Toponymie | Canton de Potton | Place Names

Singer Mountain is located in the Sutton Mountain Range, roughly to the east of Cliff Lake.  Its terrain is as one might expect of a mountain – rough, rubbled and steep.  Intrepid hiking friends assure us that the views from the summit are spectacular.

It seems that Singer Mountain was un-named until such time as major logging operations took place on the mountain, from about 1918 to approximately 1940 for the Singer Sewing Machine Company, who contracted for much of the hardwood taken from this location.  That company made cabinets for its sewing machines in St. Johns (Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu).  Early treadle machines were installed in tables, with hinged hardwood tops.  Later models were constructed with drawers and cabinets of such quality that could be considered furniture.  Singer Sewing machines are perhaps the world's most known domestic sewing machine.  They were invented in 1851 and by 1890 that Company held 80% of the world market for sewing machines. 

When logging operations were in full swing here in Potton, the company was doing sufficient cutting to justify the installation of a semi-permanent logging camp with bunk and cook houses, stables and a blacksmith shop, sawmill, and storage yards for their employees.  The place was such a fixture that it was named Singerville.  The lumber camp is shown on Plates # 70 and 71 of Potton d'antan, Yesterdays of Potton.  The Singer Company ceased lumbering here in 1940.  Singer Mountain is part of the Réserve des Montagnes-Vertes, owned by the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

“ The Singer Company did not run their logs down the (Ruiter) Brook, they took their wood in the form of lumber by team. »^[1]  Hardwood logs, being denser than softwood, do not float well. 

It should be said that commercial logging of the Sutton Mountains had quite obviously commenced well before Singer began their operations.  Witness the following quoted from the Waterloo Advertiser, November 6, 1903 issue: “ The extensive lumbering industries of Sutton Mountain are proving to be a great boon to the working man.  The companies are paying from $26 to $30 per month and board to their employees. »^[2]

These logging operations were in the era before power saws, timberjacks, special kevlar gear, “thinsulate” hard-hats or steel toed boots.  These loggers worked with cross cut saws, broad axes, strong backs and teams of horses!  Logging was generally done in the snow and ice of winter.  Logs were kept cleaner and could be skidded more easily.

Plate # 72 also shows the transport of logs by teams – leaving Mansonville en route for mills in the United States.  I would guess the logs were hardwood – which were not floated in the annual log runs of the spring.  Plates # 68 and 69 give an appreciation of the amount of logging once done in Potton.