Montréal, a new beginning
At the end of the 19th century, the family settled in Montréal
Over the span of seven generations, many members of the LePailleur family lived in Montreal. Michel and Catherine, Charles-René, Charles-Éléonore, Alfred-Narcisse, his wife and their children were some of them.
In 1891, Alfred-Narcisse and Philomène decided to leave the city of Châteauguay, where they had lived a large part of their lives, to settle in Lachine (Montréal), taking their children with them. Living in the big city gave the couple the opportunity to be closer to some of their older children as well as some of Alfred-Narcisse’s brothers and sisters, who had lived there for many years.
Some crossed the St. Lawrence River after being married. Among them was Caroline, married to bailiff Louis Bourassa, Célina-Elmire, wife of lawyer Joseph-Adélard Descarries, and Anna, married to merchant A.-A. Joubert.
The three founding members of LePailleur et Frères company and Lachine Pickle Works. From left to right: Joseph-Wilfrid LePaileur (1869-1928), Narcisse-Alfred LePailleur (1857-1918) and Armand LePailleur (1871-1951).
Facade of the LePailleur et Frères store on Saint-Joseph Street (Lachine), around 1900.
Others left Châteauguay because of their work. This was the case of the three brothers, Narcisse-Alfred, Joseph-Wilfred and Armand, who opened a general store on Saint-Joseph Street in 1886. They chose this strategic location because it gave them direct access to water, which facilitated the transportation of goods. In 1892, they diversified their activities by founding the Lachine Pickle Works, specializing in marinades.
Odile LePailleur (left), her niece Hélène and two other members of the Congregation de Notre Dame, around 1900.
Finally, joining religious orders prompted Georges-Marie and some of his sisters to settle in Montréal to fulfill their obligations.
Through their professional activities, members of the LePailleur family made their mark on the history of Lachine and Montréal, whether through economic and commercial development, involvement in various organizations, (Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Knights of Columbus, etc.), politics or registration of the notarial deeds of their community.
There are still many traces of their passage in various Montréal boroughs today. Archives and museums in the region keep records of their history. Local newspapers occasionally feature stories about them.
Furthermore, the generations that followed Philomène and Alfred-Narcisse’s children continued to take root in the territory and to make local history.
Saint-Joseph street near the Dawes Brewery (Lachine), around 1900.