The "Seigniory of Rimouski" was granted to Augustin Rouer, Sieur de la Cardonnière, in 1688. This gentleman was the eldest son of Louis Rouer de Villeray, who was at that time first councillor of the Sovereign Council of New France.

The seigniory extends over an area of two square leagues, from the Hâté River up to and including the Rimouski River and St-Barnaby Island with its tidal flats and islets. Because of Rimouski's isolated geographical location, the Sieur de la Cardonnière showed no inclination to colonize his fief. He preferred to make use of these vast uninhabited areas for recreation, and limited his activities to fishing.

In 1684, the district administrator, Intendant Champigny, who was not at all pleased with the conduct of the lords of the Lower St-Lawrence, many of whom performed no better than Augustin Rouer, made contact with the colonists on Orléans Island. For these ambitious and courageous people, the prospect of becoming a "seigneur" was most enticing. In fact, it gave them a chance to accede to the ranks of the nobility.

And so it came about that on July 10th, 1694, the Seigniory of Rimouski was exchanged for four acres of land in Saint-François on Orléans Island, property of one René Lepage. The new lord and his family came to settle in Rimouski in 1696.

Monsieur Lepage immediately began clearing the land and preparing it for colonization. He was an ambitious man, and was soon looking for ways to enlarge his domain. With this in mind, in 1703, he bought the Pachot fief located on the Metis River which today forms the eastern part of the parish of Sainte-Flavie.

The first chapel and the first presbytery were erected in 1711. At that time, religious services were assumed by itinerant Récollets missionaries who stayed in Rimouski for only two to three days a year.

Here, as everywhere in the Lower Saint-Lawrence, colonization grew very slowly. At this time, there were only three families farming the land, but even they lived mainly from hunting and fishing.

With the death of René Lepage in 1718, his eldest son Pierre inherited half of the estate.

Source : Mosaïque Rimouskoise