Hi all,

Here are some interesting pictures including one of the grant/matriculation of James Cuthbert of Montreal dated 1778:

http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/largeimages/M2009.31.10-P1.jpg

http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/collection/artifacts/M2009.31.10

Here is a picture of the matriculation of one of his descendants dated 1950:

http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/largeimages/M2009.31.11-P1.jpg

http://www.mccord-museum.qc.ca/en/collection/artifacts/M2009.31.11

I can just barely read the text of the 1950 matriculation.  It appears to read, in part, "...the said last named Honourable James Cuthbert, (who acquired the Seignorie of Berthrice? on the 7th day of March 1765 and died 10th day of January 1814) recorded certain Ensigns Armorial under date 24th day of January 1778 in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland, he being therein described as "The Honourable James Cuthbert, Esquire, Proprietor of the Seignories or Lordships of Berthrice?, Mascanangy?, New York, otherwise called…of Montreal and Province of Quebec…"

I wonder if this New York is a place name in Quebec…or if it refers to the colony/state of New York?

Berther Mascanongy (as it is spelled in the first matriculation) would seem to be the same place as Berthier-Maskinongé (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthier—Maskinongé).  It’s on the north bank of the St. Lawrence near Trois-Rivières, so not part of the province of New York at any period.  No idea what the place name New York refers to in this context.

Interesting that the arrow has changed directions in the crest.

In 1778 the Brits still considered NY to be one of their colonies so not surprising to see it mention in that context in a British grant of arms.

Here is some additional information about James Cuthbert dug up by Derek Howard:

Quote:

"...Cuthbert carved out a place for himself in society by becoming a seigneur; on 7 March 1765 he bought the seigneury of Berthier, where he had a manor-house built, and between 1770 and 1781 he acquired Du Sablé, known as Nouvelle-York, and part of Lanoraie, Dautré, and Maskinongé..."

http://biographi.ca/en/bio.php?id_nbr=1834

So I guess New York is just an alternate name for the seigneury of Du Sablé in Quebec.  What I found interesting is that Cuthbert was taken prisoner by the Americans:

Quote:

"...in June 1776 the Americans burned his manor-house and did more than £3,000 damage to his property at Berthier, in revenge, according to Cuthbert, for his having saved Lieutenant-Colonel Simon Fraser, 700 to 800 soldiers, and seven British ships at Trois-Rivières. He was, moreover, sent as a prisoner to Albany, New York…"

Quote:

for his having saved Lieutenant-Colonel Simon Fraser

who was, perhaps a kinsman in the light of these arms (note the first quarter of the second grand quarter), also posted by Derek (at the Heraldry Society of Scotland forum) and which came originally from http://archive.org/stream/cuthbertsbaronso01bull#page/n11/mode/2up.

http://www.americanheraldry.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=105&pictureid=2022

So his New York wasn’t our New York—interesting!