Toponymie | Canton de Potton | Place Names

Having waded through a description of the history establishing the Township of Potton, fascinating as it may have been, the following offering has to do with the self same place, but from a different point of view.

The historical genesis of Quebec's municipal structure lies in the efforts to reconcile the political differences that caused the Rebellion of 1837.  The British North America Act, now called the Act of Union, was passed in 1840, essentially uniting the colonies of Upper and Lower Canada into a single entity: the Province of Canada, that ultimately translated to the Districts of Canada West (Ontario) and Canada East (Quebec).  In 1841, the District Councils Act was passed which allowed for a system of local government in the Province of Canada.

Except for the cities of Montreal and Quebec City that enjoyed designation as administrative regions before 1845, “ there were no Municipal Councils or divisions of the land of the county or province into municipalities until the year 1845^[1] ». 

A municipality is an administrative region of a territory, or in Quebec “ une collectivité territoriale ».  In our case, the Township of Potton and the Municipality of the Township of Potton are one and the same.  However, such is not always the case.  The Municipality of the Township of Potton is also essentially the same as the Parish (paroisse) of Saint-Cajetan.

Before the MRC structure that we now know came into force in 1966, much the same function was dealt with by the Mayors at the County Council level, where meetings were convened regularly to deal with the affairs of regional concern.  Until 1855, our municipality was part of Stanstead County.  When the County of Brome was created in 1855, Potton was included.  Brome County was the smallest in Quebec, comprised of the Townships of Bolton and Potton, from Stanstead County; the Township of Farnham, from Shefford County, the Townships of Brome and Sutton, from Missisquoi County.  The county seat was Knowlton.  In 1924, after acrimonious debate, Brome County became known as Brome-Missisquoi.^[2] 

The first meeting of the new County Council of Brome took place on September 6, 1855; however our Mayor was not present.  Potton's participation began only at the second meeting, October 13, 1855, when Mayor G. B. Rolleston, our first Municipal Mayor, was present.  Taylor Volume I devotes many pages to the County Council meetings over the years, thus providing an interesting look at the political evolution of our area. 

Taylor acknowledges that “ we often note the absence of the Mayor of Potton from the March meeting, and the condition of the Bolton Pass no doubt has often made attendance at that season impossible. »^[3]  Indeed, it was the County Council that took charge of all communicating roads and bridges throughout the County.  Municipalities took care of the roads, bridges and drainage within their own boundaries.  Interestingly as well, the member townships, through the County Council, also subsidized social services to the collectivity.  There were regular accounts settled “ for the maintenance of the insane » and for the “ maintenance of Reform Schools », though where either of these was located is not evident.

Though Brome County was abolished in the early 1980's with the western half being assigned to the MRC of Brome-Missisquoi and the eastern half to the MRC de Memphrémagog, Brome County is still known as a historical County of Quebec, meaning that it contained original intact townships.  Brome County took its name from the name of a manor in the parish of Barham in Kent, England that was named after the broom plant. 

In 1966, Quebec was divided into zones of economic influence, governed by a supramunicpal body known as Muncipal Regional Counties.  Potton is part of the MRC of Memphremagog, part of the Estrie administrative region, as it has been known since 1950.  Local municipalities are under the supervision of the ministère des Affaires municipales, des Régions et de l'Occupation du territoire du Québec (MAMROT), as well as the different laws of the National Assembly of Quebec, such as the Municipal Code. 

The powers of local municipalities in Quebec are most often limited to matters of urbanism, economic development, roads, public transportation, public security, such as fire protection, infrastructure projects like water distribution and sewers, garbage removal and recycling, leisure and community life.  A municipal Council in Quebec, with few exceptions, has an elected Mayor and at least 6 councillors, democratically elected on majority votes every four years.  The Council makes decisions in the interests of the people it serves – the community; it manages the budget, its infrastructures and the municipal public function.

A coat of arms was chosen as the official emblem of the Municipality during the tenure of Jacques Marcoux.  The motto suggested by Ovide Avaarma: “ Ille terrarum mihi omnis angulus ridet », which translates thus: “More than any other, this corner of the country makes me smile.”  On the crest, five points are shown representing the principle mountain summits found in Potton: Bear, Hawk, Owl's Head, Pevee and Sugar Loaf.  Wavey lines represent the waterways and lake.  Stylized sunrays suggest Potton's bright future, under which the lattice design of the covered bridge is depicted.  The crown symbolizes our belonging to Canada and to Quebec, above which is imposed the stylized head of a deer, symbolizing the presence of that ruminant within our environment.  Before Mr. Avaarma's creation was accepted, our Municipality had no logo or identifying symbol of which I am aware.

As noted, the first Mayor of the Municipality of Potton was G.B. Rolleston in 1855.  Little is known about our first Mayor, except that he or his family are shown as proprietors of a farm on Peabody Road on O.W. Gray's map of 1864. 

According to municipal records, the following persons have been Mayors since the Municipality of the Township of Potton was incorporated:

G.B. Rolleston, in 1855-1856; William Perkins in 1857; Horace Green 1858-1861; Mark L. Elkins 1862-1865; Jas. Austin 1867; Robert Manson 1868-1873; Mark L. Elkins 1874; David A Manson 1875; Mark L. Elkins 1876-1878; John Bisbee 1879; Levi A Perkins 1880-1889; Rockwood J. Jones 1890; N.F. McKay 1891-1895; Nelson Boright 1896-1900; Lyman Knowlton 1901-1902; Simeon Sargent 1903; Jas. A Peabody 1904; Leonard Bourne 1905-1908; Claude N. Boright  1909-1912; J. M. Manson 1913; Dr. E.H. Henderson 1914-1922; A.B. Bailey 1923-1926; J.A. Giroux 1927-1930; A.B. Bailey 1931-1934; J. Gédéon Giroux 1935-1938; Dr. Henry E. Gillanders 1939-1942; F.A Jewett 1942-1944; L.-P. Brouillette 1945-1948; H.W. Sullivan 1948-1952; Hilaire Picotte 1952-1956; Harry H. George 1956-1960; Adrien Laplume 1961-1964; Fred Korman 1965-1969; Adrien Laplume 1969-1973; R.B. Armstrong 1973-1977; André Marcoux 1977-1989; Jacques Marcoux 1989-1993; André Marcoux 1993-1997; Claude Laplume 1997-2009; Jacques Marcoux is the current Mayor of the Township of Potton.^[4]

Of note is the fact that, from 1927 to 1989, like so many others in the Eastern Townships, this Municipality alternated the terms of English and French speaking Mayors. 

In 1866, the population of Potton is given as 1,194 persons; the assessable property of Potton is valued at $325,605.  There are 425 voters.  The school rates for 1866 are $1,000 and the government grant for the same period is $224.  There are eighteen elementary schools under the control of the commissioners.^[5] 

With regard to the number of voters, remember that it was only in 1940 that women in Quebec received the right to vote; therefore this 1866 list includes heads of households, male only. 

In 1965, the total evaluation was $1,634,045.00 – total revenues of $85,034.55 and expenses of $72,177.19 allowed a surplus of revenues over expenses of $12 587.55

Today, some 200 years after Jesse Pennoyer started out with his primitive instruments to determine our boundaries, and after Hendrick Ruiter was obliged to petition incessantly for compensation from the government for his loyalty to King and country, we live in peace and comparative prosperity.  

Our municipal government is still comprised of our fellow citizens: six councillors and mayor, democratically elected from amongst us, responsible on our behalf, for communal projects, including the maintenance of roads within Potton, their drainage, the snow removal from them, the infrastructure within Mansonville proper, and at the Owl's Head residential settlement.  Increasingly, the municipalities of Quebec shoulder a larger burden for administering regulations in the area of waste removal, environmental and ecological concerns and police protection.

Our Council has established a number of standing advisory committees that make recommendations for the consideration of Council in specific areas.  The establishment of such committees encourages participation of citizens.  These include a committee on culture and heritage, consultative committees for environmental concerns, for economic development, for the revitalization of the village of Mansonville, in addition to a civil protection.  The Comité consultatif sur l'urbanisme (CCU) is a mandatory committee established by provincial legislation.  All of these committees are comprised of willing volunteers.

We have Fire Protection and First Responder services that are the envy of many.  It is of note that our fire protection services cover 262 square kilometers and includes an international agreement for mutual aide with the firemen of North Troy, Vermont, in addition to an intermunicipal agreement with Austin, our neighbour to the north. 

Potton's First Responder team is well trained and comprised of volunteers.  It is considered one of the best units in Quebec.  These men and women are trained to intervene in medical emergencies where their competence and early arrival may save lives.  Often, in a small community such as Potton, these people are called to respond to emergencies involving their friends and neighbours. 

As a population we benefit as well from a modern municipal library, social and medical services provided by a local CLSC, parks and playgrounds for our children, walking paths, weekly sanitary/recycling services, a municipal beach, and sports facilities, amongst other considerable benefits provided by community interest groups.