The name of Philipsburg

It was apparently not until 1809 that Philip Ruiter decided to establish a regular village and to divide the territory into building lots. The Field Book of Amos Lay, a surveyor, showing the plans and descriptions of the lots then laid out was found among the papers of Sherman Whitwell, P.L.S. in Philipsburg and deposited in the Archives at Ottawa. Mr. Paul Beique, Q.L.S., kindly remarkable success, since at a later date, the original plan, badly torn, was found among the Whitwell papers. Mr. Beique pieced together this original and made a tracing which is reproduced on the following page.
The opening entry of the Field Book opposite Lots Nos. 1, 2 and 3 reads :

"Having been surveyed and leased previous to this date, it is therefore unnecessary to give any further description of their boundaries. April 13, 1809, commenced the survey of the Village of Philipsburg."

It will be noted that John Ruiter's house, the first erected on the territory before it became a Village was built on the lot given the number 10. This house remained standing until a few years ago. Gallagher's Hotel was built as an annex to it. After John Ruiter's death in 1797 his house was occupied by his daughter, Catherine, and her husband, Richard Cheesman. The latter was killed by a shot fired from the Lake when he was standing in the front doorway. The entry in the Church register reads "On the 21st day of January, 1814, died Richard Cheesman of this Seignory of a Wound received from a musket fired off unintentionally by another person on the night of 18th January aged 25 years and was buried on the 23rd day of January in the presence of his brother-in-lay and other subscribing witnesses."
Philip Ruiter built his mansion on Lot No. 15 -- the writer's present garage lot. The accounts of both John and Philip Ruiter show that during their numerous other activities they carried on hotels and it is probable that the mansion was used for this purpose. The hotel was destroyed by fire in the middle of the last century. It is said that it was at this date (1809) that the settlement at Missiskoui Bay was given the name of Philipsburg after Philip Ruiter. For the same reason, the street on which he had built his mansion was named Philips Street.

Source : George H. Montgomery, K.C., D.C.L., LL.D., Missisquoi Bay (Philipsburg, Que.), Granby Printing and Publishing Co. LTD., Granby, 1950, p. 46-48.