“Pioneers of Abercorn” Memorial Plaque

Abercorn, Québec

A plaque entitled “A Tribute to the Pioneers of Abercorn” is embedded in a huge field stone in Pioneers’ Park, Abercorn, Quebec south of Sutton.

This bilingual plaque honouring the Loyalist pioneers of Abercorn, Quebec area was unveiled on June 26, 2004 in Pioneers’ Park. The 20 by 30 inch plaque, dedicated under the auspices of L’Association de Culture et Patrimoine d’Abercorn (Association of culture and heritage of Abercorn), was designed by Les Creations le Bronzier Inc. of Cowansville . The plaque is embedded in a fieldstone which weighs more than 1000 pounds donated by Mrs Suzanne Coté-Stairs from her farm.

The ceremony of unveiling the plaque took place during the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the town of Abercorn. Four descendents of Loyalists named on the plaque were present at the unveiling: Louise Hall and Adelaide Lanktree descendents of Thomas Spencer and Betty Boroski and Rose White of Mapleton, Minnesota, USA descendents of Alexander Griggs.

Abercorn Pioneers memorial plaque
(Click to enlarge)

 

The inscription reads as follows:

Hommage aux pionniers d’Abercorn
A Tribute to the Pioneers of Abercorn

Jeremiah Gibbs, Richard and Thomas Shepard,
Alexander Griggs, Peleg, Daniel and Richard Spencer,
Ephriam Hawley, Thomas Spencer
Josiah Sanborn, Joseph Tibbits

Ces loyalists et d’autres formèrent le premier
Noyau de la population du village d’Abercorn et
Du canton de Sutton des 1792. En 1779, Thomas
Shepard construisit le premier Moulin à farine en
Bordure de la riviè Sutton et le hameau prit le
Nom de Shepard’s Mills qu’il garda jusq’à
L’ouverture du bureau de poste en 1848. Abercorn
Fut incorporé en municipalité de village en 1929

These Loyalists formed the core of the population
of the village of Abercorn and Sutton Township in
1792. In 1799, Thomas Shepard built the first
grist mill in the area, and the little hamlet was
known as Shepard’s Mills until 1848 when the first
post office opened. Abercorn was incorporated as
a village in 1929.”

Information submitted by Adelaide Lanktree UE, Sir John Johnson Centennial Branch.