My Graton Family Origins in "The New World"

In 1670 my 8th G-Grandparents, Claude Jacques Graton and his wife Marguerite Moncion along with their five children arrived in "The New World" from France. The family was to settle on land in Beauport Quebec.

Based on the absence of any records after 1671 of Claude Jacques in Quebec, it is presumed that he returned to France during the Fall of 1671 or the Spring of 1672. Also lending credence to his departure is his absence in Beauport at the birth of his son, Joseph, on July 5 1672 and his absence at his eldest daughter Helene's wedding on February 13 1673. Claude Jacques was never heard from again and was declared "deceased" in Beauport on August 3 1683.

Marguerite Moncion was to die on June 9 1674, leaving her 5 minor orphaned children to the care of Claude Jacques sister, Maturine Graton (subject of an earlier post) and her husband.

The two eldest sons of Claude Jacques, Jacques and Mathurin, after numerous problems with the law returned to France about 1675 or 1676. The third son, Pierre, returned to France in 1689 and was last heard from while serving in Belgium with the French Kings Army in 1694.

It is the two daughters and youngest son of Claude Jacques that are to remain in "The New World". It is the son, Joseph, from whom the Graton line is established and continued in "The New World".

For Family Genealogy of this family see:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=m-leblanc&id=I3887

Stephen Roscoe Reynolds II (Iowa Pioneer)

Stephen R Reynolds II, my 2nd G-Grandfather, was born August 4 1811 in Ferrisburg Vermont to Stephen Reynolds I and Mary Polly Gage. Stephen's early years were spent living with various families after the death of his mother in 1817.

On New Years day 1840 in Westford Vermont, Stephen married Nancy Worley (subject of an earlier post) and the newlywed couple traveled by wagon to Booneville Missouri. The couple's first three children were born in Booneville.

During the mid 1840's, due to the politics of the time, Stephen moved his family to Forestville Iowa becoming one of the first settlers of Richland Township (named by Stephen himself).
Stephen and Nancy were to have nine more children born on the family homestead in Iowa.

Stephen spent the first few years in Iowa improving his land, but was a salesman by trade. In Richland Township, Stephen was to serve ten years as it's Postmaster along with duties as it's Road Commissioner and Justice of The Peace.

Stephen died on May 1 1906 and is buried at the Reynolds Family Cemetery locaded on the old homestead

See Reynolds Family Cemetery at:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2302118&CScn=reynolds&CScntry=4&CSst=14&

For family Genealogy see:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=m-leblanc&id=I125

Jean LeBlanc and Marguerite Lemay (3rd g-Grandparents)

Jean LeBlanc was born around March 1796 and was baptized seven months later on October 22 1796 at Chateauguay Quebec. Jean was the son of Etienne LeBlanc and Amable Rivard (subjects of earlier posts) and was the third son of this family named Jean, his older brothers being named Jean Francois Regis and Jean Baptiste.

Marguerite Lemay was born about 1798, possibly in Soulanges Quebec to Amable Lemay and Marie Josephte Lefebvre.

Jean and Marguerite were to marry on July 23 1821 at St Regis, Huntingdon, Quebec. Jean and Marguerite spent most of their married life farming in Saint-Anicet Quebec where they had thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters.

Late in life, Jean and Marguerite moved to be with a daughter in St Isadore de Prescott, Ontario. At St Isadore de Prescott, Jean was to die on October 12 1882 and Marguerite was to die on August 8 1892, where they are both buried

For this family's genealogy see:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=m-leblanc&id=I907

John Woodbridge (Man of the Cloth)

John Woodbridge, my 9th g-Grandfather, was born in 1613 at Stanton-Wilts England to John Woodbridge and Sarah Parker. John was the sixth straight generation of "men of the cloth", all named John.

John studied at Oxford University until he immigrated to the New World in 1633 on the ship named "The Mary and John". John was to first settle in Ipswich Massachusetts, then moved on to Newbury Massachusetts to become the towns first Town Clerk. In 1641 John purchased land and led settlers to what was to become Andover Massachusetts.

On May 20 1637 in Andover Massachusetts John married Mercy Dudley, daughter of Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor Thomas Dudley (subject of an earlier post) The marriage was to produce twelve children.

John died on March 17 1695 in Newbury Massachusetts and is buried in The First Parish Burying Grounds of Newbury

For further reading see:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Woodbridge

Helena Cecilia Graton (Great Grandma)

Helena Cecilia Marcella Graton was born August 13 1876 in Saint-Anicet Quebec to Francois Graton and Esther Dubreuil (subjects of an earlier post) Helena was to immigrate to Aitkin Minnesota in 1888 with her family.

On February 12 1892, at the age of 15, Helena married her
second cousin George LeBlanc at St James Church in Aitkin Minnesota. This mariage was to result in thirteen children, six sons and seven daughters.

Helena was to live and farm in Aitkin through the late 1920's when she followed her children to Duluth Minnesota to reside. In the 1940's, she once again moved, following her children to Southern California.

Helena died on December 7 1956 in Wilmington California and was buried at All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach California

For Family Geneleagy See:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=m-leblanc&id=I43

Walter John Phillips (My last immigrant to the New World)

Walter John Phillips, my Great Grandfather, was born July 22 1866 in Llanelly Wales to John Phillips and Mary Jenkins. Walter John grew up in Llanelly working in the Tin and Copper mills along side his father and brothers.

In 1890 Walter John immigrated to the United States and settled in the San Francisco California Bay area. He became a Naturalized United States Citizen on March 11 1896 in San Francisco California.

Walter John was to marry three times;

On September 1 1892, Walter married a Katherine Kennedy at St James Church in San Francisco California. Katherine died soon after the marriage and no known children were born of this marriage.

About 1893 Walter John married a co-workers widowed sister, Mary Smith (subject of an earlier post), and took on the responsibility of raising Mary's two young daughters. Walter John and Mary were to have four children of their own during the next 10 years. Mary was to die in 1904.

Between 1910 and 1920 Walter John took for his third wife, in San Francisco California, an Ida Mae Tulliners. No children were born of this marriage.

Walter John was to spend his life in California working as a gardener and parks worker for the City and County of San Francisco California.

The year 1904 must have been one of sorrow for Walter John. In February, his two year old daughter Suzi died, in April a child was stillborn, and his wife Mary died the following month from complications of the stillborn birth.

Walter John died on October 18 1933 in San Francisco. His funeral procession passed through the parks he worked in during his life on the way to Colma California, where Walter John was buried on October 20 1933.

For Genealogy See:

http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=m-leblanc&id=I70

Marie Amable Rivard (A Soldier's Wife)

Marie Amable Rivard,
my 4th g-Grandmother, was born on December 30 1761 in Yamachiche Quebec to Joseph Rivard and Genevieve Cote. She was baptised on New Years Day 1762 at St Anne, Yamachiche (See Baptism record)

On November 16 1778, at Yamachiche, Marie Amable married Etienne LeBlanc (See a previous Blogpost), a French Acadian Soldier fighting for the United States in The American Revolution. (See Marriage Record)

Marie Amable remained in Yamachiche through 1784 and gave birth to three children there. She joined her husband in 1784 at Albany New York, where she was to give birth to a Son in 1785.

The family returned to Quebec around 1787 and she was to give birth to nine more children from 1787 through 1802.

Marie Amable died on October 1 1816 at St Regis Quebec and she was buried there on October 6 1816

For family genealogy see:
http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=m-leblanc&id=I1585&style=TABLE

Helene Desportes (First born white child in New France)

My 10th g-grandmother, Helene Desportes, is beleived to be the first surviving white child born in New France. Helene is beleived to have been born about 1620 to Pierre Desportes and his wife Francoise Langlios. Helene was to marry first Gullaume Hebert in 1634 then 2nd to Noel Morin in 1640. Helene was to give birth to twelve children. Helene died on June 24 1675 in Quebec.
For furthur reading see:
http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=172&interval=20&&PHPSESSID=lr0f3v7k2ang4l5tbrc8fpci05