[NI00002] Christal is buried in Ericsburg cemetery- Ericsburg Minnesota
[NI00006] Judith is buried in Ericsburg cemetery.
[NI00011] Betty Ann Dittaro is buried in Ericsburg cemetery, Ericsburg, Minnesota
[NI00034] In the 1910 U.S. Census, Andrew Leen is enumerated under the name Andreas O. Lien. He was working on a farm in Hatton, Garfield Township, Trail County, North Dakota. He has been married to Clara for 13 years.
In 1920, Andrew Leen is enumberated under the name Andrew O. Leen. He and his family are living in Grand Forks, Grand Forks County, North Dakota.
By 1922, Andrew Leen and his family are living in Mizpah, Minnesota.
Andrew Leen in buried in Forrest Grove cemetery in Mizpah, Minnesota
[NI00035] Clara is buried in Forest Grove cemetery - Mizpah, Minnesota. She remarried following the death of Andrew to a man with the last name of Peterson.
[NI00036] Isabel Leen Osmundsen is buried in Forrest Grove cemetery - Mizpah, Minnesota
[NI00039] Rudolph Leen was in the U.S. Army in WWII. He is buried in Forrest Grove cemetery - Mizpah, Minnesota. Earl and Rudella are step children of Rudolph. Their natural father was Robert Peterson.
[NI00117] Honore Martel (Lamontagne being his military alias), arrived in Quebec on September 30, 1665 as a soldier of Alexander Berthier company of the L'Allier regiment.
[NI00124] Jean Martel was a horse merchant in Paris on Richelieu Street.
[NI00234] The earliest record found in the U.S. about the Lien family thus far is in the 1900 U.S. Population Census. Ole P. Lien is the head of the family which includes his 3 sons (Hans O., Andreas O., and Peter O.), his mother (Oline), his son Andreas' wife Clara and their sons Hildor (Hank) and Rudolph.
They are living on a farm in Newburg Township, Steele County, North Dakota. Ole, born in August 1848 in Norway, is 51 years old and a widow. He immigrated to the U.S. in the year 1882 and is a naturalized citizen. He can read but not write, and is able to speak English.
Ole's son Hans O. Lien was born in May of 1872 in Norway. He is single and working as a farm laborer for his father. Hans immigrated to the U.S. in 1885 and is a naturalized citizen. He can read but not write and is able to speak English.
Ole's son Andreas O. Lien was born in May of 1876 in Norway. He is married and works as a farm laborer for his father. Andreas immigrated to the U.S. in 1885 and is a naturalized citizen. He can read and write and is able to speak English.
Ole's son Peter O. Lien was born in August of 1880 in Norway. He is single and works as a farm laborer for his father. Peter immigrated to the U.S. in 1885 and is most likely also a naturalized citizen although it does not state so in the census. He can read and write and is able to speak English.
Ole's mother Oline was born in February 1815 in Norway. She is a widow. Oline immigrated to the U.S. in 1885. It does not state whether Oline has been naturalized or not. She is able to read but not write and does not speak English.
Andreas' wife Clara was born in November 1874 in Norway and immigrated to the U.S. in 1892. She is the mother of two children - Hildor and Rudolph. She can read and write but does not speak English.
Hildor (Known as Hank) was born in August 1897 in North Dakota.
Rudolph was born in April 1900 in North Dakota.
[NI00237] Peter Leen is buried in Forrest Grove cemetery - Mizpah, Minnesota
[NI00261] Gerald Leen is a disabled WWII veteran and farmer.
[NI00436] Have seen this Francois-Maurice Pelletier also listed in some documents as Francois-Marie Pelletier.
[NI00553] Bernard Pelletier, son of Charles Pelletier & Marie-Barbe St. Pierre, is listed in some sources as Bernard and in others and Jean-Francois-Bernard or Jean-Bernard. As the parents and spouse as well as marriage date are the same, I have determined that they are one in the same person.
[NI00580] George Leen died in a car accident.
[NI00756] Has seen the surname Blay spelled also as Blais in some documents.
[NI00830] Have seen Anne Journeau listed in some sources as Marie-Anne Journeau.
[NI00877] Ignace-Germain Hamel became a priest in 1696. He died and was buried in Quebec in 1732.
[NI00953] Robert Leen is a minister.
[NI00988] Ardell Leen, infant daughter of Palmer and Agnes is buried in Forrest Grove cemetery - Mizpah, Minnesota.
[NI01279]
Peter Svein stayed on the farm in Norway.
[NI01292] Kathryn is buried in Faith Luthern Cemetery - Isle, MN
[NI01293] Harold is buried in Faith Luthern Cemetery, Isle, MN
[NI01296] Clark is buried in Faith Luthern Cemetery - Isle, MN
[NI01388] Debby is an art teacher and artist
[NI01389] David Leen is a sawyer
[NI01390] Mark is a senior facility technician for "Cypress"
[NI01391] Marvin works in construction
[NI01392] Cheryl is a homemaker
[NI01393] Zelda works as a secretary
[NI01531] Barbe St. Pierre, wife of Charles Pelletier, is listed in some sources as Marie-Barbe and in others as Barbe. I have determined that they are the same person.
[NI01617] The surname "Jean" is also found listed as Pierre-Jean.
[NI01693] The surname "Jean" is also listed as "Pierre-Jean"
[NI01854] The surname "Hudon" is also listed as "Beaulieu" and "Beaulieu dit Hudon".
[NI01895] The surname "Pinel" is also listed as Pinel-Lafrance.
[NI01914] Have seen Marie-Ursule Morin listed in some sources as Francois-Ursule Morin.
[NI02009] Marguerite Berube is listed in some sources as Jeanne-Marguerite Berube.
[NI02045] Have seen the surname Dancause spelled as Dancosse.
[NI02062] From the book "Our French Canadian Ancestors, Vol. 1" by Thomas J Laforest - Chapter 4
Damien Berube came from Normandy. His ancestors had their roots among the Scandinavian adventurers under Rollan the Conquerer, who in 911, subjugated parts of Normandy: Talou, the regions of Caux and of Roumois. (1)
Damien Berube came from the town of Rocquefort, a suburb of Fauville-en-Caux. Arrondissement of Yvetot, Department of Seine-Maritime. His baptismal certificate, dated 2 February 1647, reads "Damien Berrube son of Robert and of Catherine Ferrocog." His godfather was Jean-Baptiste Deschamps, Sieur of Boishebert, Seigneur of Costecoste, of Montaubert, and of Landres; father of the future Seigneur of Riviere-Ouelle. As for the godmother, she was named Catherine Henry (?), and was not married to the godfather, whose wife was Elizabeth Debin. (2)
OCCUPATION STONEMASON
Jean-Baptiste Deschamps, Sieur de la Bouteillerie, had obtained permission
from the Sun King to go out and clear the land between Trois-Rivieres and
Montreal up to the limit of a thousand arpents. The SAINT-JEAN-BAPTISTE,
a ship of 300 tons, departed toward the end of July 1671. She carried on
board a cargo of about 100 men, of whom two were masons; Damien Berube
and Jacques Miville dit Deschenes, and two were carpenters; Robert Leveque
and J. Thomas Thiboutot. The supercargo consisted of 26 women from Paris,
10 mules, 50 sheep and several items useful for trading. The Seigneur Deschamps,
because of the Iroquois menace, did not take up his original land grant.
Instead he directed his efforts toward Riviere-Ouelle, there to take up
a new concession obtained on 29 October 1672, from the King's representative
Jean Talon. (3)
Initially Damien helped his seigneur build a manor house on the land where today the parish church stands. Then, in 1679, he built a liffle mill on a nearby brook. It was the first windmill, the EVENTAIL, in New France. The seigneur then had him build five more in different spots on the estate.
On 27 September 1676, Damien received a significant concession of his own, "12 arpents fronting on the river Ouelle, to a depth of 40 arpents, bordered on one side by the land taken back from Thiboutot, and on the other by that part of the land not granted in 1672." In spite of all the work he was doing on building stone walls, Damien still found time to clear 10 arpents of land and get it under cultivation. According to the census of 1681, he also had 6 head of cattle and one good gun for self defense, but more often used to hunt those marvellous game birds and animals that abounded in the vicinity. (5)
In 1684, de la Bouteillerie gave a piece of land for the construction of a humble chapel. Jacques Miville and Damien Berube did the work on the stone foundations. Father Thomas Morel blessed this modest temple, dedicated to Our-Lady-of-Liesse, on her Feast Day in the year 1685. (6)
FATHER OF A FAMILY
After eight years of looking around the countryside, Damien finally
found himself a companion to suit his taste. Her name was Jeanne Sauvenier
(Savonet or Latour dit Simonet). This orphan, born in Paris in 1646, was
the daughter of Jacques and Antoinette Babilotte, widow of Jean Soucy dit
Lavigne, and inhabitant of the Ile-aux-Oies and mother of four children
by Soucy: Anne, Pierre, Marie-Anne and Guillaume. When one truly loves
it seems one does not lack courage, even to wedding a 32-year-old woman
with 4 children. The marriage was blessed on the Island on 22 August 1679
by the missionary priest Morel. Assisting at the ceremony were Father Paul
Dupuy, Squire Noel Langlois, who was also Seigneur of the Ile-aux-Oies,
Guillaume Lemieux and Jean Pelletier.
The Berube couple brought 7 children into the world, of whom 3 died at an early age. Pierre, Ignace and Mathurin married into the families Dancause, Quellet and Miville respectively. Jeanne-Marguerite married Rene Plourde on 26 August 1697.
PREMATURE DEPARTURE
Our Ancestor Berube was laid low by an illness during the prime of
life. His head full of grand dreams, his home full of beautiful children;
to them he made his goodbyes and left for Heaven at the age of 41. He was
buried at Riviere-Ouelle on 7 March 1688. In the space of just a few years
he had cleared 20 arpents of land on his vast domain, provided for the
4 children of his wife, fathered 7 offspring of his own, but did not live
to see his baby son Mathurin, who was born after his death. He opened the
way for the Berube line of descendents, both numerous and respectable.
He is the progenitor of all the Berube's both in Canada and the United
States.
The cause of the death of Our Ancestor calls for a word of explanation. Paul-Henri Hudon, author of a parish monograph of Riviere Ouelle, puts his finger on it: "There was in that year (1688) in New France some epidemics of influenza, of measles and of all sorts of fever. " The following day, 8 March, the two little Berube girls, 2-year-old Therese and 5-year-old Marie, were both buried at the same place as their father.
THE KING'S FAVORITE
The mother house of the Misericorde, founded at Paris in 1624 by President
Seguier, was destined to receive 100 orphans-those without either a father
or a mother. These girls, educated according to the principles of the Catholic
religion, were schooled in arts and letters as well. From time to time
they were called upon to put on recitations and plays at Court. Was Jeanne
Sauvenier one of those protected by the King? No doubt about it since she
was educated and proved her abililty to read and write before a notary.
(7) One must point out the clever arrangements she made in the agreement
to
provide for the 4 children of her first husband, as well as those of
her second. In 1689, her daughter Anne Soucy married Jean Lebel. Then for
a third time, Jeanne married on 7 November 1692 at Riviere-Ouelle, to Francois
Miville (son of Jacques Miville dir Deschenes mentioned above). He was
the widower of Marie Langlois, father of five children, of whom Joseph,
Jacques and Charles were minors still under their father's care. In order
to add to this menage, Jeanne had one last child to give to Miville: Marie-Francoise,
baptised in 1694, later married to Prisque Boucher, and mother of fourteen
children. So we see that Jeanne Sauvenier had 12 children in all: 4 by
Soucy, 7 by Berube and 1 by Miville.
Her contract with Francois Miville stipulated "to hold no property in
common between them, notwithstanding custom and usage...." Jeanne set about
to inventory her belongings with the help of Guillaume Lizotte and Rene
Ouelette, in the presence of Robert Leveque. Then it came time to carry
out the provisions for inheritance fairly and judiciously. Oft times such
occasions are made for quarreling and bickering, but nothing of the
sort took place. Jeanne signed a donation before the Cure Bernard de Roqueleyne,
sent by the Intendent for this purpose. By this act, she gave the inheritance
from Damien Berube back to his children in 4 equal parts. As for the livestock,
they were divided in two lots, one for the Berube children, the other for
the Soucys. Then the last child, Francoise, whose father was still living,
renounced her part of the inheritance in favor of her half brothers and
sisters. Jeanne and her husband retained the right of occupancy during
their lifetime. Pierre Berube, who inherited the piece of property with
the house on it, accepted the guardianship of his mother and her husband,
Francois Miville. This act was recorded by the notary Janneau on 15 November
1708. (8)
PERSONAL AND REAL ESTATE
The land, 12X24 arpents, ( an arpent is about an acre) contained an old house, a shed, an old stable, a pig sty, 5 head of cattle, 3 horses, 7 pigs, 7 sheep, 12 chickens, a rooster and 2 turkeys. The inventory listed more than five dozen articles of personal effects, some of which had belonged to Jean Soucy. The debts to be paid off came to more than 437 livres.
A LIFETIME LEASE
In return for the early assignment of their inheritance, the children were required to furnish the parents each year: 2 bushels of wheat, 10 pounds of good and salable lard, etc. She and her husband could even make maple sugar in the springtime for their personal use. This lifetime lease was to continue for one year after the death of Jeanne in order to pay for herfuneral and to have 25 Masses celebrated for the repose of her soul.
UNTO THEIR GLORY
Jeanne Sauvenier passed on in 1721 at the age of about 74 years. Her funeral took place at Riviere-Ouelle on the 21st of March, 10 years after the death of her third husband, Francois Miville.
Among her descendants, Octave Soucy was born at Saint Andre de Kamouraska on 13 March 1841, son of Benjamin and Marie Genevieve Paradis. A sixth-generational Canadian, he was the first priest to bear the name of Soucy. Jean-Francois, born at Trois-Pistoles on 27 July 1827, also of the sixth generation, the son of Felix and of Thecle Cote, became the first Berube priest in 1855.
[NI02069] The surname Hudon is also seen as Beaulieu and as Beaulieu-Hudon or Beaulieu dit Hudon.
[NI02075] Have seen the surname Roby spelled in some documents as Raby.
[NI02532] Jean Lechevalier & his wife Marguerite Romain, lived in Saint-Nicolas de Coustances, Normandy
[NI02623] Francois Ouellet and Elizabeth Bare lived in St. Jacques du Haut pas Paris, France
[NI02858] Pascal Boucher has also been listed as Pierre-Paul Boucher
[NI02920] Have seen Anastasie listed under the surname Emond and Gagnon.
[NI03295] Marie was killed in an accident involving a gun. She was buried on Jun 08, 1658.
[NI03437] From "Your ncient Canadian Family Ties"
Pierre St. Pierre dit Dessaint, son of Michel and of Francoise Engrand, of St. Martin of, Rouen, in Normandy, married at Ste-Famille, I.O. on 24 April 1679 to Marie Gerbert (Jalbert), daughter of Mathurin and of Isabelle Targe.
[NI03455] Marie-Anne Hautin is also listed in some sources as Anne Autin. I have determined that they are the same person.
[NI03468] Robert Berube & Catherine Pognot lived in Rochefort, France
[NI03470] Jacques Sauvenier & Antoinette Babilot lived in Paris
[NI03480] Have seen this Madeleine Bouchard also listed as Marie-Madeleine Boucher
[NI03586] Have seen Rigobert spelled Rogobert and also Rigaud - Which is correct? I don't know, but the spouse and parents are the same.
[NI03624] etabli a la Rivier-Ouelle peu
apres 1680.
Established at Riviere-Ouelle not much after 1680
[NI03626] Sources for Pelletier information:
1) Genealogie des Familles De La Riviere Ouelle
Depuis l'orginie de la paroisse jusqu`a nos jours par L'Abbe ADOLPHE
MICHAUD
Pages 576 - 592
[NI03691] Excerpt from "Our French Canadian Ancestors, Volume 5, Chapter 6, by Thomas J Laforest.
On January 15, 1634, Surgeon Robert Giffard, a notable proponenet of a Canadian community, was soliciting potential emigrans, when he received notice that he had been awarded the seigneury of Beauport, Quebec from the One Hundred Associates. Giffard had been in New France before: From 1621 to 1626 and again in 1628. In 1634, he successfully recruited several citizens of Perche as prosepective residents for his newly acquired realm. One of whom was Zacharie Cloutier.
This contract of servitude was signed jointly by Zacharie Cloutier and another of our ancestors Jean Guyon. It stipulated that Giffard would pay the passage plus food and lodging in Canada (to the extent that the land permitted), for Cloutier and Guyon plus one family member each, for a period of three years, to date from June 24, 1634. After two years the two men be allowed to send for the rest of their families, also at the expense of Giffard, the Seigneur of Beauport. Giffard agreed to give each man a few head of livestock to get started farming, plus one thousand arpents (an arpent is about an acre) of land with the rights to build on it, in addition to the right to hunt, fish and trade with the savages.
Even though Zacharie Cloutier agreed to leave France with his seventeen year old son only, he changed his mind and decided to bring the entire family out to Canada. By July 22, 1634, master-carpenter Zacharie Cloutier and master-mason Jean Guyon were hard at work on construction of a manor house for their lord as well as the parish church and Fort St-Louis in Quebec.
As soon as the Cloutier family was settled down, Zacharie did not waste any time getting organized. He had already begun to plan for the future of his children and on July 27, 1636, he arranged for his daughter Anne to take a husband. This was unusual for two reasons: The marriage contract with Robert Drouin was the first of it's kind in Canada and Anne was only ten and a half years old! A stipulation in the agreement provided that Anne was to continue to live at home with her parents until she was thirteen. The religious ceremony took place when Anne was eleven but Robert had to content himself with non-conjugal visits for two more years.
A ruling drawn up by Jean de Lespinasse in February 1637, reveals that Jean Guyon and Zacharie Cloutier, who seem to have done nothing one without the other, finally took possession of the fiefs promised to them by Giffard. That of Guyon was named "du Buisson" and that of Zacharie was called "La Cloutierie". It is in this act that we first observe the signature of Zacharie Cloutier in the form of an axe, the mark of his trade. In 1641, a map made by the engineer-surveyor Jean Bourdon shows the layout of these lands "from Kebec to Cap Tourmente". We may note thereon that the sons of Zacharie, as well as other colonists, were settled on the territory extending from the river at Petit Pre to the river at Chiens, which became the furture parish of Chateau-Richer.
In 1651, the family Cloutier lived on Cote de la Montagne in the town of Quebec. Twelve years later Zacharie was described as a bourgeois seigneur working as a master-carpentier. In addition to his fief of 693 arpents, he owned a lot measuring 41.4 toises. By this time he was 73 years old and his wife was 67. He also owned a lot in the lower town of Quebec, between those of Pascal Lemaistre and Jean Guyon. The census of 1666 indicates that both Zacharies, father and son, lived on the Beaupre coast.
In order to return to his land at Chateau-Richer, Zacharie sold his fief to Nicolas Dupont of Neuville on December 20, 1670. Prior to this however, on January 19, 1668, he had assembled his children before notary Michel Fillon, and prepared an agreement designed to minimize the difficulties ehich could arise from the inheritenceafter his and Xaintes deaths. Once all had been settled, the children promised to assist their parents and to attend to all their needs. The following year, on May 12, 1669, Zacharie and Xainte made their will and placed themselves in the hands of son Zacharie.
Old patriarch Zacharie died first at about 87 years of age. He fell into his last sleep on November 17, 1677. Xainte was taken in her turn less than three years later, on July 14, 1680. They both lie at rest in their favorite place, Chateau-Richer.
[NI03711] The surname Champoux is also spelled "Cahmpou"
[NI03721] The spelling of the surname "Prevost" was "Provost" in generations prior to this Francois.
[NI03960] Twin sister of Cecile.
[NI04011] Etienne Pineau and Marguerite Viger lived in St-Laurent, Diocese of Perigeux.
[NI04052] Have seen the surname "Alarie" spelled also as "Alary".
[NI04054] Michel Thibault is said to have been 100 years 31/2 months old at the time of his death.
[NI04088] Philippe Amiot (Amyot), originated from Soissons, France. He arrived in New France around 1627 with his wife, Anne Convent, and their two sons, Jean and Mathieu. He lived for a short time in the new world. Following Philippe's death, Anne Convent married Jacques Maheu in 1639.
[NI04100] Julien Fortin was a Butcher.
[NI04124] Marguerite-Jeanne Hudon is listed in sources as Jeanne and in others as Marguerite.
[NI04157] Robert Caron settled on the hill of Beaupre. He and Marie Crevet had seven children. This family suffered under the barbarism of the savage; Marie, the oldest, was kidknapped by the Hurons on July 4, 1660.
[NI04373] Josephte Caron has also been
listed in sources as Marie-Louise Caron. I have determined that
they are the same person.
[NI04424] Jacques Morin & Michelle Dion lived in St. Jacques de BasAnge, Poitiers.
[NI04484] The surname Millouer is also spelled in some sources as Milloir.
[NI04667] On May 7, 1725 Nicolas Pinel was engaged west which usually meant that the man had been hired as a Voyaguer.
[NI04719] Daniel-Joseph Amiot is listed as having been "Engage Ouest" on May 8, 1690. This meant engaged west - usually on a voyaguer trip.
[NI04725] Etienne was hired for a trip as a voyaguer on Jul 10, 1703.
[NI04734] Claude Bouchard (dit Dorval), born in 1626, was a doctor and orginated from Picardie, France. Son of Clude and of Marie Fremon. He arrived at Quebec in the middle of the seventeen century.
[NI04736] Paul-Claude was a voyaguer.
[NI04777] Jean was a carpentier like his
father.
The descendants of Jean Cloutier kept the ancestral home for nearly
three centuries.
[NI04795] The maiden name of Catherine, wife of Claude Grenier, is not known.
[NI04942] Antoine Roy arrived in New France June 18, 1665 as a soldier in the Carignan regiment. He was the son of Olivier Roy and Catherine Boderge or Bauldard.
[NI05003] This Jean Gagnon is listed in some sources as Jean and in others as Jean-Baptiste. They are the same individual.
[NI05164] Have also seen this Joseph-Francois listed as Jean-Francois in some sources.
[NI05672] The surname "Des-Trois-Maisons" - "Des=of", "trois=3" & "Maisons=houses" is a "dit" name associated with the "Picard" surname.
[NI06084] Pierre was a Carpentier.
[NI06193] I have seen a different version of Elizabeth's last name in just about every source that I have checked. The only thing that all the versions have in common is that the name starts with "BA".
[NI06242] Charles Bouchard was a voyaguer.
[NI06347] Nicolas Perreault is listed in "Jette" as having been "Engageur Ouest" of engaged west on May 14, 1688 and
[NI06352] Marie Sirot is listed in some sources as Marie Sivot.
[NI06656] Twin brother of Marie-Angelique Belanger.
[NI06657] Twin sister of Pierre Belanger.
[NI06668] Marie-Madeleine's given name was Marie-Francoise, however she was called Marie-Madeleine.
[NI06702] Twin brother of Francois - who died on Mar 7, 1714.
[NI06831] Have seen the name Gendreau spelled as Gaudreau in some sources, haven't yet determined which is the correct or most often used spelling.
[NI06899] Advocate au Parlement de Toulouse, Diocese de Cahors en Quercy.
[NI07274] Per Jette - Francoise's surname was Vaime or Ceraime.
[NI07325] Judith Breton is also listed in some sources as Julie Breton and as Judith Lanau. The marriage date and spouse are the same, thus I have determined that they are one in the same individual.
[NI07658] Twin brother og Genevieve.
[NI07659] Twin sister of Pierre.
[NI07839] Twin brother of Anne
[NI07843] Twin of Jean-Baptiste
For a century, the descendants of Nicolas Lebel tried to identify the name of the village where he was born, sometime between 1630 and 1632. Msgr Cyprien Tanguay wrote in 1871 that Nicolas was a native of Dynille, diocese of Rouen. In his marriage contract signed before Aubert on 29 March 1665, Nicolas, son of Clement Lebel and Francoise Lagnel, stated "Hilleville archdiocese of Rouen". Was it Illeville-sur-Seine, as many have stated? In 1630, Emile Vaillancourt brought a more accurate light to bear, without identifying his sources: Iileville-sur-Montfort, in the present department of the Eure, in Normandy.
Research was stalled there for 50 years. A few months ago, Doctor Robert-Roger Lebel, from Wisconsin, informed me of the discovery made by a distant cousin, Irenee Lebel. In the hope of finding the marriage act of our ancestor's parents and his baptismal record, the latter went through the registries of IIIeville-sur-Montfort beginning in 1586 with a finetooth comb. The names of several with the last name of Lebel appeared without finding the expected answer.
However, a solitary weak light shown forth, but how delightful. "On 7 september of the said year was baptized Colette Le Bel daughter of CIement and of Francoise Lagnel. The godfather and godmother Mathieu Bosmont and Mary Lagnel". This invaluable act was recorded in the year 1622. We are in the presence of a sister of Ancestor Nicolas. Therefore, it was at Illeville-sur-Montfort that the first of the majority of the Canadian Lebels lived before coming to America.
The community of Illeville is located near the famous forest of Montfort. In its territory, the imposing hill of old Montfort is none other than the feudal land which supported the chateau, a hidden vestige of a glorious past. After the French Revolution, Montford-sur-Risle, to the southeast, became the capital of the canton in the present arrondissement of Bernay. After passing through the Orne and the Eure, the Risle River empties into the mouth of the Seine.
Such was the Normand region that Nicolas Lebel was familiar with during the reign of Louis XIII and the regency of Louis XIV.
CHATEAU-RICHER
Did Nicolas Lebel leave his country from the closest port, Honfleur? Or from Le Havre? These are pure hypothesis. Was he hired for the account of Pierre Gagnon or Jean Cauchon? What follows lets it be understood.
On Sunday, 13 May 1657, Nicolas appeared for the first time in our civil archives. At the home of Pierre Gagnon at Chateau-Richer, the notary Audouart and the witnesses Nicolas Veneul and Claude Auber surrounded their friend Lebel. He would be one of them on the Beaupre Coast, since the master of the house willingly gave him as 'fin d'heritage" a half arpent of frontal land which he detached from his own farm. Concessionaire Lebel was committed to building his home in a year and to work there by the coming autumn.
Furthermore, at the same time, Jean Cauchon, junior, called Le Jeune,
still more generous, made a gift of two arpents of frontal land by a league-and-a-half
in depth, bordering the half-arpent all expenses ceded. The conditions
were the same. Each year Nicolas Lebel would pay Cauchon 42 sols and 1
capon for the rents and the cens owed to the seigneurs of Beaupre. He could
not sell to other residents without the permission of the first owners,
etc.
Why were Gagnon and Cauchon, old residents of the Coast, so magnanimous? Undoubtedly, because the immigrant was kind, hard working and unpretentious. They appreciated him and wanted to make him their excellent neighbor. The case is unique in our annals for that time. Nicolas had undoubtedly worked for these two benefactors for more than two years. We can almost conclude that he arrived in New France in the summer of 1654.
Nicolas Lebel began working on his land at Chateau-Richer, located between friends and neighbors Gagnon and Cauchon. His property is today located nearly 22 arpents to the east of Sault a la Puce, civil number 8736 (?), on the Chemin du Roi.
AT WORK AND IN AFFLICTION
In the winter of 1660, the zealous missionary Thomas Morel organized the well known ceremony of Confirmation at Chateau-Richer. Msgr de Laval, probably traveling on snowshoes, went to the small church in the countryside, where on 2 February, Chandeleur Day, he confirmed 173 people including Nicolas Lebel, all decked out in their Sunday-best clothes.
After several years of preparation, Nicolas could dream of starting a family. Marriageable girls were exceedingly rare. Near la Riviere aux Chiens lived a worthy family, that of Robert Drouin and Marie Chapelier. Nicolas courted Marie. The young girl had been baptized at Trois-Rivieres on 18 September 1650. On 27 September 1662, notary Claude Auber went to the Drouin home to sign Nicolas and Marie's marriage contract. The parents promised to give their eldest daughter a gift of 100 livres in cash, a milk cow, some clothes and some dishes. Nicolas offered a generous dowry of 400 livres. The numerous witnesses were named: Etienne Racine, Francois Belanger, Pierre Maheu, Romain Trepanier, Nicolas Quentin, among others.
The next day, on Wednesday, 28 November, the nuptial blessing was given by Father Thomas Morel at the church of Chateau-Richer. Francois Belanger signed as witness with his initials.
The year 1663 was marked by an earthquake of a magnitude greater than that which we experienced on 25 November 1988. According to the Journal of the Jesuits, the tremor lasted for a period of 2 minutes, beginning at 5:30 o'clock on the evening of 5 February. All of New France felt the shock, particularly the Beaupre Coast. Various aftershocks were repeated until 15 March.
The supreme ordeal swooped down upon the Lebel home on Friday, 2 May 1664. Marie Drouin probably spent the night at her parents' home, near la Riviere aux Chiens. Early in the morning, it seems, accompanied by her mother or one of her sisters, she was going towards the church of Sainte-Anne du Petit-Cap in order to "to hear Holy mass on St. Jacques and St. Philippe day and with the intention of making her devotions".
A Catastrophe! She fell into the icy waters of the stream and drowned. Great emotion on the Coast! The curate Morel, movingly wrote in the registry of Chateau-Richer: "I have buried a number of Christians and children of the church".
In a single day, Ancestor Lebel had seen all his dreams crumble like
a house of cards.
RECONSTRUCTION
It was necessary to rebuild what the waters had carried away: a future. Widower Nicolas Lebel turned to the west and crossed the Riviere du Sault Montmorency. He stopped at Beauport. There he discovered the honorable family of Jean Mignault dit Chatillon, and of Louise Cloutier. Eight living children enlivened this happy home at that time. The eldest of the daughters, 14 years old, was noticed by Nicolas. Therese had been baptized at Quebec on 15 September 1651, by the Jesuit Jerome Poncet. She had even attended the convent of the Ursulines of Quebec for a while.
Gradually the fabric of their love grew. On Sunday, 29 March 1665, the solemn drafting of their marriage contract took place at the home of Uncle Jean Cloutier, a resident of Chateau-Richer. A large gathering of the Mignault family and friends had been summoned. The notary Claude Auber presided. Pierre Gagnon and Jean Cauchon stood up for the groom. The Mignaults made a gift of 150 livres to the couple, not counting the wedding dress, linens, dishes and other utensils. At the bottom of the contract, Nicolas made his mark: an X in the middle of a circle; Therese drew a heart or an apple with its stem.
Nicolas the laborer, and young Therese had their three marriage banns published. The nuptial blessing at Chateau-Richer was celebrated on 2 April 1665, in the presence of the family, friends and Father Morel. The Lebel home seemed destined for a generous future.
The census takers for the year 1667 reported that the 35 years old Nicolas Lebel and the 16 years old Therese Mignault, owned one head of cattle and had 8 arpents of land under cultivation. It was not a mine with gold nuggets everywhere... Nicolas had to earn his living by his wits as well as by his labor.
On 29 December 1668, our ancestor resold to Pierre Gagnon the half-arpent of land that he had received from him 11 years earlier. For this voluntary return, Gagnon paid 100 livres in principal and 10 livres "for property and pins for the said wife" Therese Mignault. In addition, he left the Lebels the part of the land where their house was built, that is to say the space between the north-west of the royal road and the top of the first hill by a width of 5 perches, a half-arpent.
At that time, the Lebel cradle was still empty.
LA POCATIERE
About 1675, several people from the Beaupre Coast, Beauport and the Ile d'Orleans settled on the south bank. The regions of Riviere-Ouelle and the Grande-Anse exerted a special attraction: fertile lands, forests abounding with wild game, clear streams and a river full of fish, as well as numerous available concessions. At the same time, father-in-law Jean Mignault and his 3 sons-in-law, Pelletier, Grondin and Lizotte, moved to La Pocatiere.
Nicolas Lebel, perhaps at the same time as his brothers-in-law, obtained a concession at this place, lot number 18, 4 arpents of frontal land by 42 deep, a piece of land on which one day the College de Sainte-Anne would be erected. But before moving, he had to sell his property at Chateau-Richer at a good price.
On 30 September 1676, Pierre Gagnon bought the Lebel property with house,
barn and 15 arpents of cleared land. The buyer immediately paid 500 livres
of the 800 promised. However, the seller reserved for himself the right
to live "with his family and animals on the said homestead until the feast
of Pentecost of the next year". The sale was signed by the notary Becquet
in the hall of the Seminary of Quebec.
In the spring of 1677, the Lebel family moved to La Pocatiere. Here is proof of it: Joseph Lebel, son of Nicolas and Therese, was born at the Grande-Anse on 3 July. Father Thomas Morel baptized the child on the 9th of the same month, without mentioning, it's true, the parents' place of residence. But the baby's godfather and godmother were local people: Thomas Langlois and Madeleine Mignault, wife of Noel Pelletier.
MIGNAULT-LEBEL GENERATION
Nicolas and Therese had only 4 children: Jean, Angelique, Nicolas and Joseph. The first 3 were born at Chateau-Richer; the last at La Pocatiere. All reached adulthood, founded families and have a respectable lineage.
1. Jean, godson of Jean Cloutier and Barbe Fortin, was presented for baptism on 23 January 1670. On 16 August 1689, at Riviere-Ouelle, he married Anne Soucy, daughter of Jean and of Jeanne Sauvenier. Four of their 5 children married. Jean was buried at Riviere-Ouelle on 6 October 1699. Anne Soucy was remarried on 24 November 1704, to ancestor Jacques Bois and gave him 8 children.
2. The only daughter, Angelique, was baptized on 10 November 1672, in the presence of her godfather and godmother Joseph Gagnon and Marguerite Cloutier. She gave her heart to Mathurin Ouellet, on 8 January 1691. Mathurin was the son of Rene and of Anne Rivet. Their eight children were raised at Riviere-Ouelle.
3. Father Fillon baptized Nicolas, on 12 May 1675. At the age of 32, Nicolas married Marie-Madeleine Michaud, daughter of ancestor Pierre and of Marie Ancelin. The couple lived at Kamouraska where they had 5 known children who founded families. Nicolas died before 5 September 1722, the day on which his widow was remarried, to Jean-Baptiste Roy dit Desjardins. Son Jean-Baptiste Lebel, about 1750, built the house which is today called Langlois. It was partly destroyed by the English in 1759, but rebuilt the following year. Proud and elegant, it still exists at Kamouraska.
4. The youngest, Joseph, on 22 November 1701 at Riviere-Ouelle, found his kindred spirit in Marie-Catherine Boutin, natural daughter of Genevieve Boutin. They had a dozen children; their lineage is respectable. Joseph was buried at Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, on 6 August 1747; Marie-Catherine survived him until April 1756.
Thus began the fine family tree of the Lebels in America.
MIGNAULT-OUELLET GENERATION
Nicolas Lebel died shortly after his family arrived at the Grande-Anse, at the end of the year 1678 at the latest. What was the cause of his premature death? An accident? A drowning? A heart attack? No registry and no notary can show us any answers. The missionary forgot to draw up the death certificate or to record it at Quebec or elsewhere. Nicolas was about 47 years old and benevolently courageous.
On 6 February 1679, Therese Mignault was remarried in a legitimate marriage
to Rene Ouellet, widower of Anne Rivet, father of 3 children: Abraham,
Mathurin, and Gregoire. The nuptial blessing was given at La Pocatiere
by the missionary Pierre Thury and recorded at Notre-Dame de Quebec. The
house of Martin Fouquet, husband of Marie-Madeleine de Laporte, served
as the church. Nicolas Huot dit Saint-Laurent, a local resident, and Madeleine
Mignault attended as witnesses.
For about 2 years, Rene Ouellet had owned lot #17 which Jean Mignault dit Chatillon, had abandoned. He went to live at the home of his neighbor Lebel for a few years. The census of 1681 reported his presence at that place. About 1683, the Mignault-Ouellet couple made a new home for themselves at Riviere-Ouelle.
Therese Mignault added 8 children to the human capital of Rene Ouellet: Marie-Therese, Joseph, Francoise, Sebastien, Marie-Anne, Angelique-Marguente, Francois and Marie. Thus, the majority of the Ouellets are half-brothers with the Lebels. And we, Lebel and Ouellet descendants, are cousins forever. In honor of Rene Ouellet, husband of Anne Rivet and of Therese Mignault, I 'Association Ouellet had a monument erected at La Pocatiere, at the place of the pilgrimage called Fatima, on Ancestor Lebels' land. Congratulations! Why didn't the Lebels do as much?
Therese Mignault died on Friday, 3 December 1728, at Kamouraska, probably at the home of her daughter Angelique. She was buried in the cemetery called le Berceau de Kamouraska. Father Etienne Auclair presided at the funeral on the 5th of the same month.
The Greek poet of tragedy wrote in Iphigenie: "Happy is he who loves to remember his ancestors, joyously sustaining the reader with their exploits, with their grandeur, and with secret satisfaction sees himself at the end of this fine line of descendants".
BRANCHES
The Lebel descendants have multiplied, slowly but surely, beginning in the region of La Pocatiere and going to several Canadian provinces and even numerous American states; there, instead, some of them bear the family name of Bell or Labelle.
The notary from Matane, Joseph-Alexandre-Fraser Lebel, president of Cogema, bequeathed his name to the boat which shuttles between Matane and Baie-Comeau. Jean-Baptiste Lebel (1887-1966) is considered the founder of Lebel-sur-Quevillon. I am unaware of the origin of Pointe-Lebel on the North Coast.
The first two Lebel priests were born at Kamouraska: Antoine-Cyprien (1811-1885), and Antoine (1816-1871). Msgr Robert Lebel, son of Wilfrid from Trois-Pistoles, Bishop of Valleyfield, president of the conference of Catholic Bishops, claims the honor of being the first with this last name to accede to the episcopate. His half-sister Annette Lebel, daughter of Wilfrid and of Alphonsine Mignier-Lagace, became superior general of the Servantes de Notre-Dame, Reine du Clerge, on 5 August 1980.
Joseph-Marc Lebel (1881-1951), under the pen name of Jean Freron, the only French writer from Saskatchewan, published 37 novels, the most famous of which was La Metisse. Gerard Lebel (1930- ) was the first Lebel representative to sit in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec on 6 December 1966. He later became Speaker, then President of the National Assembly on the first of January 1969. Since 1987, he has been a judge of the Superior Court for the district of Quebec.
The Lebels even have a song sung on the Iles de La Madeleine, a ballad about Daniel Lebel. In 1911, Daniel Lebel, his son, his son-in-law and 3 others from the Iles Madeleine ostensibly defied the sea in order to go hunting for sea-lions "but the greedy sea held them in its breast". Lebel or not, it is always wise to respect the forces of nature.
FAMILY NAME VARIATIONS
This family name, which was Le Bel in France and Lebel in Canada, has remained remarkably unaltered. The following variations have been found: Beaulieu, Bel, Bell, La Belle, Lebell and Philippe.
Nicolas Lebel
"Our French-Canadian Ancestors"
Volume 16, Chapter 15
By Thomas J Laforest
[NI08198] Gervais Lavye was a hotellier.
[NI08646] Killed by Iroquois Indians around Tadoussac.
[NI08664] Claire-Francoise was a nun who worked at the hospital - Hotel Dieu in Quebec. She took her vows on Jan 4, 1714.
[NI08681] Twin of Pierre married to Elizabeth Nadeau
[NI08682] Twin brother of Marie-Anne who married Jean-Baptiste Girard
[NI09010] Twin sister of Helene
[NI09620] Twin sister of Marie-Flavie
[NI09626] Twin brother of Marie-Severine
[NI09627] Twin sister of Francois-Xavier
[NI09671] Twin sister of Marie-Domitilde
[NI09672] Twin sister of Marie-Elizabeth
[NI10652] Twin of Jean-Joseph Hautin
[NI10945] Rene Roy was a voyaguer.
[NI10960] Francois Roy made a voyageur trip in 1691 and he hired men for voyaguer trips in 1694 and in 1720.
[NI10962] Louis Roy made voyaguer trips in 1694 and 1705.
[NI11254] Twin brother of Elizabeth
[NI11255] Twin sister of Charles
[NI11909] Jean-Baptiste Boisbrillant is also listed in the Ste-Anne marriage register as Jean-Baptiste Morel De La Durantaye and as Jean Brillant, and as Jean-Baptiste Morel-Boisbrillant
[NI11969] Twin brother of Jean.
[NI11970] Twin brother of Jacques Gagne
[NI12108] Twin sister of Anne who died at the age of 2 days old.
[NI12299] Jette lists Joseph Parent, Jean Parent and Etienne Parent as being triplets.
[NI12300] Sister of Marie-Francois Belanger who married Jean Parent, brother of Marie's husband Joseph Parent. Their date of marriage is on or about the same date. Also of note is that Nicolas Belanger and Marie Rainville had two daughters who were named Marie. Their oldest daughter Marie was first married to Ignace Choret and following his death she became the second wife of Jacques Parent who is a brother of Jean & Joseph Parent.
[NI12306] Brother of Joseph Parent who married Marie Belanger, the sister of Jean Parent's wife Marie-Francoise Belanger who were married on about the same date as Jean & Marie-Francoise Belanger
[NI12310] Etienne Parent is listed in "Jette" as being one of a set of triplets.
[NI13550] Source of Hamel information taken from "French Canadian and Acadian Genealogical Review" Volume V, Nos. 3-4, 1975.
Jean Hamel settled at Lotbiniere and he is the ancestor of all the Hamels there.
[NI13554] Charles Hamel settled at Sainte-Foy, near Quebec City, and he is the progenitor of the Hanmels of Sainte-Foy and L'Ancienne-Lorette. He died and was buried in Saint-Foy in 1740.
[NI13588] Tanguay gives the wrong parents of Therese Hamel. Both the marriage record and the marriage contract have been lost. The parentage is given in the inventory of the estate between her and her late husband Jean Tousignan (notary Choret, March 30, 1733).
Reference is also made to the marriage contract passed before notary DeNevers in 1710. There is also a mention of Charles Hamel, uncle, and Pierre Delorme, cousin of the Tousignan. From this we see that there were two sisters named Therese in this family.
[NI16058] Christophe Petit was a "Butcher Merchant" in St-Leger de Lucheux, Amiens, Arras, Picardie.
[NI17029] Twin brother of Lazare Richard
[NI17030] Twin brother of Andre Richard
[NI17168] Jeanne Sohier is said to have been 95 years old at the time of her death.
[NI17201] Killed cruely in the barn by Iroquois.
[NI19598] Per "Jette", Marie Morneau did not travel to Canada.
[NF00660] Geneaolgie des Familles de la Riviere Ouelle lists the marriage place of Charles Pelletier and Marie-Barbe Pelletier as St. Roch des Aulnaies, but it is listed in the church register for Riviere-Ouelle as having taken place in Riviere-Ouelle.
[NF01925] Have seen the Marriage of Marie
Major & Antoine Roy listed as having occured on Sep 11, 1668. Have
not determined yet which is correct.