ASA Annual meeting

Friday, August 16, 2002, launch of the dictionary and genealogical evening.

The big evening has arrived, the evening that we can proudly call the evening of the dictionary of the Séguin d'Amérique.

Indeed, it was at Les Cèdres, during the 12th gathering of the Séguin, that we were able to admire for the first time this dictionary, fruit of the work of more than ten years of our genealogist André Séguin # 006. The 850-page dictionary provides information on 6,500 families and 16,000 descendants: a colossal work.

André Séguin was therefore very happy to launch the dictionary in the hands of the president of the Association Pierre-Paul Séguin. Then the youngest woman in the assembly, Guylaine Séguin, launched the CD-ROM containing all this same information to the youngest man, François ...

André Séguin # 006 was proud to tell us that his research has succeeded in extending our knowledge of our ancestors in France by a generation. Then Raymond Séguin # 002 spoke to us about the little story of the Séguin des Cèdres; he speaks of the Séguins with what passion and with what pride!

Thank you to our two genealogists for their contribution to this evening.

Adhémar Séguin # 030 Pincourt QC

Saturday, August 17, 2002, visit of the region and the village.

It's August 17th. It's ten o'clock. The group is full. On board the “big yellow”, Adhémar Séguin will be our guide. It is his region, his native land. For him, it is an opportunity to relive his youth and share his memories with us, the joy of living at Les Cèdres. Adhémar does not have a microphone. He must spare his voice because, that same evening, he sings in concert with the choir. The participants are talkative, but respectful of the guide and curious to know his secrets. At the signal given on the roof of the bus, it is silence. Adhémar tells. Smiling, he explains that many places have changed, that people have left and that certain things have disappeared for 50 years in this region so magnificently located on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, west of the Outaouais.

The seigneury of Soulanges was granted in 1702 by Governor General H. de Callières and Intendant François de Beauharnois. The first register of the parish of Saint-Joseph-de-Soulanges was opened in 175

Houses spread out along the river as the land stretched inward perpendicular to the river which was very important to people. Some land divided up by the Soulanges canal, the construction of the railway or Highway 20 were abandoned because of the difficulties and detours to cross the canal in order to reach the other part of the land. The canal disturbed everything. Even though bridges are built every two miles, you have to get there and get the animals across morning and night. It was not easy. In addition, on the other side of the canal, there is the Toronto road (the old one) which is quite busy. It happens two or three times a summer that animals are killed. One fact to note: cows have, it seems, memory. During the week following the death of a cow, they would stop at the site of the accident and stop. This hello to the dead cow lasted five to ten minutes. Motorists also plunged into the canal, probably tired by the monotony of the too straight road.

We travel on the river road where, among these well-located houses, Adhémar points out the birthplace of Raymond Séguin # 002 and the silos of the “Les Huiles Naturelles d'Amérique” industry, owned by the Dewavrin family. There is no stop but it is an invitation to visit freely from 13.00 to 16.00 hours.

The products are certified organic thanks to the cultivation of soybeans, safflower and sunflowers in lands abandoned for 70 years because of problems caused by the pipeline. The current farmer uses no chemical fertilizers, no pesticides. Everything is in harmony with nature. Cold-pressed oils are sold in health food stores.

At the limits of the municipality, we can see the castle of the “la par house” sector as some people said at the time. It is in fact the "small power" (Power House) built in red brick inspired by English castle. This house, declared a historic monument, is empty. The water goes under the house and at that time powered five or six turbines that supplied electricity to the entire canal and to the brightly lit old Toronto road with lights set every two hundred feet. Most of the farmers did not have electricity.

We retrace our steps and take the rang Saint-Dominique or the rang des Séguin. The old abandoned school brings back fond memories to Adhémar. The taste for studies was taken there without rule, thanks to the kindness of the teacher (Agathe Séguin). All this despite the mischievousness of the students. We pass in front of Adhémar's paternal house. Everything is intact except the wind turbine installed by his father (beekeeper) to produce the electricity necessary for the house and the beekeeping laboratory.

We cross Highway 20, where on the other side, the railway installed in 1840 still exists. A train passes at a brisk pace and confirms it. The station, the general store, the Ovila-Paul Séguin hotel where the giant Beaupré would have had a few beers without paying, the village, everything has disappeared. A little further away, the Ozanam Séguin house still exists but it belongs to the Cramerstatter family, nurserymen established since 1973 on land formerly belonging to the Séguins. The statue of the Virgin always watches over the 250 acres bought from this family in the rang Saint-Dominique. A nice stop allows us to meet one of the owner's three sons.

The excursion continues on the old Toronto road and we descend to visit the small anchor museum. There is a model of the canal and photos. The inks and the objects were brought together thanks to a team of divers interested in the history of the canal. We started digging in 1892 and it was in 1899 that the Soulanges canal replaced that of Beauharnois. It was convenient for transporting goods to the Great Lakes, but the farmers who crossed the swing bridges to reach their land across the canal were less appreciative. Since 1959, when the St. Lawrence Seaway opened, no boat has passed through it.

It is noon. We return to the center. You can visit the Séguin-Poirier workshop freely from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The reception hall (the chapel) whose walls are covered with enamels is now complete and it is superb, colorful, joyful and lively as are all the pieces created by the artist whose reputation is well established.

Several visited the cemetery where the Séguin monuments were clearly identified thanks to the research of the organizing committee. The crypt under the church impressed many.

Thanks to the ride in the large canoe, some were able to see the church, the village and its surroundings from a different perspective.

A big thank you to our guides, Adhémar Séguin # 030, André Séguin # 250 and Jean-Baptiste Séguin # 102, who knew, with humor, how to make Les Cèdres known.