Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1891-07-03
AMERICAN LETTERS.
CANADA

/
receiving yearly rental from all the
/ land in town. And we understand that
this seignory belongs to nearly or all the
| French towns. The land of these towns
was at first granted to individuals by the
/ French government, and sold by them or
! the parties who purchased their right,
for Il fixed price, together with an annual
small rent forever.
| copy from work entitled, Con
tributions to the History of the East
ern Townships, by C. Thomas" and
published at Montreal in 1866, the follow
ing copy of IA grant of the seignory of st.
Armand:
ROLAND Michel Barbn, &C.,
Francois Bigot, &c.
ION the petition presented to us by the
Sieur Nicolas Rene Levasseur, builder of
the Kings ships in this colony, praying
that he would be pleased to grant him
tract of land of six leagues in front along
the Missiskouy, in Lake Champlain, by
three leagues in depth on both sides of
the same, the said six leagues in front to
be taken at distance of eight arpents
below the first fall situate three leagues
up the said river, ascending the said river
Missiskouy; the whole III fief and seign-
Tory, with the right of superior, mean and
inferior Jurisdiction (hdute mOycnHe et
JdSSe yjustice), and that of fishing, hunt
ing and trading with the Indians, as well
opposite as within the said tract of land /;
having regard to the same petition.
1--WE, in virtue of the power jointly
entrusted to us by His Majesty, have Civ
en-, granted, and conceded, and do give,
grant and concede to the said Sieur Le
vasseur the said tract of land of six
leagues in front by three leagues in depth,
as herein above described; to have and
to hold the same unto the said Sieur Ie-
vasseur, his heirs and assigns, forever,
under the title of tief and selgnory, with
the right of superior, mean, and inferior
jurisdiction, and that of hunting, fishing,
and trading with the Indians throughout
the whole extent of the said concession ;
subject to the performance of fealty and
homage Goi Il hOm0tdge) at the castle of
st. Louis de Quebec, to which he shall
be held under the customary rights and
dues, agreeable to the Custom of Paris
followed III this country; and on condi-
ton that he shall preserve and cause to
be preserved by his tenants, the oak tim
Der fit for the building of His Majesty
ships; that he shall give notice to the
King of the mines, ores and minerals
which may be found within the extent of
the said concession; that the appeals
from the Judge who may be established
there shall be before the royal jurisdiction
of Montreal; that he shall keep thereon
house and home (teU et ieu), and cause
the same to be kept by his tenants; that
he shall Immediately clear and cause to
be cleared the said tract of land and sat
isfy us of the works which he shall have
caused to be performed from this day till
next fall, in default whereof the said con-
cession shall be and remain null and of
no avail; that he shall leave the King
highways and other roadways necessary
to the public, and cause the same condi-
ton TO be inserted in the concessions
which he may grant to his tenants, sub
iect to the customary ccHS Ct reHtes and
dues for each arpent of land in front by
forty III depth; that he shall allow the
beaches to be free to fishermen, with the
exception of those which he may require
for his own fishery; and should His
Majesty hereafter require any portion of
the said tract of land to erect thereon
forts, batteries, military places. stores
and public works, His Majesty shall have
the right of taking it, as well as the tim
Der necessary for the said works, and the
tireWood for the garrison of the said forts
without being held to pay any indemnity
the whole under the pleasure of His Maj
I
these presents confirmed within one year
In testimony whereof. &c.
Given at Quebec, the tWenty-third day OF
September. one thousand seven hun
dred and forty-eight.
(Signed) La GALLIoeONIERE
- and BIGOT.
Countersgned and sealed.
True copV). BIGOT."
"The preceding grant was satisfied by
the King of France on the 10Th of April
1749.
This seigniory was subsequently pur
chased by the Hon. Thomas Dunn, who
was once member of the Legislature
and Executive Councils for the Province
of Lower Canada, and one of the Judges
of the Court of Kings Bench for the dis
trict of Quebec. 7.Ta E
When the boundary line between the
United States and Canada was deter
mined, much of the seigniory became &
part of the territory that now constitutes
the State of Vermont, hence was lost tC
the seignior.
The land in that part of the seigniory
which was included in Canada was grant
ed in lots to grantees, by deeds which
set forth the engagement of the vendet
to pay the price agreed upon, with inter
est, by day fixed. as also one shilling
for every hundred acres yearly, forever
And it was added that the seigDior re
leased the lands from every claim, seign
iorial or otherwise, forever, such quit
rent alone excepted.
The territory now known as st. Ar
mand is eighteen miles in length by foul
in breadth, and bounded north by Stan
bridge and Durham, east by sutton
south by Vermont, and west by Missls
quot Bay. Being of such length mucl
Inconvenience was formerly experienced
in attending to the duties pertaining tC
its ecclesiastical affairs, hence it wa;
thought advisable to have it divided into
two parishes.
Preliminary steps for etfecting this di
vision were taken, and on the 9th of Au
gust, 1884, letters patent were ISSUED
which made the division proposed. The
parishes thus erected are known as the
parishes of st. Armand East and West"
And thus the church and seignory ac
as weights to steady our French neigh
bors. And partly perhaps, owing to thes'
and partly owing to the climate, bu
probably more owing TO the provincial