Edward Bowen, Esq., son of Judge Bowen.
Edward Ryan, Esq., merchant, and Mr. O'Meara, Custom House.
"These gentlemen formed the St. Patrick's Society, and the subscription was to be five shillings each, annually. They also decided to have an annual dinner every anniversary. The first president was the Hon. D. Daly, and their first dinner was in a building where now stands the Russell House. The subscription to the dinner was to be six dollars, to make the meeting as select as possible, and to be paid out of the subscribers' own pockets without reference to the annual subscription. The next president was the Hon. George Pemberton, and that dinner took place in the Albion Hotel in Palace street. The third president was Sir H. Caldwell; they dined in the same building, the Albion. The fourth president was George Holmes Parke, Esq., who was annually elected president for the succeeding fourteen years in succession, and the dinners took place principally in the old chateau. To the anniversary dinners the presidents of St. George, St. Andrew and St. John the Baptist were invited as guests, as was also the heads of all military and civil departments. On one occasion in the old chateau, when over two hundred and fifty guests sat down to dinner, it looked well to see Geo. Holmes Parke, Esq., with the president of St. George on one arm, and the presidents of St. Andrew and St. John the Baptist on the other, walking up the long room to the head of the dinner table. There were a large number of subscribers to the Society, and the consequence was, although the subscription was small, it was enabled to do a multitude of good. The Society for many years got on admirably until other branches were formed, and then Mr. Parke did not take the same interest as he had formerly done. Notwithstanding, there never was an anniversary dinner given afterwards but Mr. Parke was invited to it as a guest, and given one of the most prominent seats at the table. Charles Gethings, Esq., I believe, followed Mr. Parke as president, and after him others whose names I have not ascertained. Of all the gentlemen that met to form the Society, Mr. Parke is the only one living. In 1840 Mr. Parke bought a large tract of land on the River St. Charles, a short distance from the Dorchester Toll Bridge, on which he had built a splendid mansion, and ornamented it with thousands of forest trees and circular avenues, iron entrance gates, stone pillars, etc., also beautiful quickset hedges on each side of the avenues kept neatly trimmed. In this house, which he called "Ringfield," he has lived for the last fifty years, and is still living in it. There is a splendid view from Ringfield. From St. Foy's church to St. Peter street in Lower Town can be seen almost every house in Upper Town, St. Roch and St. Sauveur. Down the River St. Lawrence can be seen nine miles, and from the hall door, before the trees grew up, could be counted fourteen parish churches, apart from the city or suburbs. Mr. Parke came to Canada in 1830, and is now in his eighty-fourth year. During his business career he did a large business, and in the course of twenty-five years he had built for himself seventy-six large ships by different ship builders, which cost and was paid for out of his office over three million of dollars, apart from his other business." This gentlemen is father of the present popular physician, Dr. Parke. Mr. Lemoine in his "Tourist's Note Book" says: "A very remarkable vestige of French domination exists behind the villa of Mr. Parke, a circular field house, hence the name Ringfield, covering about twelve acres, with an earthwork once about twenty feet high to the east, to shield its inmates from the shot of Wolfe's fleet lying at the entrance of the St. Charles below Quebec."
SILLERY CHURCH—THE PARSONAGE,
ONE TIME A RESIDENCE OF
SIR E. R. CARON.
Sillery Church, beautifully situated above Sillery Cove (one of the best-known lumber coves near Quebec), has for its parishioners many families of note, foremost amongst whom were the Sharples family, well known for their Catholic piety and their active benevolence.
At the time I first knew Sillery Church, its pastor was the Rev. George Drolet, a very fervent, energetic priest, who I fear lost his health in part from over zeal in the discharge of his arduous duties. His people being mixed English and French, I have known him go through the ritual of two masses, preach two sermons one in French and one in English (fasting) though frequently warned against such over-exertion.
He was stricken with paralysis some years ago, and though comparatively a young man, is quite debarred now from all church services.
He exercised considerable influence amongst his parishioners, many of them being very difficult to deal with—a floating population of sailors; but his genial manner and tact carried him through many difficulties. I cannot give a better illustration of that same tact than by narrating a fact that occurred full thirty years ago. At the time of the great Corrigan Murder (as it was called)—the outcome of a fight between Orangemen and R. C. Irishmen—the feud ran so high, the Bishop of Quebec, seeing how impossible it would be for an Irish priest to abstain from being drawn into the vortex of party strife, decided on sending a French-Canadian priest, who would have no national feeling in the matter. The matter was discussed, but it was supposed to be such a post of danger, even for a priest, the Bishop decided he would ask for a volunteer instead of issuing a command to one of his clergy. All eyes turned to the Rev. Mr. Drolet as the one suited; he had been junior priest in St. Patrick's Church in Quebec, was thoroughly acquainted with the character of the Irish people, and much beloved by them. He offered his services, which were at once accepted; but some of his confrères felt badly over the matter and remonstrated: "You must remember, my dear sir, that you have a mother and sisters dependent on you for a home, and you hold your life in your hand, if you go to —— in the present state of feeling, as the Irish say they will not have a French-Canadian priest." "I am not afraid," was the Rev. Mr. D.'s rejoinder; he went, to find the Presbytery closed, the Parish Church nailed up, and a very threatening crowd assembled. He could do nothing that day, so went to a neighboring parish to say his morning mass. The next day the same scene. Undaunted he began to talk, said he always thought an Irishman liked fair play, and thought he might ask for a few minutes hearing—he, one man against hundreds. "Oh! yes," they said, ashamed. "We'll let you talk, but remember we don't want to insult your reverence, but we won't have a French-Canadian over us." "Well, answer me one question, I like to know to whom I am talking: what is your name, and in what part of Ireland were you born?" "Oh, sir, I was not born in Ireland, but my grandfather and grandmother came from the Old country." "And you? and you?" The same answer, not one perhaps in forty were born in Ireland, all really by birth Canadians, and Mr. D. said, "You say you won't have me because I am a French-Canadian, my name is so, but, as my grandmother was Irish, I consider myself as Irish as any of you." His wit carried the day. He resided there for many years, and was so well liked that between thirty and forty of his parishioners accompanied him to do him honor, when he was given the pastorate of St. Michel, and I shall never forget the sight of a crowded steamboat, half of the people in tears as they went to see him off, and land him at Sillery, to which he had been promoted—the most desirable rectorship, I fancy, in the R. C. gift, near Quebec; but which he was to enjoy only a few years.
ST. MATTHEW'S CHAPEL.
A beautiful little church on the site of the old burying ground, on St. John street, Quebec, built by that well-known philanthropist, Matthew Hale, Esq., and very much enlarged and beautified by the various members of the Hamilton family with their well-known liberality.