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Le Scieur de long | The Long sawyer  

The scieurs de long, or long sawyers, were labourers who cut tree trunks into planks, lengthwise. Sawyers worked in pairs – the "goatherd" was mounted on the trunk itself while the "fox" or "fox-catcher", his colleague, pulled the saw from the bottom. Together, the sawyers would alternate pulling the two-man saw through the log. These saws were designed to cut in both directions and a very careful tooth design was essential to clearing the sawdust during the cut.

Two types of saws were used in Canada. An older design consisted of a blade affixed to the centre of a large wooden frame, made of ash, maple or oak (see images on this page). A second design consisted of a long godendart (a two-man saw), fitted with removable handles on the ends. This latter type of saw was the one in use until the latter part of the 19th century.

Sawing was a slow and exhausting process, requiring strong men with great stamina. The goatherd had to be especially strong because the saw was pulled in turn by each man, and the fox-catcher had the advantage of gravity. The latter would protect his eyes from sawdust by wearing an old bag or large-brimmed hat. The goatherd had the important task of guiding the saw so that the board was of even thickness. His work had to be very accurate; it was he who kept a careful balance on the log and guided the long saw, who kept the cuts straight or curved as required, and who estimated the width of the planks. The goatherd was the man in charge of the operation.

Sawyers were important members of the rural community, because many implements, as well as buildings, were made of wood. Under the French regime, they were also crucial to naval construction in Québec City.

Known persons who had the occupation of master long sawyer: Nicolas Bergevin dit Langevin, Joseph Dussault

Known persons who had the occupation of long sawyer: Joseph Arialle, Michel Augé, François Beaune, Jean-Baptiste Belleau dit Larose, Joseph Belleau dit Larose, Pierre Cardinal, Joseph Chevaudier dit Lépine, Charles Corneau, Joseph Crête, William Dicky, Alexis Fluet, François Fortier, Joseph L’Heureux, Pierre Lafaye, Germain Langevin, Michel Larrivée, Nicolas Lenoble, Joseph Marceau, Jean Martel, Jean Martin, Joseph Morillon, David Philippe dit Deschamps, Nicolas Pinel, Charles Rancourt, Pierre Rancourt, Toussaint Raymond, Edmond Sheehy, Jacques Simard, François Snay, Jacques Villeneuve 

Sources:

• Claude Lemay, "Fonctions et métiers délaissés", l'Ancêtre, number 281, volume 34, winter 2008, and number 280, volume 34, winter 2007; electronic edition, Société généalogique de Québec (www.sgq.qc.ca/images/_SGQ/R_LAncetre_plus_libre/ENT-FONCTIONS-METIERS-DELAISSES.pdf).

• Jeanne Pomerleau, Arts et métiers de nos ancêtres : 1650-1950 (Montréal, Québec: Guérin, 1994), 403-406.