Townships Heritage WebMagazine

Benjamin Cate Howard (1865-1923) was born with a deep and solid Eastern Townships’ heritage - his grandparents from his father’s side had been Irish immigrants arriving in the Townships in the early 1820s, and a set of great grandparents from his mother’s side had been part of the Marlow pioneers in Stanstead, arriving from New Hampshire circa 1800. As it was, Ben Howard was born the second son to a farming family on what was known as the Howard Farm, Apple Grove, which was an area just a few miles northwest from where the old Marlow Settlement had been located - present day, Marlington.

The Richmond County Historical Society (RCHS) was formed in 1962.
As part of our 50th anniversary celebrations, we have presented some photos and information from the past.

The Mills during the period of the French, British and Eastern Townships

The Woods (Burt) Store was located at the corner of Route 243 and Cemetery Road in Melbourne, Quebec.

In 1887 the Upper Melbourne Post office, with H. L. Burt as Postmaster, was one of sixteen Richmond subscribers of the Bell Telephone Company of Canada.

Sir Casimir Gzowski, great-grandfather of Canadian broadcaster Peter Gzowski, and engineer for the St. Lawrence & Atlantic Railway, forerunner to the Grand Trunk, built this trestle over the St. Francis River at the north end of Richmond in 1852.

(Photo courtesy of the Richmond County Historical Society Archives)