I Love/Hate French Records

A family friend and fellow genealogy enthusiast recently showed me that he was able to use French records in the Drouin Collection to take Mary Rose Statuto’s family back another couple generations. This has been exciting and helpful. I’ve used the Drouin Collection when researching my Goulet ancestors, but I have always found them frustrating for two main reasons. First, they are in French. Second, they are often hard to read due to the condition of the documents. Still, thanks to my friend and these records, I am now going further back into my father’s family than I have ever been able to before. 

Mary Rose Statuto’s parents were Peter Statuto and Marie Therrien. On their marriage record, Peter’s family is listed as Carmenandonio and Carminella. Marie Therrien’s parents are recorded as Hubert Therrien and Mathilda Grondin. After finding this, I immediately searched for Hubert and Mathilda in earlier Canadian records. What I found was a family on the 1881 and 1891 Canadian census for Nicolet, Quebec, Canada.

Hubert and Emilie Therrien - Nicolet, Quebec, Canada 1881

As you can see, there is a problem. Hubert Therrien was listed, even an appropriately aged Marie was listed, but Mathilda was not. I saved the records until I could know more about the family, as I did not feel secure in just claiming these people as ancestors without more evidence. That evidence was shown to me last weekend. 

A friend sent me an email showing how he had used French-Canadian baptismal and marriage records in the Drouin Collection to connect the family in the census to the Hubert Therrien I had been looking for. I had come across only some of the records my friend pointed out to me and had put them aside because I could not read the French. However, now having taken the time to look at these records more closely I can honestly say I love/hate French records. 

 I had obviously used records in the Drouin Collection when researching my Goulet line, but most of the records I needed had English translations I could find. Goulet is a very well researched surname. Therrien is also a well researched surname, but I needed to connect my Therriens to other Therrien families in order to compare research. 

 As it turns out, Emilie Therrien (nee Boisvert) is the second wife of Hubert Therrien, which I would have seen if I had not embraced laziness and actually struggled to look at the French marriage records of Hubert. 

Hubert Therrien and the interestingly named Domithilde (not Mathilda) were married in 1870 in Quebec. Domithilde died in 1874. The very next year Hubert married Emilie Boisvert, who appears in the 1881 census. On the 1875 marriage record of Hubert and Emilie, it very clearly states “Hubert Therrien, veuf de Domithilde Grondin.” The term, “veuf de,” I came to learn meant “widower of.”

Enter Hubert Therrien, widower of Domithilde Grondin . . . .

I am still working on creating a direct translation of both of Hubert’s marriage documents. They are hard. In addition, I cannot really claim this discovery as my own. My friend had made the connection already and basically showed me. I have been inspired, however, to begin translating additional documents associated with this family.

I began with Marie and Hubert Therrien’s baptismal records. Using some Spanish, some online translating, and not a small amount of patience, I was able to (I think) correctly translate a good portion of these documents. I must admit, any corrections and additions to my translations are welcome. 

Marie Therrien - Baptismal Record

My translation of the above record:
The 20th of February
One Thousand eight hundred seventy (one?) We, priest …………………………have baptized Marie Euthichienne born the same day, of the legitimate marriage of Hubert Terrien (cultivator?) and of Domithilde Grondin of this parish. The godfather was Michael Terrien cultivator, father of (the father or brother of the child?) and the godmother was Angelique Bussiere grandmother of this ………………………………………….    ……………………………………………………………………………

Hubert Therrien - Baptismal Record

My translation of the above record: 
The 19th of November, one thousand eight hundred and forty four. We, priest …………….  have baptized Hubert born the day before of the legitimate marriage of Michael Terrien (cultivator?) and of Angelique Bussiere of Saint Zepharin. …............
…………Godmother Marie Louise Therrien …………………………………   …………… ………………… ……………………………………….

If I have the translation correct, I am assuming the occupation of cultivator simply meant farmer. Also, I am unclear if the godfather of Marie was her grandfather, who was named Michael Terrien, or an uncle of the same name. 

So, as I said, I love/hate these French documents. Obviously, they are a gold mine of family information. They carefully include parent names and godparents, who were generally related in some way. They also include birth dates, which can otherwise be hard to find. However, they are very difficult to read. Not only are they in French, which is not much of a hindrance in 2014, but they are extremely difficult to make out clearly. I showed them to the French teacher at my school and he said it was impossible.

However, I have absolutely taken a lot from these records. Not only the names of the previous generation, but the siblings of Marie Therrien. In my post concerning Peter Statuto's run-ins with the law, I came across a man named Philip Terien, who had stolen a chain and had stashed it in Peter’s basement. I had noted that a man with a very similar name appeared on the 1920 Census showing Mary Rose Statuto living with her sister Amelia Gilman in Pepperell. At the time, I wondered how the man might be related. Now, based on names listed on the 1881 census I can be fairly certain that Phillipe (or Philip) Therrein was the uncle of Mary Rose. 

Though I still don’t know the paternal ancestry of my grandfather, Peter Francis Daley, tracing his mother’s family is now the closest I’ve come to learning where my own father’s family came from. In my future research, I hope to trace the Therrien family back even further using these French records. I know my Goulet line came from Normandel to New France during the Percheron Immigration. The Therrien family probably has a similar history. I aim to find out.

Peter Francis Daley - Y DNA Test

Peter Francis Daley Sr.  - Age 5

This is one of my favorite pictures of my grandfather, Peter Francis Daley. He is perhaps 5 in this photo. Because he was adopted around the age of 3, this is probably the earliest picture we have of him. In it, I think he looks a lot like my father when he was a child. I even think he looks like my nephews, who are now six. 

Peter Francis Daley Jr - My Dad - What a handsome little guy!

Peter Francis Jr - Age about 6

My nephews (Nate and Jack) at my wedding  - Jack (left) really looks like Peter Sr.

My nephews - Nate (left) and Jack (right)

As I’ve written previously, my grandfather was born Peter Statuto in Pepperell, Ma in June of 1920. His mother’s name was Mary Rose Statuto and his father is still unknown. Peter was raised by John J. Daley and Ellen Tully in Dorchester, Ma. The reason for his adoption and how he came to live with the Daleys is still a bit of a mystery. With the permission of John J, Peter changed his surname to Daley as an adult. 

 In related news, my Y DNA test from Ancestry has become lost. I have now ordered and taken a Y-DNA test from Family Tree DNA. The results are due in early June. I hope the analysis can give me a clearer indication as to where my grandfather’s father came from and perhaps even some surnames our Y line is strongly connected to. I still have a couple avenues of research to follow up on to try to solve this mystery, but I hope the DNA will help.

Henry Felix Goulet and Leopoldine Devriendt

Henry Felix Goulet and Leopoldine Devriendt - 1910

Henry Felix Goulet was my great grandfather. He was the first generation of my Goulet line to be born in the United States. Henry Felix was born in Pawtucket, Rhode Island October 14, 1889 to Pierre Joseph Goulet (b. 1866) and Marie Cedulie Gagnon (b. 1866). 

 Like Pierre Goulet, Henry Felix was employed in the textile mills of Rhode Island. In October of 1910 Henry married Leopoldine Eugenia Devriendt (b. 1891, Roubaix France) in Fall River. Leopoldine was the daughter of Valentine Devriendt (b. 1861, Belgium) and Jeanne Meau (b. 1867, France).

The Devriendt family had only very recently immigrated to the United States in 1903. Leopoldine appears on the 1903 passenger list for the ship Vaderland with her mother and sister (also named Valtenine). According to this record, the whole family is identified as Flemish  or at least as being Flemish speaking. In addition, a note attached indicates that Valentine Denvriendt had already immigrated to the US with his son Alfred some months earlier. The two had settled in Norwood with a brother-in-law. The rest of the family was going to meet him.

Back two - Henry Felix Goulet and Louise Goulet. Bottom Three- Valentine Devriendt, Jeanne Goulet, Leopoldine Devriendt

In their marriage record Henry is recorded as being employed as a clerk and Leopoldine is recorded as a box maker. According to family members Leopoldine never really became confident in her use of English later in life. Therefore, I imagine one of the things that bonded Henry and Leopoldine was their shared native French language. Though I can’t speak for how the Flemish played in.

I don’t know much more about the origins of Leopoldine and the Devriendts. In Massachusetts the surname is somewhat rare, but many now distant relatives remain in the Walpole area. 

 Of my great grandmother’s sister, Valentine Devriendt (b.1888, Roubaix France), she married the brother of my great grandfather, a man named Leon Goulet (b. 1891, Fall River Ma). This must have made holidays convenient. Together, the couple had two daughters, Madeline Goulet (b. 1922) and Pauline Goulet (b. 1926). Both women, especially my great aunt Madeline, remain larger than life figures in my childhood memory.

I know somewhat less about my great grandmother’s brother, Alfred Devriendt (b. 1885, Roubaix France). Through records, I know he married a woman named Edith Balduf. The family had been living in Walpole during my grandmother’s life.

One of my goals is to learn more about the areas the Devriendts came from. Valentine Devriendt was from Belgium, but his wife and all his children were born in France. I also would love to know more about his wife Jeanne Meau. I know the names of her parents, but not much else. These are all future research goals.

By 1920 Henry Goulet and Leopoldine Devriendt had moved to Massachusetts and by 1930 they had moved to Walpole, where they remained for many years. Henry also switched careers. Where in previous censuses he is recorded as a factory worker or clerk for a woolen factory, by 1920 Henry is recorded as a salesmen in a wholesale meat market.

Henry continued to work in the grocery/meat industry as a butcher. My family even has several of his knives or cleavers. During his later years Henry and Leopoldine lived much of their year in Wareham and Cape Cod, where Henry was employed as a butcher at the 10 Acres Market on Main Street Falmouth.

Henry at the 10 Acres Market

Together, Henry Goulet and Leopoldine Devriendt had two daughters:
- Louise M. Goulet  - 1912 – 1927
- Jeanne Josephine Goulet – 1917 – 1998

Jeanne and Louise Goulet

Jeanne Goulet was my maternal grandmother, fondly called Grammy. Louise, my grandmother’s older sister, died at the age of 15. My grandmother only occasionally spoke to me about her sister. However, my family has many pictures of Louise, who was a very pretty young lady. 

 Henry and Leopoldine lived the rest of their lives in between Walpole, Plainville, and Falmouth. In Falmouth, they owned several houses, one of which remains in use by the family. My aunt Madeline and her husband Bruce even operated a bed and breakfast across the street from this house, so my family saw them often during the summer months. Henry Felix Goulet died in February of 1976, just before the birth of my sister. Leopoldine Devriendt died about 1966.

Although I never knew either my great grandfather or great grandmother, I love to hear stories about them. My father recalls Henry as  a strict taskmaster, who would put him to work at a moment’s notice. My mother and aunts recall that their grandmother mostly continued to speak French throughout her life. As children she would speak to them in French (which they then understood) but they would be allowed to answer in English (which she understood). My aunts also tell a story in which Leopoldine refused to evacuate from her house in Falmouth in the face of a severe hurricane, which sounds surprisingly like my grandmother Jeanne.

Although my family might now self-identify as primarily Irish, it has become so evident through this research that my French, Belgian, and even Flemish (who knew?) ancestry has played a large role in making us what we are today. French culture was obviously central to the Goulet/Devriendt family. I can’t say we retain much, other than our Catholic traditions. However, it’s fascinating to see how the choices and traditions of these families all combined to result in some of my most vivid memories. When I think back to my childhood, the first sets of images that come to mind are hot, sunny, days on a Cape Cod beach. My grandmother Jeanne sitting under her favorite deck umbrella at her beach house and her cousin Madeline bouncing across the street to say hello. None of this would have existed but for Henry Goulet and Leopoldine Devriendt.

Italian Groceries Anyone? - Lowell, 1914

I found this interesting advertisement for Italian groceries in a 1914 edition of the Lowell Sun. Apparently my great-great-grandfather, the mysterious Peter Statuto, not only sold fruit and confections, but was a fan of olive oil as well. Maybe that’s why my family tends to like it so much.

Jacques Goulet 1615 - 1688

I have not written much about my mother’s side of my family on this blog, so I thought I would correct that with my next few posts. In addition, I thought it might be interesting to go backwards from my oldest known maternal ancestor to some of my most recent maternal ancestors. Since that is my chosen pattern, I will start with my 10th great grandfather, Jacques Goulet. 

Jacques Goulet is one of the oldest ancestors I have on my family tree for which I can prove a documented connection. Since the amount of people one shares common ancestors with increases the further one goes back into history, I am sure this same statement could be said for a lot of family historians. Luckily for all of us, Jacques’ history is pretty well researched.

Jacques Goulet was born in Normandel, France on April 17, 1615. Normandel is an area in the Lower Normandy region of France. The parents of Jacuqes were Thomas Goulet (b. 1612) and Antoinette Felliard. Thomas and Antoinette also had two daughters; Louise Goulet (b. 1619) and YvonneGoulet (b.1622).

Like his father, Jacuqes Goulet was wheat miller. He worked on a farm in France called Le Chatelets. In November 12, 1645,  Jacques Goulet married Margeurite Mulier at St. Pierre Church in La Poterie-au-Perche, France. This church is still standing. 

St Pierre Church - Source

Jacques Goulet was recruited to make the journey to Quebec by an investor in the Company of One Hundred Associates, which was a French company specializing in immigration and fur trade in the New World. He, his wife, and sister became part of a large group of immigrants from the Perche area of France who left their homes in exchange for land in the New World. This high rate of immigration from a single place was called the Percheron Immigration.

There remains a plaque at the St. Pierre Church in La Poterie-au-Perche commemorating the departure of Jacques Goulet and his sister. It reads (translated in English of course), “To Jacques Goulet born on April 17, 1615 in Normandel and Louise Goulet, born Poterie on July 26, 1628, wife of René Le Tarte, left La Poterie for Canada. “I Remember” The phrase "Je Me Soviens" (I Remember) would later become the official motto of Quebec, perhaps signifying an intentional connection to their past and their ancestry as French immigrants.

The Plaque at St. Pierre's - Source

After arriving in Quebec, Jacques and Margeurite had their first child. Ultimately, the couple would have 11 children in New France.

- Genevieve – b. 28 Oct. 1646
- Nicolas – b. 14 Dec. 1647 (Great Grandad x9)
- Jacques – b. 9 April 1649
- Rene – b. 27 Oct 1650
- Louis – b. 26 Aug 1653
- Charles – b. 1656
- Thomas – b. 24 March 1660
- Francois – 1664
- Antoine – b. 20 Aug. 1666
- Joseph – b. 27 March 1669
- Margeurite – b. 27 June 1675

In Quebec, Goulet continued his work as a miller. He became very successful, doubling the amount of land he owned between 1667 and 1681. He owned a gun and also a horse, which was apparently rare in colonial Quebec. Jacques died at the age of 73 on 26 November 1688. He is buried in the cemetery at L’Ange-Gadien.

Jacques Goulet and Mageurite became the common ancestors of almost all of the Goulets in North America. People from all walks of life; actors, politicians, artists, authors, singers; can all clame to be directly descended from Jacques. So far he is one of the only pioneer ancestors I have on my tree and I certainly share him with quite a crowd. I think it would be common to find that the Goulets might even be related to two separate French-Canadian branches of your family.

My branch of the Goulet family remained in Quebec until my great-great grandfather, Pierre Joseph Goulet (b. 29 Jan 1866) arrived in the US in 1874. Pierre married Marie Cedulie Gagnon (b. 1866) in Fall River, Ma in 1887. throughout their lives the two were both employed as mill workers in Fall River, Ma and in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

I’ve always known a bit about my French-Canadian ancestry while growing up. However, I only realized how extensive it really was as an adult. My maternal grandmother, Jeanne Josephine Goulet (1917  - 1998), spoke French as her first language while growing up in a household with a French-Canadian father and a Belgian mother. My mother and aunts often recall speaking French with their grandmother as young children. However, my mother will admit she would need practice to pick it back up. Sadly, though my grandmother was fluent, I never heard her or her cousins speak French during their lives at all. As for me, I know very little.

My maternal grandmother (Grammy) Jeanne Josephine Goulet -  right

Though enculturation and assimilation have erased a good deal of my French heritage, I now feel a greater connection to it than I ever had before. Along with Ireland, I absolutely want to visit Normandel, France and probably Quebec first. There are so many Goulet connected places to visit it's astounding. Until then all I can say is “Je Me Soviens”  - “I remember.”

Ancestry DNA Update

My original ethnic summary

When Ancestry DNA first became a service available at Ancestry.com, I was eager to jump at the chance to unlock the ancestral information hidden in my genetic code. I was very hopeful that Ancestry DNA would become a helpful tool in my quest to fill in the holes and mysteries in my family tree. Therefore, I spit into a little tube and sent my saliva in for analysis. Like many, I was not super blown away with the results, which had come back as 93% British Iles and 7% Uncertain. 

I knew I had a great deal of Irish ancestry, but was pretty surprised my known Belgian, French, and Italian ancestry did not seem to make an appearance. By my estimation, Western Europe, at the very least, should have popped up in my family DNA.

Of course, the service also matched my genetic code with users whose DNA was close to mine. At first there were few matches, but eventually I had pages and pages of fourth cousins and distant relatives. Unfortunately, I can’t really say I have unlocked any mysteries with these matches yet. The real mystery was knowing how we were related at all, as a fourth cousin only shares a great-great-great-grandparent. Never mind all the fifth through eighth cousins that matched as well. I still have hopes that this tool will be useful.

However, months ago, Ancestry DNA updated the ethnic estimations for all users. The new information specified areas previously only listed as unknown and diversified general areas like the British Iles. I found the new info pretty interesting and was eager to share it with my family. Below is a picture of my updated ethnic breakdown.

The new ethnicity estimations show a lot more detail

The update showed that I was mostly European, identifying Ireland as the largest percentage at 70%. This time Western Europe was included, showing 10%, and Great Britain clocked in at 5%. I’m a little unclear about how British DNA is calculated vs Irish DNA. Perhaps I showed a little Anglo-Saxon.

Map showing the 3 largest percentages in my ethnic breakdown

In addition, my DNA showed trace amounts from the regions of Italy/Greece (5%), Iberian Peninsula (3%), Finland/Northwest Russia (2%), Eastern Europe (2%), and Scandinavia (<1%). Of the bunch, my Italian ancestry is the only part I can prove through records and research.

However, the biggest surprise was the amount of Western Asian and Southern Asian DNA that I apparently carry around. Though the amounts were less than 1% for both regions, I had no indication I had any Asian ancestors at all. As a history teacher, I automatically think of Mongol invaders, who spread their DNA pretty heavily from China to Poland. At the moment, I don’t have another great explanation.

In light of the new information I uncovered regarding my paternal grandfather’s biological ancestry, I also recently ordered the Y-DNA kit from Ancestry DNA, which is obviously strictly paternal ancestry. I figured, since that is the area in my research with the biggest mystery, and I am carrying around a potential key in my own Y-DNA, why not see what results I get from an additional test?

All in all, I have had mixed results with using DNA as a genealogical tool. I found the information pretty interesting, but not yet really useful. Using an additional DNA test for my father and a male relative we believed should have been his half-cousin, I was able to disprove a parentage theory for my grandfather. However, my DNA tests have not so far given me any new info. Rather, any new discoveries I have made recently have come from birth records, newspaper archives, tax records, wills, cemeteries, and census records. More or less the same old stuff I have been doing for years.

Peter Statuto and the Law

When I began researching my great-great grandfather, Peter Statuto, some of the most surprising things I uncovered were his seemingly frequent run-ins with law enforcement during his life. For a “fruit dealer” from Lowell, he certainly lived an adventurous life. 

Peter Statuto arrived in the US from Italy in 1880. By 1889, according to the Lowell Sun, Peter was already facing charges in Worcester. The article in the Lowell Sun does not explain much, simply stating that Peter Statuto was arrested February 1899 for embezzlement of a wagon. Apparently, he was then bailed out and taken to Worcester to face trial.

Of course, it’s difficult to know the details of his crime. Embezzlement isn’t strictly theft. Still, an article in the Lowell Sun published only few days after the first reported that the case was heard before a judge and Peter was discharged. A man named William A. Hogan appeared in his defense.

Of course, the drama with the wagon appears to continue when Peter later accused a man named Charles McCarthy with larceny of a wagon in August of the same year. This must have been some wagon. Still, Charles McCarthy later appears as one of his employees as late as 1902. So, one must wonder how the matter of the wagon was settled. 

However, Peter’s biggest involvement with law enforcement came in April of 1902, when a former employee of his struck and killed one of his current employees. According to the Sun article, a man named Joseph Seymour, who had once worked for Peter Statuto, confronted a pair of Statuto’s delivery men while the two were at a local lunch room.

One of the employees, a man named Charles Elwell (or Elwood or Elward), first argued with Seymour. Then, the two men fought. Apparently, Elwell sent Seymour packing. However, Seymour returned to Statuto’s store the next morning, when he saw Elwell he said, “I’m going to fix you this morning for what happened last night.” Elwell agreed to fight the man again.

Joseph J. Seymour

The two made plans to walk down to an adjoining street and fight it out. However, Seymour demanded they wait for a couple of his friends, as Elwell was in the company of another man named Gallagher.

Apparently, as Elwell and Gallagher were talking on the curb, Seymour jumped from the steps of Statuto’s store and struck Elwell in the back of the head. Elwell fell unconscious to the ground, his friend attempted to break up the fight, but was struck by Seymour as well, who then escaped down the street. According to the article, police believed that Seymour had used brass knuckles in the fight, but Seymour denied it. Peter Statuto, who had witnessed the attack from inside his own store, rushed outside to help Elwell. He brought the man inside and splashed water on his face, but Elwell did not recover.

Seymour was arrested for assault and pled guilty to the charge. However, Elwell never regained consciousness and died the following morning. The charge was altered to assault with the intent to kill, which Seymour denied.

As one of the primary witnesses to the crime Peter Statuto was interviewed by a reporter from the Sun, which appeared in a new article the following day. He was also required to appear at the trial of Joseph Seymour.

An article that appeared in a June 1902 edition of the Boston Globe explains what happened to Seymour. According to the Globe Seymour was sentenced to serve from 4 ½ to 7 years in a state prison. The article goes further to say that Seymour became hysterical and needed to be escorted from the court room. From there, I’m not sure what happened to Seymour.

Seymour at his trial in Lowell

Peter Statuto, however, continued his business as a fruit salesman. His name is mentioned several more times within articles in the Lowell Sun, but only one more  time in relation to crime (that I could find). 

 According to the Sun, in February of 1909 a man named Philip Therien stole a watch and a chain, valued at $15. Mr. Therein was caught and admitted the theft. He even brought the police to where he had stashed the stolen items, which was in the basement of Peter Statuto’s store.

I thought this story was interesting for a couple reasons. First, Peter Statuto’s second wife was named Marie Therrien. It is more than likely that Marie Therrien and Philip Therein are related, as I’ve noticed newspapers were not super careful about the spelling of surnames in the early 1900’s.

Second, a man named Philip Therrien appears in the 1920 census, boarding with Peter Statuto’s daughter Amelia Gilman. This is interesting to me because the other person boarding with the Gilman family in 1920 was my mysterious great grandmother, Mary Rose Statuto, who was pregnant with my grandfather at the time. How exactly Philip Therein is connected to the family is therefore of interest to me.

Who exactly is Philip Therrien?

After reading about the adventures and misdeeds of my great-great grandfather, Peter Statuto, I feel like I have a better understanding of who he was. That is one of the things I enjoy most about this type of research. Of course, one of the best things about genealogy is that every record I acquire helps to paint a clearer picture of the origins of my family. With the addition of Peter Statuto’s records, our picture is now just a bit more colorful.