On This Day: des Groseilliers reaches Rupert River in 1668

Rupert River

It was 350 years ago today, on 29 September 1668 that Médard Chouart, sieur des Groseilliers and the crew of the Nonsuch reached Rupert River on James Bay, in present-day Quebec, Canada. [1]

The Nonsuch and the Eaglet, on which Chouart’s business partner Pierre-Esprit Radisson travelled, left London a few months earlier in June. [2] Bad weather forced the Eaglet to return to England, but Chouart’s ship, under Captain Zachariah Gillam, continued to its destination. [3]

Chouart, the French explorer and fur trader, and the ship’s crew made camp at Rupert River and settled in for the winter. The following spring, “almost 300 peaceful Cree” arrived to trade beaver pelts. [4]

The success of this trip led to the creation of the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1670. [5]

Photo credit:

Wikipedia contributors, "Rupert River", Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rupert_River : accessed 26 September 2018).

Sources:

1. HBC Heritage (http://www.hbcheritage.ca/things/technology/the-nonsuch : accessed 25 September 2018), “Nonsuch”.

2. Peter C. Newman, Company of Adventurers: The Story of the Hudson’s Bay Company, 2 vols., (Markham, Ontario: Penguin Books, 1985), I: 107.

3. Newman, Company of Adventurers, I: 108.

4. HBC Heritage (http://www.hbcheritage.ca/things/technology/the-nonsuch : accessed 25 September 2018), “Nonsuch”.

5. Newman, Company of Adventurers, I: 110.

Copyright © 2018, Yvonne Demoskoff.

Sarah (Martin) Grozelle’s 1938 Death Registration

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the death of Sarah Martin. Her husband Peter Grozelle (1838-1919) and my maternal grandfather Eugène Desgroseilliers (1900-1960) are distant relatives. They are descendants of the famous Canadian explorer and fur trader Médard Chouart, sieur des Groseilliers.

Sarah was born on 8 May 1847 in Otonabee, Peterborough County, in present-day Ontario, Canada. Her father James Martin emigrated from Ireland and her mother Lucy Watters came from England. Sarah received the Sacrament of Baptism on 5 June 1847 at St Joseph’s church in Douro, near Otonabee.

When she was 22 years old, Sarah married Pierre de Grozellier on 13 February 1870 at the Church of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lindsay, Ontario. Pierre was born in 1838 in Châteauguay, Canada East (now the province of Quebec). After his family moved to Ontario about 1850, they shortened their surname to Groselle or Grozelle, while Pierre (and his father Pierre) Anglicized their Christian names to Peter.

Sarah and Peter had three sons and four daughters, born between 1871 and 1887. Their younger son Martin died tragically in 1896; see Sympathy Saturday: Martin Grozelle. 

Sarah (Martin) Grozelle death registration (Ancestry)

Peter died in 1919 and Sarah survived him nearly twenty years. She died, age 91, on 18 September 1938 at home in Miners Bay, Haliburton County, Ontario. [1] She was ill for five days with bronchial pneumonia before she succumbed to the infection. Sarah’s burial took place on 20 September 1938 in nearby Kinmount.

Source:

1. “Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938, 1943, and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947”, digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.ca : accessed 30 December 2013), entry for Sarah Grozelle (written as Sarah Grozelle, indexed as Sarah Grozella), 18 September 1938; citing Archives of Ontario, Registrations of Deaths, 1869-1938; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; microfilm series MS935, reel 607. Sarah’s youngest son, Peter Grozelle, was the informant.

Copyright © 2018, Yvonne Demoskoff.

Sibling Saturday: The Children of Albert and Clémentine (Léveillé) Desgroseilliers

Today’s Sibling Saturday offering is the fourth part in an ongoing series about my ancestors’ families. Here are the previous articles in this series:

• Sibling Saturday: The Children of Jean-Baptiste Bouchard (1698-1755) 

• Sibling Saturday: The Children of Pierre Janvry dit Belair (1851-1941) 

• Sibling Saturday: The Children of Olivier and Elizabeth (Vanasse) Vanasse 

My maternal great-grandparents Albert and Clémentine were born in Embrun, Russell County, Ontario. They married in April 1899 in nearby South Indian (now Limoges), but within a few months moved north to Nipissing (now Sudbury) District. They made their home in the village of St. Charles, where Albert’s parents lived. Albert, a farmer, and Clémentine were the parents of 14 children, 11 sons and 3 daughters. They suffered the loss of seven children during their lifetime, including my grandfather Eugène. Albert died in December 1957 and Clémentine passed away in October 1969.

Albert and Clémentine (seated) with some of their children, about 1955.
L to R: Flavie, Roméo, Ovide, Donat, Ovila, and Léon.

This photo shows them with six of their children. It might not be obvious from the picture, but the Desgroseilliers family had taller than average members. For example, Albert was about 6’5” and his son my grandfather Eugène (not in the photo) was 6’7”. Clémentine and her daughter Flavie were also tall.

Children of Albert and Clémentine (Léveillé) Desgroseilliers

1. Eugène Desgroseilliers
Eugène was born on 30 August 1900 in St. Charles, Ontario. On 18 August 1925, he married Juliette Beauvais in Moonbeam, Ontario. Juliette was the sister of Laurette (Lorette) Beauvais, who married Eugène’s brother Ovide. Eugène died on 20 September 1960 in Sarnia, Ontario. He was a chief of police in the 1920s-1930s and a carpenter in the 1940s-1950s. Eugène and Juliette are my maternal grandparents.

2. Arthur Desgroseilliers
Arthur was born on 11 July 1901 in St. Charles. When he was 21 years old, Arthur contracted typhoid fever and died about five days later on 10 May 1923 in Kapuskasing, Ontario. Arthur, a farmer, was unmarried. I’ve written about my great-uncle at Arthur Desgroseilliers (1901-1923). 

3. Alma Desgroseilliers
Alma was born on 14 January 1904 in St. Charles. She was only three and a half years old when she died from bronchitis on 7 July 1907 in Cobalt, Ontario, where her family lived. The story of Alma’s brief life can be read at Wednesday’s Child: Alma Desgroseilliers (1904-1907).

The three eldest: Eugène (left), Alma and Arthur, about 1906

4. Ovila Hormidas Desgroseilliers
Ovila Hormidas was born on 21 October 1905 in St. Charles. He appears to have died young, presumably before 11 December 1906, becase a brother of the same name was born on that date.

5. Hormidas Desgroseilliers
Hormidas was born on 11 December 1906 in South Indian (Limoges) where his family resided at the time. He died on 5 February 1934 in Cochrane, Ontario. The cause of death was a kidney and bowel infection that led to generalised peritonitis. Hormidas, who was 27 years old, was unmarried.

6. Roméo Desgroseilliers
Roméo was born on 26 May 1908 in St. Charles. He married on 11 October 1933 in Moonbeam, Marie-Claire Albert. Roméo died on 15 April 1995 in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario.

7. Anna Desgroseilliers
Anna was born on 10 December 1909 in St. Charles. She and her mother Clémentine were on a visit to South Indian (Limoges), when she died there on 7 August 1910 aged eight months old.

8. Léonidas Desgroseilliers
Léonidas was born on 21 July 1911 in St. Charles. On 1 August 1935, he married Thérèse Credger in Moonbeam. Léonidas died on 6 March 1999 in Labelle, Quebec. His nieces Madeleine and Jacqueline (Eugène’s daughters) knew him by his nicknames of Léo, Nida, and Oneida.

9. Flavie Desgroseilliers
Flavie was born on 16 May 1913 in St. Charles. She married on 27 September 1932 Georges Léonard in Moonbeam. Flavie died on 3 October 1991 in Sudbury.

9. Léandre (Léon) Desgroseilliers
Léandre was born on 15 March 1915 in St. Charles. On 22 December 1938, he married Annette Potvin in Rouyn, Quebec. Léandre, a carpenter, died on 28 May 1996 in Sturgeon Falls. Annette’s sister Lucille Potvin married Léandre’s brother Ovila.

10. Donat Desgroseilliers
Donat was born on 25 June 1916 in St. Charles. He died on 20 October 1979 in Sturgeon Falls. Donat, a farmer, never married.

11. Ovide Desgroseilliers
Ovide was born on 9 April 1918 in Moonbeam. He married Laurette (Lorette) Beauvais there on 9 September 1936. Ovila died on 9 June 1978 in Moonbeam. Laurette’s sister Juliette Beauvais married Ovide’s brother Eugène. My Mom was very fond of her aunt and uncle, because they reminded her of her parents.

12. Ovila Desgroseilliers
Ovila was born on 6 March 1920 in Moonbeam. He married Lucille Potvin there on 6 January 1943. Ovila died on 11 November 1997 in North Bay, Ontario. Lucille’s sister Annette Potvin married Ovila’s brother Léandre.

13. Joseph Desgroseilliers
Joseph was born on 8 March 1924 in Moonbeam. He married on 25 December 1946 in Cache Bay, Ontario, Florence Renaud. He died in a vehicle accident on 2 August 1957 in Sturgeon Falls. His widow remarried and died in 2017. Their son Albert visits Mom (his cousin) at our home whenever he travels to B.C.

Copyright © 2018, Yvonne Demoskoff.

Wedding Wednesday: Janvry – St-Michel

This year marks the 200th anniversary of the wedding of my paternal great-great-great-grandparents, Pierre Janvry dit Belair and Scholastique St-Michel.

Pierre was born on 2 March 1772 in Ste-Geneviève (now Pierrefonds), near Montreal. He was the sixth child and youngest son of François Janvry dit Belair, a French-born soldier, by his wife Marie-Elisabeth Martel.

On 12 August 1793, Pierre married Marguerite Campeau. They had 14 children before Marguerite died, age 44, on 10 September 1817.

Within a few months, Pierre sought a wife for himself and a mother for his five surviving children. He fixed his choice on 22-year-old Scholastique St-Michel. Daughter of Joseph St-Michel, a miller, and Elisabeth Marleau (Merlot), Scholastique was born on 4 May 1796 in Vaudreuil, east of Montreal.

On 5 September 1818, Pierre and Scholastique entered into a marriage contract at the office of notary Joseph Payment. Two days later, on 7 September 1818, the couple married in the parish church at Ste-Geneviève. [1]

Janvry – St-Michel marriage record, verso (FamilySearch)

Janvry – St-Michel marriage record, recto (FamilySearch)

My transcription of Pierre and Scholastique’s marriage record (original lineation indicated by / ):

Lan mil huit cent dix huit le sept septembre après la publica- / tion de trois bans de mariage faite au prône de Messe paroissiale par / trois Dimanches consécutifs entre pière Jeanvri veuf de Marguerite / Campau d’une part et de Scholastique St Michel majeure fille de / Joseph St Michel et d’Elisabeth Merlot ses père et mère d’ / autre part, tous habitants de cette Paroisse, ne s’étant trouvé / aucun empêchement entre les dites parties, je soussigné curé / Missionnaire ai reçu leur mutuel consentement par paroles et / leur ai donné la bénédiction Nuptiale avec les cérémonies / prescrites par la Ste Eglise notre mère, en présence et du / consentement de François Lalonde qui sert de père au garcon [,] de / Lois cardinal témoin, de Joseph St Michel père de la fille, de François / Lebrun témoin et de plusieurs autres parens et amis qui tous ont déclaré / ne savoir signer de [ce?] enquis lecture faite suivant L’ordonnance. [signed] Dumouchel ptre

My English translation (original lineation indicated by / ):

Year one thousand eight hundred and eighteen the seventh september after the publica- / tion of three banns of marriage read at the sermons of our parish Mass on / three consecutive Sundays between pière Jeanvri widower of Marguerite / Campau on the one part and of Scholastique St Michel of age daughter of / Joseph St Michel and of Elisabeth Merlot her father and mother / on the other part, all residents of this Parish, not having found / any impediment between the said parties, I undersigned parish priest / Missionary have received their mutual consent by spoken words and / have given the Nuptial blessing with the prescribed ceremonies / by the Holy Church our mother, in the presence and of / the consent of François Lalonde acting as father to the boy [,] and / Lois cardinal witness, of Joseph St Michel father of the girl, of François / Lebrun witness and of several other relatives and friends all of whom have declared / not knowing how to sign [their names] and as inquired reading done according to the law. [signed] Dumouchel [priest]

A couple of things stood out in the text. One, Pierre and Scholastique are referred to as garçon [boy] and fille [girl], even though he was 46 years old and she was 22. Two, Pierre's brothers-in-law were present: François Lalonde served as proxy father to Pierre (François père died the previous year) and François Lebrun was a witness.

Pierre and Scholastique were married for thirty years. He died in 1848, while Scholastique remarried in 1851, and died in 1864.

Source:

1. Sainte-Geneviève (Sainte-Geneviève [Pierrefonds], Quebec), parish register, 1812-1838, p. 127 verso, no entry no. (1818), Pierre Janvry – Scholastique St Michel marriage, 7 September 1818; Sainte-Geneviève parish; digital images, “Quebec, Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org : accessed 4 September 2018).

Copyright © 2018, Yvonne Demoskoff.

Church Record Sunday: Jeanvril – Lalonde 1845 Marriage Record

One hundred and seventy-three years ago today – on 2 September 1845 – my paternal great-great-grandparents Paul Janvry dit Belair and Angélique Lalonde married. [1]

Paul, born in 1822, was the third, but eldest surviving son of Pierre Janvry dit Belair by his second wife Scholastique St-Michel. (To learn more about Pierre’s children by his two wives, see 52 Ancestors 2015: #32 – Pierre Janvry dit Belair, Father of 25 Children.)

Angélique, four years older than her husband, was born in 1818. She was the eleventh of twelve children of Jean-Baptiste Lalonde by his wife Angélique Bray.

Jeanvril - Lalonde marriage record, Ancestry

Transcription of Paul and Angélique’s marriage record (original lineation indicated by /):

Le deux Septembre, mil huit cent quarante-cinq / après la publication de trois bans de mariage faits / au prône des messes de nos missions, entre Paul / Jeanvril, domicilié à Hull, fils majeur de Pierre / Jeanvril et de Scholastique St-Michel de Hull / d’une part et Angélique Lalonde, aussi domiciliée / à Hull, fille majeure de Jean Baptiste Lalonde du / Côteau du Lac, et de défunte Angélique Bray d’autre / part; ne s’étant découvert aucun empêchement et / vu le consentement des parens [sic], nous prêtre mission- / naire soussigné avons reçu leur mutuel consen- / tement de mariage et leur avons donné la benediction / nuptial en présence de Pierre Jeanvril, Louis [Poulin?] / Louis Guilbault et Toussaint Jeanvril qui ainsi / que les époux ont déclaré ne savoir [signé]. [signed] J. Desautels, ptre

My English translation (original lineation indicated by /):

The two September, one hundred eighteen forty-five / after the publication of three banns of marriage made / at the sermons of the masses of our missions, between Paul / Jeanvril, domiciled at Hull, son of age of Pierre / Jeanvril and of Scholastique St-Michel of Hull / on the one part and Angélique Lalonde, also domiciled / at Hull, daughter of age of Jean Baptiste Lalonde of / Côteau du Lac, and of the late Angélique Bray on the other / part; not having found any impediment and / having the consent of the parents, we missionary priest / undersigned have received their mutual consent / of marriage and have given them the nuptial benediction / in the presence of Pierre Jeanvril, Louis [Poulin?] / Louis Guilbault and Toussaint Jeanvril who along / with the couple have declared they could not sign [their names]. [signed] J. Desautels, [priest]

The ceremony took place in St-Paul’s R.C. church in Aylmer, Quebec. Four witnesses were present, including Paul’s father Pierre and his younger brother Toussaint.

Source:

1. St-Paul (Aylmer, Quebec), parish register, 1841-1848, p. 250, no entry no. (1845), Paul Jeanvril – Angelique Lalonde marriage, 2 September 1845, Missions d’Aylmer parish; digital images, “Quebec, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968”, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 1 March 2012).

Copyright © 2018, Yvonne Demoskoff.