Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Wordless Wednesday: Family Album

Great Grandmother Rose Caron


Mom and my Uncle on a pony

Albert and Lydia (Belanger) Poulin

Mom
Uncle

Monday, April 25, 2011

Honoring the Poulin Ancestors and Solving a Genealogical Brick Wall


"In 1639 in the humble chapel of Quebec, Claude Poulin marries Jeanne Mercier."  So begins the antique book Third Century of the Family Poulin in Canada.  In 1939 in Canada, many Poulins congregated in Canada honoring their ancestors and celebrating three hundred years of the Poulin Family in Canada. For the celebration, they printed a book that you might find in an antique book store online.  I have a copy because my grandfather attended this wonderful event.  Here is a copy of the book's cover. This book was passed down through my family and ended up in my hands as the family's genealogist. 
Poulin 300 Years Anniversary Book




Unfortunately, my four years of high school French have been insufficient for me to truly enjoy this volume.  I poured over it for years looking for some clue of my ancestors family to surmount a brick wall.  I had traced my Poulin ancestors in Parish registers/repertoires (this was pre-Internet days!) and I now had found a couple of ancestors where no parish in the Beauce region held any clue.  This couple was Jean-Baptiste Poulin married to Genevieve Laliberte.  For years, I labored through volume after volume, looking for Poulins and especially these Poulins.  Finally, in 1993, while quickly flipping through the book one night. I mentioned to a friend that I wasn't going to find anything unless my ancestors pointed me in the right direction.  A moment later, I discovered in this rough-cut volume a couple of pages that had never been cut apart.  I carefully cut the pages apart and on the inside lower left page were my ancestors! * 




Le 4 fevrier 1771, mariage de Jean-Bte Poulin (1) avec Genevieve Laliberte.
(1) Etabli a Saint-Joseph, Beauce, ou il laissa des descendants.


*For similar serendipity stories, read these two books by By Henry Z. Jones 
Psychic Roots: serendipity & intuition in genealog; 


More psychic roots: further adventures in serendipity & intuition in genealogy


This led me to the right church repertoire of marriages for  St-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Quebec.  In this volume, Genevieve LALIBERTE is listed as Genevieve ROIROUX LALIBERTE ROY.

These additional names also helped me to explore and continue her family line.  Here is their marriage:
Generation Eight
Jean-Baptiste POULIN
Birth 27 May 1733, Ste. Anne de Beaupre
Baptism 27 May 1733, Ste. Anne de Beaupre
Death 10 December 1791, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Burial 12 December 1791, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada

          married 4 February 1771, St-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Quebec
Marie Genevieve ROIROUX LALIBERTE ROY (Jean Baptiste ROIROUX LALIBERTE ROY & Marie Madeleine BRISSON DU TILLY)
Birth 1745 Deschaillons
Death 8 August 1807, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec 

Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu is in southwestern Quebec, Canada, on the Richelieu River 
in the County of  La-Vallee-du-Richelieu.

Why my ancestors reestablished themselves at St-Charles-sur-Richelieu and then again to 
St-Joseph and St-Francois d'Assise in Beauceville is lost to history.  My mother told me that 
priests were worried about parishes becoming in-bred by cousin marrying cousin, so they 
encouraged eligible young men to travel a hundred miles to meet their future bride. 
Perhaps that is what occurred in this case.

An excerpt of the above book 

CLAUDE POULIN 1639 QUEBEC.
Among the first settlers arrived in New France to remain there and start a family, there are eight, all with the same surname and have no kinship between them and they all came from France, and for the Most of different departments. So this is family Poulin.

Poulin's first move to Canada was Claude Poulin, baptized in 1615, son of Pascal Poulin and Marie Levert, Saint Maclou Rouen, Normandy, France. In the dictionary of Bishop Tanguay, place of origin and the names of father and mother of Claude Poulin are not shown; the following information regarding the first high Poulin were supplied to me by Vaillancourt, in his book entitled "The conquest of Canada by the Normans. "

Claude Poulin arrived in Quebec in the afternoon of June 1636 The Feast of St. Barnabas. Here is what "The Relation" of the Jesuits in this matter:
"In the afternoon the same day (another vessel having arrived with the Governor Montmagny) there appeared on the river another ship, this ship of Mr. Courpon had several new families who swelled the colony. It was a subject where there was to praise God, to see young ladies in these countries very delicate, small children out of a prison tendrelets wood as the day emerges from the shadows of the night, to enjoy, after so many months of passage, also a gentle healthy, notwithstanding all incomodités we receive in these floating houses, as if we had walked the course in a carriage. "

According to the Abbe Ferland who recounts the words of Father L. Young just mentioned, the vessel of Sieur Etienne was Courpon Racine, Robert Caron and Claude Poulin were among the first settlers of the coast of Beaupré and whose descendants number in the thousands, especially considering alliances.
Note that this is the Normandy we came more settlers, they were all owned by people of integrity"...


Please click on one of the links above if you'd like to read a longer excerpt about Claude Poulin.

Have a nice day!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Pooler/Poulin Origins Rouen, France to Quebec to Beauce to Waterville, Maine

My ancestors are descendants of pioneer ancestor Claude Poulin aka Poulain who came to Quebec from Rouen (St-Maclou) (Seine-Maritime: 760540), France.


"Rouen is the historic capital city of Normandy, in northern France on the RiverSeine, and currently the capital of the Haute-Normandie (Upper Normandy) region. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe, Rouen was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandyin the Middle Ages. It was one of the capitals of the Anglo-Norman dynasties, which ruled both England and large parts of modern France from the 11th to the 15th centuries. It was in Rouen where Joan of Arc was burnt in 1431. People from Rouen are called Rouennais."  
from Wikipedia Rouen
Google Map of Rouen
Here are some photographs of Rouen from Photobucket contributors.














Rouen, France

Rouen, Catherdral-du-Notre-Dame









Joan of Arc Tower, Rouen, France





Poulin Ascendants


Generation One - Two - Three Private
Three generations include a City of Portland, Maine Employee, United States Navy veteran, two medical doctors, a businessman, and a future attorney.  
Education:       Bowdoin College, Boston University, University of Vermont Medical School,
Georgetown University, University of Michigan Ann Arbor Law School. 

Generation Four 
Albert Alphonse POULIN
Birth private, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine
Education:        Lewiston High School
                         Bates College
                         University of Paris (Sorbonne), Certificate in International Law and Economy
Military Service: World War I Army Corporal American Expeditionary Forces.  Translator between AEF and prisoners of war.  Stretcher bearer.  Served in the bloodiest sector of the war at Meuse-Argonne.  He spoke French, Polish, and German fluently.  He was awarded two Croix de Guerre medals with silver star by France, one for individual heroism and one for heroic actions of his unit.  These were pinned on him by the French General Marshal Philippe Petain, who later became a disappointment to him because of his collaboration with the German Vichy government in France during World War II.  He also received a service medal for his contribution to World War II as head of the draft board.                           
Public Service:  Tax Collector, Rumford, Oxford, Maine












                          Commander, Veterans of Foreign War
                          Commander, American Legion
           World War II, Head of the draft board

           Maine State Legislature, three terms representing Rumford, Oxford, Maine
Occupations:     Shoemaker at Cushman Hollis, Attorney, Home Insurance Salesman, Real Estate Salesman, Business Manager, Tax Collector, State Representative
Death private,    Rumford, Oxford, Maine

          married 31 May 1922, Rumford (St-John), Oxford, Maine 
Lydia Mary BELANGER (Napoleon BELANGER & Rose Marie CARON)
Birth private, Gilbertville (Canton), Oxford, Maine
Occupations:  Assistant to the President of the Continental Bag Mill
                       Executive Housekeeper for the Mechanics Institute
Death private

I hope to write a more detailed biography in a later blog.  I hope you will enjoy the photos below of my grandfather and grandmother.

Albert Alphonse Poulin, my grandfather, as a young man, circa 1913?  This photo may have been taken around his graduation from Lewiston High School.  He was a quarterback on the football team and also participated on the bowling team.  He hoped to become a chemical engineer.













Albert Alphonse Poulin in Army Uniform circa 1917-1918, age 23 or 24.



University of Paris (Sorbonne), France Certificate February 13th 1919 Corporal A. H (should be A.) Poulin signed June 25, 1919



Albert Poulin, July 4th 1930, holding wreath, Memorial Bridge, Rumford, Maine

Albert Alphonse Poulin, Commander American Legion Post 24



Circa 1897,  top row Emil Belanger, Mathilda "Tillie" Belanger (Hurley), Mary Belanger (Desjardins), Frank Belanger (killed in 1909 in Benton, Maine in a railroad accident), 
Lydia Belanger (Poulin), my grandmother, center front



Lydia Belanger Poulin as a youngster in her "Fourth of July" dress.  There was not enough money for all the young ladies to have new dresses.  Her elder sisters Tillie and Mary made Lydia the dress for her as she was the youngest.  I digitally restored this photo from a very faded egg albumin print.



Aunt Mary Anne Belanger (Desjardins), Lydia Mary Belanger (Poulin)





Circa 1913-1923 Mary Anne Belanger (Desjardins), Lydia Mary Belanger (Poulin), and Mathilda Belanger (Hurley) on horseback at Old Orchard Beach, Maine, with the Old Orchard Pier in the background.  


Albert Poulin 2nd from left; Lydia Belanger Poulin, 2nd from right, circa 1944

Lydia Poulin and my son, circa 1992


Generation Five
Charles Michel POOLER/POULIN
Birth 1861
Occupation  Train Conductor
Death 22 July 1912, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine

           married 29 September 1884, Lewiston (Saints Peter and Paul), Androscoggin, Maine 
Eugenie "Jennie" S. VOYER(Achille VOYER & Sophie RANCOURT)
Birth 16 June 1864, Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine
Occupation   Owned two apartment buildings, Sabattus Street, Lewiston, Maine
Is recorded in Lewiston under the last name Poulin.  
Death 16 August 1936, Lewiston, Androscoggin, Maine

Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul, Lewiston, Maine

All of their children took the Poulin not Pooler name.

My greatgrandmother Jennie S. Voyer is in the center.  I received this photo from one of Sophie Rancourt's granddaughters from her first marriage.  I believe Jennie was visiting their family.

Generation Six
Henri-Jean POULIN 
Birth 12 Dec 1817, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Baptized 12 Dec 1817, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Death 30 Dec 1901, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine
Burial 1 February 1901, Pine Grove Cemetary, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine
His tombstone reads "at 98 years" but he and Sophie actually both lived to be 84.

         married 27 October 1838, Skowhegan, Kennebec, Maine
         rehabilitated 12 Jan 1841, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Sophie Rosalie LACOMBE (Andre LACOMBE and Marie Louise Josette GAGNE/QUIRION/ROY/-?-)
Birth 4 Aug 1819, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Baptized 5 Aug 1819, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Godparents: Francois DOYON & Brigitte MIRAY (Francois DOYON m. Marguerite RODRIGUE 1805 Beauceville, Brigitte MIRAY m. Godfroid BENARD 1794 at Lauzon and moved to Beauceville)
Death 5 May 1904, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine
Burial Pine Grove Cemetary, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine
Generation Seven
Jean Francois Xavier POULIN
Birth 18 September 1775, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Baptism 24 September 1775, Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec
Death 20 October 1832, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, Quebec, Canada

          married 3 February 1812, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Marie Archange RANCOURT (Francois RANCOURT & Marie Louise PEPIN LACHANCE)
Birth 7 June 1788, St-Joseph-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Baptism 8 June 1788, Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec
Death

Generation Eight
Jean-Baptiste POULIN
Birth 27 May 1733, Ste. Anne de Beaupre
Baptism 27 May 1733, Ste. Anne de Beaupre
Death 10 December 1791, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Burial 12 December 1791, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada

          married 4 February 1771, St-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Quebec
Marie Genevieve ROIROUX LALIBERTE ROY (Jean Baptiste ROIROUX LALIBERTE ROY & Marie Madeleine BRISSON DU TILLY)
Birth 1745 Deschaillons
Death 8 August 1807, St-Francois-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec

Generation Nine
Andre POULIN
Birth 30 December 1690, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Quebec
Death 21 January 1759, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Quebec
Burial 22 January 1759,  Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Quebec
Occupation:  Farmer

          married 5 February 1725,  Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Quebec
Marie Therese CARON(Jean-Baptiste CARON & Rosalie SIMARD LOMBRETTE
Birth abt 1701
Death 18 February 1755, Beaupre, Quebec
Burial 19 February 1755, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Quebec
POULIN to CARON, 2nd marriage

Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre
"The first basilica was destroyed in a fire on March 29, 1922. The present-day basilica was built on the site of the prior church in 1926"
Interior

"St. Anne is known for performing many miracles, and people from all around the world come to visit the basilica. One of the builders had crutches but when he finished building the church, he was able to walk freely. Pillars in the front entrance are covered in crutches from people who have been said to have been miraculously cured."




Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre

Generation Ten
Martin POULIN
Birth 26 September 1648, Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre, Quebec
Baptism 17 October 1648,  Notre-Dame-de-Quebec, Quebec
Death 15 January 1710, Beaupre, Quebec
Burial 16 January 1710,  Beaupre, Quebec

         married to 21 January 1688 Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (Sainte-Anne), Quebec
Jeanne BARETTE (Jean BARETTE & Jeanne BITOUSET)
Birth 16 September 1668, Berthier, Quebec
Baptism 18 September 1668, Chateau-Richer, Quebec
Death 16 November 1745, Chateau-Richer, Quebec


Generation Eleven
Claude POULIN
Birth 1616
Baptized 26 January 1616, Rouen (St-Maclou) (Seine-Maritime: 760540), France
Death 17 December 1687
Burial Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (Sainte-Anne) (Qc)

         married on 8 August 1639, Notre-Dame-de-la recouvrance, Québec
Jeanne MERCIER(..)
Birth about 1622 Olonne-sur-Mer (Vendée : 850166), France
Death 14 December 1687
Burial 15 December 1687 Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (Sainte-Anne), Quebec


Claude Poulin aka Poulain was born in Rouen which is located a short distance from Le Havre on the Seine River.  He came to Canada as a carpenter on the vessel of Sieur Courpon arriving 11 June 1636.  He was one of the Company of One Hundred Associates who were to settle the Quebec colony.  He was married in Quebec to Jeanne Mercier in 1639.  The young couple later lived in Trois-Rivieres, New France.  Claude Poulin and Jeanne Mercier returned to Rouen, France in 1646 and 1647 as births of two of their children were recorded at Saint-Maclou.  The couple returned to New France after Oliver LeTardif granted Claude six arpents of frontal land in the Seigneurie of Beaupre.  Claude is recorded as having received payment for scrollwork on the door of Ste-Anne.  Claude later donated land for the cemetary at Ste-Anne-de-Beaupre.  In June of 1661, the Journal of the Jesuits record the tragic news that two of Claude's sons, Pascal age 16 and Rene age 10, were either lost in the woods or taken by the Iroquois. Claude is recorded as a carpenter in the census of 1666.  In the census of 1667 he is recorded as owning eight head of cattle and having twenty arpents of land under cultivation.


Poulain in French means a colt.


An outline of historical events of his life can be found at this source:
The Teacher Genealogist: Many Mini Biographies

CLAUDE POULIN

Found:  A detailed history with downloadable pdfs on another branch of the Claude Poulin family that followed similar routes to Skowhegan, Maine.


Generation Twelve
Pascal POULIN(..)
          married before 1612, from Rouen (Seine-Maritime : 760540), France
Marie LEVERT(..)

Procureur Du Roy, De Villbadoin, Normandie, France


Friday, April 22, 2011

Sophie Rosalie Lacombe and John Pooler aka Henri-Jean Poulin

My great-great-grandfather was John Pooler.  He was born in Beauceville, Quebec and was baptized as Henri-Jean Poulin.  My great-great-grandmother was Sophie Rosalie Lacombe, daughter of Andre Lacombe and his mysterious bride.

Here are their vital records:
Henri-Jean Poulin (Jean-Francois-Xavier Poulin and Marie Archange Rancourt)
Birth 12 Dec 1817, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Baptized 12 Dec 1817, St-Francois-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Death 30 Dec 1901, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine
Burial 1 February 1901, Pine Grove Cemetary, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine
His tombstone reads "at 98 years" but he and Sophie actually both lived to be 84.

Sophie Rosalie Lacombe (Andre Lacombe and Marie Louise Josette Gagne/Quirion/Roy/-?-)
Birth 4 Aug 1819, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Baptized 5 Aug 1819, St-Francois-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Godparents: Francois Doyon & Brigitte Miray (Francois Doyon m. Marguerite Rodrigue 1805 Beauceville, Brigitte Miray m. Godfroid Benard 1794 at Lauzon and moved to Beauceville)
Death 5 May 1904, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine
Burial Pine Grove Cemetary, Waterville, Kennebec, Maine

Henri-Jean's father Jean-Francois-Xavier Poulin was a farmer in Beauceville.  Henri-Jean's aunt, Angelique Poulin of Beauceville who married Augustin Dupuis Gilbert, was a great-grandmother of United States Senator Margaret Chase Smith who turned the tide against Senator Joe McCarthy in her famous "Declaration of Conscience" speech.



"She stated the basic principles of "Americanism" were:
  • The right to criticize;
  • The right to hold unpopular beliefs;
  • The right to protest;
  • The right of independent thought."
"Although it would be another four years before the tides turned and McCarthy was censured, the fact that a woman was the first to speak out in the Senate against McCarthy and his tactics holds significance for feminist historians."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_Conscience

John had five siblings as far as records show.  His sister was ten years younger and her name was Cezarie.  He had an elder brother, Francois-Xavier "Ephraim" who served in the Civil War and later died in 1868 in Waterville, Maine, from wounds received in the war.  He had lied about his age in order to serve, shaving ten years off his true age.  He died at the age of 55, leaving a large family in Waterville, Maine.  Family legend tells the story of another Pooler who was too young to serve his country in the Civil War so he also lied about his age and became a drummer boy.

Henri-Jean had three younger brothers, Francois-Lambert, George, and Joseph.   Joseph Poulin died in Beauceville 23 August 1894.  I do not know if he, or Francois-Lambert, or Cezarie, married and had children.  Henri-Jean Poulin, or as he came to be known, John Pooler, was only fifteen when his father Jean-Francois-Xavier Poulin (m. Marie-Archange Rancourt) died in 1832.  His eldest brother was nineteen and his sister five. His paternal grandfather Jean Baptiste Poulin (m. Marie Genevieve Roiroux Laliberte Roy) had passed away in 1807.  So there was no longer a direct line of males. Henri-Jean resettled in Waterville with his elder brother Francois-Xavier "Ephraim" in 1834.  The Rancourt relatives later joined them.  According to Robert Chenard, John and Ephraim were the 7th/8th French-Canadians to settle from the Old Canada Road.   At some point their brother Joseph joined them.   He is not recorded in the Waterville census or church records but he is the ancestor of the Wisconsin Poolers and is known to have resettled their from Maine.

Henri-Jean's brother George did relocate to Maine.  He does not appear in records but a descendant Mable Pooler recorded that he married a Nova Scotia woman, Henriette Rodrigue, in September 1842 while in Waterville, Maine.  He and Henriette later followed his sons Francois and George (who were both born in Maine) from Maine to Onalaska, Wisconsin, where they worked as lumberman.  Thousands of lumbermen left Maine for opportunities in the west.  More than 5000 Wisconsin residents in the 1880 census gave their home state as Maine.  George left descendants upon his death on 26 July 1897.

George's son Francois "Frank" Pooler, born 23 October 1847, in Waterville, Maine, became a capitalist, lumberman, and politician.  He died in Savanna, Illinois 18 March 1900.  Here is his obituary.
Source (The Arcadia Leader) dated 3-23-1900

La crosse,WI March 20
Name--Frank Pooler
Born-- In Maine
Date Born--1847
Died--March 18,1900 Savanna,IL
Work--Capitalist,Lumberman and Politician of Onalaska
Traveled to Onalaska,WI in 1865
Died - Frank was stricken with paralysis Saturday and died Sunday at Savanna, IL
Remains arrived here this morning March 20, 1900 for Intermet

Another of George's son George Jr., born 14 January 1853 in Waterville, Maine, was also a lumberman.  He married a Norwegian woman Josephine Grumm "Green" on 20 April 1873 in La Crosse, Wisconsin died in Wisconsin on  27 March 1903.  One of George's most notable descendants, Frank Mairich "Mick" Pooler is famous.  He was a choral director of The Carpenters.  He penned the lyrics of their famous Christmas classic "Merry Christmas Darling" and Richard Carpenter penned the music.  Of some Norwegian descent, he was honored by King Olaf of Norway in 1984 with the St. Olaf Medal of Meritorius Service in extending recognition of Norwegian choral music.... He is my uncle's third cousin but I am certain they never knew one another.
FP Carpenters 1


Frank Pooler, Professor of Music at California State University with Karen and Richard Carpenter, the famous musical duo "The Carpenters."

  Frank Pooler was born, raised and received his early education in Onalaska (Wisconsin). Today, he is well known, both in academic and professional music circles for his mastery of contemporary choral repertoire. He is Professor of Music at California State University, Long Beach, and is Director of Choral Studies there.
  As a guest conductor, clinician lecturer, and adjudicator, Pooler has appeared throughout the continental United States, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hawaii and Alaska. His published compositions, arrangements, etc.

http://murphylibrary.uwlax.edu/digital/lacrosse/OnalaskaSawmillsSunfish/text/02160212.txt

I expect to write more about the Beauceville-->Maine-->Wisconsin Pooler family at a later date.

John Pooler, as he was called in Maine, worked as a laborer.  He fell in love with Sophie Rosalie Lacombe who had moved to the Waterville area with her parents Andre Lacombe and Josette -----.  They married in a civil ceremony in Skowhegan on 27 October 1838 and rehabilitated their marriage (had a sacramental marriage) on 12 Jan 1841 at St. Francois-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec.  John's brother Francois-Xavier married the same day to Marie Lessard.  This is some information regarding Francois-Xavier Poulin/Ephraim Pooler:

Ephraim Pooler, Age 44, Co E, Inf 30th, Private.  Married, complexion
dark, eyes gray, occupation laborer, hair brown, 5 ft. 4".
Born St. Francis, C.E., residence Waterville
Enlisted Nov. 27, 1863, Mustered Dec. 12, 1863, Years 3.
Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps Jan 20, 1865.
Where mustered in:  Augusta
Date of birth:  1819
Date of death:  October 15, 1868.  Cemetary:  Pine Grove Lot 262
Date of enlistment:  December 12, 1863 at Waterville, Maine
Branch Army:  Private Rank
Date of Discharge:  Jan 10, 1865
Upright stone Cr AR marker
War record Co E 30th Regt. Inf. Me. Vols.
Private COE 30th Me (Hist of Wtvl)
Transferred to Veteran Reserve Corps Jan 20, 1865.
Source AGO, Vol 12, 64-65, p.714.

Ephraim Pooler enlisted in the Civil War as a private on November 27,
1863.  Record states he was born in St. Francis, Province of Quebec,
living in Waterville. He was 44 years old, married, dark complexion,
gray eyes, Brown hair, 5 feet 4 inches tall, his occupation was listed
as laborer. Evidently he lied about his age in order to be accepted
into the service.  He was actually 51 years old.  He was mustered in
at Augusta as a private in Co. E, 30th Maine Infantry Regiment on
Dec.12,1863 (or Nov 27th as Jean Ranco says).   From Mar 12, 1864 to
Jan 10, 1865, he was sick in the General Hospital in  New Orleans and
then was transferred to the Veteran's R Corps No 2 and mustered out on
Aug 20,  1865 in Savannah, Ga. He returned to his family in
Waterville.
Source:   Harold Lacadie

“Frs.-X. Poulin (Ephraim Pooler) 22 Jan 1813 Beauceville, QC Private, Co. E, 30th Me. Inf. (mar. Marie Lessard 21 Aug 1836 in Skowhegan by a JOP and in the Catholic Church on 21 Aug 1841 in Beauceville) (son of Francois Poulin & Archange Rancourt) 7- Pvt. Francois-X. Poulin (Ephraim Pooler) was wounded or ill, spent over 10 months in Louisiana and Georgia hospitals, returned home and died 15 Oct 1868. He left a large number of descendants to posterity. "
--Robert Chenard
http://home.gwi.net/~frenchgen/civwar.htm


 Francois-Xavier "Ephraim" Pooler married St. Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Québec, Canada also on 12 January 1841 Ephraim died of wounds received in the Civil War. He had declared his age as ten years younger, so he would not be rejected from volunteering.

 The FX "Ephraim" Pooler you referred to in your July 14th posting is my husband's great great grandfather.  e-mail address is Littlebet@aol.com.

Frs.-X. Poulin (Ephraim Pooler) 22 Jan 1813 Beauceville, QC Private, Co. E, 30th Me. Inf. (mar. Marie Lessard 21 Aug 1836 in Skowhegan by a JOP and in the Catholic Church on 21 Aug 1841 in Beauceville) (son of Francois Poulin & Archange Rancourt)
http://home.gwi.net/~frenchgen/civwar.htm

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

LaCombe Origins

LaCombe is a French (western and southwestern) name.  LaCombe describes a topographic name for someone living in or near a ravine, from la combe ‘the ravine’.  It is word of Gaulish origin and is related to the English Combe.  I stumbled upon this beautiful photo of a BALAN mansion near Brantome, France...
Photobucket
a Balan house in France








"Les Balans on carte Cassini and google earth, near Brantome. Balan surname on GeneaNet shows relationship between Balans who lived in the chateau during the 1800s and Pierre Balan dit LaCombe our ancester. Pierre Balan's mothers maiden name shows up in Marie Balan ancestry. I found Les Courieres, 24310 Brantome (Pierre's mother's maiden name) closer to Cantillac. John Roux"




La Combe is also a city in France!  Today, the temperature is 59 degrees fahrenheit.
Weather in Lacombe, France

original name: La Combe
geographical location: Rodez, Aveyron, Midi-Pyrenees, France, Europe
geographical coordinates: 44° 15' 0" North, 2° 27' 0" East

Google Map of La Combe, France

My ancestor Andre LaCombe is a great-great-grandchild of pioneer ancestor Pierre Balan Lacombe who came to Quebec from Castillon, Perigueux (Dordogne:) Gironde, France.  His father Pierre Balan was from Cantillac (Dordogne : 240079), France.

Cantillac Pictures, Images and Photos
Cantillac Pictures, Images and Photos
Cantillac, France

I am a great-great-great-grandchild of Andre Lacombe, who pioneered the LaCombe family in the Waterville area of Maine.  My great-great-grandmother was Andre's daughter Sophie Rosalie Lacombe who married Henri-Jean Poulin (aka John Pooler).  They married at a civil ceremony on 27 October 1838 in Skowhegan, Maine and a sacramental marriage took place on 12 January 1841, at St-Francois-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada.

My LaCombe Ascendancy

First LaCombe generation
Sophie Rosalie LACOMBE was born 4 August 1819 in Beauceville.  She was baptized the following day St-Francois-de-Beauce, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada.  She passed away on 5 May 1904, in Waterville, Kennebec. Maine.


Second LaCombe generation
Andre LACOMBE, born 31 May 1785, St. Vallier, Bellechase, Quebec, Canada
Baptised on 31 May 1785, St. Thomas, Montmagny, Quebec, Canada
Death on 16 September 1863 in Waterville, Kennebec, Maine, USA
            married 10 January 1809, St-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Quebec, Canada
Marie Louise aka Josette  GAGNE or QUIRION or ROY or --------
Born circa 1787 to 1782 Beauceville, Quebec, Canada?
Death 1850 in Waterville, Kennebec, Maine, USA


Third LaCombe generation
Joseph Marie BALAN LACOMBE
Born 26 January 1746 St. Vallier, Bellechase, Quebec
           married 11 February 1765, Berthier-en-Bas, Quebec
Marie Josette CARBONNEAU dit PROVENCAL
Born 17 April 1745 Berthier-en-Bas, Quebec


Fourth LaCombe generation
Joseph Marie BALAN LACOMBE
Born 14 Nov 1710, St. Jean, Ile d'Orleans, Quebec
Baptized 16 Nov 1710, St. Jean, Ile d'Orleans, Quebec
Death 30 March 1777, Berthier-en-Bas, Quebec
Burial 31 March 1777, Berthier-en-Bas, Quebec
          married 10 July 1736, Berthier-en-Bas, Quebec
Marie Anne COULOMBE
Born La Durantaye, Quebec
Baptized 30 May 1719, Beaumont, Quebec
Death 22 Oct 1754, Berthier, Quebec
BALAN LACOMBE m. COULOMBE
Chart of BALAN LACOMBE m. COULOMBE posted on GENEANET


Fifth LaCombe generation
Pierre BALAN LACOMBE
Born 1 January 1683, Lauzon, Quebec
Baptized 15 January 1683, Lauzon, Quebec
Death 10 January 1749, Quebec, Quebec
           married 17 Jam 1708 St. Francois, Ile d'Orleans, Quebec
Elisabeth CHARTIER
Born 15 February 1690, St. Francois, Ile d'Orleans, Quebec
Baptized 17 February 1690, St. Francois, Ile d'Orleans, Quebec
Death 10 Oct 1714, St. Francois, Ile d'Orleans, Quebec
BALAN LACOMBE m. CHARTIER



Sixth LaCombe generation
Pierre BALAN dit LACOMBE
Born about 1642 Castillon, Perigueux (Dordogne:) Gironde, France
Death 29 December 1689 La Durantaye
            married 9 June 1672, Quebec, Quebec, New France
Renee BIRETTE
Born La Rochelle, Aunis, (Charente-Maritime) France
Death 29 December 1686
Burial 3 January 1687, Pointe-de-Lévy (Lauzon), Quebec

            married 9 June 1672, Quebec, Quebec, New France
Renee BIRETTE
Born La Rochelle, Aunis, (Charente-Maritime) France
Death circa 14 March 1715
Burial 14 March 1715 Beaumont, Quebec
BALAN LACOMBE m. BIRETTE

Pierre Balan-Lacombe, from Cantillac, France
Pierre Balan-Lacombe is the ancestor of the largest family using this name in Quebec. Born in France around 1642, son of Pierre and Perinne Courrier, he departed from a village called Cantillac. He came to Canada in 1665 with the Carignan regiment as a soldier in the Companie de Labrisardiere. After he finished serving with this regiment, he chose to settle in Canada. He married Renée Birette (daughter of Jean Birette and Simone Perinne) at Notre Dame in Quebec City on June 9, 1672. Pierre obtained lands on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the region of St-Michel de Bellechasse. The lands were originally part of the seigneurie owned by Sieur Oliver Morel de la Durantaye.  There, they raised their numerous children. Pierre Balan-Lacombe died at 47 around the year 1688. Renee Birette, then widow, married Jean Brias-Latreille. She died in 1715. Today's descendants of Pierre Balan-Lacombe are located in most parts of Quebec, and also in Ontario and in the United States (mainly in New England). A more comprehensive work on Pierre Balan-Lacombe is available from the l'Association des Lacombe, Inc.  
Pierre Balan-Lacombe source




LaCombe ancestors in France
Pierre BALAN
           married before 1645, from Cantillac (Dordogne : 240079), France
Perrine COURIER
BALAN m. COURIER

The above links are to the families of that generation.
Genealogy of the French in North America


Have an enjoyable day and don't forget to honor your ancestors!  Without them, you would not be you.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Andre LaCombe -- More than One Family? Not Likely

ANDRE LACOMBE
m. M.-Louise Gagne
m. Josette Quirion
m. Josette Roy
m. Josette -------
(all St.Francois de Beauce)

I believe M.-Louise Gagne, Josette Gagne, Josette Quirion, Josette Roy, and Josette 
----- are all the same person.
1850 Waterville census:  Andre b. 1790, Sophie b. 1792
son Jo. b. 1826  (probably Fereol b. 14-1-1824)
son Ed b. 1828  (Edouard b. 7-10-1826)
son Charles b. 1831 (Charles b. 25-2-1832)
dau Mary b. 1833  (probably son Cyrille b. 12-9-1834)
son David b. 1838  (probably Damase b. 9-10-1839 in Waterville)

PROOF:

FAM. A: children of Andre Lacombe & M.-Louise Gagne
#1 Frederic                     b. 1810 Apr 3                   GP: Jean-M. Rodrigue & M.-Louise Doyon (see A11 & A3)

FAM. B: children of Andre Lacombe & Josette Quirion
#5 Joseph                    b. 1817 May 12                  GP: Pierre Boucher & Marie Martineau (see A4 & A8)
#6 Sophie                    b. 1819 Apr 8                     GP: Francois Doyon & Brigitte Miray  (see A7)
#7 Francois (d.1825)   b. 1822 Jan 20                    GP: Athanase Morin & Marie Mathieu   (see A5)
#8 Fereol                     b. 1824 Jan 14                     GP: Joseph Latulippe & Josette Quirion (see A10)
#10 Zoe                       b. 1829 Aug 21                   GP: Frederic Lacombe & Sylvie Gagne  (see A6)
#11 Charles                 b. 1832 Feb 25                   GP: Pierre Veilleux & Divine Boucher (see A9)

FAM. C: children of Andre Lacombe & Josette Roy
#4 Adelaide                  b. 1815 Apr 6                   GP: Joseph Toulouse & M.-Anne Doyon (see A8, A4 & A13)
                                            
FAM. D: children of Andre Lacombe & Josette --------
#2 Francois-George      b. 1811 Dec 5                     GP: Jean-Bte. Grondin & M.-Genevieve Roy (See A3 & A11)
#9 Edouard                    b. 1826 Oct 7                     GP: Louis Thibodeau + Louise Gagne  (see A1 below)
#12 Cyrille                    b. 1834 Sep 12                   GP: Remi Veilleux & Marguerite Poulin (see A2 & A12)

FAM. E: children of Andre Lacombe & Josette Gagne
#3 Luce                         b. 1813 Jul 14 *                      GP: Augustin Bolduc & Marie Doyon  (see A14)
                                     d. 1814  Jan 1  St.Frs. age 6 mos.
                                    *b. at St.Joseph
------------------

Andre Lacombe mar. 10 Jan 1809 M.-Louise Gagne
(Joseph Lacombe & Josette Carbonneau) (Jean-M. Gagne for the father)
witnesses:  Siblings of Andre Lacombe:
Charles Lacombe (mar. 1803 Marguerite Turgeon)
Joseph Lacombe (mar. 1787 Catherine Larochelle)
Joseph Gautron (Larochelle) & Joseph Nadeau brothers-in-law of Andre Lacombe, 
Jean-Marie Gagne for the father, Pierre Boucher, Jean Grondin

#1 Frederic Lacombe mar. 15 Jan 1833 Sylvie Gagne
      (Andre Lacombe & M.-Josette ______)

#2 Francois-George Lacombe mar. 18 Nov 1834 Adelaide Thibodeau
      (Andre Lacombe & M.-Josette ______)

#4 Adelaide Lacombe mar. 8 Oct 1833 Francois Latulippe
      (Andre Lacombe & Josette _______)

#6 Sophie Lacombe mar. 12 Jan 1841 Henri-Jean Poulin
     (Andre Lacombe & Josette Quirion)

--------------------
A1       Louis Thibodeau mar. M.-Louise Gagne 1801 Beauceville
            (Louise is daughter of Louis-M. Gagne & Jeanne Cloutier m. 1770 St.Joseph)
A2       (Louis-M. Gagne 2m. 1817 Marguerite Poulin at Beauceville)
A3       M.-Louise Doyon m. 1807 Jean-Bte. Grondin at Beauceville)
A4       Pierre Boucher 1m. Catherine Perras 1798 at Beauceville
                 "           "        2m. M.-Anne Doyon 1839 at Beauceville
            Marie Martineau m. Joseph Toulouse 1812 at Beauceville)
            THIS CONNECTS FAM. B to FAM. C.
A5        Athanase Morin m. Marie Mathieu 1820 at Beauceville)
A6        Frederic Lacombe & Sylvie Gagne m. 1833 at Beauceville)
            Sylvie Gagne is 16 year-old daughter of Augustin Gagne & M.Jeanne Mathieu 
            m. 1811 Beauceville
            Frederic Lacombe is 19 year-old son of Andre and Josette "Quirion"
            THIS CONNECTS FAM. A to FAM.B.
A7       Francois Doyon is probably the one who m. Mgte. Rodrigue 1805 in Beauceville.
            Brigitte Miray m. 1694 to Godfroid Bernard at Lauzon and moved to Beauceville.
A8       Joseph Toulouse 2m. Marie Martineau in 1812 at Beauceville (1m. Angele Veilleux 1795)
A9       Pierre Veilleux m. Luce Toulouse 1830 at Beauceville.
            (Luce Toulouse is daughter of Joseph Toulouse & Angele Veilleux - see A8)
            THIS CONNECTS FAM. B to FAM. C.
A10      Joseph Latulippe (1m. Mgte. Dion 1803) 2m. M.-Louise Rancourt 1810 at Beauceville 
            Son, Francois Latulippe, mar. Adelaide Lacombe 1833, dau. of Andre & Josette Roy
            No marriage nor birth info for Josette Quirion.
A11      Jean-M. Rodrigue & M.-Genevieve Roy m. 1788 St.Joseph, Beauce
            (M.-Genevieve 2m. Louis Poulin 1825 at Beauceville)
            THIS CONNECTS FAM. A to FAM. D.
A12     Remi Veilleux m. Marie Poulin 1836 at Beauceville
            (Remi is son of Pierre Veilleux & Judith Mathieu m. 1812 Beauceville)
A13     M.-Anne Doyon 1m. Joseph Lacombe 1809 in Beauceville; 2m. 1839 Pierre Boucher,             
           widower of Catherine Perras.
            THIS CONNECTS FAM. B to FAM. C.
A14     This is most likely Augustin Bolduc who mar. Catherine Doyon in 1807 at Beauceville.
            Catherine is the sister of Marie Doyon who m. Jean-Bte. Grondin - see #2 and A3.
            THIS CONNECTS FAM. E to FAM. A.

Nothing on Divine Boucher & Josette Quirion
There is no other marriage of an Andre Lacombe in Quebec.

CONCLUSION: with little doubt, these are all children of the same couple.
Question is: what was Josette's birth name, if any?
Was it :
M.-Josette Gagne, illegit. daughter of Louis Gagne (who m. Jeanne Cloutier in 1770)? or was it
M.-Josette Roy, illegitimate daughter of Genevieve Roy (who. m. Jean Rodrigue in 1788)? or was it
M.-Josette Quirion, illegitimate daughter of Josette Quirion?
Most assuredly they are all children of the same couple.

Might she be M.-Josette sauvagesse, born Dec 1790 at St.Joseph? Daughter of Francois-Joseph & Marie Sauvages.
~By Robert Chenard December 31, 2003
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Further analysis. Recall that Jean-Marie Gagne stood in for the father at the marriage of Andre Lacombe.










Jean-Marie GAGNE, born 1737 St. Vallier, died 20 May 1809 in St. Francois-de-Beauce, Beauceville.

He married (1) Marie-Francoise RODRIGUE, 07-01-1766 in Saint-Joseph, Saint-Joseph-de-Beauce, 
Beauce, QC, born 1721, (daughter of Vincent RODRIGUE and Angelique GIROUX) died 07-03-1786, 
buried 09-03-1786 in Saint-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Beauce, QC.
He married (2) Marie BOULET, 13-11-1786 in Saint-Francois-d'Assise, Beauceville, Beauce, QC, 
(daughter of Pierre BOULET and Marie-Genevieve ALBERT).



Let's look at each of the above possibilities raised by Robert Chenard.  Is there any connection to Jean-Marie Gagne?
M.-Josette Gagne, illegit. daughter of Louis Gagne (who m. Jeanne Cloutier in 1770)?
 ---------This Louis Gagne was Louis-Marie Gagne (1747-1822). the younger brother of Jean-Marie Gagne.
More on Louis-Marie:  His third spouse (m. 1820) was Marie Louise Quirion Daniel who had had an illegitimate son with Augustin 
Veilleux whom she later married.  
 He was a witness to his brother Jean-Marie’s wedding.

 Louis-Marie GAGNE (son of Pierre) and Marie-Jeanne CLOUTIER were married 27 Aug 1770 at St-Joseph, Beauce, QC.

 Louis-Marie GAGNE and Marguerite POULIN were married 15 Sep 1817 at St-Francois de Beauce, QC.

 Louis-Marie GAGNE and Louise QUIRION were married 19 Sep 1820 at St-Francois de Beauce, QC.


M.-Josette Roy, illegitimate daughter of Genevieve Roy (who. m. Jean Rodrigue in 1788) (parents: deceased Thomas Roy & Marie 
Josephe Huard dit Desilets)?
----------This Jean Rodrigue was Jean-Marie Rodrigue, a stepson of Jean-Marie Gagne and son Marie Joseph Boulet and Jean-Baptiste 
Rodrigue.  Jean-Marie Gagne documented as step-father to Jean Rodrigue at his wedding to Genevieve Roy. 


Another Marie Josette Roy in the family: Andre's parents Joseph Lacombe and M. Josette Carbonneau of Berthier had a son named Francois Lacombe who was married to Marie-Josette Roy (b.1770) (daughter of Francois Roy and Rosalie Tanguay) on 21 Oct 1797 at St. Vallier in County Bellechase.  This information is from the Compte Bellechase repertoire at ACGS.  He was a navigator who died two years later on 26 November 1799 at St. Vallier.  This Marie Josette Roy would be the widowed sister in law of Andre.


M.-Josette Quirion, illegitimate daughter of Josette Quirion?
---------M. Josette Quirion (parents: Francois Daniel dit Kirion & Marie Marguerite Bolduc) was born 4 Feb 1764 atSt-Joseph-de-Beauce.  I did not find a marriage nor an illegitimate daughter.  However, her father Francois Daniel Quirion was a first cousin and friend to Jean-Marie Gagne's first wife Marie Francoise Rodrigue as documented at their marriage.  Two of Jean-Marie Gagne's relatives by spouse Marie Joseph Boulet were Quirions, Quirion m. Boucher and Quirion m. Roy.  M. Marguerite Bolduc Quirion had remarried Joseph Boulet in 1799.  This made her a sister in law to Jean-Marie Gagne's wife M. Joseph Boulet.  M. Marguerite Bolduc's brother married Louise Quirion,  Their daughter Felicite Quirion married Charles Roy.  Their daughter Marguerite Quirion married Pierre Boucher.

Josette ------- , Might she be M.-Josette sauvagesse, born Dec 1790 at St.Joseph? Daughter of Francois-Joseph & Marie Sauvages.  It would be consistent with parish registries not to include a last name or parents names at her sacraments.


Conclusion:  An analysis shows Jean-Marie Gagne, who represented the father at Andre's marriage,  had no children of his own.  He married two widows and had step-children.  He had a brother Louis-Marie who was ten years younger.  Louis-Marie had an illegitimate daughter, Marie-Josette Gagne.  He was a stepfather to Jean Rodrigue whose wife Genevieve Roy had an illegitimate daughter M. Josette Roy.   Marie Josette Quirion was a first cousin to his first wife.  Jean-Marie was a step relative to two Quirions, one of whom was married to a Roy.  It is conceivable that Jean-Marie Gagne could have represented the father at the marriage of any of these illegitimate children.


As for Native Heritage, I have Native Heritage through both of my grandmothers.  This line that I am tracing is through a grandfather, Albert Alphonse Poulin.  He was the great-grandson of this mysterious bride of Andre Lacombe via his daughter Sophie Rosalie Lacombe married to Henri-Jean Poulin (John Pooler).  John Pooler settled in Waterville shortly after the LaCombe family.  Of note, my grandfather Albert Poulin had aqua blue eyes and a ruddy but not red skin tone.  He was friendly with the Passamaquoddy Indians while serving in the Maine State Legislature.


As mentioned in my last post, I am considering genetic testing to pursue solving this brick wall.  I welcome hearing from any relatives of my ancestors.  I especially welcome receiving information, documentation, and photographs.  Thank you.