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T

he town of Val David, the location of the first settlements north of Ste- Adele, was once known by t its post office, Mont Morin. Named for A.-N. Morin, it opened in 1873. The first few families, the Ménards and the Dufresnes, were larger than life, both figuratively and physically. Two Menard brothers married Dufresne sisters and the Dufresne brother did right by a Menard sister. It is no surprise that the Ménards' mother became known far and wide as La Mère Ménard. Smaller than her sons, she was about six feet tall and was a woman to be reckoned with. One story is told about her private trout lake: It was completely off-limits for anyone without her say- so and a poor would-be poacher discovered the penalty one morning when he was spotted fishing on the shore. La Mère Ménard lumbered out to the pond in her night-gown, picked him up, put him over her knee and spanked him. These early settlers, Morin's colonists, were colourful and industrious. They were the men and women who came north to establish a new settlement in Les Pays d'en Haut, a phrase that resonated in French like "Out West" once did in English. They established mills, farms, hotels and stores.

In the 1890's when the railway came through, the new station was named Belisle's Mill in honour of Joseph Belisle, who owned a mill for grinding grain, sawing wood and carding wool. He was not the only miller in this progressive little corner of Ste. Agathe. When the parish broke away in 1917, it became known as Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Belisle in honour of the mill as well as of the priest in the mother parish of Ste. Agathe, Curé Jean-Baptiste Bazinet. The town was incorporated in 1921 using the same name, mostly out of habit, but in 1923, the post office was renamed Val David in honour of L.O. David. It fell to the large institutions, Canadian Pacific, the church and the Post Office to name their properties, and the name of the Post Office soon became the colloquial name for the region.

Laurent Olivier David was born in Sault-au-Récollet in 1840. At 24 years of age he began his practice as a lawyer in Montreal and within one year was co-owner of the publication le Colonisateur. He went from there to becoming editor of L'Union Nationale and by 1880 owned La Tribune. During that time and for the balance of his life he was a loyal member of the Liberal party, having run and lost in five out of six elections, and was eventually recognised for his statesmanship and accomplishments with a seat in the Canadian Senate in 1903. During his career he also wrote and published 16 books including studies of the patriots, Papineau and Laurier. Laurent Olivier was one of the eminent men of his time, but his success was not limited to his public life, as his progeny would demonstrate. Although not their only child, he and his wife Albina Chenet could take pride in their son, Louis Athanase David.

Louis Athanase, born in Montreal in 1882, began his law career in 1905. While he did not follow his father's career into journalism, he succeeded where his father had failed in politics. He won Terrebonne for the Liberals in 1919 and continued to represent the area with wins in six successive elections. He was a minister in the cabinets of both Gouin and Taschereau. It was early in his term as minister that he created the literary prize Le Prix David. In 1940 he followed his father to the Senate. While he is acknowledged for his long service to our region, he is best remembered for creating the literary prize. Today, the Prix du Québec recognises achievement in many cultural disciplines including literature, cinema, music, architecture and design. Athanase David had good reason to create a prize for writing since both his father and his father-in-law, G.A. Nantel were leaders in the fields of literature, journalism and history. Louis Athanase David died in January 1953 and is buried at the Catholic cemetery in Ste. Agathe des Monts, the home of his wife's family.

In 1944, St-Jean-Baptiste de Belisle changed its name officially to Val David in recognition of both father and son. In the years that followed, Val David grew into its name by becoming a centre for arts, music and crafts. The legendary La Butte à Mathieu was one among many boîte à chansons that sprang into life, and soon other artisans found Val David and an artist's colony flourished, as though in gratitude to Athanase David for having done so much for Quebec culture.

In the meantime the David family continued to make its mark.

Dr. Paul David was born in Montreal in 1919. He studied medicine in Paris and in Montreal. He specialized in cardiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Hôpital Lareboisière in Paris. On his return to Montreal he founded the Montreal Heart Institute in 1954, the year after his father died. The institute went on to have a world-class reputation and was the first in Canada to perform heart transplants. It continues to be a world leader in cardiology. Dr. David authored 170 publications in his discipline, was involved in many American cardiology institutions and societies and was a co-founder of both the Canadian and Quebec Cardiology Foundations. The list of awards and recognition that he received in his lifetime includes Companion of the Ordre Nationale du Québec, the same organisation that awards the Prix David, named for his father. In 1985 he, too, was named to the Canadian Senate, in recognition of his contributions to society. Like his father, he cherished his connection with our region. He owned a country home on Trout Lake in Ste. Agathe for many years. He died in Montreal in 1999.

Val David still maintains its strong identity as a centre for the arts and culture. The backbone of its economy is still dependant on the descendants of the Dufresnes and the Ménards, but the David family will always be remembered for their strong presence here.

Joseph Graham has written a book that features a select number of stories of Laurentian places and how they got their names. To learn more, click here.

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This material may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written permission of the author. © Joseph Graham