During the fall of 1775, the old mansion sheltered Brigadier Richard Montgomery, [266] the leader of the American forlorn hope, who fell on the 31st December of that year, at Près-de-Ville, Champlain street, fighting against those same British whom it had previously been his pride to lead to victory. About the year 1780, we find this residence tenanted by a worthy British officer, who had been a great favourite with the hero of the Plains of Abraham. Major Samuel Holland had fought bravely that day under General Wolfe, and stood, it is said, after the battle, close by the expiring warrior. His dwelling took the name of Holland House: he added to it, a cupola, which served in lieu of a prospect tower, wherefrom could be had a most extensive view of the surrounding country. [267] The important appointment of Surveyor General of the Province, which was bestowed on Major Holland, together with his social qualities, abilities and education, soon gathered round him the élite of the English Society in Quebec at that time. Amongst the distinguished guests who frequented Holland House in 1791, we find Edward, afterwards Duke of Kent. The numerous letters still extant addressed by His Royal Highness from Kensington Palace, as late as 1814, to the many warm friends he had left on the banks of the St. Lawrence, contain pleasant reminiscences of his sojourn amongst his royal father's Canadian lieges. Amongst other frequenters of Holland House, may also be noted a handsome stranger, who after attending—the gayest of the gay—the Quebec Château balls, Regimental mess dinners, Barons' Club, tandem drives, as the male friend of one of the young Hollands was, to the amazement of all, convicted at a mess dinner of being a lady [268] in disguise. A fracas of course ensued. The lady-like guest soon vamosed to England, where he became the lawful spouse of the Hon. Mr. C——, the brother to Lord F——d. One remnant of the Hollands long endured; the old fir tree on that portion of the property purchased by James Creighton, farmer. Holland tree was still sacred to the memory of the five slumberers, who have reposed for more than a century beneath its hoary branches. Nor has the recollection of the "fatal duel" faded away. Holland farm, for many years, belonged to Mr. Wilson of the Customs Department, Quebec, in 1843 it passed by purchase to Judge George Okill Stuart, of Québec; Mr. Stuart improved the place, removed the old house and built a handsome new one on a rising ground in rear, which he occupied for several summers. It again became renowned for gaiety and festivity when subsequently owned by Robert Cassels, Esquire, for many years Manager of the Bank of British North America at Quebec. Genl. Danl. Lysons had leased it in 1862, for his residence, when the unexpected vote of the House of Assembly on the Militia Bill broke through his arrangements. Holland House is still the property of Mr. Cassels.
THE HOLLAND TREE.
(BY THE AUTHOR OF "MAPLE LEAVES")
"Woodman spare that tree."
It has often been noticed that one of the chief glories of Quebec consisted in being surrounded on all sides by smiling country seats, which in the summer season, as it were, encircle the brow of the old city like a chaplet of flowers; those who, on a sunny June morning, have wandered through the shady groves of Spencer Wood, Woodfield, Marchmont, Benmore, Kilmarnock, Kirk Ella, Hamwood, Beauvoir, Clermont, and fifty other old places, rendered vocal by the voices of birds, and with the sparkling waters of the great river or the winding St. Charles at their feet, are not likely to gainsay this statement.
Amongst these beautiful rural retreats few are better known than Holland Farm, in 1780 the family mansion of Surveyor-General Holland, one of Wolfe's favourite engineer officers. During the fall of 1775 it had been the headquarters of Brig. General Montgomery, who chose it as his residence during the siege of Quebec, whilst his colleague, Col. Benedict Arnold, was stationed with his New Englanders at the house southeast of Scott's Bridge, on the Little River road, for many years the homestead of Mr. Langlois. This fine property, running back as far as Mount Hermon Cemetery, and extending from the St. Louis or Grand Allée road, opposite Spencer Wood, down to the St. Foye road, which it crosses, is bounded to the north by the cime du cap, or St. Foye heights. For those who may be curious to know its original extent to an eighth of an inch, I shall quote from Major Holland's title-deed, wherein it is stated to comprise "in superficies, French measure, two hundred and six arpents, one perch, seven feet eight inches, and four eighths of an inch," from which description one would infer the Major had surveyed his domain with great minuteness, or that he must have been rather a stickler for territorial rights. What would his shades now think could they be made cognizant of the fact that that very château garden, [269] which he possessed and bequeathed to his sons in the year 1800, which had been taken possession of for military purposes by the Imperial authorities, is held by them to this day? Major Samuel Holland had distinguished himself as an officer under General Wolfe, on the Plains of Abraham, lived at Holland House [270] many years, as was customary in those days, in affluence, and at last paid the common debt to nature. He had been employed in Prince Edward Island and Western Canada on public surveys.
The Major, after having provided for his wife, Mary Josette Rolet, bequeathed his property to Frederick Braham, John Frederick, Charlotte, Susan and George Holland, [271] his children. In 1817, Frederick Braham Holland, who at that time was an ordnance storekeeper at Prince Edward Island, sold his share of the farm to the late William Wilson, of the Customs. Ten years later, John Frederick and Charlotte Holland also disposed of their interest in this land to Mr. Wilson, who subsequently, having acquired the rights of another heir, viz., in 1835, remained proprietor of Holland Farm until 1843, when the property by purchase passed over to Judge Geo. Okill Stuart, of this city. Mr. Stuart built on it a handsome mansion now known as Holland House, which he subsequently sold to Rob. Cassells, Esq., of Quebec, late manager of the Bank of British North America.
Holland Farm has been gradually dismembered: Coulonge Cottage, at the outlet of the Gomin Road, [272] is built on Holland farm. A successful gold digger by the name of Sinjohn purchased in the year 1862 a large tract of the farm fronting the St. Louis road with Thornhill as its north eastern and Mr. Stuart's new road as its south-western boundary. His cottage is shaded by the Thornhill Grove, with a garden and lawn and adjoins a level pasturage entirely denuded of shrubs and forest trees. [273] To a person looking from the main gate, at Spencer Wood in the direction of the south gable of Holland House, exactly in a straight line, no object intervenes except a fir tree which detaches itself on the horizon, conspicuous from afar over the plantation which fronts the St. Foye road. That tree is the Holland Tree. Well! what about the Holland Tree? What! you a Quebecer and not to know about the Holland Tree? the duel and the slumberers who have reposed for so many years under its shade!
Oh! but suppose I am not a Quebecer. Tell me about the Holland Tree. Well, walk down from the St. Louis road along Mr. Stuart's new road and we shall see first how the rest of the 'slumberers' has been respected. Hear the words which filial affection dictated to Frederick Braham, John Frederick and Charlotte Holland, when on the 14th July 1827, they executed a deed [274] in favor of Wm. Wilson conveying their interest in their father's estate.
"Provided always and these presents as well as the foregoing deed of sale and conveyance are so made and executed by the said Robert Holland acting as aforesaid (as attorney of the heirs Holland) upon and subject to the express charge and condition that is to say, that the said William Wilson his heirs and assigns shall forever hold sacred and inviolable the small circular space of ground on the said tract or piece of land and premises enclosed with a stone wall and wherein the remains of the late Samuel Holland, Esquire, father of the said vendors and of his son the late Samuel Holland jr., Esq., are interred, and shall and will allow tree ingress and egress at all times to the relatives and friends of the family of the said Samuel Holland for the purpose of viewing the state and condition of the said space of ground and making or causing to be made such repairs to the wall enclosing the same or otherwise providing for the protection of the said remains as they shall see fit."