One of the most important men to arrive in a pioneer community was the blacksmith. The term "blacksmith" is derived from the words "black", meaning black metal, and "smite", meaning to strike hard. The blacksmith performed a number of services vital to the community, the primary one being to keep horses' hooves in good condition.
The railway had an enormous impact on the economy and on life in general in the Eastern Townships. One English settler described it best in a letter to his grandfather back in England:
