Chapleau becomes thriving community despite obstacles after arrival of Canadian Pacific Railway in 1885

It never ceases to amaze me how quickly Chapleau developed into a thriving community after the Canadian Pacific Railway arrived in 1885, so I decided to share some of the activities described in the Richard Brownlee Papers. 

Some of the first settlers lived in tents, which also included the community's first store opened by T.A. Austin and located near the site of the Lady Minto Hospital in what was called 'Old Chapleau'. After Mr. Brownlee arrived in February 1886, he established his barber shop in the same location.

However, an early publication says that it was a "red letter day" for the Austin brothers, T.A. and J. McN, when they opened their store on Birch Street in September 1886 with a lean to on the side for Mr. Brownlee's barber shop. The building also housed the first post office.

But it was not only the Austin brothers who were establishing stores. By the end of 1886 it appears that five stores including Austin were on the scene or about to be opened. They included Murrays and Mulligan operated by Patrick Mulligan (my great great uncle), Deland and Kellett, P. Manion and the Hudson Bay Company relocated from what is now referred to as the "Memegos Property" on the Nebskwashi River.

Many  of the early settlers lived in tents, others lived in two rows of boxcars on Godlin and Stovepipe Avenues.

In my 1984 book 'Sons of Thunder... Apostles of Love' I noted that the winter of 1885-86 was extremely cold and disease was rampant. Chapleau had about 450 citizens, 90 percent of them men. Fire was also a great threat.

Boarding houses were built quickly  and the Queen's Hotel was opened in 1887, and the Algoma Hotel about 1890, but it burned down and was later rebuilt.

By 1886, three churches had been established -- Roman Catholic, Church of England (Anglican) and Methodist (later United).

The first public library opened in 1888, first in a boxcar then in the Mechanics Institute where it became the "centre of the social and intellectual life" of the community. It burned down in 1906 and at the time had 2000 volumes on its shelves. 

A school was also established, the first in a tent,  and moved locations until settling on Pine Street.

A street plan was completed and streets were named after Governors General of Canada, trees and King and Queen. Residential areas were established.

An open air  arena was established on Lorne Street by J. Gill by 1888 and a Chapleau hockey team made its first road trip to Sudbury in 1893. It lost. Curling had also been introduced. Other sports were also being played.

The Chapleau Brass band was founded in 1888.

Fast Forward to 1915.  An article notes that "In December 1915 they (the CPR) were moving over 450 cars a day through Chapleau -- there were 56 crews needed to handle the work -- they had fifty engines to handle the freight alone,with six passenger and two yard engines: there were three sets of despatchers and new offices all along the line were opened up, employing some thirty extra operators".

Chapleau citizens started going to Mulligan's Bay (named after Patrick Mulligan) early in its history and apparently the very first boat was a sail boat owned by J.B. Dexter, who helped found the Chapleau Brass Band, was a council member and fire chief.

This has just been a gimpse at some of the happenings in Chapleau mostly before 1900. Despite many obstacles the early citizens established a thriving community in the wilderness of Northern Ontario. 

Once again thanks to Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin -- both members of Chapleau pioneer families -- for loaning me the Richard Brownlee Papers. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Airplanes to the rescue as gold rush fever at Swayze affects Chapleau in 1930s

As gold rush fever hit the Swayze area in the early 1930s, Chapleau became "quite famous", according to a handwritten report included in the Richard Brownlee Papers.

Although the writer of a section called "Chapleau" has great insights into the early years of the community, it does not look like Mr. Brownlee's handwriting.

The article says that prospectors and mining companies "rushed from the United States and all parts of Canada" to Chapleau in the early 1930s during the early years of the Great Depression.

However, there was a major problem.

How were they to get into Swayze? There was no railway or highway leading into the settlement. The only means of entrance to the settlement had been by canoe from Ridout which was a 30-minute train ride on the Canadian Pacific Railway east of Chapleau.

Travelling by canoe was found to be "crude" according to the writer.

Canoe travel presented obstacles as a means of trasnportation. It proved to be an "impossible method" to bring the necessary machinery to work the mines as the Ridout River was apparently too shallow in places for a canoe to pass.

Everything had to be carried over portages one of which was a mile long.

The Solution?

Airplanes arrived on the scene operating from bases in Chapleau on the Kebsquasheshing River. Three companies had bases at Chapleau -- Eclipse, General and Canadian. The writer says they were "fine planes" with "best pilots".

As an aside, let me share an anecdote involving my father Jim Morris, who would have been a student at Chapleau High School in those years as the airplanes arrived and started flying from Chapleau..

My father

He told my grandparents Lil (Mulligan) and Harry Morris that he was at the waterfront helping the pilots load and unload planes as well as going for plane rides. Partly true but he was also learning to fly planes. My grandfather told me he thought my grandmother did not know he was taking flying lessons, but she did. Mothers always know!

My father got his first private pilot's license at the Fort William Flying Club in 1937. As most readers know he was killed on active service in World War II while serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943.

Edgar Pellow, who had arrived in Chapleau in 1900, a successful entrepreneur and merchant, was running for reeve of Chapleau, in 1936,and promised to build a road to Swayze. Mr. Pellow was elected and apparently got some money for the project from the government. 

Edgar Pellow

D.O. Payette and Arthur Grout, who had taken over Smith and Chapple Ltd.in 1930, (now Chapleau Village Shops) were also actively involved in flying supplies to Swayze.

However, by 1937, interest in the Swayze project was waning, and Chapleau did not become a mining centre but the efforts of some did help the local economy during the Great Depression.

Once again my thanks to Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin for kindly loaning me the Richard Brownlee Papers. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

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Canadian Pacific Railway kept pace with Chapleau in community's first 50 years

By 1888 Chapleau had a public library housed in a passenger coach with over two thousand volumes of "fine literature", according to a handwritten history of the community's first 50 years in the Richard Brownlee Papers.

The books were provided by Sir William Van Horne, president of the Canadian Pacific Railway, a project that he apparently undertook in other communities too.

In browsing through the article, I decided to start with the anecdote about the donation by Mr. Van Horne which showed his interest in much more than just establishing Chapleau as a railway divisional point with a station, round house, etc. His interest in providing reading material is a story in itself for another day.

Back to the railway, the article says the "round house, a necessity in a railroad town had no doors and when the snow piled up, the section men shovelled it out. The oil was kept outside and had to be heated on stoves. The railroaders had a hard winter in those early days but they were hardy men".

D. O. Payette. who arrived in 1904 put living in Chapleau in context in those early years in an interview with the article writer.

Mr. Payette commented: "At least one half of Chapleau was bush. There were no electric lights and coal oil was used almost exclusively for lighting purposes. The stores and hotels used acetylene gas. The water supply was had from pitcher pumps which drew the water from well points driven into the ground at varying depths."

However, Chapleau continued to make progress as did the CPR by enlarging the shops and round house, building station, freight sheds, large ice house and building several dwellings.

Fast forward to the 1930s and the writers decided to "tell you someting of this busy little railroad town. It had become a divisional point where entire train crews were exchanged as well as engines which filled up with coal for the next part of the journey.

in 1937 an addition was added to the shops to house new enlarged engines. A new coal chutes was built at the north end of the Chapleau yards and it was there that all engines were filled with coal.

They added that "Like all such towns its prosperity depends a great deal upon the railroad. When the railway is busy, the town booms and a slump in the 'road' means a slump in the town's commerce". 

But railroading was not the only industry and that is a story for another day. Thanks again to Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin for the loan of Richard Brownlee Papers. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

NOTE Thanks to all who kept me informed about the recent storm, with special thanks to Lee Martin for photos of tree in my old yard on Grey Street. I planted that tree after the forest fire of 1948.

Tawagami selected as CPR divisional point but "lakes and swamps" saw it moved to Chapleau in 1885

CPR station 1886

The Canadian Pacific Railway divisional point that became Chapleau was supposed to be at Tawagami, seven miles east of the present community, but because of the lakes and swamps about there, it was situated where it is in 1885.

According to an article in the Richard Brownlee papers, among the very first "white women" who moved to Chapleau were a Mrs. S.B. Eyrie and her daughter Edna who became Mrs. Cressey, they arrived from Tawagami in September 1885.

By the end of 1885, there were about 400 citizens, most of them men. There were some women as residents by this time but many had left for the winter.

Apparently the Eyrie's had a boarding house but a "great bush fire" swept through that section of the fledgling community, and as a result they lived in tents  for about a year.

Also, as Chapleau was being established people lived in two rows of boxcars, one called Goslin Avenue and the other Stovepipe Avenue.

At the same time T.A. Austin set up shop in a tent in "old Chapleau" near the site of where the Lady Minto Hospital was opened in 1914. In February 1886, Mr. Brownlee who was about 18 arrived, and had a barber shop beside Mr. Austin's place of business.

Later in 1886, Mr. Austin built the first store on Birch Street where the Dominion store was later located, and he added a leanto for Mr. Brownlee's barber shop.

T A Austin store 1886

Tom Carr and his family were among the first citizens and they ran the first boarding house, popularly known as the "Pig's Ear," located across from where Smith and Chapple was located. Actually it would have been located across from the Austin store which had changed location. This later became Beamish and Smith then Smith and Chapple, now Chapleau Village Shops.

JMcN Austin then Beamish and Smith then Smith and Chapple, now Chapleau Village Shops

 Mr. Noel de Tilley "had the honour of driving the first engine into the station, that was in the autumn of 1885." Mr. and Mrs. de Tilley lived in a cottage next door to Tom Carr's boarding house.

Most reports I have seen over the years give credit to Mrs. Noel de Tilley for the naming of the community. The article I am using says that "Mr. R. Duschene, the civil engineer found it quite a problem to select names for all the places along the line and turned to her for an inspiration. She suggested that they name this town after (Joseph Adolphe) Chapleau, the Conservative member of parliament and Chapleau it became."

Very active in the community, before the Roman Catholic church was built, it was at their home that mass was sung on Sunday. Visiting priests also made their home with them,

That first winter was apparently bitterly cold and disease was rampant but these first citizens who had left their former way of life to create a new community in the wilderness. And they did. 

A boxcar became the first station, office building and train dispatcher's office. Very quickly a roundhouse with turntable and water tank had been erected. By 1886 a station had been completed.

The article noted that these "sturdy railroaders had a hard winter though, for the roundhouse ... had no doors. When there were snowstroms the section men had to come an shovel the snow away. There was no storehouse for oil. It was kept outside in large barrels and had to be heated before it could be used. For valve oil tey had to use tallow. ...'

I have included a photo of Bill Pellow's delivery wagon as a reminder of how deliveries were made. J.T. Serre made deliveries by dog team and sled in the winter months.

Amazingly, by the end of 1886, churches had been established, and an active social and sports life were underway. By 1889 they were curling and playing hockey, and a brass band had been started. Chapleau's first newspaper The North Star was being published. Mr. Brownlee also noted that the first school with 12 pupils had been started.

On a personal note, I am fascinated with these early years in the history of Chapleau, and so much appreciate having the Richard Brownlee papers, kindly loaned to me by Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin, to help me connect the dots from in the beginning. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

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Cones dropping on roof of tent nestled among pine trees 'great fun' for pupils at early Chapleau school

The first schools established in Chapleau shortly after the community were  established in 1885 was in a tent, according to a handwritten history of life in the fledging community included in the Richard Brownlee papers.

The handwriting is excellent but I can't say for sure if Mr. Brownlee, who arrived in Chapleau in February 1886,  wrote it some years later but it is a great read. Mr. Brownlee's first barbershop was in a tent in "old" Chapleau where the Lady Minto Hospital was built at Elm and Queen streets in 1914. He later in 1886 moved to a leanto attached to the T.A. Austin store in the present downtown area,

As an aside, I wonder if today anyone is keeping "handwritten" notes on Chapleau as it is today. If so I would love to hear from you.

The first school was  in a tent, then in the first Roman Catholic Church at Birch and Lorne where Collins Home Hardware is now for short time, then back to a tent located on Beech Street where the Trinity United Church Manse is located beside the church.

The writer noted that "It was a very pretty spot and the tent nestled among the big pine trees. Great fun was had when the pine cones dropped on the roof making a drumming noise. There were twelve rough hewn seats in the school.

"Another feature of this school was the big stove in the middle, and those who sat near it roasted, while those away froze."

However, by about 1891, a school was located in a small building on Pine beside the Rectory of St. John's Anglican Church.

This was schooling in the community as the 20th century arrived, and Chapleau was incorporated as a municipaility in 1901.

Education of the children however was on the minds of the first council as the writer says that "the first act of the new council was to float debentures for the erection of a public school."

It was built beside St. John's Anglican Church, and later became Chapleau High School

G.B. Nicholson was the first reeve and he was returned by acclamation in the election held each year until he retired from the office in 1913. Members of the first council were A. Rathwell, D. Royal, P.J. MacFarlane and W. Boswell.

Once again my sincere thanks to Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin who kindly loaned me the Richard Brownlee papers. I am writing this column as a state of emergency was declared for Cranbrook and area because of wildfires. Our heat wave continues too.

ADDENDUM  In my column on Charles W. Collins, in providing the names of family members who have managed the business I failed to include Susan Collins, granddaughter of Mr. Collins and daughter of George Collins. My apologies! Thanks Jordan for the email.

Also, the gremlins were really at work as I wrote in my lead of all places that in 1918, the business would mark 90 years with the Collins name. It should have been 2018, next year.

I started my newspaper career at the Timmins Daily Press 53 years ago on September 1, 1964, and there are still occasions when I don't manage to get the words right!  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Pioneer Chapleau citizen Richard Brownlee delighted with 'bit bumpy' first airplane ride over area in 1949

Richard Brownlee, who arrived in Chapleau in February 1886, and opened his barber shop in a tent, took his first airplane ride in 1949, according to the Richard Brownlee Papers.

In an article 'Oldest Citizen Sees District fromAir', it says that it took "some coaxing" to get Chapleau's oldest citizen, at least in terms of residency, to take his first plane ride from the community to the new white pine saw mill and timber limits of Sheppard and Morse Co. 

As a young man, with his first barber shop a tent, where he also lived, located near the site of the Lady Minto Hospital in "Old Chapleau", Mr. Brownlee had seen every great improvement "in both the living conditions and the methods of transportation from 1886 to 1949." By late 1886, his barber shop was relocated to the present Main Street as a lean- to attached to Austin's store. Later he located further down further down the street in what became known as the Brownlee Block.

In another article in his papers, it is noted that when he died in 1951 at age 83, he was the last of the real pioneers who arrived in Chapleau  who arrived in Chapleau as the Canadian Pacific Railway did. He was following the railway and first had a barber shop at Biscotasing.

That article also said that he "... could tell many stories of the first days of Chapleau when he did business in a tent, and when the main street was a jackpine swamp and the property (later) claimed by schools and public buildings on the lakeshore (Kebsquasheshing River) was nothing but a maze of alders. He lived through the progressive days of the town and saw the old boardwalks replaced by modern concrete sidewalks, the old well being replaced by an up-to-date pumping station and the pumping station and the kerosene lamp go into the discard in favour of electric power."

Main Street circa 1915

The article notes that in his younger days the only method of travelling around the area was by canoe. Within the community, dog teams were used for delivery, and later horses appeared.

Although Mr. Brownlee had one of the first boats and cars in Chapleau, he had never been for an airplane ride. 

However, he was on hand shortly after the end of World War I, when the first airplane landed at Chapleau. Apparently it was an "old Army type flying boat piloted by a Capt. Williams". As an aside if anyone anyone has photo of this plane. would be great to see it.

Mr. Brownlee, along with everyone else was delighted to see this new form of transportation. In 1949, the first helicopter arrived and he was there for the occasion.

How did he enjoy his first airplane ride? He was "delighted ... although the air was a bit bumpy" and the thing that amazed him most was the marvellous view he got and the large number of rivers and lakes to be seen on every hand." He had travelled the district by canoe in his younger days but this was a totally new experience.

Chapleau from air circa 1949-50

Upon landing at the Sheppard and Morse mill, he was keenly interested in the operation. They were sawing white pine logs and he was "amazed." 

However, instead of returning to Chapleau by plane, he was given the opportunity to return over the company's private road. He was shown a new piece of equipment called 'The Logger's Dream'. It was described as a powerful winch that hauled great logs through rubble "up and down hill and valley", and could even load the logs on trucks. 

In his lifetime, Mr. Brownlee had seen amazing changes and the article about his plane ride concludes with "... he always loved this country and he is delighted to see it open up as it has in the past few years."  Richard Brownlee, a link in the historic past of Chapleau died in August 1951 at age 83. 

I continue to be amazed as I go through the Richard Brownlee Papers so kindly loaned to me by Margaret Rose (Payette) and Bobby Fortin. My email is mj.morris@live.ca

"Mustard seeds planted in fertile soil" marked beginning of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Chapleau

Father Romeo Gascon, who was mainly responsible for building the present Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, provided an account  of the project after the  church was destroyed by fire on December 18, 1918.

The first Roman Catholic church in Chapleau was located where Collins furniture store is now. In 1891, a Father Grenier arrived and under his guidance a larger church was started at its present location, 

Father Gascon noted in his article contained in the Richard Brownlee papers. Father Gascon was priest in Chapleau from 1911 to 1958 when he died.

Prior to the building of the first church, Father Gascon wrote that Mass and the administration of the Sacraments were conducted in construction camps and private houses. "Great and numerous were the hardships of those first missionaries who had to minister to the few faithful scattered over a large territory,"

Roman Catholic Separate School

It was under the ministry of a Father Proulx that the priest's house was built around 1906 as well as the separate school. In 1925 the Sisters of St. Mary built the convent.

Priest's house, back of church and steeple at United Church

Disaster struck when the church became "the prey of fire" and the "church, and its contents, rich statuary and costly Mass vestments, tribute to the zealous work of the early missionaries and the generosity of the faithful pioneers" were lost."

"In a few hours nothing was left of the work and generosity of thirty years," Father Gascon wrote. "It cast a gloom over the joyous feast of Christmas.."

However, this was of short duration. "Immediately the Catholic people with their pastor pledged themselves to rebuild on a larger scale, to put up a Church which would be a credit and proof of their unfeigned faith and generosity.

"And this was accomplished. The following Christmas, Midnight Mass was sung for the first time in the new church."

Father Gascon sketched out the design for the new church and supervised the construction.

Alfred Leclerc, who arrived in Chapleau in 1915, in an article prepared for the church's 100th anniversary, said he had helped built it. He also was actively involved in other ways over many years.

Georgina and Alfred Leclerc

Writing his account in December 1932, just before Christmas,  Father  Gascon added that since the new church was opened, almost every year something is done to  "beautify the church so today it  stands as one of the nicest churches in the district."

In his conclusion, which he then signed "Romeo Gascon" he noted that the beginnings of the Roman Catholic Church in Chapleau were modest but were "mustard seed sown in fertile soil.

"Through the zeal, sacrifice and energy of these first missionaries and pioneer settlers this tiny seed has germinated and grown up to be a large tree.  Its branches and leaves now throw a refreshing shade."

He invited the people to the church to rest and regain lost strength. Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church will celebrate its 96th anniversary in the "new" church this year at Christmas.

I extend my thanks again to Margaret Rose and Bobby Fortin for loaning me the Richard Brownlee papers.  My email is mj.morris@live.ca

Brownlee Memorial Chapel erected in Chapleau Municipal Cemetery in 1936

 

The Brownlee Memorial Chapel was erected in the Chapleau Municipal Cemetery in 1936 by Richard Brownlee in memory of his first wife Ellen.

Mr. Brownlee had arrived in Chapleau in 1885, and established a barber shop. In 1887, he married and he brought his wife Ellen to Chapleau. She was one of the few women there at the time. Both were 19.  Mrs. Brownlee died in 1936, and in 1938 he married Marie Jeanne Leclerc.

In the Brownlee papers which have been kindly loaned to me by Margaret Rose and Bobby Fortin, Mr. Brownlee, in his own handwriting explains why he had the chapel built in memory of his wife..

"This building was erected in memory of the one who was so loving, loyal and congenial; a companion all our married life of forty-nine years. To her kind and intelligent sympathy in my work and welfare, I owe a debt which can only be acknowledged but never adequately repaid. R.B."

Following his wife's death, Mr. Brownlee applied to the municipal cemetery board to build the chapel, and T.R. Serre, the township clerk and treasurer, also secretary-treasurer of the board replied on August 25, 1936.

The letter read in part that the board authorized him to proceed with the building of the vault in the centre of the roadway... according to the plan submitted.

The Chapleau Post reported that the building would be about 14 feet by 18 feet. The basement would accommodate 10 caskets equipped with one of the "latest models of lowering devices for lowering the caskets into the basement.

"The main part of the building will be a chapel with an altar in the centre and a vestment room on the side." There would also be a furnace.

The architect was W.C Sylvester and the contractor Albert Tubbe, both of Ottawa.

On November 11, 1936, Mr. Brownlee, in a letter to the cemetery board reported that the project had been completed.  "I now formally turn it over to you to be held in perpetuity by you and your successors in office as a gift from me to the Citizens of Chapleau."

He attached two conditions:

"First that it shall be known as the 'Brownlee Memorial Chapel', and

"Second that you and your successors in office shall always permit the use of the Chapel by all persons, regardless of Race, Religion or Creed, who may desire to be buried in the Chapleau Municipal Cemetery."

His letter added: "I trust that these simple conditions will always be fulfilled, and that the Chapel will prove to be a benefit to the community in which I have lived so long, and a fitting Memorial to my dear Wife in whose memory it has been erected."

In replying to Mr Brownlee in a letter dated November 14, 1936, Reeve Frank Edwards, also chair of the cemetery board wrote.in part "... I wish to convey.. warmest thanks and deep appreciation of your munificent gift of the Brownlee Memorial Chapel.Such a gift is and always will be a visible token of the great regard which you and your wife had for the community in which you resided so long and where you were so greatly esteemed."

Reeve Edwards added that the municipal cemetery board "unhesitatingly accepts the conditions of your gift as outlined in your letter and will loyally and gratefully observe them".

Perhaps the Chapleau Post summed up  Mr. Brownlee best in a comment on his service to Chapleau. "If a man be judged by the extent of the service he renders then Mr. Brownlee deserves special commendation, for during his half century of residence in Chapleau he has always shown keen interest in the welfare of the community and by his enthusiastic and optimistic endeavour he has helped bring success to every undertaking and has promoted a spirit of good fellowship among the citizens."

On a very personal note, Mr. Brownlee also took time for a little boy who would wander over the Brownlee Block on Main Street to chat with the men who would gather in front of the barber shop. My father Jim Morris had been killed on active service in the RCAF in World War II, and of course Mr. Brownlee was aware of it. Mr. and Mrs. Brownlee (his second wife) would take me for rides in their car --- what a thrill as there were few cars in Chapleau circa 1945. He became my good friend.

Richard Brownlee died on August 6, 1951, and is buried in the Chapleau Municipal Cemetery. My email is mj.morris@live.ca