Drummond islanders:Who was Dedin Revol?

Dedin was probably a nickname, Didier Louis Marie de Revol was his full name as under this name he signed on as a clerk with Paul LaCroix and Mathew Nelson and was assigned to Drummond Island. What he looked like is probably completely lost to history, as no description or painting has ever been found.

Lacroix and Nelson had been trading on Drummond island for a few years including shipped goods between Drummond island and Mackinac Island in boats, canoes and sleds that they themselves mastered.

In 1820 they contracted Didier Revol as commis (Clerk) and the agreement included food and lodging by the above mentioned Lacroix and Nelson. For this they would hire Francois Perreault as his domestic to look after his household. Francois had a listed occupation as a cultivator so he would also tend the gardens. Likely one of the houses with the detached kitchen was built for him and his domestic servant.

No family for Mr Revol is ever mentioned and indeed there doesn't seem to be a family tree for him so likely he was a single man. HE had been in Montreal before being contracted to go to Drummond island for the company, he would return there in the 1830's.

Whether by personal design or direction of the church he became a sort of deacon for the Catholic church holding masses at his residence and on occasion when an emergency baptism or funeral needed to take place he would preform the duty. In an odd development an American priest from Cincinati who would venture far and wide would happen upon the island occasionally but the day to day church was run quite literally out of Revol home. Which leads me to wonder if he had been to a seminary for his education prior to becoming a clerk.

He baptised Pierre Lepine's daughter when no one more qualified was available. In later letters he would tell George Gordon of his work amongst the catholics of Drummond island. There is also a possibility that he was involved in many marriage à la façon du pays as many would be remarried in the early years of Penetang.

In Penetang Old and New In Penetanguishene, old and new, 1615-1913 excerpts of his letters to Mr Gordon:

So it would seem Mr Revol was self appointed to remind the people of Drummond island of their catholic upbringing. The ten years would be between 1820 and 1830.

So by this we see that he did strive to convert the native people, metis and Canadians (French Canadians at the time) to the Christian faith. What is interesting, is the facility with the english language.

IF you will allow me to go on a digression here this letter is also mentioned. Some misunderstandings are present in this part of the work in the Mr Beau is in fact McBean, of McBean's post at LaCloche. McBean was a fur trader, a factor at LaCloche and married to the daughter of Zack Cloutier, who was an important member of the Northwest Company in his own right. Zack was at one time the Chief Factor of Grand Portage on Lake Superior. It is interesting that the factor at LaCloche would still have dealings with the people of Penetang but of course some of his employees and associates were there, among them the Thompson's the Mtchell's and the Chevrette's among others. Also moving to Penetanguishene, his brother-in-law and sister in law Jacques Laramie and Rosette Laramie who took up 100 acres in Lafontaine. There they took in McBean's wife, to whom he is said to have abandoned as a country wife upon retirement. Ok digression over, as this is perhaps another story.

Not all was good with Revol and the congregation as being a pious man he would rage against drunkenness and dancing and the evils of doing such things. Ironically, there was once a canoe headed to MAckinac with jugs of liqour from the company so possibly they had a still.

The same year as Revol was hired (1820) Paul Lacroix would also hire a mason, Joseph Allard, carpenters, Joseph Berard, Xavier Gravel, and cultivator Narcisse Prevost.

Later additional cultivators and carpenter would be added. Joseph Benoit a carpenter, Alexis Corriveau a cultivator joined the ranks. So life was going on at the outpost, apparently undeterred by the changing of the fur trade, borders and the situation south of the Border. So as many private homes were on the island, and according to Samuel Fletcher Cook in British Occupation of Drummond island: During their stay, neither citizens or civilians seem to have been laggard in the matter of providing for their own comfort, expecting, as we can but infer, that there was to be their permanent home. The kitchens of the larger houses, of which the location can be made out with reasonable certainty, were separate from the houses, and in some instances at quite a distance away. There are now no traces of an oven in connection with these houses, nor indeed any cranes in the fireplaces, and it would seem that the private as well as the public baking was done in the large bake house, situated on a little neck of land projecting into the Bay, and nearly surrounded by water. The nearness to the surface, rendering the digging of cellars too onerous, resort was had to surface cellars, some of which are yet so well preserved as to give evidence of their purpose.

Example of above ground cellar

The quality of the houses suggest that some of these larger civilian houses may have been built by these professionals. So one must wonder among other things if building houses was also a task taken on by the company.

All the while some were getting land grants in penetang and the preperations were being made to pull up stakes as it was expected that a new location would need to be made.

This is an interesting addition to the settling of a community far from civilization. Granted many of the common folk would probably be capable of building their own shelters, but little in way of lumber was available. There was a sawmill but it is unclear if the civilians had easy acess to it. Jacques Laramie had a pitsaw, given to him by a military officer, but that was a big job.

This also marks a departure from temporary to permanent occupation of Drummond Island. Something rather surprising in 1820. !820 was post war, but prior to the border being drawn permanently and the island was very much in doubt.

So who was Paul Lacroix and Mathew Nelson and the company? Paul Lacroix was a fur trader who was supplied by Dominique Rousseau. Dominique Rousseau was active on the Great Lakes particularly South into what would now be the United States. He was associated with Berthelotte and Rolette who were trading south of the Great Lakes into the Missouri area. Many of the Drummond islanders had been involved in that trade so that made sense. Drummond island despite the British presence was still considered as part of the Michillimackinac area, so trade with those in Mackinac and area was natural. Paul Lacroix would master canoes and sleds into Mackinac to trade, we have the documents of the duties paid for these trades. The manifest show spirits, tobacco and cloth, with buffalo, bear and otter skins returning. Beaver was probably under the bailiwick of Astor and his American fur company but ssome trade remained.

Getting back to Didier Revol, his role was to keep the store that would be set up on Drummond island. Whether he took on the role of Deacon of his own accord or it was arranged earlier we do not know. However, how the church reached Drummond island is interesting as well. Father Stephen Badin who answered the call of the priesthood for the fledgling United States had been in Kentucky and was known for travel throughout the Great Lakes. He would make a semi regular visit to Drummond island and some of the documents for Drummond Island are in his name, under the Cincinnati diocese.

So through Dedin Revol we see in 1820, after the war of 1812 and before the Migration, life on Drummond island attempting to return to normal. Trade was limited southward, but some still made the trip. Agrarian society was springing up as settlers and soldiers needed to be fed. Permanent buildings were being constructed, all the while land grants were being issued for land in Penetang. Families were growing, we must assume some children, and even adults moved on while others arrived. There was a regular changing of the military guard, and although not much was done to shore up the military aspect of the island, we can see by the correspondence to the military from the officers stationed on Drummond island that they were thinking of what changes should be made to make the base more permanent.

IF we are to believe MR Revol, and we have no reason not to, regular catholic worship was taking place, while the military were offering regular sunday service.

Ships came and went, canoes were more frequently seen coming to shore. Livestock and crops were being raised. Much of this was in the hands of Dedin Revol, so more than anyone, although little is known now, was probably a well known man among habitants and traders while also dealing with the soldiers and sailors.

He would move with his flock to Penetanguishene, but not stay long returning to Montreal in the 1830's. He would remember his friends in far off Penetanguishene, and I wonder if he ever seen the completed church that he began?

Art Duval Pipesmoke of the Past