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Le forgeron | The Blacksmith  

A forgeron, or blacksmith, was primarily a craftsman who worked wrought iron on the anvil. Nearly every established settlement in New France, from major towns to frontier forts, relied on a blacksmith to make and repair iron goods. Blacksmiths in New France were often “jacks-of-all-trades,” combining the skills of several specialized metalworkers. Lacking strict European guild divisions, one blacksmith might take on the work of a farrier (horseshoer), locksmith, and edge-tool maker. This meant forging or mending any iron object the colonists needed, from nails and hinges to knives and ploughshares.

Intendant Jean Talon recognized early on that encouraging local artisans like blacksmiths was critical to the colony’s survival. Unlike in many cities of metropolitan France, formal guild corporations were never established in New France. As a result, trades were not regulated by guild monopolies or examinations, and skilled artisans could practice their craft without belonging to a corporate body. This more flexible system allowed competent blacksmiths to establish themselves where needed and helped ensure that even smaller communities could develop their own forge.

By tradition, a smithy opened at dawn, and the blacksmith (and any apprentices) worked throughout the daylight hours, often 12 hours a day, six days a week, depending on demand. The forge fire might be kept smouldering overnight so it could be revived each morning. The primary fuel used for forging in New France was charcoal, as coal was not yet in common use.

The Blacksmith’s Products and His Clients

A blacksmith’s primary role was to forge and repair iron tools and hardware needed for daily life and work in New France. Using heat and hammering, he shaped wrought iron into a vast array of products: building hardware (nails, door hinges, locks, latches, hooks), farm tools (axes, hoes, adzes, plows, scythes), household utensils (fireplace pokers, pot hooks, trivets, iron cookware), transport equipment (wagon wheel rims, sled runners, iron parts for carts or carriages), and weapons when necessary (knife blades, sword hilts, tomahawks, and gun parts). Blacksmiths also spent considerable time shoeing horses (making and fitting horseshoes), a task that grew more prominent as horses became common in the colony.

In coastal or riverside communities, blacksmiths produced marine hardware such as boat nails, small anchors, and fishing hooks to support shipbuilding and fisheries. In an age when every tool was forged by hand, their work was indispensable.

Habitants, farmers, and townspeople were the blacksmith’s primary clients, as ironwork was central to so many daily activities. Their work was also crucial to military and colonial authorities, as blacksmiths could make and maintain weapons and defence equipment. During times of conflict (especially from the 1680s to 1760), they could repair muskets and manufacture rifle parts, sword blades, and components of artillery.

The clergy and churchwardens also sought out blacksmiths when repairs were needed at the parish church.

Blacksmiths also played a role in the fur trade by repairing trap springs, forging axe heads, and keeping firearms operational. Merchants and voyageurs ensured that a blacksmith (or at least smithing tools) was available at major trading posts to make and mend trade goods and to assemble or fix guns.

The Urban vs. Rural Blacksmith

Blacksmiths in Québec City and Montréal tended to be more specialized in their work due to higher demand and competition. By the late 18th century, many blacksmiths focused on horseshoeing and hardware repair, as specialist occupations emerged: locksmiths, nailers, and edge-tool makers, for example. By contrast, a rural or seigneurial blacksmith needed to be far more versatile, taking on all types of metalwork. In many cases, rural blacksmiths also engaged in farming to make a living year-round, especially in the 17th century when the colony’s population was small.

The Blacksmith’s Workshop

A blacksmith’s workplace, often called a smithy or forge, was typically a small workshop built of wood or stone, located centrally in a town or village. Inside, the layout revolved around the forge hearth, which was essentially a raised fireplace built of masonry or iron where charcoal fuel was burned to heat the metal. A large bellows (operated by foot or by an assistant pulling a lever) was attached to the forge to blow air and raise the fire to white-hot temperatures for forging. Adjacent to the forge was the anvil, and around the room were racks or benches holding the blacksmith’s hammers, tongs, chisels, and other tools. The environment in a working forge was extremely hot, noisy, and dirty. The fire glowed intensely, showers of sparks flew when the hammer struck metal, and the constant clang of iron on anvil filled the air. It was a physically demanding and dangerous workplace: blacksmiths lifted heavy iron bars and hammer sledges, worked in sweltering heat, and had to be vigilant about flying slag and hot metal. Burns were a common risk, as was smoke inhalation.

Tools of the Trade

Blacksmiths relied on a core set of specialized tools and equipment, each serving a particular purpose in the forging process:

• Forge and Bellows – the hearth or forge fire was where iron was heated until red-hot and malleable. The bellows pumped air to raise the fire’s temperature, allowing the metal to reach forging heat.

• Anvil – a massive iron block with a flat face for hammering and a tapered horn for bending curves. The anvil is where the blacksmith placed hot metal to hammer it into shape. Practically all shaping – flattening, drawing out, bending, punching – was done on the anvil’s face or using hardy tools fitted into its holes.

• Hammers – the blacksmith’s primary instruments of force. Smiths used multiple hammers of different sizes and shapes: small ball-peen or cross-peen hammers for precise shaping, large heavy sledges (often swung by an apprentice or striker) for delivering powerful blows, and specialty hammer heads for particular tasks. By hammering the heated iron on the anvil, the blacksmith could thin it out (drawing), thicken it (upsetting), bend or weld it, etc.

• Tongs and Pincers – metalworking tongs of various shapes were essential to grip and hold hot iron that was too hot to touch. Blacksmiths possessed many pairs of tongs with different jaw shapes (flat, pointed, hollow) to accommodate bars, rods, or delicate pieces.

• Vice – a strong iron vice, usually mounted to a workbench or post, used to clamp and hold work securely during certain operations. It functioned as a third hand in the workshop.

• Chisels and Punches – hardened steel chisels were used to cut metal either hot or cold. Punches were employed to pierce holes in hot iron (for example, punching the holes in a horseshoe or an axe head) by driving through the softened metal. These tools allowed the smith to cut and shape with precision without saws or drills.

• Files and Grinding Stone – After forging, the smith often used files to smooth and finish the piece, remove sharp burrs, or fine-tune a fit. A large pedal-operated grinding stone might be present for sharpening edges of tools (like axes or chisels) or polishing a surface.

Clothing and Protective Gear

Working at the forge demanded practical and durable clothing. Blacksmiths of New France dressed for heavy manual labor and for the heat of the fire. Their typical attire was simple, rugged, and made of natural fibers that wouldn’t easily ignite. Most blacksmiths wore linen or wool shirts, usually loose-fitting and with the sleeves rolled up. These shirts allowed airflow and kept the smith as cool as possible when standing near a blazing forge. For the lower body, smiths wore the common working-class trousers of the 17th–18th century: knee-length breeches. These breeches were paired with long wool or linen stockings up to the knee, made of sturdy fabrics of a dark or undyed color that wouldn’t show charcoal stains easily. 

The most iconic piece of a blacksmith’s outfit was his leather apron. Blacksmiths wore a thick apron of tanned leather as their main protection from hot metal and sparks. This apron covered the front of the body, usually extending from the upper chest (or waist) down to about mid-shin. Heavy cowhide was used to make these aprons, as it was tough and fire-resistant. Notably, blacksmiths’ aprons often had a split front (dividing into two flaps below the knee) – this design allowed the smith to brace a horse’s hoof between his knees while shoeing, without the apron binding up. In addition to the apron, many smiths also wore simple leather work shoes or boots. Blacksmiths often tied back their hair or wore a simple cap to keep sweat and hair out of their eyes.

Historic Ironworking Sites in Québec (1730–20th Century)

From the French regime through the industrial age, ironworking sites in Québec played crucial roles in the colony’s economy, military supply, and technological development. While some are preserved, many no longer stand or survive only as archaeological remains. Below are several historically important forges and ironworking centres from the 18th through the 20th century.

• Forges du Saint-Maurice

Founded in 1730 near Trois-Rivières, the Forges du Saint-Maurice were the first major ironworking operation in New France and marked the beginning of Canada’s industrial history. Backed by the French Crown, the forges were created to reduce reliance on imported iron goods and supply the colony with essential tools, weapons, and construction materials. The site developed into a full-scale industrial complex by the late 1730s, complete with a blast furnace and forges. Despite early technical and financial difficulties, the forges later gained strategic importance by supplying iron for civilian use and France’s naval shipyards.

Ordinances issued against the workers at the Forges du Saint-Maurice reflect the strategic importance of the enterprise. As the colony’s principal source of iron, supplying tools, construction materials, and military hardware, the Forges operated under close supervision by the governor and intendant. Skilled labour was scarce and difficult to retain, prompting regulations that restricted workers’ movement and prohibited unauthorized departures from the colony. At the same time, the isolated industrial settlement required strict controls over alcohol sales and hunting in order to maintain discipline.

The following ordinances were issued under governor and lieutenant general Charles de La Boische, marquis de Beauharnois:

• Ordinance prohibiting workers at the Forges de Saint-Maurice from leaving the premises without the express permission of Sieur Olivier de Vezain, director of the said ironworks, or, in his absence, Sieur Simonnet, and from leaving the colony without leave from the intendant, on pain, for those who attempt to travel to France without leave, of a fine of two hundred pounds together with all costs, damages, and interest owed to the interested parties at the Forges de Saint-Maurice, and, for those who dare to attempt to pass into the English colonies, a fine of five hundred pounds and corporal punishment. (September 16, 1737)

• Ordinance prohibiting all workers at the Forges de Saint-Maurice and all other persons in the said location from operating a cabaret or selling wine, brandy, and spirits, whether for money or in exchange for foodstuffs, goods, or clothing, to other workers or to “Savages,” directly or indirectly, under any pretext whatsoever, on pain of a fine of one hundred pounds for the first offence and corporal punishment in the event of a repeat offence. However, Monsieur Perrault, who operates the store at the Forges de Saint-Maurice, is permitted to sell wine and other beverages to the workers for their personal use only. (January 12, 1740)

• Ordinance expressly prohibiting blacksmiths and other workers employed at the Forges de Saint-Maurice from hunting in the woods surrounding the said ironworks, with offenders liable to a fine of ten pounds for a first offence, payable without deferment, and corporal punishment in the event of a repeat offence. (April 22, 1746)

After the British conquest in 1760, the Forges continued operating under new management and entered a golden era of productivity during the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Private lessees, especially Mathew Bell, oversaw decades of prosperity as the site provided cast and wrought iron products, like stoves, farming tools, and cannonballs, for growing settlements across Québec. At its height, the forge supported a bustling industrial village of over 400 people and became a symbol of self-sufficiency and skilled local craftsmanship.

By the mid-1800s, however, new technologies and competition made the charcoal-based operations increasingly obsolete. Despite attempts at modernization, the forges could not keep pace with industrial advances, and they finally ceased production in 1883. In the 20th century, the site was preserved, later excavated, and designated a National Historic Site. Today, visitors can explore reconstructed and original structures, museum exhibits, and archaeological remains that tell the story of Canada’s first ironworks.

Note on sources: The information presented in the following sections is based largely on research by historian André Bérubé, as published in the article "Les Forges du Saint-Maurice : au début était le fer….” by Roch Samson.

• Forges de Batiscan (Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, 1798–1814)

Founded in 1798 about 10 kilometres up the Batiscan River from the St. Lawrence, the Forges de Batiscan was a late 18th-century venture meant to rival the Forges du Saint-Maurice. Established by a group of Anglo-Québec merchants and seigneurs (including Thomas Coffin and John Craigie), the Compagnie des Forges de Batiscan closely modeled its operations after the Saint-Maurice forges. It cast household iron goods that were in high demand, like cauldrons, stove plates, kettles, and cast-iron stoves. The Forges struggled financially, facing competition from imported British iron and never escaped heavy debts. Production ceased in 1814 under the weight of bankruptcy, making Batiscan a short-lived but historically significant site as the first major ironworks to break the Saint-Maurice monopoly in Québec.

• Forges Radnor (Radnor/Fermont, 1854–1910)

Opened in 1854 in the parish of Saint-Maurice (north of Trois-Rivières), the Forges Radnor was a pioneering industrial complex of the mid-19th century. It was founded by entrepreneur Auguste Larue, lawyer J.-E. Turcotte, and British financier George Benson Hall. The site, known as Forges Radnor or “Fermont” (not to be confused with the modern town), featured a charcoal-fuelled blast furnace and a company village of about 30 workers’ houses that formed the community of Radnor/Fermont.

Radnor quickly became one of Canada’s most productive ironworks. A contemporary described its furnace as “a gigantic Vesuvius” pouring molten iron. Output began at 6 tons daily and later reached 40 tons, the highest of any Canadian ironworks at the time. Radnor cast wheels for early Canadian railway wagons (for the Grand Trunk and Canadian Pacific) and produced two-tier woodstoves, pots, pans, and other iron goods. It supported generations of local families and contributed to Québec’s transition into the railway age. However, Radnor faced chronic under-capitalization, devastating fires, and economic downturns. It went through bankruptcies and ownership changes. By 1910, operations ceased as modern steelmaking methods took over and government subsidies ended. The site was demolished by 1916.

• Forges de L’Islet (Mont-Carmel, 1856–1878)

The Forges de L’Islet was a mid-19th century forge built along the Rivière L’Islet in the parish of Mont-Carmel, near Trois-Rivières. It was founded in 1856 by two entrepreneurial families, Dupuis and Robichon, who had worked at the old Forges du Saint-Maurice. A charcoal blast furnace was erected to produce pig iron, which supplied their foundry and agricultural machinery workshop in Trois-Rivières. By 1871, a small industrial village had formed around the forge, with 42 families living on site. L’Islet, however, struggled financially. Lacking capital, the founders sold the forge in 1863 to John McDougall, a businessman and former manager of the Saint-Maurice works. He built a 6 km wooden-railed tramway to the Saint-Maurice River to ease iron shipments by boat. Despite these improvements, the global recession of the 1870s and falling iron prices took their toll. The blast furnace was extinguished in 1878, and the operation closed. 

• Forges Saint-Joseph de Saint-Tite (Mékinac County, 1868–1872)

During the 1860s, as new iron deposits were sought in Québec, entrepreneur Auguste Larue (after working at Radnor) launched a forge at Saint-Tite in the Mauricie region. Founded in 1868, the Forges Saint-Joseph were built on the Petite rivière Mékinac, south of the village. Larue aimed to exploit local bog iron ore and hardwood forests. A charcoal blast furnace was running by 1870, producing pig iron mainly for foundries in New Brunswick. A small settlement soon formed: by 1871, the site had 12 houses and about 75 workers, a notable operation for its remote setting. Like L’Islet, however, the venture was under-funded and short-lived. Larue’s company went bankrupt within a few years, likely due to limited capital and poor management. In 1872, disaster struck when the furnace and Larue’s residence burned down, allegedly due to arson by unpaid workers. The ruined site was purchased by George Benson Hall (of Radnor), who acquired its timber lands but never rebuilt. The Saint-Tite forges did not resume production after 1872.  

• Forges Grondin (Saint-Boniface-de-Shawinigan, 1878–1881)

In 1878, Hyacinthe Grondin launched the Forges Grondin at Saint-Boniface with hopes of reviving the local economy. Funded by about 100 small shareholders, many contributing labour instead of cash, he built a charcoal blast furnace. But smelting quickly failed: the titanium-rich ore caused the molten iron to solidify inside the furnace, which had to be cracked open in early 1879. The company went bankrupt that year. Two seasoned ironmasters tried to revive it in 1880, but the same ore problems forced a final shutdown in 1881. Despite its failure, Forges Grondin remains historically significant as Québec’s last charcoal blast furnace. Its partially preserved stone structure still stands, and is recognized as a provincial heritage site. 

• Compagnie des Mines de Moisie (Moisie River, Sept-Îles, 1867–1875)

While most historic forges were in Québec’s southwestern heartland, the Compagnie des Mines de Moisie stood out for its remote North Shore location. It was the region’s first industrial iron venture and a forerunner to local mining development. During the American Civil War era, iron-bearing sand (magnetite) was discovered on beaches near the Moisie River’s mouth, close to present-day Sept-Îles. In 1867, a group of businessmen, including Henry Thomas, William Molson, and Louis Labrèche, founded the Compagnie des Mines de Moisie, joined by political figures like Luc Letellier de Saint-Just and Rodolphe Laflamme. Facilities were built on the river’s east bank, and operations began that year under the name “Moisie Iron Company.”

The venture quickly grew, employing hundreds and establishing the village of Saint-Vital-de-Moisie, which housed up to 600 people. Workers extracted iron by magnetically separating the black sand and smelting it in charcoal-fuelled Catalan forges and small blast furnaces, each producing about three tons of iron per day. The titanium-bearing magnetite was sold mainly to U.S. foundries, shipped by schooner and rail to New England, with some sent to Montréal. Despite early success, the operation shut down in 1875 due to rising costs, depleted charcoal supplies, ore quality issues, and a sharp increase in U.S. tariffs that wiped out its main export market. The village dispersed, and little remains today beyond archaeological traces.

Blacksmithing Heritage Sites to Visit in Québec

Aside from the famed Forges du Saint-Maurice, Québec has several other historically significant sites that celebrate traditional blacksmithing that can be visited. These include restored rural forges, working smithy museums, and living history villages.

• Forge-Menuiserie Cauchon (La Malbaie, Charlevoix)

The Forge-Menuiserie Cauchon is a 19th-century forge and woodworking shop that has been preserved with its original equipment. Built in 1882 by village blacksmith Joseph Cauchon, it was located in a small industrial complex that included a sawmill, flour mill, carding mill, and planer mill on the Rivière Malbaie. The site has been designated a classified historic monument since 1983. Visitors can tour the restored forge, see authentic tools and machinery, and watch live blacksmithing demonstrations on site.

• Forge à Pique-Assaut (Saint-Laurent-de-l’Île-d’Orléans)

The Forge à Pique-Assaut is a working forge and economuseum that preserves the art of the blacksmith. Founded in 1977 by master blacksmith Guy Bel, this forge was built using century-old tools and techniques. Visitors who step into this forge witness traditional ironworking in action: you can watch the blacksmith heat iron in the coal fire and hammer it on the anvil to shape tools, hardware, or art pieces. The site doubles as a small interpretation centre: exhibits and guided explanations reveal the “secrets of iron” and the craftsmanship behind wrought ironwork.

• Les Forges de Montréal (Montréal)

In the heart of Montréal, Les Forges de Montréal is a unique heritage space and workshop dedicated to traditional blacksmithing. The mission of Les Forges de Montréal is to preserve and transmit the craft of the blacksmith in an urban setting. Skilled blacksmiths are on site working at the forge, so you can observe live demonstrations of techniques like forging, welding, and shaping metal over an anvil. The center often hosts family activities, hands-on workshops, and special events where people of all ages can try wielding a hammer or make a small iron object under supervision. Les Forges de Montréal even played a vital role in the restoration of Notre‑Dame de Paris. Under the leadership of master blacksmith and edge-tool maker Mathieu Collette, the workshop forged sixty historically accurate axes over four months, providing carpenters with the precise tools needed to recreate the original 13th‑century wood‑marks on the cathedral’s oak roof frame.

• Musée de la poste et Boutique de forge (Saint-Marc-de-Figuery, Abitibi)

Tucked in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, the Musée de la poste et Boutique de forge is a small heritage site that highlights the twin pillars of a 1920s parish community: the post office and the blacksmith shop. You can see the blacksmith’s workspace with his anvil, forge, and antique tools on display, and learn how he shod horses, repaired farming implements, and fashioned iron hardware essential for daily life. The collection of artifacts includes hand-forged items and postal memorabilia, giving a tangible sense of 1920s village life.

• Village Québécois d’Antan (Drummondville, Centre-du-Québec)

The Village Québécois d’Antan is a living history village that recreates a typical Québécois village of the 19th and early 20th centuries – complete with a working blacksmith shop among its many heritage buildings. Located in Drummondville, this open-air museum contains over 70 authentic or reconstructed buildings (homes, shops, farms, and workshops) populated by costumed interpreters, effectively transporting visitors to the 1810–1930 period. At the forge, a costumed blacksmith demonstrates how tools, nails, and horseshoes were made by hand, working at a coal-fired hearth just as in days of old.

The Canadian Blacksmith in the Modern Era

The role of the blacksmith evolved as Québec and the rest of Canada moved from a colonial, agrarian society to an industrial nation. By the late 19th century, factories were producing iron and steel goods on a large scale, reducing the need for local tool-making. Blacksmiths adapted, shifting toward horseshoeing, equipment repair, railway work, or industrial forging. In smaller towns, the forge remained a familiar fixture into the mid-20th century. Though no longer central to daily life as in New France, blacksmithing persists today as both a heritage craft and a skilled trade.

Meet Montreal artisan blacksmith Mathieu Collette

Known Blacksmiths (pre-1800):

Pierre Aubert, Pierre Austin dit Marineau, Louis Badayac dit Laplante, Louis Beaudry, Antoine Beaumont, Pierre Beaupré, Pierre Beausoleil, Guillaume Jean Baptiste Berlinguet, Joseph Bisson, Thomas Blondeau, Guillaume Boily, André Bouchard, Jean Bouchard dit Lavallée, Joseph Bouchard dit Lavallée, Henri Bouchaud, Charles Brosseau, Antoine Bouton, Antoine Brousseau, François Brousseau, Jean Baptiste Brunet, Joseph François Buisson dit Brisson, Étienne Campeau, Louis Carpentier, Michel Castonguay, Jacques Cavelier, Ambroise Cazal dit Lalime, François Chamard, Jean Baptiste Chamard, Michel Chamard, Pierre Chamard, Étienne Chamberland, Pierre Charron, Pierre Cheval, Paul Chicoine dit Dozois, Jean Coitou dit Saint-Jean, André Corbin, Richard Corbin, Louis Corriveau, Jean Cotton dit Fleurdépée, François Côté/Costé, Louis Crépeau, Henri Crête, Pierre Day, Louis Decotret, Jean Delaunay, Paul Desforges dit Saint-Maurice, Pierre Deslauriers, Jacques Diel, Charles Drolet, Jean François Dubé, Pierre Dubreuil, Claude Dudevoir, Philippe Dudevoir, Nicolas Dulude, Jean Baptiste Dupras, Antoine Durozeau/Rouzeau, Joseph Fagot, Pierre Foureur dit Champagne, Antoine Garnier, Louis Gaubert, Louis Gauthier dit Larouche, Nicolas Gendron, Nicolas Geoffroy, Augustin Gilbert, Jean Baptiste Gilbert, François Girard, Jacques Girard, Jean Baptiste Gourdon dit Lachasse, Étienne Griault dit Larivière, Michel Guay, Jacques François Guénet, Jean Guénet, Joseph Guyon, François Henry, Charles Héon, Joseph Hévé, Joseph Houle, Nicolas Huet dit Dulude, Christophe Janson dit Lapalme, Louis Jean dit Denis, François Jobin, Pierre Jobin, Michel Lacombe, François Laframboise, Michel Laroche, Étienne Laroche dit Saint-Côme, Pierre Larrivée, Pierre Latour, Augustin Laveau, Charles Laveau, Louis Lefebvre, Claude Legris, François Legris, Joseph Legris, Paul Lemay dit Delorme, Joseph Lépine, Jean François Létourneau, Jacques Lyonnais, Jean Maclure, Benjamin Mailloux, Pierre Mailloux, Gabriel Maranda, Louis Marcoux, Henri Mongeon, Joseph Moïse Morin dit Chênevert, Charles Nolin, Charles Normand, Louis Normand Brière, Pierre Normandeau dit Deslauriers, Joseph Ouellet, Jean Baptiste Paquet, Joseph Paquet, Joseph Parent, Louis Parent, Pierre Payment, Étienne Pelletier, Julien Pépin, Jean Baptiste Pitalier, Amable Pratt, Claude Rancourt, François Rose, André Roy, Ignace Roy, Augustin Saint-Sauveur dit Lécuyer, Joseph Sénécal, Antoine Tessier dit Lavigne, René Toupin (father and son), Jean Baptiste Trudeau, Charles Turgeon, Guy Vacher dit Lacerte, Antoine Vermet, Nicolas Vermet dit Bourguignon, Pierre Vézina.

Known Master Blacksmiths (pre-1800):

Nicolas Amiot, Pierre Bastien, François Bédouin, Guillaume Berlinguet, Jacques Bossu dit Lyonnais, Michel Bossu dit Lyonnais, Jean Bouchard dit Lavallée, Jean Boucher, Pierre Bouvet, Charles Brousseau, Jean Baptiste Brunet, Étienne Campeau, Jacques Campeau, Jean Baptiste Chamard, André Corbin, François Couture, Louis Crépault, Jacques Diel, Guillaume Dupont, Jean Baptiste Dupras, Laurenz Ermatinger, Augustin Gilbert, Jean Baptiste Gilbert, Jacques Girard, Étienne Griault dit Larivière, François Jobin, Jean Lefebvre, Ignace Lefrançois, Prisque Lefrançois, Jacques Lyonnais, Benjamin Mailloux, Henri Mongeon, Michel Morin, Pierre Normandeau, Joseph Pageot, Jean Baptiste Paquet, Félix Parent, François Parent, Joseph Parent, Jean Baptiste Pitalier, Jean Poulin, Charles Racicot, Joseph Rainville, Claude Rancourt, Étienne Rancourt, Joseph Sénécal, Guillaume Tailleur dit Versailles, Jean Toupin, René Toupin, Michel Vallée, Nicolas Vermet dit Bourguignon, Antoine Vézina, Pierre Vocelle.

Sources:

• Nicole Bédard, “La Forge à Pique-Assaut a 40 ans," Autour de l’île (https://autourdelile.com/2016/08/la-forge-a-pique-assaut-a-40-ans/ : accessed 11 Feb 2026), published 6 Aug 2016.

• Canadian Museum of History, “Population: Social Groups,” Virtual Museum of New France (https://www.historymuseum.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france/population/social-groups/ : accessed 27 Jan 2026).

• Colonial Williamsburg, The Blacksmith in Eighteenth-Century Williamsburg (Williamsburg, Thomas K. Ford (editor), 1978), digitized by Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org/files/58318/58318-h/58318-h.htm : accessed 27 Jan 2026).

• Philippe Fournier, La Nouvelle-France au fil des édits (Septentrion, Québec : 2011).

• Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site, “The iron resources of New France,” Parks Canada (https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/saintmaurice/culture/histoire-history/site/fer-iron : accessed 10 Feb 2026).

• Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site, “Designation,” Parks Canada (https://parks.canada.ca/lhn-nhs/qc/saintmaurice/culture/histoire-history/designation : accessed 10 Feb 2026).

• Roch Samson, "Les Forges du Saint-Maurice : au début était le fer….," Continuité, number 70, p. 23–25, 1996, digitized by Érudit (https://www.erudit.org/fr/revues/continuite/1996-n70-continuite1055277/17162ac.pdf : accessed 12 Feb 2026).

• "Blacksmith’s Trade in the Province of Quebec,” Encyclopédie du patrimoine culturel de l’Amérique française (https://www.ameriquefrancaise.org/en/articles/blacksmiths-trade-province-quebec : accessed 27 Jan 2026).

• “Forge-menuiserie Cauchon,” Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec (https://www.patrimoine-culturel.gouv.qc.ca/rpcq/detail.do?methode=consulter&id=92589&type=bien : accessed 11 Feb 2026).

• “Guide to Colonial Blacksmith Clothing (What Did They Wear?),” Working the Flame (https://workingtheflame.com/colonial-blacksmith-clothing/ : accessed 11 Feb 2026), published 11 Oct 2019.

• "Le site archéologique des anciennes forges de Moisie-est (EbDm-4)," Yumpu (https://www.yumpu.com/fr/document/view/17239996/le-site-archeologique-des-anciennes-forges-de-moisie-est-ebdm-4 : accessed 12 Feb 2026), based on the book Les forges de Moisie-est : 1875-1975 by Laure Laurier-Bourdages.

• “Musée de la poste et Boutique de forge," Bonjour Québec (https://www.bonjourquebec.com/en-us/listing/to-see-and-do/musee-de-la-poste-et-boutique-de-forge/0p3w : accessed 11 Feb 2026).

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• “Site archéologique des Forges-Grondin," Parks Canada, Canada’s Historic Places (https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=15241 : accessed 12 Feb 2026).