4. Saint-Hilaire, Baker Brook and Frenchville (Maine)

Before the Asburton Treaty was signed in 1842, there was no clear and precise border between Frenchville, Maine, and its Canadian neighbour the parish of Saint-Hilaire, Madawaska. When in 1843, the parish of Sainte-Luce or Frenchville, Maine, was carved out of Saint-Basile of Madawaska, it consisted of the whole of upper St. John Valley, starting a few miles up the Little Falls. The parish of Saint-Hilaire was established in 1868 and Baker Brook, which was a mission since 1917, became a parish in 1924. Wood cutting, clearing land and agriculture were the usual activities and most important sources of revenue in Upper Madawaska. In that time, the rivers St. John, Saint-François, Fish, Madawaska, Méruimticook, Green and others were the usual routes travelled by the colonists. The rivers rapidly became the natural way for the transportation of lumber sold by the ton, construction wood and pulp wood that floated down to numerous mills.