Amanuensis Monday: In the Matter of …

An amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.



Statutory Declaration (cover), 1959


In October 1959, Joseph Philippe made a statutory declaration about Fred Belair’s name.¹ I suspect it had to do with my grandfather wanting to collect his Canadian federal pension. (Joe was Fred’s nephew, being the son of his late sister Angélina.) My grandfather Fred would turn 70 years old in a couple of months, the age at which he could begin receiving his Old Age Security pension. Since he was baptised “Jean-Baptiste Ménésippe” in December 1889, but used “Fred” (or “Frederick”) most of his adult life, he probably had to prove who he was to the federal government before he could collect his $40 per month.


Statutory Declaration (text), 1959

(Note: Preprinted portions of the declaration are in plain text, while the filled-in typewritten portions are shown underlined.)

Dominion of Canada
Province of Ontario

In the Matter of JEAN BAPTISTE MINISIPPE BELAIR, also known as FREDERICK BELAIR

TO WIT

I, Joseph Alfred Philippe
of the Town of Timmins in the
District of Cochrane, Miner,

Do Solemnly Declare that 1. I have known JEAN BAPTISTE MINISIPPE BELAIR, also known as FREDERICK BELAIR, for the last 43 years.

2. THAT when I first knew Mr. Belair, he was known under the name of MINISIPPE BELAIR or FRED BELAIR

3. THAT JEAN BAPTISTE MINISIPPE BELAIR and FREDERICK BELAIR is the one and same person.

And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing it to be true and knowing that it is of the same force and effect as if made under oath, and by virtue of the Canada Evidence Act.

DECLARED before me at the Town
of Timmins
in the District
of Cochrane
this 6th day of October
1959.

[Signed] Joseph Philippe

Source:

1. “In the Matter of Jean Baptiste Minisippe Belair also known as Frederick Belair”, statutory declaration, dated 6 October 1959; Demoskoff Family Papers, photocopy held by Yvonne (Belair) Demoskoff, British Columbia, 2013.

Copyright © 2013, Yvonne Demoskoff.

Amanuensis Monday: First Belair Marriage in Canada

An Amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another. Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme which encourages the family historian to transcribe family letters, journals, audiotapes, and other historical artifacts.

My first patrilineal ancestor who came to Canada was François Janvry dit Belair (ca 1736-1817). A French soldier with the Béarn regiment, he arrived in Quebec probably in 1755. His first recorded appearance in Nouvelle-France is as a patient of the Hôtel-Dieu of Quebec on 17 June 1759.[1]

Within two years, he met and courted a young widow, Madame Pierre Boileau (var. Bouleau). François and Marie Elisabeth Martel married on 7 January 1761 in the parish church of Ste-Geneviève (now Pierrefonds), near Montreal.[2]



Marriage record of François Janvry dit Belair, 1761


The French-language text reads as follows:

Lan mil sept cent Soixante un le sept janvier je pretre soussigne […] après avoir publie trois bans de mariage pendant trois […] entre francois janvri dit belaïr fils de charles janvri et de marie lefebvre de la paroisse […] diocese de noyon en picardie d’une part et entre marie Elizabeth martel veuve de pierre boileau fille de louïs martel et de feu marie legaré d’autre part sans […] et apres avoir pris leur mutual Consentement par paroles de present leur ay [donné] benediction nuptialle en presence de nicolas houde louïs […] louï martel paul martel qui ont ainsi que les parties declaré ne savoir signer […].

The English translation of the text:

Year thousand seven hundred sixty one the seven january I priest undersigned […] after having published three bans of marriage during three […] between francois janvri dit belaïr son of charles janvri and marie lefebvre of the parish […] diocese of noyon in picardy of the one part and between marie Elizabeth martel widow of pierre boileau daughter of louïs martel and of late marie legaré of the other part without […] and after receiving their mutual Consentment by words of the present have [given] them nuptial blessing in the presence of nicolas houde louïs […] louï martel paul martel who along with the parties declared not being able to sign […].

Sources:

1. Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu (Quebec, Quebec), hospital register, 1752-1804, no page number (3rd page after the start of June 1759), francois zénéry dit Beller entry, 17 June 1759; Québec (Hôpitaux) (Québec Hôpital Hôtel-Dieu du Précieux-Sang de Québec); digital image, “Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967”, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 21 January 2011).

2. Ste-Geneviève (Pierrefonds, Quebec), parish register, 1756-1775, p. 12 recto, no entry no. (1761), François Janvri – Marie Elizabeth Martel marriage, 7 January 1761; Ste-Geneviève parish; digital image, “Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967”, Ancestry.ca (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 30 July 2007).

Copyright © 2013, Yvonne Demoskoff.

Amanuensis Monday: Deed of Sale between James Nesbitt and Pierre Genvre

An amanuensis is a person employed to write what another dictates or to copy what has been written by another.

This deed of sale between James Nesbitt and my paternal great-grandfather Pierre Janvry (1851-1941), whose surname is rendered as “Genvre” in the deed, was drawn up on 20 September 1881. It was registered on 29 September 1881. The transcription of this deed appears in quotation marks, with preprinted portions shown in black and handwritten portions shown in red.

“This Indenture made the twentieth day of September one thousand eight hundred and seventy Eighty-one

Between James Nesbitt, of the Township of Masham in the County of Ottawa and Province of Quebec farmer

of the one part, and Pierre Genvre of the said township of Masham farmer

of the other part, Witnesseth, That for and in consideration of the sum of three hundred dollars current money of this Province

to the said James Nesbitt

in hand paid by the said Pierre Genvre

at or before the execution of these presents, (the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged

by the said James Nesbitt) he, the

said James Nesbitt

doth hereby grant, bargain, sell and confirm unto the said Pierre Genvre

his heirs and assigns for ever, all that certain lot of land,

situated and being in the township of Masham aforesaid and described as the lot number fifty-five in the fourth range of the Township of Masham aforesaid containing one hundred and twenty-three acres of land in superfic[ies] more or less

To have and to hold the said lot of land and premises hereinbefore granted, bargained and sold, or intended so to be, with their and every of their appurtenances, unto the said Pierre Genvre his heirs and assigns forever

In Witness Whereof, the said parties hereto have hereunto set their hands and Seals the day and year first above written, at the Township of Wakefield in the District of Ottawa, (in duplicate.)

Signed, Sealed and Delivered     James Nesbitt

A. Cates                                   Pierre his Genvre

Isaac B. Yorke                                  x

                                                      mark ”

Source: “Deed of Sale Between James Nesbitt and Pierre Genvre”, dated 20 September 1881; Demoskoff Family Papers, photocopy held by Yvonne (Belair) Demoskoff, British Columbia, 2012. The photocopy, was supplied by Eloi Belair to Yvonne, his cousin, during her visit to his home in Hull, Quebec in the 1980s. Eloi was Pierre Genvre [Janvry]’s grandson.

Copyright © 2012, Yvonne Demoskoff.