5. Thomas GAGNON
was born on 25 Jun 1823 in Kamouraska, Québec and baptized the same day,
as Thomas Jules. His godparents were François Isaac Ouellet, "uncle
of the child," and Marie Adélaïde Phocas dite Raymond (wife of Antoine
Thériault). The baptismal record notes that his father Prospère was not present
at the baptism.
He moved with his parents from Kamouraska to Trois Pistoles sometime before
1825, and then to the Madawaska region around 1831.
According to the 1844 land survey,
in 1840 he took possession of 147.31 acres of land in the "rear lots"
of Township 18, Range 5 (now Upper Frenchville).(165)
He was married to Marcelline MORIN (daughter of Cyrille MARIN and Marie COULOMBE) on 11 Sep
1848 in Ste-Luce church, Frenchville, Maine, by Fr. Henri Dionne in the presence
of Antoine Gagnon, Cyrille Marin and "many others." Dionne noted that
the couple did not know how to sign their names.(41) Here is the text of the marriage record from the Ste-Luce parish
register (M.14):
Le onze Septembre 1848 après
la publication de trois bans de mariage faite aux prônes de nos
messes paroisiales entre Thomas Gagnon, cultivateur, fils majeur de défunt
Prospère Gagnon et de Marie Anne Ouellette de cette paroise d'une
part et Marcelline Marin, fille majeure de Cyrille Marin et défunt
Marie Couhombe aussi de cette paroisse d'autre part ne s'etant decouvert
aucun empêchement nous prêtre curé sousigné
avons reçu leur mutuel consentement et leur avons donné
la bénédiction nuptiale en presence d'Antoine Gagnon, de
Cyrille Morin et de plusieurs autres qui ainsi que les epouses n'ont su
signer. H. Dionne |
English translation:
On September 11, 1848, after
the publication of three marriage banns at the sermons of our parish masses
between Thomas Gagnon, farmer, who is of age and son of the late Prospère
Gagnon and of Marie Anne Ouellette of this parish on one part, and Marcelline
Marin, who is of age and daughter of Cyrille Marin and the late Marie
Couhombe also of this parish on the other part, not having discovered
any obstacle, we the undersigned priest and pastor have received their
mutual consent and have given them the nuptial blessing in the presence
of Antoine Gagnon, Cyrille Morin, and several others who, like the bride
and groom, did not know how to sign. H. Dionne |
Marcelline MARIN (daughter of Cyrille MARIN
and Marie COLOMBE) was born on 2 Jun 1828 in Trois Pistoles, Lower Canada (Québec).
She was baptized on 5 Jun at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Trois Pistoles. Her godparents
were Jean Baptiste Malenfant and Marie Françoise Gosselin.
(For some reason, in the baptismal records of her children baptized in Trois-Rivières
and Montreal, and in her burial record in Montreal, her last name is given as
Pouliot.)
Thomas and Marcelline appeared on the 1850 US Census in Madawaska Plantation,
Maine, as Thomas Gormeu, 24 years old, laborer, born in Maine, and Marcelline
Gormeu, 20 years old, born in Canada, couldn't read or write.(40)
Thomas GAGNON and Marcelline MARIN had the following children:
25 i. Marie Marcelline GAGNON was
born on 20 Jul 1850 in Frenchville, Maine. She was baptized on 25 Jul 1850
in Ste-Luce church, Frenchville, Maine. (43) Her godparents were Cyrille Marin and Marie
Anne Ouellette (her maternal grandfather and paternal grandmother).
26 ii. Michel GAGNON was born on
7 Apr 1852 in Frenchville, Maine. He was baptized on 10 Apr 1852 in Ste-Luce
church, Frenchville, Maine. (32) His godparents were Antoine
Gagnon and Hortense Dionne (his paternal uncle and his wife). Michel GAGNON
died on 29 Jul 1906 in Montréal, and was buried on 31 Jul 1906 at Notre Dame
Basilica.
27 iii. Sophie GAGNON was born on
26 Sep 1854 in Frenchville, Maine. She was baptized on 27 Sep 1854 in Ste-Luce
church, Frenchville, Maine. (44) Her godparents were François Michaud
and More Lebel. She died on 16 Feb 1860 and was buried on 18 Feb in Trois-Rivières,
Quebec. She is described as being 5 years and 4 months old, daughter of Thomas,
"journalier" (day laborer) and of Marcelline Pouliot, "of this
parish." Present at the burial were listed Thomas Gagnon and Léandre
Cadieux.
Sometime after Sophie's birth, the family moved from what is now Frenchville
back to Lower Canada (Québec). The 1901 census indicates that the family
moved back to Quebec in 1855. By 1857 they were living in Trois-Rivières, where
their daughter Marie-Anne was born in October of that year. They were still
in Trois-Rivières at the time of their daughter Sophie's death in June 1860.
They family moved to Montréal sometime in 1860-61, probably before May 1861
-- Thomas does not show up in Lovell's directory of Montreal until the 1861/62
edition, which was published in May 1861. Their daughter Elisabeth's
birth does not seem to be listed in the Trois-Rivières parish register, so it
is possible that she was born in Montréal, though I have not yet found a record
of her baptism. (Update: I've managed to locate that baptismal record,
she was baptized in February 1860 in Trois-Pistoles.)
Thomas is listed as a laborer until the 1865/66 edition, when he is listed
as a watchmaker.
Thomas and Marcelline had the following children after their move back to Quebec:
iv. Marie Anne GAGNON was
born on 18 Oct 1857, and was baptized the following day at the Cathedral of
the Assumption, Immaculée-Conception parish, in Trois-Rivières. In her baptismal
record her father Thomas is described as a "journalier" (day laborer);
her mother is listed as Marcelline Pouliot, and both are described as "of
this parish." Her godparents were Narcisse Duval and Hortense Labrie.
[source: Parish register, folio 68, verso; B.246]
v. Marie
Elisabeth (Élise) GAGNON.
vi. Charles GAGNON was born on 2 Dec 1863
in Montréal, and was baptized on 6 Dec at Notre Dame Basilica. His godparents
were Charles Dauphin and Delia Desjardins. He died on 16 May 1892, and was
buried on 18 May at Notre Dame. In his burial record he is described as a
"briquetier," brick-maker.
vii. Délia GAGNON was born 6 Nov
1867 in Montréal, and was baptized on 19 Nov at Notre Dame Basilica. Her godparents
were Octave Dussault and Flavie Bell.
viii. Marie Séraphine Graziella GAGNON was
born on 12 Aug 1871 in Montréal, and was baptized on the following day at
Notre Dame Basilica. Her godparents were Magloire Letourneau and Marie Olive
Boisvert. She died on 19 Aug 1874, and was buried the following day at Notre
Dame.
At the time of the 1871 Census of Canada, the family was living
in Montréal, in St. Mary's Ward. Thomas is listed as "Horrias", age
48, "horlogier" (clockmaker), living at 115 rue Seaton with wife Marceline,
age 42 (neither of whom could read or write), as well as Marie, 21; Michel,
18, listed as "journalier" or day laborer; Annie, 13; Elise, 11; Charles,
7; and Délia, 3. All of them are listed as born in Quebec [1871
census of Canada, Québec, census place: 04, Ste-Marie Ward c, Montreal 105,
Quebec, page 198, lines 5-12, house number 544, family number 853]
At the time of the 1881 Census of Canada, the family was living
in Montréal, in St. Mary's Ward. Thomas was working as a clock or watch
maker, and daughter Marie as a dress maker:
1881 Census of Canada
Household:
Marital Ethnic
Name Status Gender Origin Age Birthplace Occupation Religion
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thomas GAGNON M Male French 58 Quebec Horlegier Catholique
Marceline GAGNON M Female French 48 Quebec Catholique
Marie GAGNON Female French 30 Quebec Couturier Catholique
Michel GAGNON Male French 28 Quebec Catholique
Anne GAGNON Female French 23 Quebec Catholique
Elise GAGNON Female French 21 Quebec Catholique
Charles GAGNON Male French 17 Quebec Catholique
Delia GAGNON Female French 13 Quebec Catholique
Source Information:
Census Place Ste-Mary's Ward, Montreal, Montreal, Quebec
Family History Library Film 1375855
NA Film Number C-13219
District 90, Sub-district G, Division 7, Page Number 22, Household Number 127
(found at the online
Census Records Search, FamilySearch.org)
In the 1891 census of Canada, the family is still in St.Mary's
ward, and includes the widowed Elise and her son Edouard:
Name Sex Age M'd Relship Birth
----------------------------------------------
Gagnon Thomas M 68 M -- Que
Gagnon Marcelline F 60 M e. Que
Gagnon Marie F 40 fl. Que
Gagnon Michel M 38 f. Que
Gagnon Anne F 32 fl Que
Gagnon Elise F 28 fl. Que
Gagnon Charles M 25 f. Que
Gagnon Delia F 22 fl. Que
Arcand Edward M 9 grfls Que
[source: 1891 census, Quebec, Montréal East, district
172, Subdistrict 100, page 17, April 9 (p.468 in Drouin collection Quebec-Montréal
Centre - Ste Marie Ward)]
Thomas GAGNON died in 1891, sometime after April 9th (the
date of the 1891 census). I have not been able to locate a burial record for
him. But the last edition of Lovell's he appears in is the 1889/90; in the 1890/91
edition Marcelline is listed as a widow.
By the time of the 1901 Census of Canada, Charles was deceased,
and Elise had left the household. Still living with their mother were Marie,
who was working in a tobacco factory 12 months, for wages of $175; Michel, who
worked in a tobacco factory for one month out of the previous year, for wages
of $35; Anne, working as a dressmaker in a factory, for wages of $200 over ten
months; and Délia, working in a tobacco factory twelve months, earning
$250 over the course of the year. Marie and Michel were the only ones who knew
English.
1901 census:
Fam. Mo/Day Where Rur/ When Mos. Annual Mother
Page Line No. Name Sex Relship Mar'd Birth Year Age Born Urb Ar'd Rel Prof Status Emp'd Earning R W E F Lang.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 39 6 Gagnon Marceline F Chef V Jun 2 1830 70 Q R CathR -- X Fran
1 40 6 Gagnon Marie F Fille C Jul 20 1850 50 EU 1855 " ouv en tabac employee in factory 12 175 X X X X "
1 41 6 Gagnon Michel M Fils C Apr 8 1852 48 EU 1855 " ouv en tabac " " 1 35 X X X "
1 42 6 Gagnon Anne F Fille C Oct 19 1857 43 Q U " couturière " " 10 200 X X X "
1 43 6 Gagnon Dhélia F Fille C Nov 6 1867 33 Q U " ouv en tabac " " 12 250 X X X "
1901 Census of Canada
Subdistrict: Sainte-Marie (Ward/Quartier), MONTRÉAL (City/Cité)/178, QUEBEC
District Number: 178
Subdistrict Number: a-58
Archives Microfilm: T-6537
From Automated
Genealogy 1901 Census Indexing Project
Image of census return from 1901 with this family:
It is unclear why Michel only worked for one month; he is not listed as having
any infirmities; also interesting is that he could read but could not write.
Marcelline MARIN died on 29 Jul 1906, and was buried on 31 Jul 1906 at Notre
Dame Basilica in Montréal. She died and was buried on the same day as her son
Michel.
Now I would like to find out how and when they moved from Frenchville to Trois-Rivières
and then to Montréal, as well as why. Also, why is Marcelline Marin's
maiden name listed as Pouliot in the Trois-Rivières and Montréal records?
If you have any information on this family of Thomas and Marcelline Gagnon
of Montréal, please contact me!
Return to Gagnon Table
of Contents
Last revised 26 Feb 2017