Extrait de l'article de
THE MIGRATION OF VOYAGEURS FB.OyL DRUMMOND ISLAND TO PENETANGUISHENE IN 1828. BY A. C. OSBORNE

publié en 1900 dans The United Empire Loyalist Settlement at Long Point, Lake Erie

The British military post at Michilimackinac was transferred to the United States in 1796 by mutual agreement, and the forces stationed there retired to St. Joseph Island, where a fort and blockhouse were erected. From this latter post, at a subsequent period, issued that famous volunteer contingent of one hundred and sixty Canadian voyageurs, accompanied by a few (30) British regulars with two field pieces, under Captain Roberts, who effected the recapture of Mackinaw for the British. This occurred on the 16th of July, 1812, the first year of the war. In a subsequent attack by the Americans to recover the post the Canadian voyageurs gallantly assisted in its defence. Mackinaw was again restored to the United States according to treaty stipulations in 1815, when the British garrison found refuge on Drummond Island, in proximity to the former post of St. Joseph. The Canadian voyageurs still preferring to follow the fortunes of the British flag, with one or two exceptions, removed with the forces to Drummond Island. On the completion of the treaty surveys, Drummond Island proved to be in United States territory. Thereupon the British forces, under Lieut. Carson, commanding a detachment of the 68th Regiment, withdrew to the naval station at Penetanguishene, which event occurred on the 4th of November, 1828.

The voyageurs on the island, some seventy-five families, soon followed the garrison, moving to the neighborhood of the new post at Penetanguishene, the majority during the same and following years. In the wise provision of a paternal Government they were granted, in lieu of their abandoned homes, liberal allotments of lands on the borders of Penetanguishene Bay. Here they settled on twenty-acre and forty-acre lots, of which they became the original owners and patentees from the Crown in what are known as the Town and Ordnance Surveys.

These hardy voyageurs or half-breeds are the descendants of French-Canadians born principally in Quebec, many of whom were British soldiers, or came up with the North-West Company, and who married Indian women, their progeny also becoming British soldiers or attaches of the fur company in various capacities. Their fervent loyalty to the British Government is simple-hearted, genuine, unobtrusive and practical. Some of the original voyageurs belonged to the Voltigeurs and had seen active service. Some were
the proud recipients of medals, still treasured by their descendants, and gained for bravery at Plattsburgh and on other historic battlefields, and some carried wounds received while gallantly upholding British supremacy. They were in the front of battle during the stirring scenes at Mackinaw, St Joseph Island, Sault Ste. Marie and other sanguinary points during the war of 1812-15. This is a testimony more eloquent than words to the loyalty and worth of the ancestors of the settlers around Penetanguishene.

Several residents of Drummond Island appear to have taken time by the forelock. A Scotch trader named Gordon from Drummond Island made, in 1825, the first permanent settlement at Penetanguishene, on the east side of the harbor, just beyond Barracks Point, and called it the "Place of Penetangoushene." It subsequently became known as Gordon's Point. Rounding Pinery Point to the right of the incoming voyager is the "Place of the White Rolling Sand," which gives to the picturesque bay within its romantic
name. On the opposite shore is Gordon's Point, to the left and almost straight ahead. Gordon's first wife was a daughter of Mrs. Agnes Landry, a French-Ojibway woman, who was born on Drummond Island, and who accompanied the daughter's family to their wilderness home. At a later date he formed the nucleus of the future town, building the first house, which still stands, and is occupied by his descendants, the Misses Gordon. His second wife was a daughter of Charles Langlade. Gordon died in 1852, aged 65 years.

Other voyageurs are known to have been at Penetanguishene as early as 1816, but only as transient traders. Mrs. Gordon and her mother, Widow Landry, whose remains now rest near the ruins of the old Gordon homestead, are therefore fairly entitled to rank as the pioneers of the voyageurs from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene.

Their marriage customs were necessarily of the most primitive character, simply a mutual agreement, and, usually, one or two witnesses. A priest or missionary at those distant posts was a rare sight in the early days. Fidelity, however, was a marked characteristic among them, only two or three exceptions having been so far discovered in the history of this people, and they invariably took advantage of the first opportunity to have a proper marriage ceremony performed. This also explains the apparent anomaly of numerous couples, with large families, being married after their arrival at Penetanguishene, notably on the visit of Bishop McDonnell there in 1832.

When the British retired from Mackinac in 1815. after the conclusion of the Treaty of Ghent. their commandant was ordered to establish a post as near Mackinac as possible, in order to keep control of the Indian trade. Accordingly the post was built on Drummond Island, opposite the Strait of Detour, now a part of the state of Michigan, and then supposed to be within British territory. There, until 1828, a considerable establishment was maintained, consisting of a garrison, barracks, officers' quarters, and many traders' houses. See description in S. F. Cook, Drummond Island (Lansing, 1896). The boundary survey, in which Drummond Island was conveyed to the United States, was not concluded until 1822. The arrangements for transferring the post were dilatory, so that not until 1828 did the garrison remove to Penetanguishene, on Matchedash Bay having for thirteen years maintained a British post on American territory, and subsidized the Indians that resorted thither. Many of the former inhabitants of Mackinac, preferring British to American affiliation, went with the garrison to Drummond Island, and there maintained a considerable connection and traffic with their former friends and neighbors at Mackinac.

Several residents of Drummond Island appear to have taken time by the forelock.  A Scotch trader named Gordon from Drummond Island made, in 1825, the first permanent settlement at Penetanguishene, on the east side of the harbor, just beyond Barracks Point, and called it the "Place of Penetangoushene."  It subsequently became known as Gordon's Point.  Rounding Pinery Point to the right of the incoming voyager is the "Place of the White Rolling Sand," which gives to the picturesque bay within its romantic
name.  On the opposite shore is Gordon's Point, to the left and almost straight ahead.  Gordon's first wife was a daughter of Mrs. Agnes Landry, a French-Ojibway woman, who was born on Drummond Island, and who accompanied the daughter's family to their wilderness home.  At a later date he formed the nucleus of the future town, building the first house, which still stands, and is occupied by his descendants, the Misses Gordon.  His second wife was a daughter of Charles Langlade.  Gordon died in 1852, aged 65 years.
 

Other voyageurs are known to have been at Penetanguishene as early as 1816, but only as transient traders.  Mrs. Gordon and her mother, Widow Landry, whose remains now rest near the ruins of the old Gordon homestead, are therefore fairly entitled to rank as the pioneers of the voyageurs from Drummond Island to Penetanguishene. George Gordon, a Scotch trader from Drummond Island, married a half-breed, settled at Gordon's Point, a little east of the Barrack's Point.  Squire McDonald of the North-West Company bought from my father the farm where Squire Samuel Fraser now lives.  He often called at Drummond Island on business of the company, and came to Penetanguishene with the soldiers.  Fathers Crevier and Baudin were the only priests who visited Drummond Island in my recollection. There was another interpreter named Goroitte, a clerk at Drummond Island, who issued marriage licenses.  Hippolyte Brissette and Colbert Amyot went with the North-West Company to Red River, Fort Garry and across the Rocky Mountains to Vancouver.  Hippolyte was tatooed from head to foot with all sorts of curious figures, and married an Indian woman of the Cree tribe.  She was rather clever, and superior to the ordinary Indian women.  Francis Dusseaume was also in the North-West Company at Red River, and married a woman of the Wild Rice Tribe.  H. Brissette, Samuel Solomon and William Cowan were all with Captain Bayfield in the old Recovery during his survey of the thirty thousand Islands of the Georgian Bay in 1822-25.

Source :

Ontario Historical Society - Papers and records - Vol. II

The United Empire Loyalist Settlement at Long Point, Lake Erie
Author: Lawrence Hermon Tasker Volume: 2-4 Publisher: W. Briggs Year: 1900
Possible copyright status: NOT_IN_COPYRIGHT Language: English Digitizing sponsor: Google
Book from the collections of: University of California Collection: americana
Notes: Original published in the series: Ontario Historical Society. Papers and records ; vol. II.

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