Augustin Massicotte Clock Maker

According to the census of St-Prosper in 1851: Augustin Massicotte, farmer, 58 years, born in Ste-Genevieve, true founder of the St-Prosper parish. Manufacturer of the " house to the dial " of St-Prosper in 1820. The Church of St-Prosper was built on ground given by the captain Augustin Massicotte, Justice of the Peace in St-Prosper. The Batiscan River as of 1697 is known - to the parish of Saint-Prosper as the LARGE GROUND OF the MASSICOTTE. Augustin was born in Sainte-Genevieve de Batiscan about 1795 from Augustin Massicotte and Marguerite Bellet�te.

At the time of the war against the Americans in 1812, Augustin enlists in the military. On his return of the army he has the rank of Captain. The Massicotte Captain, made honor with the military life. He became familiar and skillful with the secrecies of the clock industry. He repairs readily the watches, clock or pendulums which fellow citizens bring to him. Later, when he builds a beautiful stone-built house to the Saint-Augustin row, he decides to decorate it with a splendid dial: it will be as much an advertisement as it is a decoration.

Augustin had character and distinction. He marries the niece of Olivier Trudel of which he does not have children; he takes however in adoption a girl, Marguerite Saint-Arnaud, who marries Pierre Desaulniers. She assists him in his agricultural work. About 1845, Augustin Massicotte is a significant and prosperous farmer with the Saint-Augustin row. Indeed, it is him which, in July 1845, will collect signatures requiring of the Archbishop of Quebec, Mgr Signay, to set up in a new parish the seigniory of Sainte-Marie. He is always anticipating and engaging the future, and decides to buy the grounds where will be built the church and the presbytery. When the secretary of the Archbishop, c.f. Cazeau notes in December 1847 that " the Massicotte Captain shows a perseverance worthy of praises ", It is also Augustin Massicotte who conceives and draws the plans and estimate of the future church of Saint-Prosper and it is in his house that, quite naturally the contract of construction is signed. Later, it is him which will take the initiative to write to Quebec so that one " incites " the Factory of Sainte-Anne to lend the moneys which requires the construction of the church. In October 1849, it is still and always the same Augustin Massicotte who presses Mgr Turgeon to send as soon as possible one serving to Saint-Prosper. Charles-Olivier Charon will be invited to spend the winter, while waiting for the completion of the presbytery. Augustin Massicote is the true founder of Saint-Prosper de Champlain.