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| The Oregon French trappeur survives: Delacroix Island, St Bernard Parish, Louisiana |
Willammeth March 22 1836
To the Bishop of Juliopoles
Reverend sir
We received youre kind Letter last fall wich gave us Much pleasure and ease to our minds for it has been a Long time since we have heard the Likes of it it has Gave us a new heart since we recived youre kinde instructions to us we will do oure Best indeavours to instruct oure fammilies to youre wishes still Living in hopes of some Speady releafe wich we are Looking for with eager hearts for the day to Come since we Recived youre kinde Letter we have beGun to Build and to make some preperations to Recive oure kinde father wich we hope that oure Laboure will not be in vaine for you know oure sittewations better than oure selves for Some of us stand in greate Neade of youre Assistance as quick as posible
We have nothing to Right to you about the Country but that the farms are All in a very thriving state and produces fine Crops We have sent theis few Lines to you hoping that that it will not trouble you to much for Righting so quick to you but the Country is setteling slowley and oure Children are Learning very fast wich make us very eager for youre assistance wich we hope by Gods helpe will be very sone oure prayers will be for his safe Arivele We have sent you a List of the families that Are at preasent in the settelment so no more preasant from youre humble servants
Joseph Jarvay, 7 children
Xaviar Laderout, 1 child
Eken Luceay, 6 children
Peare Belleck, 3 children
Charles Rondo, 3 children
Charles Plant, 4 children
Pear Depo, 1 child
Andrey Pecor, 4 children
Joseph Delar, 5 children
Luey Fourcy, 3 children
Lamab Erquet, 3 children
Jean Bt Perrault, 2 children
Joseph Desport, 3 children
Andrey Longten, 4 children
John Bt Desportes, 8 children
William Johnson, 2 children
Charlo Chata
William McCarty
Etienne Laferte
Louis Labonte
Willammeth March the 8 1837
Revernd sir we have taken this Oppertunity to Rite to you hoping this Will meate you on youre way to oure Settlement for we are waiting with Greate Angsitty for youre Arivall wich we have beane Looking for this some time since we have had the Pleasure of Reciving youre kinde Letter Wich Gave us Greate encouragement But we finde the time very Long Reverend sir you will think us very troublesom But we hope you will excuese us for We have musch of Neede of some assistance from you for we have allmost Every Relgion butoure own Wich you know Revernd sir with oute youre Assistance wen we are surounded by every one it will be very hard for us to bring oure familyes up to oure owne Religeon Wen theire is so maney others around them We are girnging oure familyes us as well As we posible Can But not so well as We would wish We have built a bedend to receve the Gentlemean that should please to Come wich will be a hapy Day for us we still remaine youre humbe Servants
Willammeth Settlers
Pear Belleck [Pierre Beleque]
Joseph Desportes
Charlow Chayta
Andrey Long[tain]
John Bt Desportes McK[ay]
Atoain Lafourty [Etienne Laferte]
Jonva Ladroute [Xavier Laderoute]
Joseph Jarvay [Joseph Gervais]
Charls Plant
Charls Rondo
Joseph Delor
John Bt Pearone [Perrault]
Louey Labounty [Louis Labonte]
Louey Foursey [Louis Fourcier]
Peare Depo [Pierre depot]
Lamab Erquert [Amable Arcouet]
Etien Luceay [EtienneLucier]
The priests did come. The church registers that they kept have been translated and abstracted and completely indexed indexed.They provide much information on the French Canadians and the Native Americans - as well as the Oregon Trail pioneers. The books are available from the St. Paul Mission Historical Society.
2) SMITH, George 26
3) DUPRES, Francis 32
4) ARQUAIT, Amable; Margaret [Tchinouk] 30; Mechel 19; John 11; Isaac 6; Margerite 5
5) DEMEULE, Charles 40
6) BISCORNET dit CAILLE, Paschale 56; Louise 55; Francis 21; Larose 13; Sophie 10; Joseph 7; Adelaide 7
7) ARQUAIT, Amable 25; Marianna 20; Cecile 10/12
8) HOFFMAN, Jesse G. 38; Morning 29; Bradley 13; Nancy 9; Rufus M. 7; Woodfred T. 5; Mary Jane 3; Pleasant 2. PARKER: Wiley 25; Howell 26.
9) THOMAS, Edrick 35; INGRAHAM: J.D. 26; PORTER: A. L. 30
10) GRIM, John W. 30; Francis Emmeline (Geer) 29; Louis 6; Baron 4; Martha 3; Wm. T. 1; Jacob 40; Mahaly 30; Leddy 9; Leonard 7; Amanda 5; Hellen 2; MCGRUE, Thomas 30; MCCOY, Andrew 18
11) CRAWFORD, David 30
12) CONE, Gustavus Augustus 27; HINSHAW, James 37
13) CONE, Anson Stirling 23
14) WHITNEY, William 44; Elizabeth (Tayler) 44; Joseph 18; Robert 16; James 10; Elizabeth 9; Sarah 7; Alice 5; Russ 3; William 1
15) PETIT, Amable 28; Emelie (Aubichon) 19; Hubert 1
16) LAFORTE, Joseph Joachim 37; Sophia (Aubichon) 22; Joachim 1
17) LARRISON, John G. 46; Hellen 29; Mary Ann 8
18) SENECAL, Gideon 34; Lucille (Ducharme) 18
19) GIGUERE, Felix Helie 28; Victorie (Cornoyer) 18; Sophie 3; Lucy 1; CORNOYER, John 12
20)LAROQUE, Pierrie 71; Louis 21; Mary 35; Baptiste 20; Maryanne 25; Frances 10; Agnes 8; Margerite 5; Moses 14
21)LAROQUE, Tarife 26; CARION, Rosalie 12, Larose 7; Gideon 4, John 2
22)MORIN, Antoine, 20; Frances 23m; Sophie 16; Narcisse 15
23) AUBICHON, Baptiste 53; Isabelle 25; Pierre 4; Baptiste 3; Marie 1; CARLEMAYNE, Baptiste 40; NEY, John 27
24) ROY, Thomas 55; Maria 28; Andre 13; Thomas 9; Rosalie 7; LEFEURE, Baptiste 17; GAYNON, Margarite 30; Felix 6; Joseph 3; GOBIN, Baptiste 13
25) GUERIN, Jean Frances 31; TRIMBLE, Louis 27
26) MCCOY, John 36; Jane 30; George 18; Elizabeth 14; William 13; John 11; Robert 7; David 5; Alexander 2; Charles 1
27) BARON, Charles 28; Louise 25; Mary 4; KLYNE, Margerite 6; Blandine 2; GAYNON, Ambrosia 16; JACKSON, John B. 26; MARITIN, Elizabeth 33; Mary 4; Antonie 1
28) GANGNON, Angelique 35; Louis 14; Marcel 10; Baptiste 6; Osalie 4; Esidore 1
29) VAUGHN, Andrew J. 24; Adaline Eglentine (Hall) 16; Amanda 6/12
30) HUNT, Thomas 35
31) BRUNELLE, Joseph 50; Susan 30; CONNER, Jane 11; CAMPO, Joseph 7
32) BAUGHMAN, Jacob 23; Abigail (Townsend) 21
33) WHITNEY, John 38; Mary 35; Maryann 10; David 6; Susan 4; James 1
34) CASE, William M. 30; Sarah (Potter) 28; Jonas 8; Frances 7f; John 5; Thomas 3; Susan L. 2
The following information was presented to me via email by Bernard Lussier of Quebec.
Most of the French-canadians who were present in the early days of Oregon came from a region which is now in Eastern Canada, in the province of Quebec. Their names have been recorded in Oregon by people who could not speak French. Therefore, the orthography of these names, is sometimes quite different of the french orthograph. Please allow me to try to link the names from Oregon with names currently used in Quebec.
There are about 10,000 french-canadian names and variants, and many more french names in use in France. In the lists below, asterisks will differentiate these names:
* : French-canadian names in common use. They can be found in the phonebook of Montreal, for example.
** : French names which are very rare or not found anymore in Qu‚bec.
Some name connections are obvious, others are more uncertain:
>>> : Obvious connection
>>: Probable
> : A guess
You will notice that we write Labont‚, not LaBont‚, nor La Bont‚. French-canadians very rarely use a capital in the family name after the article(Le, La, Les..) or pr‚position (De, Du, Des..). It is faster and simpler to write Labont‚. P> The termination "er" is pronounced in French like "hay" in English.
In French, accents are important. They indicate pronunciation.
Family names in alphabetical order:
A. Arquette: >>> Arcouet*; >> Arcouette*
Amable Arcouette: >>> Arcouet*; >> Arcouette*
Alexis Aubichon: >> Aubuchon*
Jean B. Aubichon: >> Aubuchon*
[], Beauvain: >> Bovet*; Boivin*; Beauvain**; Bovin**
Pierre Belaque: >>> B‚lec*
Joseph Bernabe: >>> Barnab‚*
Francis Bernier: >>> Fran‡ois Bernier*
F.N. Blanchet: >>> Blanchet*; Blanchette*
Louis Boivers: >>> Boisvert*
Antoine Bonanfont: >>> Bonenfant*
A.B. Breiver: > Br vert**; > Br viaire**
Oliver Briscbois: >>> Olivier Brisebois*
Charles Campo: >>> Campeau*
Adolph Chamberlain: >>> Adolphe Chamberlain*
Andrew Charlefou: >> Charlefou**; >Chalifoux*
Joseph Curnia: >>> Cornier*
Jean B. Dalcourse: >> Dalcourse**; De Lacourse**
B. Decharm: >>>Ducharme*
Baptiste Degear: >>> Deguire*
J. Deloir: >> Deloire*
Pierre deLord: >> Delord**; Delors**; Deloire**
Pierre Depau: >> Depau**
J.B. Deporte: >> Deporte**
Baptiste Dequire: >>> Deguire*
J.F. Despau: >> Despau**
Champine Despon: >> Despon**; Desponts**
David Doupierre: >> Dompierre*; Doupierre**
O. Dubarr: >> Dubarre**
Andre DuBois: >>> Andr‚ Dubois*; >> Duboy**
Jean DuCharme: >>> Ducharme*
Pierre Dupot: >> Dupot**; Dupeau**
Joseph Eurbare: >> Herbert** > H bert*
Pierre Gauthier: >>> Gauthier*; Gaulthier*
Joseph Gervais: >>> Gervais*
Etienne Gregoire: >>> Gr‚goire*
Antoine Felise: >> Felise**
J. Labombard: >>> Labombarde**
L. Labonte: >>> Labont*
Andre LaChapelle: >>> Andr‚ Lachapelle*
Xavier Laderoot: >>> Lad‚route**
Pierre LeCourse: >>> Lacourse*
Michelle Laferte: >>> Michel Lafert‚*, unless it was a woman.
Michael Laframboise: >>> Michel Laframboise*
Andre Longtain: >>> Andr‚ Longtin* >> Longtain**
Alexis Lapratte: >> Lapratte** > Laprade*
Pierre Laroque: >>> Larocque*
George Lebreton: >>>Lebreton**
Charles Lefantasie: >>> Lafantaisie**
Francis Leviese: >> Levis*
Jean Lingras: >> Lingras** > Gingras*
Moyse Lor: >>> Mo‹se Lord*
Etienne Lucier: >>> Lussier*; > Lucier*
Fabien Maloin: >>> Malouin*
Joseph Matte: >>> Matte*
F.X. Matthieu: >>> Fran‡ois-Xavier Mathieu*
Pierre Menard: >>> M nard*
Thomas Moisan: >>> Moisan; >> Moisang**
Nicholas Monture: >>> Monture*
A.C. Obeshaw: >> Aubuchon*
Louis Osant: >> Osant**
Luc Pagnon: >> Pagnon**
Pierre Papin: >>> Papin**
Pierre Pariseau: >>> Pariseau*; Parizeau*
Joseph Paro: >>> Perreault*
Jean B. Paupin: >> Paupin**
John B. Perault: >>> Perreault*
Charles Plant: >>> Plante*
[], Quantile: >>> Quantile**
H.H. Raymond: >>> Raymond*
Augustin Remon: >> Raymond*
Thomas Roa: >>> Roy*
Eustaces Reausho: > Eustache Rochon*
Antoine Rivet: >>> Antoine Rivet*
Charles Rondeau: >>> Rondeau*
Gedereau Sencalle: >>> S‚n‚cal*; >>> S‚n‚chal*
John B. Topan: >> Toupin*; Toupin**
Louis B. Vandalle: >>> Vandal*
-from Stephanie Flora