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Maurice, Françoise
Person · 1916-2009

Françoise Maurice was born in Coaticook on 17 December 1916. Her love for books and music developed during her childhood through access to many books in the family home and the pursuit of music lessons at the convent in Coaticook. Following the opening of a public library in Coaticook in 1959, Maurice began as a volunteer and eventually acquired a permanent position. Her passion for arts, culture and heritage showed through her organization of exhibitions of art, photographs, and antiques. The eventual outcome of an antique exhibition was the establishment of the Beaulne Museum. Maurice held a position at the library for 32 years but was also involved with setting up some of the first dance classes, volunteered for the Beaulne Museum and the Coaticook Historical Society, and taught piano, among other things. In 2003, the City of Coaticook honoured her years of service to the library and the community by renaming the library in her honour. Maurice passed away the 11 September 2009, at the age of 93.

Drolet, Jean-Nil
Person · 1930-

Jean-Nil Drolet was born on 5 June 1930 in Coaticook, the oldest child of Léo Drolet (1907-1935) and Hélène Aurore Lapointe (1907-1988). As a boy, Jean-Nil participated in sports and the Catholic Boy Scouts. Mr. Drolet married Rita Carbonneau on 16 July 1955 in Coaticook and together they had eight children: Claire, Julie, Léo, Guy, Michel, Raynald, Marie, and Johanne. Early on, Mr. Drolet worked for Kilgour in Coaticook and obtained a diploma from the Université de Sherbrooke in school administration. In his professional life, he was active in the unions in Coaticook and served as secretary-treasurer of Commission scolaire de Coaticook in the 1960s, as well as for the Foyer de Coaticook Inc. and the Local Artisan 928. Under his tenure with the school board, two new schools were built (Albert-l’Heureux secondary/high school and Sacré-Coeur primary/elementary school). Mr. Drolet also served as the secretary for the Board of Directors for the Centre Hospitalier de Coaticook and in 1971, he went on to become the General Director of the Centre Hospitalier de Coaticook. Mr. Drolet has been very active in many community organizations throughout his life.

Massawippi Union Church
Corporate body

The Massawippi Union Church, built in the New England style in 1861, stands to this day as a reminder of the village’s American roots. Though it is now seldom used, the church is still occasionally opened for services and other community events.

Corporate body

The Women's Canadian Club of the Eastern Townships was formed in 1949, its mandate like other Canadian clubs was "having for its objects the encouragement of the study of the history, literature, and resources of Canada" and engaged in joint activities occasionally. The Women's Canadian Club of Eastern Townships was governed by a board of executive directors. In 2014, the Club members voted to dissolve because of a decreasing membership.

Person · 1916-2011

Arthur John Hampson (a.k.a. Jack) Richardson was born 31 July 1916 in Lennoxville, Quebec to Arthur and Margaret Richardson. Jack attended Bishop's College School (Lennoxville, Quebec) and graduated from Bishop's University in 1935. After graduating, he worked at the National Archives of Canada before joining the Royal Canadian Navy in 1942 and served in England as the historical liaison for the Canadian Government until 1946. After a career of 40 years, Jack retired in 1981 from the National Archives Canada / Indian Northern Affairs Canada, National Historic Sites. In 1987, he received "The Gabriel Leger Medal" from the Heritage Canada Foundation for his work in historical architectural, preservation, restoration and conservation of Old Quebec City. He was married to Gertrude and together they had four children: Margaret, Peter, Andrew, and Marie. Jack passed away in Ottawa on 6 May 2011 at the age of 94.

Corporate body · 1979-1991

The Coalition of Conservationists of the Eastern Townships (CCC) began in the late 1970s by Brian Olding, Richard (a.k.a. Crick) Glass, and Alex Bowie and was driven by concerns regarding the water quality of the Massawippi River, which was being contaminated by industries situated along the river, in particular Scott Paper Limited in Lennoxville. A water quality sampling program was undertaken to identify the pollutants present in the Massawippi River. As support and interest in the group’s work continued to grow, it was incorporated the 14 June 1979 as the Coalition pour la Conservation de l’Environnement dans les Cantons Inc. with the objectives of protecting and improving the natural environment for the good of the general public, which was to be achieved through the promotion of scientific research and projects, raising public awareness of environmental concerns, and supporting the creation of laws to protect the environment. The first directors were Richard Côté, Vincent Cuddihy, Stephen Monty, Sonya Nigam, Charles Simpkin, and Ann Tippet. In 1979, the CCC applied for government funding for a project to complete an analysis of the Massawippi River basin but the project was not funded.

Following a decade-long period of inactivity, the members of the CCC voted to dissolve the organization in 1991. The funds remaining following dissolution were donated to the Sentiers Massawippi Trail.

Matrix
Corporate body · 1975-

Matrix is a literary magazine founded in 1975 by members of the English Department at Champlain Regional College – Lennoxville, QC. The magazine publishes literary and artistic submissions, with a focus on showcasing new Canadian talent – especially English writers in the Eastern Townships and Montreal. At its founding, it consisted of an editorial board (staffed by the Champlain English Department) headed by Editor-in-chief Philip Lanthier. In 1988, the team at Champlain College (consisting at that time of Lanthier and his colleagues: Michael Benazon, Marjorie Retzleff, Vivenne Allen, and Rina Kampeas) could not maintain their commitment to the magazine, so the publication was moved to the English Department of John Abbott College in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC. It is presently published through the English Department at Concordia University in Montreal, QC.

While publishing out of Lennoxville, Matrix experienced a great deal of accomplishments: launching the literary careers of writers such as W.P. Kinsella and Joan Fern Shaw, and winning a National Magazine Award for featuring the work of Joyce Marshall, to name a few. During its early years, Matrix was funded entirely by CRC-Lennoxville; when most of the funding from the College was cut, the magazine turned to subscriptions and grant funding through the Canada Council for the Arts. Matrix experienced a financial crisis for the majority of 1982, facing near-extinction, but regained its stability in the following years. It is presently funded by the following bodies: Conseil des arts de la communauté urbaine de Montréal, Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Canada Council for the Arts, the English Department and Faculty of Arts at Concordia, and the federal government through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF). It was previously published semiannually and is now published three times per year.

Smith, James H., 1865-1926
Person · 1865-1926

James Henry Smith is born on 14 November 1865 in Sutton. He is the son of Benjamin and Sarah Galusha Smith. He married Florence Maud Flannery on 10 August 1898 in Sutton. Throughout his professional life, he had been a tinsmith, a machinery merchant (carriages, sleighs, harnesses, farming implements, wagons, cream separators), and a maple sugar dealer in Sutton. He had also been involved in municipal politics as a member of the municipal Council of the village of Sutton. He died 15 May 1926 at 60 years of age.

Holsapple, Delbert R.
Person · 1868-1961

Delbert Russell Holsapple was born the 7 May 1868 in the Beford area to David Edwin Holsapple and Elizabeth Russell. He married Sarah Lizzie Adams (a.k.a. Lizzie) Guthrie in Beford on the 10 November 1891. Together the couple had one child: Beatrice Elfrida/Alfreda (b. 1898). Delbert spent most of his life as a farmer in the area of Saint Armand West, near Morse’s Line, Vermont. He died in August 1961.

Corporate body · 1993-

The Sherbrooke and District University Women’s Scholarship Foundation was founded in 1993 by the Sherbrooke & District University Women’s Club for the purpose of granting scholarships, bursaries, and prizes to students and recent graduates based on academic achievements, accomplishments, or financial need. Their principal objective is to support the education of women in the community and to encourage the continuation of their studies. The Foundation raises funds for the scholarship programs through fundraising and donations. In 2008, as part of a broader effort to gain more publicity and generate more interest for the Foundation, the Scholarship Foundation chose to change its name and logo to something shorter and easier for the community to remember and recognize. In 2009, the Advisory Committee selected the Lampe Foundation for the new name and the Scholarship Foundation was officially changed to the Lampe Foundation in 2010.

Corporate body · 1934-[196-?]

The Business and Professional Women’s Club of Sherbrooke was founded in July 1934 by a group of fifteen women. Jean Kinkead was elected as their first president. The Club was organized with members, all of whom had to be gainfully employed women, and an elected president. In 1935, the Sherbrooke club became a chapter of the Canadian Federation of Business and Professional Women’s Clubs. In 1937, the Sherbrooke club was instrumental in the establishment of the Border Business and Professional Women’s Club in Rock Island.

Initially the Club focused on bringing professional women together and on highlighting women active in the professional or political spheres through hosting special speakers, among which included Nellie McClung in 1939. During the war, the Club’s activities largely focused on war work. In 1945, the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Sherbrooke established a public speaking contest for girls from Sherbrooke and Lennoxville High Schools.

Later on, the Business and Professional Women’s Club of Sherbrooke’s primary aim was to provide friendship and fellowship for working women. It is likely that the Club disbanded in the late 1960s.

Wilkinson Brothers Studio
Corporate body · 1892-[194-?]

The Wilkinson Brothers Studio opened in the spring of 1892. John Wilkinson (b. March 9, 1862 in Scotland, d. 1946) and his brother, Alfred Wilkinson (b. December 14, 1867 in Belgium) bought the studio of H.H. Weeden in Cookshire and reopened it under its new name. John had visited Canada and the United States from 1884 to 1885, and after completing his studies at the London Polytechnic School of Photography, he had returned (in 1891) to settle in Cookshire with his brother Alfred. The Wilkinson Brothers were known to photograph both the upper and lower classes of the region, and also contributed to the illustration of L.S. Channell’s work, “History of Compton County,” published in 1896. John Wilkinson married Millicent Botterill. Alfred Wilkinson married Ethel Bigland and together they had a son, Gerald (b. 1897). Records suggest Alfred left the photographic studio and served as headmaster at Bishop's College School in Lennoxville from 1911 to 1931. John continued to operate the photograph studio without his brother into the 1930s. John died in Cookshire in 1946.

Leech, Alfreda Joan
1932-2018

Alfreda Joan Leech, a.k.a. Joan, was born the 25 January 1932 to Henry William Leech and Ellen Lily Symons. Joan was proficient in the piano, receiving certificates and awards, both locally and from the McGill Conservatorium of Music. In particular, she was a recipient of the Schubert Club Scholarship in 1946. She married Edward D. Mills on 21 July 1956 in Sherbrooke. Together they had two children: Ken and Debbie. Joan passed away on 1 October 2018 and was buried at the Elmwood Cemetery in Sherbrooke, Quebec.

Emery, Helen M.
Person · 1850-1926

Helen Marilla Sweeney, daughter of John Sweeney and Sarah Hovey-Chamberlain, was born 5 November 1850 in Hatley, Quebec. She married Richard Emery (1842-1911) on 12 October 1870 and together they had three children: Emily Pauline (b. 1873), Frank (d. in infancy), and Sadie M. (1877-1961). In adulthood, Helen and her husband converted to Christian Science and were members of the Christian Science Church in Boston, Massachusetts. She was also a proponent of temperance and a charter member of the Stanstead County Women's Christian Temperance Union. Helen was active in writing poetry and many were published in the Sherbrooke Daily Record. She was also integral in the establishment of the Hatley Library; a room in her house served as the location for the library collection and she was active in seeking the incorporation of the library in 1923. Helen passed away on 3 December 1926 and is buried in the Saint James Cemetery in Hatley.

Bieber, Arthur H.H.
Person · 1902-1978

Arthur H.H. Bieber was born in Simcoe, Ontario in 1902, the son of Herbert Egmont Bieber ([ca. 1874]-1964) and Edith Mary Henry (d. 1961). He was educated at Lower Canada College and St. Francis College. During World War II, he served as a non-commissioned officer in Britain in charge of local tours for Canadian troops on leave. While in the military, Arthur traveled to England and France. He lived the latter part of his life in Richmond in the Eastern Townships. He died at the Sherbrooke Hospital on 22 November 1978.

Gale, Royce L.
Person · 1927-

Royce L. Gale was born in Waterville the 4 May 1927, son of Royce L. and Doris M. (née Calquhoun) Gale. Royce graduated from Waterville High School in 1944 and went on to complete a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and English at McGill University in 1948. Following this, he received a teaching certificate from Bishop's University and began teaching at Sherbrooke High School (S.H.S.) in 1949. In 1965, he was appointed principal of S.H.S. When Alexander Galt Regional High School was opened in 1969, Royce was appointed as a housemaster at the new high school. He retired from position of Vice-Principal in 1983.

Draper, Dennis Colburn
Person · 1875-1951

Dennis Colburn Draper was born in 1875 in Sutton Junction. When not working as a farmer, Draper served as a Militia Captain with the 13 th Scottish Light Dragoons. When the First World War broke out, Draper volunteered for overseas service and joined the 5 th Canadian Mounted Rifles (C.M.R.) - a unit recruited from the Eastern Townships and commanded by George Harold Baker, MP for Brome County.

Arnold, William Thomas
Person · 1885-[?]

William Thomas Arnold (regt. no. 120499) was born on August 6, 1885 in England. Nonetheless, Upon enlisting, he listed Knowlton, Quebec as the address for his next-of-kin. Arnold, a lumberman, enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and volunteered for overseas service in Montreal on August 19, 1915 having served in the Scottish Light Dragoons for seven years before that. Upon enlisting, he was posted to the 69th Battalion (Canadien-Français) as a Private. His records indicate he served with the 13th Scottish Light Dragoons between August and October 1914. Confusingly, his records also state that before enlisting in 1915, he enlisted with the 13th Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) in 1914 but was discharged for erysipelas. Arnold arrived in England on April 28, 1916 and was posted to the 23rd Reserve Battalion. In September 1916 he was drafted to the 60th Battalion (Victoria Rifles) with whom he served in France until January 1917 when he was posted to the 3rd Can. Div. HQ. In March 1917 he was posted to the 87th Battalion (Canadian Grenadiers Guard) and in June was transferred to the 1st Quebec Reserve Depot in England. In November 1917 he was returned to Canada and was sent to the Grey Nun’s Convalescent Hospital in Montreal for defective hearing and osteo-arthritis. He was discharged as medically unfit in January (or February) 1918.

1916-1918

The Knowlton Overseas Club was a group of individuals from Brome County and was responsible for sending parcels containing items from tobacco to socks for the soldiers of Brome County during the duration of their service overseas.

Person · 1877-1916

George Harold Baker (regt. no. 781664) was born on November 4, 1877 in the village of Sweetsburg. He served in the Canadian Militia (with the 6th Hussars and 13th Scottish Light Dragoons) and lived in Bolton Centre before enlisting with the Canadian Expeditionary Force for Overseas Service on May 31, 1915. Before the outbreak of the War, he was a lawyer by training and was elected MP for Brome in 1911. While serving overseas, he remained a sitting MP. Upon enlistment, he joined the ranks of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles with the rank of Lt-Colonel. The 5th C.M.R. sailed from Canada on July 18 1915 and landed in France on October 24, 1915. Baker was wounded on 3 June 1916 and subsequently died of his wounds later that day.

Sangster, Donald F.
Person · 1935-2018

Donald Frederick Sangster was born in Sherbrooke on 3 August 1935, son of Frederick J. Sangster and Reta Janet Michie. His post-secondary studies began at Bishop's University with a BSc in Chemistry. He graduated from McGill University with a MSc in Geology in 1961. He went on to pursue a PhD in Geology at the University of British Columbia, where his research focus was on iron-bearing minernals. Following the completion of his degree, Don Sangster obtained a position at the Geological Survey of Canada in 1964, where he eventually came to focus on lead-zinc deposits. He held his position at the Geological Survey of Canada until his retirement in 1995. In 1972, Don published a review of the characteristics of volcanic massive sulfide deposits, which was very well-received by the community. From 1986 to 1995, he also held the position of Adjunct Professor at the University of Ottawa. Among his notable award are the Duncan R. Derry Gold Medal by the Geological Association of Canada in 1981, the Silver Medal by the Society of Economic Geologists in 1984, the Mineralogical Association of Canada's Past Presidents' Medal in 1986, and Logan Medal by the Geological Association of Canada in 1998. His concern for the vanishing heritage of English-speaking population in the Eastern Townships led to his project to photograph and document Protestant churches in the region.

Donald Sangster married Eleanor Doherty in Sherbrooke on 4 October 1953. Together they had four children: Vicki, Cameron, Sharon, and Geoffrey. Donald passed away the 28 December 2018 in Ottawa with interment at the Elmwood Cemetery in Sherbrooke.

Brae Manor Players
Corporate body · 1935-ca. 1964

The Brae Manor Players was established under the direction of Filmore Sadler, director, in 1935. The theatre troupe often performed in Knowlton (at the Brae Manor) and in North Hatley. A void in theatrical productions was felt in the Townships after the Brae Manor Players ceased their activities. This lack was partially answered by the establishment of the Piggery Theatre in 1965.

Hunting (family)
Family

Seth and William Hunting, the founders of Huntingville and involved in the establishment of the Universalist Church in the village, were the first Huntings to the Eastern Townships. Born in Hubbardston, Mass., William and Seth Hunting were two of the four children of William Hunting and Lydia Wheelock. William Hunting (1784-1832), their eldest son, and Mary (Polly) Stone (1782-1853) were married in 1809 and subsequently moved to Templeton, Mass., where Mary's family was from. Mary was the eldest daughter of Catharine Wyman and Leonard Stone, Catharine's second husband. Previously, Catharine had first married Aaron Kendall who died after 10 years of marriage, in 1881. From her mother's first marriage, Mary (Polly) Stone had three half-siblings. The family connections on the Stone side of the Hunting family are significant because much correspondence was received from these relatives in the United States. After the birth of two daughters in 1809 and 1811, William and Mary Polly Hunting moved to Ascot Township in Lower Canada in 1812. Although the reason for the move is not certain, it is likely that they were prompted by some of Mary Stone's relatives who had already made the move north.

By 1815, Seth Hunting (1788-1872) had brought his new bride, Nancy Davis, to the Eastern Townships as well and had bought land on the Salmon River, now the Ascot River, which would be the future site of Huntingville. At this time, William and his family moved from Ascot to join Seth were he had chosen to settle. Seth and Nancy Hunting had six children: Stephen (1815-1841), Susan (1816-1886), Henry W. (1830-1896), William Seth (1865-1950), Fredrick A. (1867-1868), and Charles P. (1864-1931). Although Seth had purchased the land where the mills would eventually be situated, it appears that he was a farmer rather then a miller and it would be William who would build the mills.

William Hunting and Mary (Polly) Stone had six children: Betsey (1809-1832), Catharine (1811-1838), William (1815-1892), Leonard (1820-1842), Lyman E. (1821-1850), and Ephraim, who died as an infant. William Hunting built and operated the first dam across the river and subsequently built a grist mill and a saw mill on its shores. Additionally, he operated another mill on the Eaton River. When he died in 1832, his eldest son, William, took over the mills at the young age of 17. By 1838, William's younger brothers, Leonard and Lyman, were helping at the mills. By the 1840s, Lyman had left the mills to work at the Fuller General Store in Lennoxville because of ill-health, some sort of lung disease, and, for time, lived in the United States. Descendants of William Hunting Jr. operated the saw and grist mills until 1960, when a fire destroyed both buildings. In 1961, a planing mill was built and operated by Ross Hunting but has since been shut down, although the building still stands next to the Salmon River in Huntingville.

Corporate body · 1992-

The Megantic-Compton Cemetery and Church Association was founded on May 21st, 1992. Its mission was to offer assistance in the maintenance and preservation of Protestant churches and cemeteries in the Megantic-Compton electoral riding. It was originally known under the title of “Megantic-Compton Heritage Trust,” but appears to have adopted the title of “Megantic-Compton Cemetery and Church Association” within the first few months of its incorporation. It was comprised of a Board of Directors of twelve members elected annually (for one- or two-year terms, with possibility of re-election). Annual General Meetings were held once per year, along with Special Meetings as necessary, and meetings of the Board of Directors were held multiple times per year as necessary. The Board of Directors included four officers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The first President of the Association was Mr. J. Allen Martin (known as “Allen”), who held the position until his death in 2001, at which point Vice-President Orvil Anderson took over. Ms. Ethel Martin was Treasurer from 1992 to 2001, at which point she and longtime Secretary Ms. Violet Main resigned, and both were replaced by Mr. William (Bill) Cloutier as Secretary-Treasurer. General membership ranged from about twenty-five to fifty members throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. As of 2013, the Association was still meeting regularly.

The Association preoccupied itself throughout most of the 1990s with preparing cemetery listings for the Protestant cemeteries within the Megantic-Compton electoral riding. The research for these cemetery listings was carried out by paid employees (many of whom were students) and volunteers. A separate but related research project involved the compilation of Protestant Church registers of baptisms, marriages, and burials from the Megantic-Compton electoral riding. They also commemorated some neglected cemeteries with monuments acknowledging the first settlers of the area whose remains were buried in those areas. Funding for the Association’s activities came from federal and provincial grants as well as individual and corporate donations and fundraising activities. Individual donations were encouraged through the Association’s carefully curated mailing list.