HISTORY:
- Family:
- Montferrand born from the will of the lords of Montferrand that appear in the early 13th century with the founding in 1207 of the Hospital of the Holy Spirit by Jean de Besançon Montferrand family of Cicon. He took the name of this important lordship that included at its peak villages Montferrand Rancenay, Grandfontaine Thoraise, Torpoint, Velesmes, Corcondray.
- The Montferrand are involved in many events in the life Grandfather, French and even European: looting of Archbishop Castle Gy (1259) expedition to Sicily against Peter of Aragon (1285), rebellion against Philip the Fair (1295-1301 ) ...
- The game marriages contributes to the disintegration of the Lordship strain Montferrand indeed gives rise to branches Thoraise, Torpoint and Corcondray.
- The feud going on in the field of Vergy in the early 15th century and it is up to Pontailler and finally in 1606, it was bought by the Lord Chenecey Antoine Pillot.
- Castle:
- This is a son of John I, John II, who built the castle of which remain today Montferrand only external speakers and keep, old house of the Lord, which probably consisted of four floors.
- A dozen families, subjects lord, is housed there, the lords of Montferrand not resident there but in Besançon. They came there from time to time, to hunt, to inquire what was happening, collect revenue, or in time of war, to organize the defense.
- The castle guard was entrusted to a lord captain, two gentlemen and ten men assisted weapons in times of war, the "Retrahants" peasants guarding the castle under penalty.
- The castle had two chapels dedicated to Saint Nicolas and Saint Barthelemy. It was besieged by the French of Charles d'Amboise in 1480 (at that time, Louis 11th was the second time the conquest of Franche-Comté) and again in 1587.
- It was during the war of ten years (1632 - 1642) he was home for the last time the subject of the manor. An act of August 16, 1683 notes that it is in ruins.
- Today, its impressive ruins stand above the Doubs valley (private property / 354 meters). Included in the supplementary inventory of historic monuments June 8, 1926.
- Mills:
- From 1307, the existence of a mill Tavelle is attested Montferrand and the presence of mills continues until the 19th century.
- Montferrand had two mills for grain and hemp tread. The "new mill" on the right bank of the Doubs, included six pairs of millstones, one ribe hemp and a sawmill. In the hamlet of Mont, the stream Grandfontaine a smaller mill had four pairs of millstones, a mill and a threshing machine.
- From the middle of the century, their business went into decline.
- Furnaces:
- There was an oven in the castle belonging to the Lord. Local residents were required to be cook their bread and pasta. It was usually leased to a "fournier" who cooked once a week breads and "pastes" the inhabitants, perceived profits for him and paid his annual fee to the Lord.
- In the 16th century, the inhabitants of the Marne were allowed to have a furnace in their home while paying a fee to the Lord.
- Glassware:
- The glass in Franche Comté / André Seurre (Painter - Verrier, 1972). Work crowned by the Academy of Sciences, Arts and Belles Lettres de Besançon.
- Glassware Montferrand produced a glass luxury without disdain that the current glassware. Reputation of producing very good quality.
- The factory located in the lower part of the village still called "Factories".
- Glassware specializes in catering and exported to Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Algeria, Turkey, Austria, Asia Minor.
- M Flagey in 1859 built a glass factory, a lapidary operated by hydraulic force of Doubs (Flagey: Industrial glass of Lyon).
- 2 wood-fired furnaces were built and a third gas-fired coal furnace (heating process less expensive, 1 kg of coal was sufficient to complete 1 kg of glass, with the M Falgey patented system).
- Glassware Montferrand brought fame Montferrand worldwide for over 20 years.
- 1862: glassware employs 200 workers.
- 1864 women recruited to the lapidary crystal.
- 1870 - 1871: post-war recovery of the factory M Flagey that a Deputy Director, poorly received by the inhabitants son (according to them, it is also his fault if there are problems).
- 1878: difficulties, the production has alarming declines.
- September 29, 1878, we announced the sale of glassware, but in vain.
- Ovens went out early in 1880.
- From time to time, kids from September to December year will be used to glassware, but only if small (narrow corridors to sweep gas).
- Tuileries and other plants:
- In the 19th century, there was a tile which produced approximately 100,000 tiles per year.
- Vacancy premises glassware and 1885 souderie company until the war of 1914. In the early 20th century and for a short time, a small chemical plant operator a vein of rock salt. Plant textile bleaching, reported from 1915 to 1952 also employed a hundred workers in 1930 (installed in the lapidary along the Doubs).
- In the census of 1688, the inhabitants of Montferrand-le-Château had 12 horses, 101 cattle, 39 pigs, 47 cattle and 12 goats wool. Were cultivated cereals and vines. In 1980, there were six farmers. Dairy farming dominated with a herd of 300 cows.
