Lordship of Batiscan

Cadastral map of Batiscan, in 1725

The Lordship of Batiscan was located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, between the mouth of the Batiscan River and Champlain River, in the current administrative area the Mauricie, in the province of Quebec, Canada. Granted in 1639 to Jesuits, colonization of the manor began in 1666 (after an initial allotments to census in 1665). The territory of the Lordship of Batiscan included 1/2 "lieu" of frontage on the St. Lawrence river (between Champlain River and Batiscan) by 20 "lieues" deep. Thus, the northern boundary of the Lordship exceeded the Saint-Maurice River. It was the deepest in the seigneurial system of New France. The Lordship of Batiscan became the most populous stronghold Government of Three Rivers at the end of the 17th Century.^[1]

In the 17th century, intensive colonization of the Lordship focuses the lowlands south of the "Saint-Narcisse's moraine", especially between 1665 and 1674, where the Jesuits agreed 79 concessions. In the 18th century, the colonization effort involves two major phases: from 1705 to 1724 and from 1740 to 1760. Colonization then went back north into the rear stronghold north of the morraine Saint-Narcisse because lots at the foot of morraine were occupied. Today this new range of colonization is the current territory of Saint-Stanislas, Mauricie, Quebec whose civil registers opened in 1787. In the middle of the 18th century (the end of French rule), the Lordship of Batiscan is displaced population in the manors north of Lake Saint-Pierre or that of Lordship Yamachiche and Lordship of Rivière-du-Loup.^[2]

History

Concession to Jacques de la Ferté in 1636

On 15 January 1636, the Company of New France has granted to Mr. Jacques de la Ferte, abbot of St. Mary Magdalene of Châteaudun, himself a member of the company, a "fief and lordship of ten "lieues" in width (approximately 32.48 km) on the edge of the great St. Lawrence river, by twenty "lieues" (about 64.96 km) deep into the land. This vast territory included approximately south face full scope between the River Trois-Rivières and Batiscan River. The depth of this concession was unclear. The act of 1639 conceded to the Jesuits a part of this great territory to establish the Lordship of Batiscan.

Grant to the Jesuits in 1639

The territory of the Lordship of Batiscan was granted to Jesuits by a deed of 13 March 1639 by their protector in France, "Sir Jacques de la Ferte priest, counselor, almoner Meeting of Roy, abbot of St. Magdalene of Châteaudun cantor and canon of the Sainte Chapelle du Palais Royal in Paris".^[3]

This concession contract signed in front of Hervé Bergeron and Hyerosme Cousin, notaries Chatelet Paris, stated "an area of land that is since Batiscan River till the Champlain River, quarter of "lieue" ^[4] in confined or fourth "lieues" in the beyond ... to enjoy full stronghold faith and homage, high, middle and low justice ... and when the said piece of land will be cultivated will be required to give the Fathers said Mr. Abbot and his heirs a silver cross value of sixty soil tournaments and twenty years for recognition without Fathers can qu'iceux Estre received his faith and homage to the said fief if deus the said Lord, since he can not do that there is nobody in this country to meet for the said Sieur de la Madeleine ... "

Already established in Trois-Rivières since 1634, the Jesuits were familiar with the territory of Lower Batiscanie (especially along the river), including the site of Champlain where the Jesuit missionaries met Amerindians who had settled there. Obtaining the grant of such lordship, the Jesuits had a priori goal of evangelizing the Indians.

Busy with their apostolic mission at Trois-Rivières, fearing the Iroquois attacks, and lack of resources, the Jesuits delayed the operation of the Lordship of Batiscan. In 1651, Jesuits made themselves concede Lordship of Cap-de-la-Madeleine which is populated quickly, being close to Trois-Rivières. Thus, the Jesuits claimed to be entitled to exploit the north bank of the river between the River of Trois-Rivières and Batiscan. However, their rights on the territory of the future Lordship of Champlain was returned to the field of Roy by decree in 1663, having not yet been exploited.

Given the handover in 1663 of part of their land rights and concessions many small fiefdoms on the north bank of the river, the Jesuits found themselves at risk of losing their right to use the lordship of Batiscan. In these circumstances, the Jesuits mandated PrepCom coadjutor brother Francois Malherbe officially take possession of the manor of Batiscan, by signing a deed with the notary Laurent Portal, Tax Attorney for the Jesuits to Cap-de-la-Madeleine, and marking the territory.

The said deed is a reminder of the concession contract of March 13, 1639 granted the Jesuits and further defines the territory of the manor. The editor of the act says "have carried on said place with Mr. Saule (sic) Boivin which, in our presence, surveyed the said lands and around ycelles cut large trees and bounded by other trees large cross made along iceux with axes ... And towards the Brother Malherbe, made several good acts of possession, pulling weeds and throwing stones, and finally a true possessor accustomed to. And that and everything above it required that we act we granted him to serve him and argue and reason ... "Guillaume de La Rue and Adrien Guillot, two citizens of Cape Town, were witnesses to the act.^[5]

In Lower Canada, the seigneurial system was abolished December 18, 1854.

Lordship of Champlain

The Lordship of Champlain, related to the west to the Lordship of Batiscan, was granted on 8 August 1664 and the new lord Pézard La Touche. He has immediately erected a stately mansion located on the tip the mouth of the Champlain River. He also built a small chapel to serve several settler families already established in this area. The Lord of the designated "Latouche Champlain" land, Estienne Pezard, is assigned the rights in 1664 on two areas and 34 blocks of land grants in 1664 and 1665.^[6]

Earthquake of 1663

According to reports of the terrible earthquake of February 5, 1663, Native American and some French were living in the Lordship of Batiscan. This earthquake could significantly alter the relief in the Batiscanie, Quebec including the disappearance of saults in Batiscan River, the emergence of new rocks, flattening of some mountains, major cracks in the ground...^[7]

The archives of the lordship of Batiscan 1677-1823 is preserved in the archives of Montreal center Library and Archives Fund of lordship of Batiscan 1677-1823 (P220) - Library and Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ)^[8]

Concessions of lands to the habitants

Valley of Saint-Laurent

In 1665, the Jesuits conceded the first batches of the lands in Batiscan in the first row along the St. Lawrence river, between the Champlain River and Batiscan River. From March 1666 to May 1667, seventy concessions were allocated to pioneers on the north shore of St. Lawrence river. At the end of the 17th century, concessions are granted lands to pioneers back in the Batiscan River, on the eastern bank. Sometimes the locations of items are assigned or informally occupied at the initiative of pioneers without notarial contract, the situation was normalized a few years later by an official contract. Several concessions were awarded to ex-soldiers who were exempt from the usual obligations owed to Jesuit lords.^[9]

Then lots were granted on the banks of the Champlain River, the Rivière à la lime and finally in the upper valley of the Rivière à Veillet (Veillet River). With the expansion of colonization, the authorities opened other rows for the colonization, moving away from rivers. In the lordship of Batiscan, three areas suitable for agriculture were: the valley near the river, the upper valley of the Rivière à Veillet (Veillet River) and northern morraine.

A hamlet was formed around the mouth of the Rivière à Veillet (Veillet River) to become in the 19th century the village of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan. In 1723, the steward Michel Bégon de la Picardière signed an order authorizing the construction of a church in Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan on a piece of land belonging to Jean Veillet, unique ancestor of all Veillet/te of America.^[10]

Morraine (east-west)

Settlement to the north stumbled to the great morraine, which is a line of mountains stretching from east to west, parallel to St. Lawrence river, usually between 12 and 15 km from the shore. This morraine covers current parishes of Saint-Narcisse, Saint-Prosper and continues eastward into the Portneuf region. The area of the morraine is generally unsuitable for agriculture and enabling logging, including the maple. The Batiscan river is going down the morraine by preventing falls navigation and requiring a long portage. To the east of the Batiscan River, colonization is prevented by a large area of swamps and bogs that extends to the Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade.

Sector Rivière des Envies (Cravings river)

Forced to move north due to lack of available lots, new pioneers leave the St. Lawrence Valley, the valley of the rivière à la lime and the upper valley of the Rivière à Veillet (Veillet River). They crossed the morraine by the way of porting to settle in the new area known as "rivière des Envies. The lots are granted successively to the north by the Lords, from morraine. In 1743, ten concessions are granted by the Lords to the rivière des Envies.

In 1781, the Jesuits erected a stately mill near the mouth of the rivière des Envies in Saint-Stanislas. At this point, the rivière des Envies included arnacher falls more easily than the Batiscan river. In 1786, a chapel was built in Saint-Stanislas.

From the beginning of British rule, colonization deepened gradually up the rivière des Envies. In 1833 an early settler stood near Lake Kapibouska (Saint-Tite, Quebec|Saint-Tite). A Catholic mission, Saint-Just-de-Kapibouska, was established in 1851 and became the nucleus of the future parish of Saint-Tite.

Going up the Batiscan River, colonization stops at the edge of the Lordship of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade or the Manitou Falls (located at the boundary between Saint-Adelphe and Saint-Stanislas). The seigneurial system ended in 1854. In the 1980s, colonization ascend to the north along the Batiscan river after the cadastre of rows in the current territory of the municipality of Saint-Adelphe, including rang St-Thomas, today in Sainte-Thècle territory.

Summary of colonization

From 1666 to 1759, 246 acts of concessions have been listed in the Lordship of Batiscan.^[2] In 1760, the settlement reached 20 km north of the St. Lawrence river bank. The main periods of awarding concessions by the Lordship of Batiscan were:

In sum, the award of concessions in the Lordship of Batiscan had two weak periods and three times more intensive.

See also

• Government of Trois-Rivières
• Lordship of Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade
• Lordship of Champlain
• Jesuit Missions in North America
• Lordships positions and settlement of New France
• Seigneurial system of New France
• Batiscanie
• Batiscan River
• Rivière à Veillet
• River à la Lime
• Rivière des Envies
• River des Chutes
• Pierre-Paul River
• Batiscan
• Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan
• Saint-Stanislas
• Saint-Narcisse
• Saint-Tite
• Saint-Séverin
• Les Chenaux Regional County Municipality

Notes and references

Coordinates: 46°45′00″N 72°37′00″W / 46.7500°N 72.6167°W / 46.7500; -72.6167