Research and text: Antoine Guillemette, historian, University of Sherbrooke

We wish to thank The Brome County Historical Society for having given us access to their archives and their expertise in matters of regional history, and for having kindly allowed us to use the photographs shown in this section.

 

The Town of Lac-Brome is a relatively recent entity which celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2006. The town was formed by the merger of the towns or hamlets of Bondville, East Hill, Foster, Fulford, Iron Hill, Knowlton and West Brome in 1971. Lac Brome is a “rural” community with a well maintained heritage. When you discover it today, the past is never far away.

The arrival of the railway in the 19th century, along with the construction of the highway system in the 20th century, coupled with the building of the autoroutes in 1965, contributed to making Lac Brome a destination of choice for weekenders seeking peace and tranquility. These infra-structures have undoubtedly contributed to the development of what can be called holiday tourism.

This concept involves the establishment of housing developments intended for the population of major urban centres who wish to purchase a secondary residence, a type of « pied-à-terre ». In the 1980’s, a number of projects were launched: the Barnesfield development, the Inverness condos (1985), and the condos at 400 Lakeside (1986). Situated on the shores of the lake, the two latter projects, in particular, offered the seasonal visitor a location of choice in a country setting. These projects explain how the permanent population increased by 8% from 1986 to 1991, as can be seen on the following chart:

With a rebound in the real estate market in the 1990’s, residential development continued with the second phase of the Inverness condos (Les Villas Inverness (2003), as well as that of the condos at 400 Lakeside (2003). In addition, new projects were added such as the Sugar Hill project (end of the 1990’s), the development on Frances-McKeen Street (end of the 1990’s), the Jardins Coldbrook (2004) and the l’Hermitage Knowlton (2005).

This boom in residential construction contributed significantly to the increase in the Town’s population that went from 5,073 in 1996 to 5,597 in 2005, an increase of 10%.

The economy of Brome Lake is centred principally on retail commerce and small to medium industries such as les Emballages Knowlton and the duck farm ; two industries that are well known in the area and that constitute the main employers in the Town. As well, the restaurants and hotels employ a significant number of people.

 

 

The Town of Brome Lake is situated in the beautiful Eastern Townships. A toponymical study indicates that the use of the name dates back to the beginning of the 19th century when the local population, mostly English-speaking, referred to the area as “the Eastern Townships”. The subdivision of the region into “townships” - square units of 10 miles to the side (259 square kilometres) - is attributable to the British governors of the region who decided, as of 1792, to subdivide the territory. The boundaries of the region vary over the years, but, today the Eastern Townships cover 15,812 square kilometres, approximately 0.8% of the total area of Quebec.

 

The topography of the Townships differs significantly from that of the St. Lawrence plain because of the Appalachian relief. Its numerous mountains and plateaus offer vistas that are breathtaking and have contributed to the reputation for beauty of the area. A further element that has given the region its particular character is the American and British presence that has marked its development so significantly.

Despite our meagre knowledge of the period, it is thought that the presence of the North American Indian in the region may date back to the 15th century. First the Iroquois and then the Abenakis would have visited the region for its excellent hunting and trapping. Their presence in the region would decline rapidly at the beginning of the 18th century - a period that coincided with the start of colonization.

 

 

Brome Township has been inhabited for over two centuries. The arrival of the first settlers dates back to early 1792. One of the first to settle in the county and whose arrival can be established with some certainty is Jonathan Hart, who settled in the southern sector in 1794. One year later, Henry Collins arrived and settled in the south western section of the county, close to the boundary with Dunham County. In 1796, Collins’ brother, Ebenezer, followed Henry’s example and settled in the same area, which is now where we find the Village of West-Brome. The official creation of Brome County dates back to August 18, 1797 when General Robert Prescott granted an area of some 46, 200 acres to Asa Porter and his 32 associates for the formal establishment of Brome County. As dictated by the custom of the day, a portion of the territory, some 18,060 acres, was reserved for the Crown and the Clergy – 9030 acres each.
 

In 1831-32, Joseph Bouchette, surveyor general of Lower Canada, drew a fascinating picture of the county. In his book, British Dominions in North America, Bouchette leads us to believe that certain parts of the region are inappropriate for cultivation due to the mountainous and rocky nature of the terrain. He also makes mention of vast quantities of good peat bogs and of the presence of iron. During his visits to the area, the surveyor noted the presence of a number of mills built on the shores of the lake. The population living along the shores reached 600 while the total population of the county was estimated to be 1314. He also found one church, five schools, a town made up of about 15 homes, two flour mills, seven sawmills, a distillery, a magistrate, a doctor, three shoemakers and three taverns. At this time, agricultural production was concentrated on wheat, barley oats, peas, corn, apples and maple syrup.

 

Before 1792, the region that subsequently became the Eastern Townships was essentially wild. The history of its population development is closely linked to the arrival of the loyalists who, faced with the declaration of American independence, decided to seek refuge on this side of the border. If they are called Loyalists it is because of their allegiance to the British Crown and their wish to continue to live under the protection of the laws of that Empire. These Loyalists would have fought the secessionist movement, but ultimately their defeat forced them to take exile. To recognize their loyalty, the British Crown granted them land on Canadian soil.

These loyalists were not the only settlers to emigrate to Lower Canada. A number of Americans, with no particular loyalty to the Crown, left their homes, attracted by the prospect of free land. The new arrivals come in large part from the New England states, as well as from New York. It is, therefore, inaccurate to say that the Townships were settled exclusively by Loyalists.

Colonization, after an initial success, dropped off dramatically between 1812 and 1819. The breakout of hostilities between the Americans and the British forced a number of settlers, who refused to take the oath of allegiance to the Crown, to return to the United States. Bad weather also had a deleterious effect on the crops during the same period and that too drove off a number of settlers.

The Americans would start to emigrate to the region again in 1820, so much so that by 1840, they made up approximately two thirds of the population. 1815 signaled the start of a more significant immigration, from the British Isles, with the arrival of the English, the Scots, the Irish and the Welsh. The Eastern Townships would welcome their share of these new arrivals well into the 1840’s.

At this time (1840), the Francophone presence was virtually negligible. The 1860-1861 census indicated that of a population of 3,136, only 212 were Francophones, with 663 coming from the British Isles or the United States and the balance being old stock British.

The small number of Francophones was not a phenomenon that was unique to Brome County. The same could be said of the region as a whole: of a total population of 12,732, only 1644 claimed French as their mother tongue. In the 1880-1881 census, the francophone presence increased by 17% going from the 7% that it was to 24%. Anglophones nevertheless remained the overwhelming majority.

 

Strictly speaking, Bondville is really a part of Knowlton because it was never considered a duly constituted municipality.

Located on the shores of Brome Lake, the hamlet of Bondville was named in honour of the Archbishop of Montreal, William Bennett Bond. For many decades, Bond was a tireless missionary who visited the regions of Quebec. He helped set up a number of schools throughout the province. He was appointed Bishop of Montreal in 1901 and died in 1906.
 

The development of Bondville was due to the subdivision of the region into lots for the construction of summer homes, around the middle of the 20th century. Subsequently, more significant residential projects attracted permanent residents to the area. Around the 1960’s a number of smaller cottages were renovated to make them year-round homes.

 

 

The former municipality of Foster covered an area 9.6 kms. long by 4 kms. wide, a good portion of which was situated along the shores of Brome Lake.
 

The village of Foster got its name from Judge Samuel Willard Foster, a truly great man and one of the founders of the town. Judge Foster is noted for having contributed to the construction of Bishop Carmichael Memorial Anglican Church and for having encouraged the development of the railway.

The development of Foster was in large part due to the presence of two railway lines that crossed the town: that of the Canadian Pacific Railway built in 1888 which linked Montreal to Saint John, New Brunswick and that of the South Eastern Railway built in 1875-1876, and subsequently abandoned in 1997 and then sold to the Town of Brome Lake. It is now a walking path.

 

Photographs of the period show the junction of the two lines with a small station in the middle (today it is situated on Lakeside Road and is used as a tourism office).

 

 

Fulford was once a hamlet that was part of the Municipality of Brome County until its merger with Foster and Knowlton in 1971 to make up part of the Town of Brome Lake.

The town of Fulford was so named to honour Bishop Francis Fulford, the first bishop of the new diocese of Montreal, named to that position by Queen Victoria in 1850. The name of the town became official in 1864 when the post office was opened. Archbishop Fulford remained in office for 18 years until his death in 1868. He gained a reputation as a great builder of his era and contributed significantly to the improvement of the educational system in Quebec.

While Knowlton’s development began at the turn of the 19th century, in 1856, Fulford was simply a dense forest. That year, businessmen were attracted to the area because of the potential, especially for mills, that they saw there. The forest potential was part of this vision. In 1858, Francis England arrived and built a tannery. In 1861, L. Orcutt set up a furniture manufacture. Mr. Orcutt was also awarded the post office in 1864, which is still in operation today. The village continued to prosper until 1875 when the closing of a number of manufacturing establishments caused the gradual decline of the town. Fulford is on the rail line that links Montreal to Saint John, N.B.

 

Iron Hill was part of the Municipality of Brome County until its merger with Foster and Knowlton in 1971 to create the Town of Brome Lake.

 

The origin of the name, Iron Hill, remains unclear. An old tale has it that when the surveyors were working the area, they came upon magnetic fields that troubled their compasses. They believed that this was due to the presence of iron in the ground and therefore felt that it would be appropriate to change the name of the settlement from Brome Woods to Iron Hill.

The first settler, John Shufelt, arrived in 1822. At that time forest covered the entire area. In 1840, Isaac Cutting, taking advantage of the geographic attributes of the site, built his first mill, and then another four years later. Mr. Whitehead built a cartage operation which lasted for a number of years.

In 1864, Reverend Thomas W. Fyles became the first pastor of the newly built Holy Trinity Anglican Church. Originally from Enfield Chase in England, Fyles was ordained a deacon in 1862, and elevated to the prieshood in 1864 by the Bishop of Montreal. He first served as a missionary to Laprairie and Longueuil, and took charge of the missions of Iron Hill and West Brome in September 1863.

 

The reputation of Knowlton is well known. As proof of this fact, one need only look at the Canadian Handbook Tourist Guide of 1867, the year of the creation of Canada, to read an invitation to come and experience the charm of the area. That charm has never ceased. Indeed in May 1997, the magazine Actualité listed Knowlton in the top 20 most beautiful towns in Quebec.

The first settler to arrive in the early 1800’s was Matthew Morehouse. Originally from Massachusetts, Morehouse only stayed for a short period of time. John Capel, of Vermont, also chose the area to build a home and arrived shortly after Morehouse.

In 1834, Paul Holland Knowlton settled in the area permanently. Knowlton knew the region well because he and his wife, Laura Moss, had had a home on the shores of Brome Lake for over 20 years. The Biographical Dictionary of Canada describes him as a first rate businessman. The article referring to his arrival states: « he acquired water rights first, and then built a sawmill to produce building material. He then built a large home with out-buildings, a blacksmith shop, a potash factory and a flour mill. This became the hub of the village of Knowlton which, prior to the establishment of the Post Office, was called Coldbrook. » Until 1851, the village and the river running through it were known by the same name. Coldbrook became Knowlton to honour its most illustrious resident.

 

The management of the Post Office, opened in 1851, was given to Albert Kimball, the owner of Blinn’s Inn, which had opened two years prior and which is now the Auberge Knowlton. In 1855, the date of the establishment of the municipal system in Quebec, and the date of the creation of the Municipality of Brome County, Knowlton, the centre of commerce and communications with its Registry office and Circuit Court, became the county seat.

In July 1888, Knowlton become a municipality distinct from the Municipality of Brome County.

 

Source : Census of Canada, 1901-1961.

 

 

West-Brome was once part of the Municipality of Brome County until the merger with Foster and Knowlton in 1971 to become part of the Town of Brome Lake.

West-Brome got its name from its geographic location in the county. Ebenezer Collins was the first settler to arrive in 1796. In 1824, John Pettes and Joel Davis purchased land in the area to set up a sawmill. The Post Office opened in 1831 and Jacob Cook became the first postmaster. Edwards General Store –still in operation today, and a mandatory stop for any visitor- was opened in 1852. Both the outdoor and indoor appearance of the building takes visitors on a trip in time. Mr. Stephen L. Hungerford was one of the most important men of the town; he owned the sawmill, the flour mill and a wool mill. Close by, one can see the famous round barn that is worth the detour.

 

 

 

 

 

Who was Paul Holland Knowlton? A member of a family of fervent Loyalists, Knowlton first visited the region in 1796. He was 11 years old and lived with his family in Stukely.

As the name would indicate, the history of the town is closely linked to the story of Paul H. Knowlton, who very quickly became one of the main landowners in the region. He operated a general store as well as a distillery that produced an apple-based product. Already very influential in the 1830’s, Knowlton went into politics and on October 26th of that year became the MP for Shefford, a position he occupied for 4 years.
 

In 1841, he became a member of the Legislative Council of the province of Canada and in that capacity, he advanced Knowlton’s already rapid development. While still in office in 1849, he received a grant for the construction of a road across the region. The town continued to prosper. The list of his accomplishments is impressive: he contributed to the construction of the church and the Anglican presbytery; he ceded one of his lots for the construction of a school; he promoted the establishment of Brome County in 1855 (in which year the town became the county seat and Paul H. Knowlton, its first governor); he became prefect of the county in 1856 and supported the creation of the first newspaper, the Advertiser and Eastern Townships Sentinel. After such an illustrious career, Knowlton could say “mission accomplished” when he died in 1863.

Still today, Knowlton’s contribution to the town is very much alive. One need only visit the Paul Holland Knowlton Memorial Museum in the building that housed the first school and where the Brome County Historical Society keeps its collection, and know that his home is now the golf club keeper’s residence, to realize it.

Of course, the development of Knowlton is not exclusively due to the work of the man that gave the town its name. Here are a few short biographies of other eminent individuals who, through their continued efforts, contributed to the development of the region.

To learn more, consult the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

 

 

Doctor Stephen Sewell Foster is another one of those people who left his mark on the region. In 1822, Foster decided to leave Newfane in Vermont to emigrate to Canada with his family. He first settled in Frost Village. Then in February 1830, he was authorized to practice medicine.
 

During his first years of practice, Foster was the only doctor in a radius of 60 kilometres. His devotion to his work and the valued services that he rendered to the people of the Eastern Townships soon made him a popular hero. A short stint in politics from 1844 to 1848 required that he cease practicing his profession, but in 1848 he returned to his first love. In 1857, he left Frost to settle in Knowlton. This is where he practiced until his death in December 1868. « Among the vigorous pioneers of the Eastern Townships, Sewell Foster was a lion. He participated fully in the social, judicial, religious and political life of this region and his remarkable accomplishments, his charisma and his altruism made of him one of the most noteworthy pioneers of the Townships. » (an extract from an article published in the Canadian Biographical Dictionary).

To learn more, consult the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

 
 

 

Asa Belknap Foster, the second son of Doctor Stephen Foster, has been rightly called the King of the Railways of the Eastern Townships. From 1837 to 1852, Foster gained experience in railway construction in the United States from his uncle S. K. Belknap. On his return in 1852, the knowledge that he had acquired from his uncle allowed him to become one of the moving forces in railway expansion in the region.
 

Settling in Waterloo, Foster was soon appointed a director of the Stanstead, Shefford & Chambly company. In 1869, he joined the South Eastern Counties Junction Railway (SECJ). As president of the SECJ, he decided to merge the Richelieu, Drummond and Athabaska Counties Railway into his holdings to form the new South Eastern Railway. His involvement ensured the rail link between Knowlton and Waterloo in 1878.

Foster entered active politics in 1858 but never achieved, in that arena, the level of success that he enjoyed in railway development. A true pioneer in his field, his work brought the region out of its relative isolation.

To learn more, consult the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.

 
 

 

Samuel Willard Foster, known as Judge Foster, was the fifth son of Doctor Stephen Foster. Living in Knowlton, he was also recognized as one of the main railway developers in the region. Like his older brother, Asa Belknap, he was one of the prime contributors to the construction of the Montreal and Chambly Junction Railway as well as the United States and Canada Railway.
 

He is also among the people who launched the Orford Mountain Railway that runs through Brome County to link Windsor Mills to Mansonville. Beyond his commercial undertakings, Foster made a significant contribution to the general welfare by involving himself in the historical society as well as in the Knowlton Conference Association.

 

THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM WARREN LYNCH

William Warren Lynch was born in Bedford in 1845, son of an Irish father and a Loyalist mother. In 1868, Lynch was called to the bar and settled in Knowlton. After founding the Observer newspaper in Cowansville in 1870, he was elected in the Brome riding. At 25 he became the youngest member in the history of the Quebec Assembly. He was elected in the next five elections and in 1889, he left politics to become a judge of the Superior Court for Bedford.
 

Involved in railway development, as well as in the improvement of the educational system, he was named mayor and prefect of the Brome County in 1897. In that year, Lynch became the first president of the historical society and joined in the formation of the Knowlton Conference, a cultural organization. Throughout his life, Lynch was a moving force in regional expansion.

To learn more, consult the Dictionary of Canadian Biography.