Canadian History

The Life Story of French Naval Commander Rene – Hippolyte Laforce

Kingston author David More showcased the remarkable life of mariner, explorer and merchant Rene-Hippolyte Laforce (1728 – 1802) at another of the History Nights At The Regent lectures on Monday, March 3, 2014.

Laforce is a shadow within Canadian history. Born in Quebec City as one of ten children, he spent his early years at Fort Niagara near the present-day site of Youngstown, New York where his father served as the king’s storekeeper. By 1751, Laforce was engaged onboard ships trading between Quebec City, Fort Louisbourg and Cape Breton Island. His familiarity with the route proved invaluable later in life when he escaped a winter shipwreck on Cape Breton Island and walked to Louisbourg.

At the outbreak of the Seven Years’ War, Laforce took up a new job as commander of the French flotilla on Lake Ontario defeating the British in a skirmish near Oswego in the only naval battle between the two powers. The battle would be a game changer for his career as the British later hired him to fight for them against American forces upon the outbreak of the American Revolution. He patrolled the St. Lawrence as part of British efforts to protect this vital supply line, and rose steadily through the ranks to build and command the vessel Seneca, to assume command of the fleet on Lake Ontario, and to oversee shipbuilding operations at the current site of Maitland, Ontario and at the major British base on Carleton Island. 

In between, Laforce was a trader making regular runs to the West Indies, and conducted marine surveys of the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. He died in February 1802 in Quebec City at the age of 74 and is buried there largely forgotten except for people like David More. More has written several books loosely fashioned on the life of Laforce. 

History Lives Here Inc. sponsors this series of lectures in association with The Black Prince Winery, The Merrill Inn, and The Regent Theatre.

In the second lecture of the 2014 History Nights At The Regent lecture series on Monday, February 3, Skyline International Hotels’ executive, Sean Billing, presented the business case for history. 

“History is a business,” stated Billing. “ In planning our $1.6 billion dollar development of the former rail terminus and port in Port McNicoll, Ontario near Barrie, we felt the history of the place provided the most compelling and unique opportunity to re-connect with the community.”

Billing is the General Manager of Horseshoe Valley Resort, one of the many Skyline International resort properties, which include Deerhurst Resort in the Muskokas, the King Edward Hotel in Toronto, and the Regency Hyatt in Chicago. He has been heavily involved in the company’s project to restore and return the Canadian Pacific luxury liner, the S.S. Keewatin, to its homeport after a 45 – year exile in the United States. Skyline sunk $2 million and a decade of work to bring the vessel home in June 2012. The ship’s return was the greatest event in recent years in Port McNicoll, a community that became a ghost town after Canadian Pacific closed its rail and ship service in the 1960s.

In making the investment decision, says Billing, the company was guided by some tested business principles such as offering a unique, authentic attraction that touches the senses, and provides an exclusive experience. Built in 1907 in Scotland, the Keewatin is the last of the luxury ships that carried passengers on the Great Lakes – a timepiece that still reflects the great age of ship travel. Skyline is betting that their investment in its restoration and return will attract clients to their ambitious re-development of its homeport. And they are right. Last year, 30,000 people paid a $15 admission fee to tour the ship. An estimated 100,000 are expected to visit in 2014 

Toronto producer, John Fulford -Brown of KEE MEDIA Group, introduced his compelling documentary on the story of the S.S. Keewatin. The one-hour program chronicles the herculean efforts of the company and community volunteers to “Bring Her On Home” – the title of the documentary.

The next History Night At The Regent lecture is at 7 pm on Monday, March 3^rd 2014. Kingston author and historian, David More, will tell the story of Canada’s first native –born naval commander, Rene Laforce. Laforce was so skilled in naval battles against the British, they hired him to fight for them against American forces during the War of 1812. But More will also be talking about his day job as manager of the tall ships owned by Brigantine Inc. and their plans to bring tours to Prince Edward County in the future. For more information, contact The Regent Theatre Tel: 613 -476 – 8416 Email: info@TheRegentTheatre.org.

We started our annual History Moments series in 2009, the 225^th anniversary of Loyalist settlement in Prince Edward County.

The idea then was to work with local heritage organizations like the museums of Prince Edward County, The Glenwood Cemetery and The Regent Theatre in Picton to produce a special commemorative series to mark that special year. The series proved so popular we have continued to produce these short features on local history themes every year since. Our two-minute vignettes now play in local theatres before movies, on TVCogeco cable television, on Kickin’ County Internet radio in Prince Edward County, on CKWS TV in Kingston and are distributed widely into area schools, libraries, museums and archives as well as made available as DVDs retailed in area stores.

Our fifth series will launch Thursday, November 21, 2013 at 7 PM at The Empire Theatre in Belleville.

The 2013 series will showcase more stories drawn from the rich past of the Quinte region including features on Canada’s fifth Prime Minister Sir Mackenzie Bowell of Belleville, medical researcher Dr. James Collip of Belleville, who helped discover insulin, teacher Marilyn Adams, the founder of the world-class Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre in Ameliasburg, early settler Asa Weller, and the movie industry that once made Trenton Canada’s “tinsel town.”