Category Archives: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #6 Nelson Lacount (1814-1883)

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Nelson LaCount is the son of Antoine LaCount and Catherine Tourville. He was married to Geneviève Brouillard. They lived in Chateaugay, Franklin County, NY. They are both buried in St. Patrick’s Cemetery in Chateaugay.

This couple are the ancestors of Clay LaCount. I owe to this gentlemen the discovery of where some Tourvilles people settled in the United States.

Clay has this picture and he is not sure if this couple is Nelson and Geneviève. According to family lore the medal that Nelson is wearing would be the one of his son who fought in the Civil War.

Even if the photo is not very good, would anyone be able to identify what was that medal for?

unknown couple

Would this couple be Nelson LaCount and Geneviève Brouillard?

Medal

Any idea what this medial represents?

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #5 Célina St-Jean (1834-1894)

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What I fear most is happening, my workload at the office is more than I wish at this time of year. I am finding difficulties to keep my promise.

I found this funeral notice (in French) in La Minerve newspaper from Montreal dated Saturday, February 17, 1894 for Célina St-Jean, wife of Louis Tourville, legislative counsel in Quebec at the time of his wife’s death. She died on February 12 and the funeral took place on Friday, February 16, one day before the newspaper was published.

We do not have legislative counsel anymore in Quebec. For those familiar with Canadian politics, this function was the equivalent of senator on the federal scene.

This list is quite impressive, with all people that count in that time period on Québec, federal or municipal political scenes.

If you have French-Canadian ancestors and feel a little bit adventurous, you might try to dive in and look in La Minerve which covers the years 1826-1899. While it is not indexed, if you have a date, you might try to take a look.

Also, this link will lead you to a searchable newspaper database (in French). You might try it, you never know.

If you need help with the interface, do not hesitate to contact me, I will be glad to help.

52 Ancestors / 52 Weeks is an idea proposed by Amy Johnson Crow. Link on the image for more details about it.

52 Ancestors / 52 Weeks is an idea proposed by Amy Johnson Crow. Link on the image for more details about it.

 

52 Ancestors: #4 Frank Troville & Frank Tourville

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Two young men. One from New York, the other from Kentucky. Their names were almost the same as Frank Troville was also known as Frank or Francis Tourville. Both born in 1844, both enlisted in the Civil War in a Cavalry Regiment, both died in 1864 in the same state. In Andersonville, Georgia.

Frank Troville was born in 1844 in Vermont. His parents, Narcisse Tourville and Celina Durand (or Francis Troville and Adelina Durand in the United States) were married in Quebec in 1838 but soon left for South Hero, Vermont with Francis’ parents. They later relocated in Plattsburgh, in Upstate New York around 1853.

On February 10, 1864, at age 19, Frank Troville enlisted in the Civil War in Beekmantown for three years. Little he knew that less than eight months later he would be dead. Mustered in on March 4, 1864 in the New York 16th Cavalry Regiment, Company L and made prisoner of war on June 24, 1864 near Centreville, Virginia, his family was informed only three months later, on September 19, that he was taken prisoner. He died of scorbutus on October 24, 1864 at Andersonville Hospital. He was admitted there on October 18.

The details about the life of his “twin”, Frank Tourville, from Illinois, are not so clear. He was born abt 1844 in Alabama as well as his mother (according to the Illinois 1860 Census). However, his mother is said to be born in Kentucky in later censuses. I always thought that Frank was the son of Peter Tourville and Nancy Irwin. The Civil War pension application made by his mother reveals an important detail: she was his foster mother. The pension application was rejected on that ground. So maybe he was born in Alabama after all but we will probably never know who his biological parents were. According to his obituary, Peter and Nancy were married in February 1839. It was a second marriage for Peter. His wife Marie Aspace gave birth to a girl in 1838 in Florissant, Missouri, so we can assume that his first wife died between that birth and his second marriage. In the 1860 Census, Francis (or Frank) is living alone with his adopted parents in Jersey County, in Illinois. Peter has moved from Missouri to Illinois around 1849. Both died there in the 1890’s.

Frank Tourville enlisted in the Civil War on December 14, 1862 in Lebanon, Kentucky, his place of residence at that time. Mustered in on April 16, 1863 in the Kentucky 11th Cavalry Regiment, Company E, he was declared absent without leave from April 18, 1863 until his return on May 1st, 1863. He went missing at the battle of French Broad, in East Tennesse, on January 28,1864. He was declared as having died in Andersonville during the month of March 1864.

By being prisoner at Andersonville, our young men did not have much chance to survive. The numbers talk: Of the 45,000 Union Army soldiers held prisoner at the camp during a period of 14 months starting February 1864, 12,913 have died.

andersonvilleTo find more information about Andersonville:

52 Ancestors / 52 Weeks is an idea proposed by Amy Johnson Crow. Link on the image for more details about it.

52 Ancestors / 52 Weeks is an idea proposed by Amy Johnson Crow. Link on the image for more details about it.

 

52 Ancestors: #3 Guillaume Hubou (? -1653)

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20121115034504!GlobeThe Pioneers from Mesnil-Durand, France

We have identified five persons who came from Mesnil-Durand in the 17th Century: Guillaume Hubou (about 1627), Barbe Hubou (1639), Mathieu Hubou (1641), Nicolas Goupil (1642) and Françoise Hubou (1662).

Here is the story of Guillaume Hubou.

 

Let’s climb up to the top of my tree! My direct paternal ancestor, Mathieu Hubou, came to New France around 1642 to join his uncle Guillaume Hubou on his journey that had begun 15 years earlier.

From Mesnil-Durand, in Calvados, France, as was his nephew, Guillaume probably arrived before 1627 as historian Marcel Trudel mentioned that he was not listed as a migrant in 1627 nor 1628. Married to Marie Rollet, widow of Louis Hébert, on May 16, 1629 in the presence of Samuel de Champlain, he stayed in Québec with Marie when the Kirke brothers took possession of the city that year. Most of the French people who were sent back to France came back to Quebec in 1632.

In the parish registers of St-André du Mesnil-Durand, I have found the baptism of Katherine, a sister of Mathieu, baptized on December 29, 1622. Guillaume Hubou was his godfather. This document is the oldest proof of the existence of Guillaume. Son of Jean Hubou and Jeanne Goupil, some reference books estimated he was born around 1600, but II have yet to find a source document to prove it. The names of his parents is known through the marriage of his sister Barbe who arrived in New France around 1639 to be his servant under a contract until 1642, year of her marriage.

Guillaume Hubou was granted a land in the Sault-au-Matelot “fief” in 1634. Several contracts were signed by Guillaume over the years. One seems to be very interesting: the list of movables from Guillaume Hubou after the death of Marie Rollet in 1649. I intend to get a copy of it on my next visit to the Archives and make a transcription (or at least try!).

Guillaume Hubou was buried 13 May 1653 in Québec, an “old inhabitant of the country,” wrote the priest.

I am closing my post with a little mystery. Would you please help me with the transcript of Katherine’s baptismal act? 😉 You may click on the image to enlarge it.

Update:

  • Hervé Pencalet suggested Katherine Vauquane de la Berniere.
  • Claire Burman suggested Katherine Vauquenu de la Berniere.
  • Hervé has found Vauquanu (spelled Vaucanu today).
  • I found out a village near Mesnil-Durand is called La Brévière. Katherine Vauquanu de la Brévière (of the village named La Brévière!). Thanks everyone!
 Translation of the baptismal Act

Katherine Hubout daughter of Nicollad was baptized on the twenty nine of December (…) by me Louid Mavia (?) priest, godfather and godmother, Guillaume Huboult & Katherine Vauquanu de la Berniere.

katherine hubout fille de nicollad fut baptisé le vingt neuf jour de decembre (…) par moy louyd mavia(?) pretre vicaire (…) ses parrain & marraine guillaume huboult & katherine banquanne (???) de la (…)??

52 Ancestors: #2 – Louis Tourville (1838-1895)

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As part of the 52 Ancestors Challenge, I promised my Facebook friends that I would alternate between Quebec and the United States for members of the Hubou-Tourville family. So Louis Tourville is not a direct ancestor of mine but mind you, a 3rd cousin 3 times removed. 😉

I cannot imagine the emotional roller coaster the family of Louis Tourville has endured after his tragic death on that Sunday, May 12, 1895, in Chicago Post-Graduate Hospital.

All began the previous Wednesday when Louis Tourville was working on the drainage canal. He was employed for some time by Hendenreich Company Contractors. As reported in the Chicago Tribune of May 17, 1895: “…while at work near one of the dumps (…) he was caught by a cable rope which elevates cars and was jerked into the air with great violence.” Louis suffered from internal injuries and was badly bruised. They probably thought it was not that serious since they brought him back home but he was later rushed to Post-Graduate Hospital where he died four days later.

View of O.C. Farrington [verify], standing in the excavation site of the new Chicago Drainage [Sanitary and Ship] Canal. "Construction proceeds on the Sanitary and Ship Canal...much of the 28 miles was through solid rock underlying the continental divide." 1896. Original size and material: 4x5 inch glass negative Digital Identifier: CSGEO8770 Part of the Illinois Urban Landscapes Project: www.fieldmuseum.org/urbanlandscapes/


View of O.C. Farrington [verify], standing in the excavation site of the new Chicago Drainage [Sanitary and Ship] Canal. “Construction proceeds on the Sanitary and Ship Canal…much of the 28 miles was through solid rock underlying the continental divide.” 1896.
Original size and material: 4×5 inch glass negative
Digital Identifier: CSGEO8770
Part of the Illinois Urban Landscapes Project: www.fieldmuseum.org/urbanlandscapes/

Afterwards, on May 14, just as the family was preparing for the funeral and burial in Mt. Calvary Cemetery, it was stopped by Coroner McHale and the body of Louis was put in a vault until an inquest could be conducted. It was suspected that the death certificate issued by Dr. Kuraeff of Post-Graduate Hospital was not in accordance with the real facts.

The coroner’s inquest was held on May 16, 1895, 4 days after Louis’ death. The verdict issued by the jury concluded that “(…) from the evidence presented (…) the said cable was not properly protected to avoid accidents and ensure (…) Hendenreich Company Contractors for not doing so.” The jury also blamed the doctor for issuing a burial certificate not in accordance with the cause of death. The jury also recommended that the “(…) proper authorities take steps to remedy such cases in the future.”

Looking at the coroner’s inquest form, the list of witnesses included Louis Tourville, a moulder, living at 270 Forquer St., which can only be Louis’ son. So that means that Louis has witnessed his father’s accident…

Louis Tourville was born in Lachenaie, Quebec, in 1838, son of Louis Tourville and Elisabeth Lamoureux. His family moved to Montreal during the late 1830’s. Just a few Tourville families were living in Montreal at that time. Lucky enough, we actually can find them in the 1842 and 1851 Canadian Census in Montreal. Census for these periods are very incomplete.

Louis Tourville married Suzanne Bélec on September 13, 1858 at Notre-Dame Church in Montreal. The couple had 11 children, all born in Montreal, 9 making it to adulthood.

Carpenter and moulder by trade, Louis and his family moved to Chicago probably in October 1880 (according to the U.S. naturalization record of his son Victor). An economic recession that started in 1873 might have triggered him to move to Chicago where the economy was flourishing in the 1880’s. His nephew Alphonse was already there since about 1878.

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52 Ancestors / 52 Weeks is an idea proposed by Amy Johnson Crow. Link on the image for more details about it.

52 Ancestors / 52 Weeks is an idea proposed by Amy Johnson Crow. Link on the image for more details about it.

52 Ancestors: #1 – Rosa Tourville (née Denis) (1887-1973)

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My paternal grandmother, Rosa, was not a big talker as I remember her. When we used to go visit her she was living with one of her daughter and family. As she died as I was a teenager and quite a shy one I might add, I didn’t ask a lot of questions about her life. I would describe her as a reserved person. She looked a little sad and I know she had a difficult life. My grandfather Ovila was a daily laborer often without work. They had nine children, six of them making it to adulthood.

On a Sunday afternoon, one of her sister stopped at our house and asked for directions to go visit my grandmother. My father suggested that my older sister went with them as she knew how to get there. When my sister came back late that afternoon, she said that she had never seen her so happy and talking so much (my grandmother hadn’t seen her sister for a long time). My sister said that my grandmother told them at one point that she was “lying in bed the other day and thought about all the time that we had to leave an appartment in a hurry because we didn’t have any money to pay the rent.” My grandmother said that she counted as many as 42 different places!

A few years ago, I visited my aunt, her daughter, and we talked about my grandmother and it was great. I talked about that story to my aunt about the 42 different places and she went to her room and came back with a notebook that belonged to my grandmother and there it was on a page: the list of all the addresses where they lived!

My grandparents got married in 1908 and my grandfather died in 1950. They didn’t move every year during 42 years. They lived at 42 different places between 1908 and about 1935!

Would you be surprised if I told you that I can’t find them in the 1921 Canadian Census?

Rosa and Ovila

Rosa Denis (1887-1973) and Ovila Tourville (1885-1950)

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52 Ancestors / 52 Weeks is an idea proposed by Amy Johnson Crow. Link on the image for more details about it.

52 Ancestors / 52 Weeks is an idea proposed by Amy Johnson Crow. Click on the image for more details about it.