Joseph Montferrand 1802-1864

Plaque photograph not yet taken.

If anyone takes a clear close-up digital photo of this plaque
(see location below) and emails it to me (see menu above),
I will post it here and give that person credit as the photographer.

Plaque Location

The City of Ottawa
At the St. Brigid's Centre for the Arts and Humanities
at the southwest corner of Cumberland and St. Patrick Street

Coordinates: (unknown)

Plaque Text

Born in the Saint Laurent district of Montreal, Montferrand (Jos) acquired a reputation as a strongman with extraordinary fighting and boxing abilities. He worked briefly in the fur trade but spent most of his life in the lumber industry along the St. Lawrence and Ottawa River valleys. Associated with Ottawa Valley labour disputes involving French Canadians and rival Irish workers, Montferrand fought in what became known as the Shiners' Wars. Legend has it that, in 1829, he single-handedly fought 150 Irish workers (or Shiners) on the Chaudière Bridge that connected Bytown (now Ottawa) and Hull (now Gatineau). Tales of his feats were widely circulated in the oral tradition and have passed into literature and song. Joseph Montferrand is symbolically important to French-Canadians. The legends of Montferrand have persisted into this century and have become interwoven into French-Canadian cultural folklore.

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Here are the comments for this page.

Posted March 31, 2011
hi i was wondering id you knew how tall he was and his weight
thanks,

Posted November 11, 2009
He is buried in Notre Dame Neiges Montreal

Posted April 8, 2009
I wonder if you would know where Joseph Montferrand 1802-1864 is buried?
Sincerely Beca Lehr

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