Sunday 10 July 2016

52 Ancestors: Tarsille Boudreau (about 1819 - 1902)

In honour of the upcoming family reunion of the descendants of Hilaire Pitre and Tarsille Boudreau July 29 - August 1, 2016 I am going to write about my Great Great Grand Mother Tarsille Boudreau.

Tarsille (Tharsille or Theresa) was the 8th of 11 children born to Thimothe Boudreau and Verande Doucet. She was born about 1819 ( I have been unable to find her baptism records). She likely was raised in Petit Rocher New Brunswick as the baptism records that I was able to find for her siblings born before and after her state they are from Petit Rocher.

When Tarsille was about 16 years old she married 17 1/2 year old Hilaire Pitre at St. Polycarpe parish in Petit Rocher September 1, 1835. Together they had 11 children; 6 girls and 5 boys. Their first child a girl, arrived two years after they were married and their last child was born when Tarsille was about 44 years old.

Tarsille died September 1, 1902 in Petit Rocher on her 67th wedding anniversary when she was about 83 years old. She must have been in ill health during her final years as her death certificate states the cause of her death was age and the duration of her illness was four years.

Saturday 9 April 2016

52 Ancestors: Patrice Lebreton (1846-1928)

Patrice Lebreton is my Great Great Grandfather on my Dad's side of the family.

Patrice Lebreton, son of Jean Lebreton and Sara Young, was born March 6, 1846 and baptized two days later on March 8 at St. Jean Baptiste and St. Joseph parish in Tracadie, New Brunswick and died at Maltempec, New Brunswick on March 12, 1928. The godparents of Patrice were Julien Lebreton and his spouse Elisabeth (Young) Lebreton [probably brother and sister to Jean and Sara but still to be confirmed]. Patrice married Margaret Comeau, daughter of Marin Comeau and Charlotte Drisdelle, sometime between 1871-1873.

Patrice made his living as a farmer and lived in the areas of Inkerman all his life as supported by all census records from 1861 - 1921. Patrice had at least one brother (George) and two sisters (Margaret and Susan). Patrice must have been close to his family as his brother George named one of his sons Patrice (see Canadian census 1871) and both of his sisters lived with Patrice and his family at some point in their lives (see census 1891 and 1911).

Patrice and Margaret had nine children between 1873-1899 (five sons and four daughters). Patrice was able to speak both French and English, however he was never able to read and write. His sons lived next door or just a short distance from him. When he reached the age where he stopped running a farm on his own, he and Margaret lived with his son Nazaire (see 1921 census). Patrice died March 12, 1928 5 days after his 82 birthday and was buried March 24, 1928 in Upper Pokemouche, New Brunswick at Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Cemetery , Plot: St-Marc (See Find a Grave).


Children of Patrice and Margaret:

Marie Marguerite Lebreton
Marie Elisabeth Lebreton
David Lebreton
Francois Dassise Lebreton
Nazaire Lebreton
Mary Georgina Lebreton
Edmond Lebreton
Mary Helene Lebreton
Joseph Patrice Lebreton

Sunday 20 March 2016

52 Ancestors: Tarsiel Arseneau (1822 - between 1891-1901)

Tarsiel (possibly Teresa) Arseneau is my Great Great Grandmother on my Mom's side of the family.

Tarsiel was the first born child of Isadore Arseneau and Victoire Duguay. She was born in Petit Rocher, New Brunswick on November 19, 1822. Tarsiel was baptised at Ste. Famille Parish in Bathurst on Dec 1, 1822.

Baptism record of Tarsiel Arseneau
Acadia Canada Vital and Church Records Drouin Collection Accessed October 22 2014 Via Ancestry.ca


Tarsiel'sfather was listed as a farmer at the time of her baptism. I assume that she would have been expected to help her mother with her younger siblings as she was the oldest of her ten siblings (one of only two girls). Her last three siblings were born after she was married and started a family of her own and were probably raised near Tarsiel and her family.

Eight days after Tarsiel turned 17 years old she married 25 year old William Christie on November 27, 1839 in Petit Rocher, New Brunswick with John Christie (William's brother?) and Isidore Arseneau (Tarsiel's brother or father?) as their witnesses.


Tarsiel and William had 12 children in their years together. Sometime between 1875 and 1881 Tarsiel became a widow. On the 1881 census at 60 years of age, she is listed as a farmer and the head of the household with five of her unmarried children living with her. It appears she had family support near by as one of her younger brothers was living just 2 families away. By 1891 Tarsiel was living with her son Alexander and his wife and children. Sometime between 1891 and 1901 Tarsiel died.