The memorial to the memory of the first colonists

June 26, 1902, one year before the date planned for the activities of the bicentenary of Yamachiche, Mr. Raphaël Bellemare made gift of a memorial dedicated to Ste Anne, protectress of the municipality. The revealing of the monument was done in the presence of the religious and ecclesiastical authorities and of the citizens. The monument was set up on the lot of the first Bellemare, where it is still nowadays.

At the time of his short speech, Mr. Raphaël Bellemare amongst other things described the material composition of the monument: " the first base as well as the second will be of gray granite of Stanstead. The third as well as the higher plate will be of pink granite said laurentien. The statue representing Ste Anne will be of gray granite of New-Milford. The whole having a total height of 17 feet (5 meters).

The whole will rest on a foundation of stone and cement of 5 feet (1.50 meter) of depth. This foundation will rest in the center of a turf slope of 24 feet (7 meters) square having a rise in 2 feet and half (75 cm) above ground-level. This slope will be protected by a chain made up of 9 gray granite terminals of Stanstead of 5 feet (1.6 meter) top and 9 inches (23 cm) square, bound between them by iron bars galvanized of 2 inches (5cm) of diameter, and by an iron chain also galvanized, attached to 2 copper hooks fixed at the 2 granite boundaries forming the entry on the ground of the monument, between which will be 2 granite steps of 4 feet (1.20 meter) of width rising on the level of the slope. Apart from this chain, a gravel and stone alley will make it possible to circulate making it possible to see the 4 faces of the monument and be able to read the inscriptions."

 Note the 2 standard lamps on the photograph which were fed with natural gas that we found with profusion on the territory of Yamachiche. These 2 standard lamps were added a few years later.

Here the monument nowadays.

Dedicated to good Sainte-Anne,

protectress of Yamachiche

Testimony of piety and recognition for benefits obtained by its protection, and of confidence in its kindness and its power, so often expressed in this parish in favour of afflicted, the patients and the disabled person.«Good Sainte-Anne, pray for us and our families»

N.B.: The black plate that you see in front was added during the inauguration of the activities of tercentenary of Yamachiche on June 6, 2002.

Churches of Yamachiche

At the Grande-Rivière: 1) Wood chapel up to 1724; 2) Stone church up to 1780; 3) Temporary chapel up to 1788. At the Petite-Rivière: 4) Temporary chapel up to 1790; 5) Stone church up to 1873; 6) New church since 1873; 7) New church since 1959

First priest resident and priest in title, Jacques Mr. Chefdeville of Garenne, 1743 to 1778.

Then followed the following priests: Thomas Kimber, Charles Ecuier, Noël-Laurent Amiot, Jos-Norbert Provencher, Pierre Viau, Nicolas_Sévère Dumoulin, J.-Hercule Dorion, J.-B. Comeau, Elzéard De Carufel, Jean-Noël Montour,Jacques Langevin, Jean-Pierre Guillemette,Jean Neault

To the memory

of the

first colonists of Yamachiche

1703

Etienne Gélinas

Jean-Baptiste Gélinas say Bellemare

Pierre Gélinas say Lacourse

Jean-Baptiste Gélinas say Bellemare and Jeanne Boissonneau say St-Onge, his spouse, first stock of Bellemare of Canada, lived on this lot from 1703 to 1746

Requiescant in Pace

Jean-baptiste Bellemare

Had this property, by non-stopped succession, from father to son since 1703

1- Jean-Baptiste Gélinas say Bellemare and Jeanne Boissonneau say St-Onge, his spouse

2- Jean-Baptiste Bellemare and Françoise LeSieur Desaulniers his spouse

3- Joseph Bellemare and Marie-Josephte Leblanc, his spouse

4- François Bellemare and Marguerite Vacher dit Lacerte, his spouse

5- Honoré Bellemare and Rose de Lima Bellemare, his spouse

6- J.-B. Séverin Bellemare and J.-A.-Origène Bellemare, current owners

Note: Were added the following names: Alexina Bellemare, spouse of  J.-A.-Origène Bellemare

7- Joseph Bellemare and Claire Houle, his spouse