A Glimpse Into the Past
The journal you are about to read spans a decade, from 1836 to 1846. Unfortunately, George's earlier journals were lost in a devastating fire that destroyed much of the Coppings family's possessions, including books, diaries, linens, and furniture-almost everything they had brought with them from England. Regrettably, journals from 1839, 1841, 1842, and those written in the four years before George's death are no longer available. Miss Mabel Mitchell, a great-grandchild of the Coppings, likely helped preserve the remaining diaries when she created a Tree of Coppings Descendants in 1904. However, it is unclear if the original journal still exists.
Daily Life Chronicles
George Copping's diaries meticulously record the daily events of his life, his family, and their interactions with their neighbours after settling in Rawdon. These journals focus on his family and their nearest neighbours, including the Browns, Marlins, Laws, Petries, and Asbils. Additional families mentioned are the Hobbs, Dunns, Reids, and Boyces, among others. Despite the unfortunate loss of his earlier journals, the remaining entries provide invaluable insights into the challenges and triumphs of early settler life.
From Quebec City to Rawdon
George and his family initially settled in the Quebec City area, where they had two children. After a brief venture into business there, they moved further along the St. Lawrence River to Montreal, where three more children were born. Finally, sometime between the fall of 1821 and September 1823, they relocated to Rawdon, where their youngest two children were born and baptized.
