History of the settlement of Upper Canada (Ontario,): with special reference to the Bay QuintéCanniff, William
History
History of the settlement of Upper Canada (Ontario,): with special reference to the Bay Quinté
Canniff, William
Ontario -- History; Quinte, Bay of (Ont.)
Following the death of Champlain was the terrible onslaught by the
Iroquois upon the Hurons, whom they entirely destroyed as a nation,
leaving but a remnant under the protection of the French. In 1642 M. de
Maisonneuve laid the foundation of Montreal, the village consisting of a
few buildings with wooden palisades, was then called “Ville-Marie.”
Maisonneuve gathered here the converted Indians to teach them the art of
civilization.
The successor to Champlain was M. de Chateaufort: but we cannot continue
to even sketch the history of the several Governors, and the successive
steps in Canadian development only so far as they bear upon our subject.
In 1663 the population along the St. Lawrence numbered to between 2,000
and 2,500. In 1665 the number was increased by emigration, and by the
arrival of the Carignan regiment, a veteran body of men who became
permanent settlers, and who aided much in controlling the Indians and
maintaining the power of the French. The same year live stock was
introduced, and horses for the first time were seen in Canada. About
this time commenced, in earnest, the struggle between England and France
for the supremacy of the fur trade. The viceroy, M. de Tracy, began to
erect regular forts upon the Richeleu. In 1671 there was a rendezvous of
Indian Chiefs at Sault St. Marie, and through the influence of Father
Allouez, the several tribes consented to become subjects of France. In
the same year M. de Courcelles, now Governor, in pursuance of the
attempt to govern the fur trade, conceived the idea of planting a fort
at the foot of Lake Ontario. But he left before the work had commenced,
and was succeeded by Louis de Buade, _Conte de_ Frontenac, after whom
the fort, subsequently erected, was called.
As the founder of the first settlement in Upper Canada, whose name is
now so familiar, as belonging to a County, we may make space to say of
Frontenac, that he was a gentleman of good birth, and had gained great
distinction, having attained to the rank of Brigadier-General. He was
somewhat proud and haughty, but condescending to his inferiors. His
instructions from his master, the King, on coming to the Canada, were to
secure the aggrandizement of France. Emigration in large numbers from
France having been forbidden, he was to seek the increase of numbers in
New France by stimulating early marriages. And to this day, the rate of
increase by birth, among the French, is considerably greater than with
the Anglo-Saxon.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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