The Gillies Bros. Lumbering Firm

Photo by contributor George Nassas - Posted August, 2006

Plaque Location

The County of Renfrew
The Township of McNab/Braeside
At 446 Usborne Street, east side
about 2 km south of Road 1 (River Road) in Braeside

Coordinates: N 45 27.456 W 76 23.212

Plaque Text

This firm was begun in 1873 when James, William, John and David Gillies purchased a steam sawmill here on the Ottawa River at Braeside. Building on the experience acquired by their father, John Gillies, who had begun lumbering in Lanark County in 1842, they had established themselves by the mid-1880's as one of the Ottawa Valley's large lumber producers. This position was maintained partly by the involvement of succeeding generations in the management of the firm and by careful acquisition and exploitation of timber limits. In the twentieth century, despite the exhaustion of stands of virgin pine and pressures to diversify, Gillies continued almost exclusively to manufacture pine. In 1963 the firm was sold to the Consolidated Paper Corporation, ending 90 years of family ownership.

Related Ontario plaque
Timber Rafting on the Ottawa

More
Information

More
Industry

Here are the visitors' comments for this page.

Posted April 9, 2012
Another set of Gillies brothers emigrated from Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, after the American Civil War, establishing themselves as successful contract boat, bridge and dock builders by the turn of the 20th century. They were responsible for building major piers along the Hudson and East Rivers. While Gillies is a common name in Canada and Nova Scotia, is it possible these "other Gillies" had ties to the lumbering magnates? I wondered if the Gillies who were dock builders used the Gillies Bros. straight pines for timber dock piling. - Thanks. David Gillies

Posted January 21, 2012
Hi Leonard, My name is Austin Simpson and I went to the school in Canonto in 1946. i am also trying to get some history on Canonto and Folger as I was born at Folger along with most of my ancestors. My e-mail address is . I would appreciate any info. you have on Canonto.

Posted May 26, 2011
Attempting to do a history of Canonto Ontario. Wish to know when the Gillies mill was constructed - date - Thank You
Leonard Emery

Posted July 3, 2010
This plaque makes me proud to be a Gillies. John Sr. was my great X6 grandfather.

Here's where you can write a comment for this page.

Note: If you wish to ask me a question, please use the email link in the menu.

Note: Comments are moderated. Yours will appear on this page within 24 hours
(usually much sooner).