(29 Oct. 1911-5 Jan. 1999), tinsmith. Born at St-Polycarpe, Que. Parents: Joseph Ménard and his wife Alexina Bériault. Oscar Ménard learned the tinsmithing trade from his father Joseph, who was born in Glen Robertson, GC, and had learned tinsmithing in Alexandria, and who was mayor of St-Polycarpe for 15 years. Oscar Ménard arrived at the village of Lancaster, GC, on 27 March 1937. At this time, he spoke no English. Two years after he settled at Lancaster, he was married 8 July 1939, at St-Polycarpe, to Marcelle Desrochers. (two sons, six daughters) He operated a plumbing, tinsmithing and heating business in Lancaster from 1937 till 1971. After his son Maurice had bought the business he continued to help out with it till the end of his life. Oscar Ménard was fire chief of Lancaster village 1953-1966. On retiring as fire chief, he was honoured at a testimonial dinner. (Glengarry News 22 Sept. 1966, 27 April 1967) He died at the Janet Macdonell Pavilion, Cornwall. Roman Catholic. His wife survived him and died, aged 92, at the Cornwall Community Hospital, 1 Jan. 2006. They are buried at St. Joseph’s cemetery, Lancaster.

     Oscar Ménard was the author of a small but valuable book, “My Memories”: Village of Lancaster 1887. 1987 (pp. 49; published probably1987), in which he tells, with warmth and eloquence and evident affection for the place where he had his home and business over so many years, the history of the village. It is particularly valuable for the history of the businesses he knew there during his lifetime, and concentrates on the Military Road or main street section of Lancaster. He wrote the history originally in French, then turned it into English with the help of his children. Part of his material appears also in the “Village of Lancaster Centennial Commemorative Issue,” a tabloid-form 20-page supplement published as an insert to the Glengarry News of 30 June 1987.

Glengarry News 13-27 Jan. 1999 (portrait) * private information * interview, 3 Oct. 1998 * obituary of his wife, GN 4 Jan. 2006