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
Allee 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
chateau 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.
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