January 13, 2004:

Hi Elaine: First I found your email address on the net and note that 
you are related to Patrick Gregg.  He wrote the song The Chapeau Boys 
my brother and I are looking for the lyrics to this song. Our parents used to 
sing it to us when we were young and we were reminiscing and wondered what 
the words were unfortunately my mom could not remember them and we couldn't 
seem to find them on the net. So I was hoping being related to him you might 
have heard of it and have the words we would really appreciate any info you 
could give us. My name is Donna Chartrand.
... Donna
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From Elaine Brown:

Hi Donna:

In answer to your question, I can tell you a few things about the song. 
Here're two websites you can look at: Lyrics http://ve2dn.dynip.com/SITES/musique/chapeau.htm  
Lyrics and music here http://www.members.shaw.ca/tunebook/chapeau.htm   
I've also attached a photo (below) showing the music.

You also might be interested to know about a book about Ottawa Valley songs. 
Sheldon Posen of Ottawa won the 1991 Porcupine Book Award for his book 
'For Singing and Dancing and All Sorts of Fun'. The story of the Ottawa Valley's 
most famous song 'The Chapeau Boys'. Lots of local name and events. The book 
costs around $12 and you can order it from:
I. Sheldon Posen
Well Done Books
295 First Avenue
Ottawa, ON  K1S 2G7
(613) 235-9947
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Is this the Patrick Gregg who composed "The Chapeau Boys"? ... Al
Notre Dame, Bytown: 

22 Sep 1833
Baptism of Patrick, son of William Gregg and Frances Nalor?   Huntley Township
Witnesses: Thomas Leahy and Ellen Barry

Source: Ellen Paul 
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Names for search engine:  Fitzgerald, J.R. Booth, Caldwell, Bob Humphrey, Girard, 
Ned Murphy, Fort William, Retty / Reddy
 January 14, 2004:
Hi Al:
Sure that is fine with me. I can let you know that I found a book in the 
Sudbury Public Library today called "Lumbering Songs from the Northern Woods"
by Edith Fowke. It contains the Chapeau Boys song. On page 63 I found the 
following "The composer Patrick Gregg, was a local lumber man and musician. 
The Reverand Joseph E. Gravelle, unofficial historian of the Ottawa Valley, 
says that Patrick was the third son of William Gregg  and Frances Meehan, 
who came out from Ireland to settle on Allumette Island in the 1850's. He 
believes that Patrick wrote the song in the Spring of 1869, when he returned 
from spending the winter in the bush, and notes he had reason to remember 
the stop at Reddy's farm, for on September 7, 1869 he married Fanny Reddy." 
I hope this helps and thanks for the interest.
Donna