Ten Years Later

Rawdon 1832

11 Ranges had been surveyed

A School/Church Built 2nd range

Anglican Church Built 1st range

3 flour mills

4 Sawmills

8 Potash facilities

Population 850

465 houses

Although this is not a sketch of the Copping homestead it is typical of a settlement after 10 years of work. There is a house in a clearing surrounded by stumps, and a barn/stable surrounded by thick forest.

George represented a scholar with his collection of books brought over from England, wrote letters, petitions, etc. for neighbours, was involved in the church and school administrations. His official profession was as a sawyer which he had used in Quebec City. He is known, with son George, to have taken on contracts to saw for locals.

While George was a good cultivator of the soil, he was sadly lacking in husbandry. Mares lost their foals, pigs litters were limited one or two, and cows and sheep usually had difficulty birthing. Many newborns were lost. George’s comment that a horse fed with chaff did not need grain tells us much about the cause of his problems.

The Coppings now well known in the community for their public services. Elizabeth’s reputation as a healer and midwife kept her running both day and night.

Elizabeth not only ran a large and busy household, answered calls from neighbours for help, she also worked outside, in the garden, in the flax, boiling sap for sugar or water to leach potash. She was also consulted on the various business dealings such as the purchase of a new lot or visiting the land agent concerning deeds. In times of need her daughters-in-law went to her for advice and support. She delivered 59 grandchildren and was called to their bedside whenever they were ill or injured.  

Before the advent of antibiotics such as penicillin, or the hormone insulin,  the cure for most illnesses depended on the resistance of the patient and good nursing. Elizabeth soon known to have special nursing skills and a good knowledge of the traditional cures. She was regularly called upon to nurse the seriously ill or injured, deliver babies and ease the passing of the elderly.       

In severe cases Elizabeth stayed with the patient leaving only when the patient was stabilized. Mary seemed to have inherited her mother’s nursing skill and from the age of 14  she was sent to stay with the invalid.  When necessary Elizabeth returned regularly to check on the patient.

One incident involved their neighbour Marlin’s child who was severely scalded. Elizabeth was called for help. Her nursing was credited with saving the little fellow’s life. She also attended son George’s little fellow, John, when his legs were severely burned. Mrs. Pollock had severely scalded his foot and again Elizabeth was called for assistance.

When Mr. Dowler complained of a sore leg Elizabeth sent the boys to get some  oak bark to boil down for poultices.

At times when there was an epidemic, Elizabeth went from home to home attending to each in turn. At such a time she was called to Lake Morgan Road to tend cases at Keo’s, Johnsons, Sharps, Morgan’s, and Parkinson’s.

As Elizabeth’s reputation as a midwife grew she was often called out to deliver babies. George reported, “John Robinson sent up for my wife about 4 o’clock this morning as his wife was sick and put to bed in the middle of the day with the girl. My wife came home this evening.”

“My wife is a John Smiley’s as his wife is sick and put to bed with at son.” 

Sometimes Elizabeth went even further than delivering the baby. She was called out to a person in labour near to Brown’s. She returned to the home four days in a row. Seeing the family was in great need  Elizabeth took it upon herself to make a collection from the neighbours for the severely impoverished family. 

Elizabeth always responded when she was called despite herself not feeling well. An example of just one such case was  at one o’clock on a bitter cold winter night when she was still

recovering  from a severe congestion the family was awakened by a frantic knocking on the door. Upon opening the door they found Mr. O’Neill begging Elizabeth to come out as his wife was about to give birth. Without hesitation she bundled herself up and left with the rather excited husband. She returned home later in the day having safely delivered the baby. Two nights later the event was repeated when she was called to Mrs. Truesdell where she delivered a son. 

George’s Journal regularly had entries such as, “My wife was asked to Asbil’s last night and Mrs. Asbil was put to bed with the boy.”

At this time, and into the late 1930’s, while the number of babies lost had declined, the mortality rate for mothers remained high, more women than babies died in childbirth. Elizabeth was recognized as a skilled midwife who did not lose many either mothers or babies. When the worst happened and a mother was lost, such as the new minister Bourne’s wife, she felt it deeply. Particularly difficult was the loss of her daughter-in-law, Henry’s wife, Jane Cook. The baby survived, the mother did not. 

Her own family seemed to require medical attention for injuries or illness rather frequently. Legs, feet, and hands suffered cuts from axers, mumps and measles went through the house, and severe colds and coughs were not uncommon.

Elizabeth was also called to attend end of life cases, or when a patient had succumbed, she stayed to prepare the body for laying out.

As did their mother, the girls also worked in the fields and garden as well as taking care of the household chores. From a very early age they raised their own animals and grew their own grain and potatoes. Girls in the Copping family were as comfortable raising cattle as were the men, sometimes with more success.

They supported their brothers’ families in busy times or when illness  struck. Elizabeth would often send one of the girls to stay with a neighbour  when extra nursing was required, or to help in the house or fields. 

Although they settled on a farm, cleared and worked it, the main source of income for the family was from the making and selling of pearl ash. The production was year round, whatever the weather. Every month a barrel or two of pearl ash was taken to Montreal by  one or more of ‘the boys’. The trip to Montreal was an arduous two days journey each way.  If the roads and weather were good they arrived home on the fourth day. Rain or snow made poor road conditions delaying the return in the wee hours of the fifth day. On several occasions the load had to be “helped out of the township” as the local roads were in such a bad condition. This does not reflect as much on neglect as the fact that the way out of Rawdon led down from a plateau that was mostly clay and rock. Under these circumstances weather played a major part in the road conditions.

Occasionally Elizabeth accompanied her sons on the trip, other times a friend or neighbour took advantage of a ride to Montreal, as well. The girls might order ribbons, bonnets, or other confectionary to be brought back.

Potash was not the only produce sent to market in Montreal. In the spring the regular monthly shipment of pearl ash included several pounds of maple sugar. The Coppings made between two and three hundred pounds of sugar every spring. From late spring to late fall butter was also sent to Montreal with the potash. Others might send a barrel of their own potash, produce, or even a letter or message to be delivered.

Upon the return of the boys George would make the rounds paying off any accounts owed or to buy a new lot to be added to the family holdings.

An attempt was made to add to their income by preparing lathes for the Montreal market. The boys cut the lathes and George worked several days tying  them in bundles. The exercise was not a success.The price they got for the lathes did not cover the expenses of the trip.

The brothers, as well as several of the closer neighbours, shared the potash house. 

They all brought their ashes to the Copping plant to be letched and boiled. Later both George and William built their own plant. Coppings now owned 3 of the 14 plants in Rawdon.

Celebrations

The Coppings, young and old, were fond of partying. Wedding parties were all night affairs with “the weddingers” as George referred to them usually only returning home the next day. 

The youngest members of the family  celebrated “Paddy’s Day” with the Johnsons, also returning home only the next day. 

The boys attended balls at the barracks, at Browns, Capt. Blair’s, Archambeault’s and elsewhere again coming home in the early hours of the next day. 

James was the most gregarious of the boys, helping organize parties and often bringing a friend  home from a celebration to sleep a while before continuing home. After a party, whether at home or away, James and some of his friends often suffered  a hangover. George referred to James being “ill and about the house”. The other siblings did not seem prone to “being ill” and went straight to the day’s work after being out all night.

 The Coppings hosted a few gatherings every year. Some, such as the Harvest Home, were regular events. As was customary they hosted a celebration after a bee of which there were a few every year.  For some occasions friends from Montreal came up to join in the festivities as well as neighbours. Sometimes there were as many as 30 or 40 people gathered in the house. Many stayed overnight, or in the case of Montreal friends for a few days.

When a dance was held, such as at the end of the harvest, a working bee, or a wedding, the furniture was pushed against the walls, carpets lifted and the party was on. There was always one or more musicians ready to get feet tapping. William was known for his talent as a violinist and Clarinda’s voice supplied entertainment when the dancers tired.

After each boy married, with the exception of Thomas, a wedding celebration was held at the  Coppings home. These were all night affairs started in the afternoon and went on until the next morning.                                                

Once the boys were old enough they answered the call for a bee. George stayed home to mind the farm. When it was a near or close neighbour, he and Elizabeth joined in the celebrations in the evening. George was particularly pleased to attend celebrations at his neighbours the Asbils. His comment that they held a “real Irish party” was high praise from one who was never particularly effusive when giving praise.