Was one of your ancestors a member of the Union de prières et de La Bonne Mort [Union of prayers and of the “good death”]?

Founded in 1851 in Montreal, this association’s objective was to prepare their members for the after-life and help them save their soul. In 1873, it has no less than 50,000 members.

Found on the Web, the Petit Manuel des associés de l’Union de prières et de La Bonne Mort, published in 1873, contains a list of its members who died between 1850 and 1873, including Jacques Viger, ex-mayor of Montreal, who passed away in 1858.

Here are the Touvilles who were mentioned in the book:

• Marie Pauzé, died 1853 (great find, I didn’t know her death date), and her husband,
• Charles Tourville, died 1873
• Josephte Cantin, died 1857 in Cap-Rouge in the Montreal Ship tragedy but was buried in Montreal, and her husband,
• Michel Tourville, died 1860
• Domithilde Ouimet, died in 1866, wife of Charles Tourville
• Sophie Paquette, died in 1866, widow of Étienne Tourville
• Louis Tourville, died in 1868, husband of Élisabeth Lamoureux
• Vitaline Mondor, died in 1869, wife of Magloire Tourville

These people were probably much more devout than others because many are not on the list (no names given, I’m no whistleblower).

If some people in your tree were buried in Montreal Catholic Cemetery between 1850 and 1873, you might be lucky and find them.

Have fun!

Petit Manuel des associés de l’Union de prières et de La Bonne Mort on Archives.org