Various Communities Established in Rawdon
Unlike the neighbouring seigneuries, Rawdon was made up of citizens from different religions, languages and nations.
The earliest arrivals were mostly from the newly formed United States. These settled on the first three ranges that had been surveyed.
Also included in the early settlers were Acadians who had left the Canada’s and now wished to return.
These early settlers were quickly supplanted by English, Irish, and Scottish settlers from the British Isles.
In 1922 several Slavic, Russian, and Polish families who had immigrated to Montreal began to visit Rawdon which soon became a favourite site for weekend excursions.
Contrairement aux seigneuries voisines, Rawdon est composée de citoyens de religions, de langues et de nations différentes. Les premiers arrivants proviennent surtout des États-Unis nouvellement formés. Ils s’installent sur les lots arpentés, soit les trois premiers rangs arpentés.
Parmi les premiers colons, il y avait aussi des Acadiens qui avaient quitté le Canada et qui souhaitaient y revenir.
Ces premiers colons furent rapidement supplantés par des Anglais, des Irlandais et des Écossais venus des îles britanniques.
En 1922, plusieurs familles slaves, russes et polonaises immigrent à Montréal commencent à visiter Rawdon qui devient rapidement un lieu de prédilection pour les excursions de fin de semaine.
The Russian Community
Joseph Kamaroff, an executive of Gillett, purchased the land between 14th and 18th Ave.
C. Skotecki, associated with the construction of the Champlain Bridge, drew up the plans to build a chapel as well as the design for the Russian Cemetery on 15th Avenue. Later he was involved in creating the plans for Ecumenical Cemetery on 3rd. Avenue.
The Very Reverend Oleg Boldireff also founded the Orthodox Parish of Saint Nicholas in Ottawa with the assistance of Count Alekis Ignatius, brother of George, former Ambassador of Canada to the United Nations, and uncle of Michael Ignatius leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.
Oleg Boldireff’s son was choir director of the Russian National Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Washington, DC.
Archbishop Mgr. Silvestre Haruns, spends the summer season in a house in front of the chapel.
One of many artists with various talents, Mrs. Marushka Boldireff is a well known artist of majolica.
The Polish Community
In 1930 a Polish emigrant purchased a lot on the fifth range and opened a boarding house. This resulted in the purchase of several lots by Polish immigrants who had come to the boarding house and quickly decided to buy a permanent lot.
Many Polish citizens who came to Rawdon belonged to the bourgeoisie or nobility in their home country. During the Nazi and Bolshevik invasions they lost their property in Poland and came to Canada for a new start.
For many years Count Wilhelm Siemienski was the leader of the Polish community in Rawdon. He and his family supported their fellow Polish immigrants.
Another member of the Simienski family, Count Wilhelm Simienski-Lewicki and Countess Rosa Simienska-Lewicka lived on Lake Morgan Road. He became vice president and later president of the Canadian Polish Congress.
Mr. Jan Trzcinsk (1913- 2002) for many years a building inspector in the town of Outremont was a regular vacationer in Rawdon. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Multiethnic Centre in Rawdon.
He was also president of the Polish Canadian Congress and one of the architects involved in creating the monument to Nicholas Copernicus in Expo 67 to honour the millennium of Christianity in Poland.
Mr. Trzcinsk was also involved in the organization of the Dow Planetarium in Montreal.
Prince Seweryn Swiatopolk-Czetwertynski, was a member of one of the oldest aristocratic Polish families. A descendant of Louise of Prussia, he was a contender for the throne of England. He was almost 2000th in line!
In 1951 Count Alexander Zamoyska and his wife, Countess Jadmiga, settled on Shakespeare Street.
The list of members of Polish nobility who chose to settle in Rawdon goes on and on.
In 2006, the film Paradise Lost, Paradise Found, produced by Gazpacho Films Inc., focused on this Polish community.
In October 1993, the Mayor of Warsaw, Mr. Stanislas Wyaganowski, visited his cousin, Dr. Ireny Bellert, who lived on Pontbriand Boulevard.
Mr. Wyaganowski was welcomed to Rawdon by Mayor John Redmond with receptions at the Rawdon Multi Ethnic Center and at City Hall.
Dr. Bellert is a cousin of the young Polish resistance fighter Krystyna Wituska, who was executed in a Berlin Gestapo prison in 1944 at the age of 24.
Letters written by Krystyna during her imprisonment were published under the title Inside a Gestapo Prison: The Letters of Krystyna Wituski 1942-1944. Her letters were translated into English by Irene Tomaszewski, and published in 2006 by Wayne State University Press of Detroit.
Ms. Tomaszewski, who emigrated to Montreal, was born in a Soviet concentration camp.
Mrs. Bellert appears in a 1996 film by Bryan McKenna, A Web of War, which tells the story of Krystyna Wituska. Former Conservative minister Pierre Sévigny also appears in the film.
Joseph Kamaroff, un cadre de Gillett, a acheté le terrain entre la 14e et la 18e avenue.
C. Skotecki, associé à la construction du pont Champlain, dessine les plans pour la construction d’une chapelle ainsi que la conception du cimetière russe sur la 15e avenue. Plus tard, il participa à la création des plans du cimetière œcuménique de la 3e. Avenue.
Le très révérend Oleg Boldireff a également fondé la paroisse orthodoxe Saint-Nicolas à Ottawa avec l’aide du comte Alekis Ignatius, frère de George, ancien ambassadeur du Canada aux Nations unies, et oncle de Michael Ignatius, chef du Parti libéral du Canada.
Le fils d’Oleg Boldireff était directeur de la chorale de la cathédrale orthodoxe nationale russe de Saint-Nicolas à Washington, DC.
L’archevêque Mgr Silvestre Haruns passe la saison estivale dans une maison située en face de la chapelle.
Mme Marushka Boldireff, qui compte parmi les nombreux artistes aux talents variés, est une artiste bien connue dans le domaine de la majolique.
La communauté polonaise
In 1930 a Polish emigrant purchased a lot on the fifth range and opened a boarding house. This resulted in the purchase of several lots by Polish immigrants who had come to the boarding house and quickly decided to buy a permanent lot.
Many Polish citizens who came to Rawdon belonged to the bourgeoisie or nobility in their home country. During the Nazi and Bolshevik invasions they lost their property in Poland and came to Canada for a new start.
For many years Count Wilhelm Siemienski was the leader of the Polish community in Rawdon. He and his family supported their fellow Polish immigrants.
Another member of the Simienski family, Count Wilhelm Simienski-Lewicki and Countess Rosa Simienska-Lewicka lived on Lake Morgan Road. He became vice president and later president of the Canadian Polish Congress.
Mr. Jan Trzcinsk (1913- 2002) for many years a building inspector in the town of Outremont was a regular vacationer in Rawdon. He was an enthusiastic supporter of the Multiethnic Centre in Rawdon.
He was also president of the Polish Canadian Congress and one of the architects involved in creating the monument to Nicholas Copernicus in Expo 67 to honour the millennium of Christianity in Poland.
Mr. Trzcinsk was also involved in the organization of the Dow Planetarium in Montreal.
Prince Seweryn Swiatopolk-Czetwertynski, was a member of one of the oldest aristocratic Polish families. A descendant of Louise of Prussia, he was a contender for the throne of England. He was almost 2000th in line!
In 1951 Count Alexander Zamoyska and his wife, Countess Jadmiga, settled on Shakespeare Street.
The list of members of Polish nobility who chose to settle in Rawdon goes on and on.
En 2006, le film Paradise Lost, Paradise Found, produit par Gazpacho Films Inc. s’est intéressé à cette communauté polonaise.
En octobre 1993, le maire de Varsovie, M. Stanislas Wyaganowski, rend visite à son cousin, le Dr Ireny Bellert, qui habite sur le boulevard Pontbriand.
M. Wyaganowski a été accueilli à Rawdon par le maire John Redmond lors de réceptions au centre multiethnique de Rawdon et à l’hôtel de ville.
Le Dr Bellert est un cousin de la jeune résistante polonaise Krystyna Wituska, qui a été exécutée dans une prison de la Gestapo à Berlin en 1944, à l’âge de 24 ans.
Les lettres écrites par Krystyna pendant sa détention ont été publiées sous le titre Inside a Gestapo Prison : The Letters of Krystyna Wituski 1942-1944. Ses lettres ont été traduites en anglais par Irene Tomaszewski et publiées en 2006 par Wayne State University Press de Detroit.
Mme Tomaszewski, qui a émigré à Montréal, est née dans un camp de concentration soviétique.
Mme Bellert apparaît dans un film réalisé en 1996 par Bryan McKenna, A Web of War, qui raconte l’histoire de Krystyna Wituska. L’ancien ministre conservateur Pierre Sévigny apparaît également dans le film.