Tag Archives: Québec

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: #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 (…)??

Genealogy Leg Work: A Glimpse from the Past

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If you have been doing genealogy for just a couple of years and you are frustrated because you can’t find anything online from the comfort of your home, have you ever thought of all the leg work that was done by our fellow amateur genealogists in the late ’60’s?

While I was in Salt Lake City this past November, I came across an article in the Manasota Genealogical Society, Inc. Newsletter of March 1980 which I found fascinating to read.

This article, Searching for my Canadian Roots, is from Clarence W. Tourville and his wife Grayce. It relates their four trips to Canada to retrace his great grandfather Charles Tourville, married to Julia Leclair. When I think of all the work and travelling he did with the little (and misleading) information he had, I can only admire the guy!

Manasota Genelogical Society, Inc. Newsletter, March 1980, vol. 2, no. 3

Manasota Genelogical Society, Inc. Newsletter, March 1980, vol. 2, no. 3

For those who wouldn’t know, Peter Tourville, mentioned in the article, was the brother of his great-grandfather. Roy Tourville was Raymond Tourville, of Syracuse, NY, who was born in Chicago, IL and was the son of Fred Tourville and grandson of Louis Tourville, married to Susan Belec and uncle of Alphonse Tourville who settled in Nebraska.

The article can be found here.

Enjoy!

 

 

The Death of François Tourville: a Timeframe

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In 1851, François Tourville was living in St-Jude, Québec, with his wife Louise Corriveau, and their children: Marie, Alexandre, Léonard, Marie-Louise, Luc and Célestin (Louis).

In 1860, his wife Louise was living in Sutton, Worcester County, in Massachusetts. We can assume from the Census that she is a widow. Lucky enough, I found two contracts signed before notary Timothée Brodeur in St-Hughes to give us a hint about when François Tourville died and confirm the fact that Louise Corriveau was indeed a widow when she moved to Massachusetts.

The first one is dated February 14, 1854. The document states that François Hubou dit Tourville and his wife Louise Corriveau, both residents of St-Jude, acknowledge receipt for the fourth payment that was due last January “of this year” for the sale of a land that was made by François to Bazile Richard, on March 30, 1850 before the same notary. The buyer is the owner of the neighbouring land.

Act No. 3004 dated Jan 10, 1854 before notary Timothée Brodeur

Act No. 3004 dated February 14, 1854 before notary Timothée Brodeur.

The second contract was dated January 26, 1855 where Louise Corriveau, widow of the late François Tourville, resident of St-Jude, acknowledges receipt for the last payment regarding the sale of a land made by the late François Tourville, to Bazile Richard.

Act No. 3855 dated January 26, 1855 before notary Timothée Brodeur.

Act No. 3153 dated January 26, 1855 before notary Timothée Brodeur.

I have checked the St-Jude and St-Hughes church records for 1854 and early 1855 and I haven’t find anything. Was François planning to move to Massachusetts and he died on his way to the States or in Massachusetts? When his son Alexandre married in 1856, he states that he is from the United States. Did the family leave right after receiving that last payment? Généalogie Québec has baptisms, marriages and death entries indexed until 1850. When the years 1854-1855 will be indexed, maybe we will find his death record in another parish.

Both documents have been uploaded on the Website on the pages of François Tourville and Louise Corriveau.

At least, we now have a timeframe to continue the search.