Engagement contracts involving the Bangles intervened between a fur company and a voyageur and were signed before a notary public. We know that William—as well as his nephew John Davis (Bangle) Jr.—made it to Upper Canada. There were two types of voyageurs: those who made the trip up to Grand Portage and came back to Montréal in the fall; and the others, the hivernants, who spent the winter and made the return trip almost 18 months later. These journeys were no piece of cake. The money earned was probably worth it and, hopefully, relieved some of the hardship.

♠ The Bangle Files ♠

The 2017 Challenge A to Z is proposed to the French community of bloggers by Sophie Boudarel of La Gazette des ancêtres

Marie Davis was born about 1731, in Germany. We know that she was married to Adam Bangle when she arrived with him in America in November 1764 as she gave birth to William in September 1765 and that their son John, born in Germany, was most likely their eldest. Marie died on October 28, 1805, in Sorel. We can thank the Québec notaries and the Catholic Church because without them we would have never ascertained Marie’s maiden name.

Davis is also the other surname that John Bangle went by—his mother’s maiden name—like “dit names” used by French Canadians.

♠ The Bangle Files ♠

The 2017 Challenge A to Z is proposed to the French community of bloggers by Sophie Boudarel of La Gazette des ancêtres

Meet Adam, the patriarch of the Bangle family. He came from Germany in 1764 aboard the Jennefer, arriving in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Less than a year later, he settled in New York State, along the Mohawk River, in the current county of Montgomery. A loyalist during the War of Independence, he will reappear around 1786 in Terrebonne, Québec, along with his wife, Marie Davis, his sons John, William, and Peter, and his daughter Catherine as well. The fate of his son Henry is unfortunately unknown. Adam died on May 9, 1800, and will be buried the next day in Montréal.

♠ The Bangle Files ♠

The 2017 Challenge A to Z is proposed to the French community of bloggers by Sophie Boudarel of La Gazette des ancêtres