Méthot and Siméon-Charland Streets

Méthot and Siméon-Charland Streets

Rue Méthot was recently given that name to keep alive, in the memory of the people of Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets, two men who bore it but who were not related to one another.

Antoine-Prosper Méthot (1804-1871) was a notary at Saint-Pierre-les-Becquets from 1829 onward; he was the member for Nicolet county from 1844 to 1847; a very active man, he drew up a great many deeds of sale, wills and other legal documents.

The Honourable François-Xavier-Alfred-Ovide Méthot (1843-1908), born at Québec, came to settle at Saint-Pierre in 1864 to take up improved farming there. He married Marie-Clara Méthot, daughter of the notary Antoine-Prosper Méthot. He bought the manor house on the death of its owner, François Baby.

His political career was a full one: he was elected mayor of Saint-Pierre from 1868 to 1872. He won the provincial election as member for Nicolet in 1871 and represented that county until 1876; in 1877 he was elected in the same county, but at the federal level; and in 1884 he was appointed to the Legislative Council of Québec.

A fuller article on the Méthot families exists, written by Yolande Allaire-Roux; click here.

Rue Siméon-Charland

This street, parallel to Route 218 and east of it, will open at one end onto rue Maurice, and at the other, near the fire hall, onto a street that was unofficially known as « rue de la caserne » [fire hall street], but which will officially be named rue Siméon-Charland.

On 7 July 1873 the municipal council appointed Siméon Charland « officier du feu » [fire officer], at a salary of four piastres a year; he had married Marguerite Brisson in October 1835, and so must have been about sixty when he was given the post; his trade, tinsmith, gave him occasion to repair roofs and let him take a look at the chimneys; this is the first mention in the municipality's archives of anyone looking after fires; at his marriage it was noted that he could not sign his name, and his work must have consisted of inspecting stoves and chimneys in order to prevent fires, the task of putting them out falling to ordinary citizens in the neighbourhood. He also saw to it that ladders were always kept on the roofs of the houses, to make things easier for the volunteers who fought the blazes.

The municipality thus acknowledges the work of all its firefighters over nearly 140 years.

Alain Manset

PS: the latest word is that these two streets will be opened in the near future; a housing development is under way. (July 2015)