In our second edition of Tools
and Trade Tuesday we will be exploring the crucial job of logging and one of
the tools of that trade. In the long winter months, farmers were unable to till
the lands and produce crops, which were required in order to not only feed
their family but also provide income. To compensate, logging became a common winter profession as Canada in the early 19th century was
abundant with trees. When this trade first began to blossom, there were not
many rules or regulations to protect the exporter’s product and often times
their timber would be stolen. In the
late 1800’s, a method of marking the timber before shipping it down the river
to Montreal or Quebec City became common practice.
Now this brings us to our featured artifact, a logging stamp. These stamps
were often cast from iron, which made a very sturdy and strong tool. The front
face with the logo was placed against a log then was struck from the back end
with another hammer, creating an imprint within the log to identify the owner
and ensure proper compensation. Although many people were using this method of marking
their timber, product was still being stolen and the government developed a
solution. They imposed hefty fines for anyone who did not mark their logs and
even larger fines if someone was caught marking someone else’s. Every year the
logging company would have to re-register their logging stamp design with the
government which lead to a great variety of logging stamps. Here
at the museum, we currently have two on display, but that is only a fraction of the total number in the collection. In 1994 Mr. Robert Kirkpatrick of Lochiel,
donated 37 different logging stamps registered to companies throughout Quebec and the
Ottawa valley. The logging stamp is a fascinating tool of the lumber trade and reminder of days gone by when trees played a huge role in the lives of pioneers.
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