudreuil were granted seigneuries by the King in a territory west of Montréal between the St-Lawrence and the Ottawa Rivers that would eventually become the two most western counties in Québec. In 1719, habitants started clearing lands and a chapel was built in 1721. 150 years later, descendants moved here.
                                                                                  
-FRENCH MIGRATION TO GLENGARRY+=== FRENCH MIGRATION TO GLENGARRY ===
  
 Although it began in the mid-1800’s but in a very limited way, the movement did not intensify until after Confederation in 1867. In the neighbouring counties of Vaudreuil and Soulanges large families living on farms was prevalent. Families of 12 to 15 and sometimes even more than 20 were quite common. This was largely due to the so-called Revenge of the Cradle preached and enforced by the Catholic Church in Québec. The high fertility rate of French-Canadian women who received a medal from the Pope after their 10th child, was perceived by some English Canadians as a plot to drown out the English element in Québec. If you didn’t have a child a year, you were a sinner and often refused confession and communion. So, not long after the Conquest (1759), large families became the norm. It was a means of survival: a counterbalance to the incoming large number  of immigrants from the British Empire, an effective way to combat assimilation and discrimination. This control and absolute authority by the Church on family size lasted almost 200 years, until the 1950’s. Yes, even here in Glengarry, that was the case to some extent. As a result, the population of Québécois francophones, mainly agrarian, grew tremendously in that span (from 70,000 at the time of the Conquest to 7 million today). And keep in mind there was no immigration from France.                                                                                                                        Although it began in the mid-1800’s but in a very limited way, the movement did not intensify until after Confederation in 1867. In the neighbouring counties of Vaudreuil and Soulanges large families living on farms was prevalent. Families of 12 to 15 and sometimes even more than 20 were quite common. This was largely due to the so-called Revenge of the Cradle preached and enforced by the Catholic Church in Québec. The high fertility rate of French-Canadian women who received a medal from the Pope after their 10th child, was perceived by some English Canadians as a plot to drown out the English element in Québec. If you didn’t have a child a year, you were a sinner and often refused confession and communion. So, not long after the Conquest (1759), large families became the norm. It was a means of survival: a counterbalance to the incoming large number  of immigrants from the British Empire, an effective way to combat assimilation and discrimination. This control and absolute authority by the Church on family size lasted almost 200 years, until the 1950’s. Yes, even here in Glengarry, that was the case to some extent. As a result, the population of Québécois francophones, mainly agrarian, grew tremendously in that span (from 70,000 at the time of the Conquest to 7 million today). And keep in mind there was no immigration from France.                                                                                                                       
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 I thank you for your attention and I will be glad to answer any questions you may have, if I can. I thank you for your attention and I will be glad to answer any questions you may have, if I can.
                                                                                                        
-   ADDENDUM+=== ADDENDUM ===
  
-   The name of Ménard is pronounced ‘ménar’ in French, +//The name of Ménard is pronounced ‘ménar’ in French, 
-   the final ‘d’ being silent when preceded by ‘r’  +the final ‘d’ being silent when preceded by ‘r’ \\ 
-   In English, Ménard should be pronounced ‘menard’, the final ‘d’ being    +In English, Ménard should be pronounced ‘menard’, the final ‘d’ being    
-   pronounced. The sometimes-heard pronunciation in Glengarry of                                                                 +pronounced. \\ 
-   ‘menor’ is incorrect and archaic.+The sometimes-heard pronunciation in Glengarry of                                                                 
 +‘menor’ is incorrect and archaic.//
              
              
 Thank you. Merci! Thank you. Merci!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
french_migration_glengarry.1671204226.txt.gz · Last modified: 2024/03/03 20:24 (external edit)
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