Chapter Seven - French Canadian Heritage of Lucy Pinsonneau
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| Lucy Pinsonneau Brown, 1905 |
For more than 15 years I had been trying to research the French Canadian ancestry of Lucy Passino. The difficultly of learning about her family began with the fact that her father and mother, both born in Canada, were illiterate and probably spoke little or no English when they first emigrated to the United States about 1830.
We know Gabriel and Mary were still in Canada in 1827 when a son Francis was born there, but they had emigrated to Vermont by 1832 when their daughter Justine was born. Lucy married John Galloway Brown on 23 Jan 1861 in Philadelphia, Jefferson Co., New York.
Preliminary notes for Lucy Passino:
Her son Abraham Lincoln Brown's death certificate listed his mother as Lucy Passneau.
Lucy Passino Brown's death certificate listed her father as Cassino born France, but her mother is unknown. Lucy's birthplace was New York.
George Pierce, Lucy's younger brother, listed his father as Gilbert Pierce born Canada, and his mother as Mary Laggesie born France. George's birthplace was New York.
Lydia Brown's, Lucy's grand-daughter, family history notes listed Lucy Passino Brown, as her grandmother, and the daughter of Gilbert Passino, born about 1815 in France, and Mary Armstrong, born about 1817.
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| John Brown and Lucy Pinsonneau , Creston, MT, 1910 |
Early public records for Lucy's father Gilbert:
1850 US Federal Census, Rutland, Jefferson Co., New York:
Givarow Passinault, age 47 (1803), born Canada
Mary Passinault, age 40 (1810), born Canada
1850 New York Agriculture Census, Rutland, Jefferson Co., New York:
Givarow Passano
1860 US Federal Census, Wilna, Jefferson Co., New York:
Gilbert Passino, age 57 (1803), born Canada
Mary Passino, age 55 (1805), born Canada
1864 Wilna, Jefferson Co., New York Land Owner Map
G. Pasino
1870 US Federal Census, Wilna, Jefferson Co., New York:
Gilbert Pasnan, age 68 (1802), born Canada
Mary Pasnan, age 62 (1808), born Canada
1870 New York Agriculture Census, Wilna, Jefferson Co., New York:
Givarow Pasnan
1877 He is Gilbert Passino in an obituary published in the Carthage Republican (New York)
1877 The name Gilbert Passino is on his headstone in Pierce Cemetery, Wilna (Fort Drum), Jefferson Co., New York.
Getting on the right track -- how Passino became Pinsonneau
An online discovery from: Press Republican newspaper (Plattsburgh, New York), 24 Nov 2002
Article Title: French connection -- From street signs to surnames, French-Canadian influence on region manifests itself in many distinct ways, By Robin Caudell Staff Writer
"PLATTSBURGH — Remnants of a vibrant French Canadian past permeate the North Country. Franco culture echoes in family surnames, names of geographical places and streets. It is preserved in the architectural detail of private residences, commercial buildings and churches, and it’s savored in traditional recipes such as tourtiere and sliders. "You have a sense that the culture has been fully assimilated, and there are relatively little current indications French Canadian culture existed here," said Dr. Sylvie Beaudreau, a professor of history at Plattsburgh State."
[excerpt from list] "Current Name: Passino -- Original Name: Pinsonneau," Source: "Volume III, Headstone Inscriptions, Clinton County, NY" by Clyde Rabideau Sr.
Pursuing Pinsonneau -- Church records for Gilbert aka Gabriel Pinsonneau
Birth: from Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967
Gabriel Pinsonneau
Event Year: 1801-1805
Event: Naissance (Birth)
Religion: Catholique
Place of Worship: La Prairie (Notre-Dame-de-La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine)
Province: Québec
Marriage: from Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967
Gabriel Pinsonault
Spouse: Marie Emilie Lagasse
Event Year: 1824
Event: Mariage (Marriage)
Religion: Catholique
Place of Worship: Châteauguay St-Joachim
Province: Québec
Breakthrough -- Death certificate of ‘Mary’ Émélie Meunier dite Lagacé
I found a death certificate online in the Drouin Collection for Émélie Meunier dite Lagacé. Since it was in French I could not read it, so I sent a copy to a Lagacé Family researcher. She replied with,
"Find enclosed the copy of the death certificate for Mary Passino aka Émélie Meunier dite Lagacé. It is clearly indicated she was the wife of Gilbert Pinsonnault, of ( États-Unis) United States."
Best regards
Valdor Lagacé, président, A.F.L.L.inc.
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| Death certificate of ‘Mary’ Émélie Meunier dite Lagacé |
Discovering Pinsonnault Ancestors > France > La Prairie, Quebec, Canada > USA:
Lucy Passino (Pinsonneau)
Birth 17 Jun 1836 in Wilna, New York, United States
Death 2 Feb 1917 in Creston, Flathead, Montana, United States
Marriage to John Gallaway Brown 23 Jan 1861 Philadelphia, Jefferson, New York
John Gallaway Brown
Birth 8 Aug 1833 in Philadelphia, Jefferson, New York, United States
Death 28 Mar 1915 in Creston, Flathead, Montana, United States
Five generations of our Pinsonnaults lived in La Prairie de la Madelene, Québec, Canada just across the river from Montreal, and within 260 kilometers (162 miles) of Lucy's birthplace in New York.
Parents:
Gabriel (Gilbert) Pinsonneau (Passino) (Passinault) (Pinsonneault)
Birth 3 Mar 1802 in La Prairie, Quebec, Canada
Death 16 Dec 1877 in Wilna, Jefferson Co., NY
Marriage to Marie Emélie (Mary) Meunier dite Lagacé 25 Oct 1824 St-Joachim Châteauguay, Québec
Marie Emélie (Mary) Meunier dite Lagacé
Birth 1808 in Quebec, Canada
Death 1883 in Quebec, Canada
Grandparents:
Gabriel Pinsonneault (Pinsonneau)
Birth 5 Aug 1770 in St Philippe, Quebec, Canada
Death after 1813
Marriage to Marie Vielle Cosse 8 Feb 1802 La Prairie (Notre-Dame-de-La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine), Québec
Marie Vielle Cosse
Birth about 1781
Death after 1813
Great Grandparents:
Joseph Jacques Pinsonneault
Birth 10 Apr 1733 in La Prairie, Quebec, Canada
Death 1779 in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
Marriage to Madeleine Duquet 1761 La Prairie (Notre-Dame-de-La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine), Québec
Madeleine Duquet
Birth 25 Aug 1734 in La Prairie, Quebec, Canada
Death 10 Nov 1791 in Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
2nd Great Grandparents:
Jacques) Pinsonnault dit LaFleur
Birth 19 Mar 1682 in Contrecoeur, Quebec, Canada
Death 19 Mar 1773 in La Prairie, Quebec, Canada
Marriage to Marie Elisabeth Bourassa (1695-1725) La Prairie, Québec
Marie Elisabeth Bourassa, daughter of Francois Bourassa, Coureur de Bois.
Birth 25 Feb 1695 in La Prairie, Quebec, Canada
Death 22 Nov 1766 in La Prairie (Notre-Dame-de-La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine), Québec
3rd Great Grandparents -- First Immigrant Ancestors from France:
Francois Pinsonnault dit LaFleur, arrived with the Carignan-Salieres Regiment in 1665
Birth 1646 in Saintonge, Charente-Maritime, Poitou-Charentes, France
Death 26 Jan 1731 in La Prairie (Notre-Dame-de-La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine), Québec
Marriage to Anne Leper 1 May 1673 Sorel, Quebec, Canada
Anne Leper was a (Filles du Roi, or King's Daughters)
Birth 1647 in Luçon, Eure-et-Loir, Centre, France
Death 29 Jan 1732 in La Prairie, Quebec, Canada
Lucy’s third great grandfather Francois Bourassa, was a Coureur de Bois
Lucy’s third great grandfather was Francois Bourassa who was born about 1660 in the town of Saint-Hilaire-de-Loulay France. He arrived in New France by 16 Aug. 1683. On 4 July 1684 he married Marie Leber at Fort Chambly.
Marie's family was very active in the fur trade, including Marie's uncle Jacques. Francois signed on to go to Fort Michilimackinac, a French fort and trading post located along the southern shore of the strategic Straits of Mackinac connecting Lake Huron and Lake Michigan, in 1690, but did not return in the fall 1691 as planned. What happened to Francois was unknown. Marie believed her husband was dead and she was referred to as a widow in September 1693. But Francois returned safe and sound next year. Subsequently, François Bourassa never leaves his family and is dedicated to the cultivation of the land at La Prairie until his death May 9, 1708, during an epidemic. Nothing prevents one of his sons, Rene, from following in the footsteps of his father and he eventually becomes a partner of Pierre Gaultier de Varennes de la Verendrye in the fur trade and established Fort Vermilion (Manitoba) in 1736.
Our Pinsonneau lineage started with Francois Pinsonnault dit LaFleur of the Carignan-Salières Regiment:
The pleas of the colonists of New France for assistance in their struggle with the Iroquois were answered in 1665 with the arrival of the first French regular troops in Canada, the Carignan-Salières Regiment.
Between June and September 1665, some 1200 soldiers and their officers arrived in Quebec, under the leadership of Lt. General Alexander de Prouville, Sieur de Tracy.
The series of forts established by the Regiment along the Richelieu River, along with the success of its second campaign into the land of the Mohawk Indians, led to a long period of peace for the colony, which permitted it to prosper. However, King Louis XIV's plan included the permanent settlement of many of the soldiers and officers in Canada. Over 450 of these troops remained in the colony, many of whom married the newly arrived filles du roi.
And Anne Leper, a Filles du Roi:
The Filles du Roi, or King's Daughters, were some 770 women who arrived in the colony of New France between 1663 and 1673, under the financial sponsorship of King Louis XIV of France. They were part of King Louis XIV's program to promote the settlement of his colony in Canada. Some 737 of these women married and the resultant population explosion gave rise to the success of the colony. Most of the millions of people of French Canadian descent today, both in Quebec and the rest of Canada and the USA (and beyond!), are descendants of one or more of these courageous women of the 17th century.
Most were single French women and many were orphans. Their transportation to Canada and settlement in the colony were paid for by the King. Some were given a royal gift of a dowry of 50 livres for their marriage to one of the many unmarried male colonists in Canada. These gifts are reflected in some of the marriage contracts entered into by the filles du roi at the time of their first marriages. Of the nearly 1000 women who undertook the journey, about 770 made it to Canada. They were promised 50 livres if they married a soldier or farmer and 100 livres if an officer. There were very few of the latter simply because there were very few officers who needed help in finding a girl of their own choice.
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| Lucy's son Abraham Brown and his family c. 1910 Creston, MT |
NEXT: Appendix One - French Era Fur Trade Forts, Posts and Depots... http://laprairie-voyageur-canoes.blogspot.com/2017/03/appendix-one-french-era-fur-trade-forts.html
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Index - Ripples from La Prairie Voyageur Canoes
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI have a friend whose name is Timothy Willis. His mother's last maiden name is Clarinda Elle LeBer. I have been researching his family name. I wonder if his family is related.
Thank you for sharing your genealogy with us.
Kind regards,
Kristýna Blažková
See http://laprairie-voyageur-canoes.blogspot.com/2017/03/ripples-from-la-prairie-voyageur-canoes_41.html for notes on my Leber family line. Sometimes also Le Ber, Lebert, and LeBer. Happy hunting.
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