Rawdon Entrepreneurs

Originally, the commercial development of Rawdon was centred on the first range at what was later known as Montcalm Corners.

The plateau on the 5th range, being more central, was later developed as the commercial centre and became known as the Village of Rawdon.

A few early businesses included blacksmith shops operated by William Norrish in 1836-7, Richard Lee in 1839 and Isaac Grigg in 1844.

Robinson had a general store, Archambault and Dugas had mills, and Hire Batman, a tannery.

The 1851 census identifies carpenters, cabinetmakers, millwrights, teachers, shoemakers, merchants, traders and stonemasons.

William Lord was a millwright but was also listed as an architect in 1851.

John Horan served the area as a public notary at this time.

In 1862 William Walsh was a shoemaker and served as bailiff, as well. Henry Smith, who died in 1857, was Bailiff before this and had lived at Rawdon from the 1820s.

David Truesdell had a sawmill in 1868.

1882 Dr. James Kelly was the resident doctor and in 1891 Dr Joseph Riberdy established a practice in Rawdon. The doctor at Rawdon on the 1851 census was John McAdam. Curiously, he was named as a cabinetmaker when his daughter was baptized in 1844.