Toponymie | Canton de Potton | Place Names

As you have just read, this picturesque and historic little hamlet, once called North Potton, is found on the shores of Lake Memphremagog at the very north eastern extremity of Potton.  Although South Potton was the gateway here from the states to the South, Knowlton Landing was the ferry point from across the Lake.  An exit off the autoroute of the time, you might say!

The Knowlton family name in the Eastern Townships appears to have begun with the arrival of Luke Knowlton, Sr., born in Shrewsbury, Mass., on March 4, 1738.  “He served in the old French and Indian War in 1759 (…).  In 1774, he was granted a Charter for the Town of Newfane, Vt. and settled there.”  He was that town's first clerk, was a Judge of the Supreme Court of Vermont for 1786, and a County Court Judge from 1787-1793.^[1]  Taylor notes that Luke Knowlton was suspected of being in the pay of the British and that the Vermont Congress ordered his arrest.^[2] 

Perhaps it was this allegiance that led the British authorities to grant the Township of Orford (erected in 1801) to Luke Knowlton and Associates.^[3]  “Two of his sons came to Canada, Silas, father of Col. Paul Holland Knowlton, settled in Stukely in 1796.”  The Township of Stukely, erected in 1800, was granted in part to Samuel Willard et al.  Samuel Willard was Luke Knowlton's son-in-law.^[4]  Two of his associates were Silas Knowlton and “Luke, Jr. (who) settled in Stukely March 21, 1821 (…)”.  However, the latter moved to Knowlton in 1825, becoming “the first permanent settler in what is now the village” (of Knowlton)^[5]; however, it is Colonel Paul Holland Knowlton who is the distinguished figure after whom Knowlton (or Ville de Lac-Brome) is named.

Levi Knowlton, after whom Knowlton Landing was named, was a cousin to these Knowltons and he, too, came from Stukely to the place later named after him.  He purchased a lot containing 221 acres of land from Laughlin McLean, an original grantee of land in Potton.^[6] 

“Around 1821, Levi Knowlton (…) came and settled on the west shore of Lake Memphremagog and the place came to be known as Knowlton Landing, (…) on a map of 1845 the spot is marked Potton Landing (…)”.^[7]

It would appear that Levi Knowlton was a farmer, although he was also an accomplished builder who must have taught his son Miles the tricks of the trade. 

Parts of the original Knowlton homestead extend on both sides of Chemin du Lac, from the south end of the tunnel of trees to the Landing itself.  The beautiful fields which frame the views of Lake Memphremagog and the Landing itself were likely cleared by Levi Knowlton's hand, and steadily improved thereafter by his descendants. 

Knowlton Landing achieved importance in the history of Potton because of its situation on the shore of Lake Memphremagog, and its comparative proximity to Georgeville on the eastern shore, from whence ferry service was established in about 1797 by Moses Copp, who rowed his scow between the two points.

As travel increased, adaptations were made.  The man-powered scow was soon replaced by a horse-powered one, after which larger steamboats were put into use.  The first was known as the Mountain Maid, also briefly as the Jenny Lind.  Perhaps the most famous was the Lady of the Lake; and the last of these was the Anthemis, retired in 1955.  The Anthemis was often overwintered in the bay at Knowlton Landing; in fact, in 1954, it made its final journey to Magog from here, before being scuppered.  From Knowlton Landing, a road that we now call the Mountain Road was established over time to South Bolton, Knowlton and beyond, essentially to Montreal and east to Quebec City.  Until district courts were established in Lower Canada, issues of legal importance were handled in these centers, thus making travel essential.  Remember that the Townships closest to the US-Canada border were the last to be settled.  Beyond the limits of these, roads connected the larger centers.  An extract of a letter which appeared in The News and Frontier Advocate, November 22, 1867: “The disadvantage of a stage drive for eighteen miles from Waterloo to Lake Memphremagog is most obvious, and yet it is through a very wild and picturesque country and over excellent Canadian roads, and the attentions paid to travellers pleasantly polite without being obstructive.”^[8]  Evidently, by this date, a road of sorts had been well established and our reputation as welcoming hosts already apparent.

Understandably, the lakeshore landing also led to the development of inns and lodging for the traveller.  Before these were established, travellers would seek shelter with settlers along their way, often with farm families.

Earlier in this book, the history of L'Aubergine, from its beginnings to the present, including the names of the owner-hosts was given.

As its most well known family, the Knowltons are, of course, synonymous with Knowlton Landing.  Most of the several private homes along the lakeshore at Knowlton Landing were cleaved from the original Knowlton holdings of the 1800's.  The original homestead, now pasture and hayfield, is still in the Knowlton name.  Ralph Knowlton, Jr. operates the Knowlton Maplehurst Farm sugarbush with state-of-the-art equipment.  The Knowltons have been renowned for their excellent variety and quality of maple products.  Their retail outlet for these products operates only in the spring.