Quelques familles pionnières
Augustin Levasseur et Maria Roy
In the fall 1937, Maria Roy and Augustin Levasseur left the town of Kedgwick in New Brunswick to settle in Matane. The mayor, Raoul Fafard, was extremely pleased with this new arrival. With eighteen new residents, Matane could now be recognized as a city.
« My father worked in forestry and my mother opened a grocery store», according to one of the younger children, Laurence Rouleau, the «Matanaise»
At the time, Matane was recognized as a village.
The Mayor hurriedly convened a meeting with his councilors to engage the process requesting that Matane be officially recognized as a city.
Joseph Levasseur and Marie Clara Cormier
Since the beginning of time man has been curious to know his origins. Usually one knows his immediate family relatively well. Who his father and mother are, where they came from, where they went to school, where they worked, who is grand parents are and his uncles and aunts. However, he may know very little about his great grand parents and where they were born and their way of life. What brought them to the area where he was born. In order to satisfy this curiosity I have endeavoured to find information about my origins, my great grand parents, where they came from, who were their parents and will share them with you in this brief expose of my Levasseur ancestors where my great grand father, Joseph and his wife, Marie-Clara (née Cormier) settled in LaSalle Manitoba in 1896.
Joseph Levasseur was born in Ste-Angèle de Laval on May 10 1857 and died in Lorette Manitoba on May 22 1929. He married Marie-Clara Cormier on September 16, 1878 in Ste-Angèle. I had always been told that he was an only sun but data published by genealogist Vincent Levasseur indicates that he had a brother Ligouri Albert who died shortly after birth and two sisters, Alice and Cécile for whom there is no information available. Joseph and his wife Marie-Clara had seven children, five sons and two daughters. They are Antonio, Donat, Roméo, (my grand father) Ligouri and Willy and the daughters were Mariana and Bertha.
My great grandfather’s father was Prosper levasseur. Prosper was born in Bécancourt on November 28 1816 and died in Ste-Angtèle de Laval on February 22, 1889. Prosper was married to Margueritte Ducharme in Bécancourt on September 30, 1850. She died four days after her husband on February 26, 1889. Prosper and his wife were buried under the central isle of the Sainte-Angèle church. There is also a plaque on the left side of the main alter of the church in Ste-Angèle with an inscription of his name and also on a station of the cross. Prosper’s father Étienne Augustin was married twice, first to Antoinette Genest dit Labarre on February 21, 1803, with whom he had ten children. With his second wife, Mélanie Vigneault, he had six children of whom Prosper an only son. Consequently the Levasseurs who’s grand parents originated in Manitoba have only indirect links with other Levasseurs that are usually retraced to Denis Joseph. (third generation)
Roger Levasseur
octobre 2007
John Vasseur - Kate Mallen
I began taking an interest in my family history after the death of my uncle in 2003, and this passion is still very much alive and well, although it often simmers on the back burner.
I do not have many primary sources. John Napoleon Vasseur, my husband’s grandfather, died before Bill was born, but he remembers his grandmother a wee bit. Everyone loved Kate. She referred to her husband as “my John.” I sense that their marriage and family bonds were strong and healthy. On their marriage certificate, her name is typed as Catherine but she signed it “Kate.” I married into a wonderful family and we gather together for a visit each summer in Grand Falls where my mother-in-law, Hilda (Godreau) Vasseur, still lives a relatively healthy life at almost 93 years of age. We will gather on Canada weekend this summer. Jack (John) was a carpenter by profession and a musician by hobby. In his diary, he talks about his own shop and tools, and also working for the town of Grand Falls. He built houses and buildings, worked on the bridge and at the church, and built furniture. We have a small plant stand in our living room that he built. He mentions forming their orchestra and also joining and leaving the CMBA, which appears to have something to do with music.
Kate (Catherine Mallen), his wife, is the daughter of Lawrence and Marie (Roberge) Mallen. My in-laws cared for her in her old age, until she had to go to a nursing home in St. Basile, New Brunswick. They gave her excellent care at their home, according to Aunt Pearl. She braided rugs when she lived with them. A traveling salesman used to bring scraps and rags to the garage where Thomas worked, and he brought them home for her to use in her rugs. I remember them from under the rockers in Bill’s home in Grand Falls.
Each summer I try to rummage through the archives at the Grand Falls library and museum to learn about my daughters’ Vasseur/Levasseur roots. Last year I came upon John’s diary. It amuses me that he refers to births of other peoples’ children but not to his own. Perhaps he was too overwhelmed with his wife’s fourteen pregnancies.
William’s diary is similar in style to John’s but more detailed, and it is his own handwriting. His means of earning a living seemed to vary, from game warden to liquor store manager to guide. He loved music, plays, dances and hunting. He seemed quite interested in world news.
James and Severine Levasseur had three children, according to our copy of the family history, Mathilde, John and William. William never married, and is buried beside his parents in the Assumption Church cemetery in Grand Falls.
I only learned about Mathilde a few days ago. I found information about her in the Paroisse Assomption, Grand Falls, website, and also Automated Genealogy. She married a gentleman by the name of Joseph Crozier.
My in-laws, Thomas and Hilda Vasseur, cared for Uncle Billy (William) in his last years, so Bill’s sisters remember him well. Their fondest recollections are of his evening serenades. At bedtime he pulled out his fiddle, tuned it up, and played his repertoire of songs. He always concluded with “Pop Goes the Weasel,” which signaled lights out.
The Vasseur brothers ran a dance hall in Grand Falls. As you see in John’s diary, they had a slot machine in their hall. My father-in-law Thomas and his brother/partner, Wilmot, later kept it at their garage. Thomas always kept coins there for his children to use to play the machine after school. Eventually, someone decided it was a negative influence on the children and they discarded this piece of history.
I find the Mallen family difficult to trace. Bill and I drove around Comeau Ridge looking for an old cemetery but the only one I could find is about a century old. The 1911 website states that Lawrence is Irish. According to automated genealogy and his diary, John boarded with the Lawrence Mallen family before he married their daughter.
By: Peggy Moore Vasseur
Edmond Levasseur - Mary Boutin
On May 7th 1895, Edmond Levasseur married Mary Boutin. They had 10 children: Angéline, Noëlla, Marie-Anna, Antonio, Rose, Jeanne, Fernand, Jean-Paul. Two other children deceased at an early age. Edmond was born in Tingwick on 27 February and died 22 July 1947 in Asbestos, Qc He was 76 years old. Edmond Levasseur is a descendant of Pierre Levasseur.
1913. At the age of 42, Edmond Levasseur makes his debut in Asbestos by purchasing from M. Morell a small butter and cheese factory. This building is located on Wonton Road which became rue Du Rio with the expansion of the city of Asbestos.
Already Mr. Levasseur had a good experience in the business. For more than twenty tears he had handled milk to produce butter and cheese. He then saw a good business opportunity to provide his services to the total population of Asbestos.
1921. His business progressed due to increased demand. Having gained additional experience, he decided to expand. That had been a long cherished dream. Daily, his factory supplied fresh milk provided by some 200 local farmers.
1924. Years go by and the business progresses well. To secure his business and ensure its progress Mr. Levasseur registers his commerce. On 12 January 1924 he becomes “Cremerie Asbestos Enrg”. It is good news for the coming year.
That year, Edmond believes time has come to introduce bottles with appropriate company identification. The first bottles are round with green lettering. Edmond also has each bottle cap printed to better identify his product. He also thinks that it is timely to promote the name Levasseur on each bottle caps.
1927 After year of hard work and success, Mr. Levasseur decides to expand his enterprise once more to “better face the music” as he used to say. With this second expansion, he decided to modernize his equipment to increase to efficiency and the profitability of his company.
1928. After years of efforts, disaster strikes Mr. Levasseur’s company. A boiler explodes and destroys the majority of the Dairy. We are in October and it is necessary to rebuild the enterprise. After the explosion, Father Castonguay, with the help of his parishioners collected over $700.00 dollars to assist Mr. Levasseur with the reconstruction of a new factory. Edmond greatly appreciated the gesture and he rebuilt using the same plans and on the same site as the previous building.
1929 Innovating, the Cremerie d’Asbestos continues to grow by introducing electric refrigeration. It is a first in Asbestos.
1934 The famous VI-CO! History says that in this particular year, consumption of this famous chocolate milk was in excess of 50,000 half-pints.
1941. It is war! Edmond begins to feel age and fatigue. His health weakens. He then decides to pass the torch to his son Antonio who already works as manager.
David Levasseur - Victorine Beauchesne
Amongst the pionneer families, we note that of David Levasseur. David was born in Bécancour in 1842. In St-Paul de Chester in1867, he married Victorine Beauchesne whon was born 1n 1846 in Stanfold (Princeville) . They lived in Notre-Dame-de-Ham (Fecto Mills) and then moved to St-Rémi.
In St-Rémi, on the property of his son-in-law Albert Grenier, David built his first sawmill powered by water. He also built another one for Lionel Beauchesne. He also built many houses in St-Rémi one of which still exists and is inhabited by Henri Beauchesne.
This family carried on with the birth of his son Eugène in Tingwick in 1878. Eugène married Délima Toussaint in Tingwick in 1904. At eleven, Eugène learned the rudiment of cheese-making while working in Mr Proulx’ cheese factory. In 1903, he participated in the construction of the parish church. In 1916, the church burnt and in 1917, he contributed in reconstruction of a new church.
Back in 1903, Eugène bought Mr Proulx’ sawmill in the 11th concession and promptly moved it to the 9th concession. Two years later, he built a second sawmill closed to his house. In 1906, he acquired Mr Honoré Rioux’ cheese factory and was also the owner of a milk separating station. Latter, he purchased Mrs. Octave Roy’s house, close to the church.
A cheese-maker first, an expert carpenter, a clever political organizer, always an ardent nationalist, Eugène Levasseur was interested in whatever was called progress. He worked very hard at obtaining a post office in St-Rémi and then the distribution of rural mail . He was also one of the local promoters of telephone in the area. The author recalls a meeting held in his house with some neighbors. His brother-in-law, Wilfrid Laliberté just had this innovation installed in Ham-Nord and was trying to explain the functioning of the system. Many were skeptical and were sort of laughing at this so-called “talking box”
In 1922, Eugène bought Wellie Marchand’s farm. He needed something to keep his sons busy…. Finally, Eugène and his wife Délima Toussaint had twelve children, seven boys and five gilrs, all born in St-Rémi. Altough none of the living children now reside in St-Rémi, they always take great pleasure in returning in this very picturesque part of the world which they affectionately call “la canadienne’
Written by: J. Raoul Levasseur
Alexandre Levasseur - Marie-Émilie Pelletier
Born at Saint-André de Kamouraska, (Laurent is his ancestor), Alexandre Levasseur arrived in Saint-Ulric in 1862. He bought lot 9B on concession VI in Saint-Ulric, (today known as Saint-Léandre). Father of eight children, he also raised a nephew, Thomas who was an orphan. In a publicatio «Les mémoires du vieux Léandre» (Old Léandre`s memories), one can read: «Alexandre Levasseur was the personnality of old Saint-Léandre, he was proud and impressive, he knew how to read and write, he was courageous, enterprising and religious.» Paul-Omer Levasseur, his great-grandson and cabinet maker built a new cross in the Fall of 2002. I was errected in the Spring of 2003 near the same location where the original cross had been planted by his ancestor Alexandre.
Borromée Levasseur et Lucienne Désilets
Son of Joseph Levasseur and Rosanna Roy, Borromée Levasseur was married in Grand-Mère on November 7, 1936 with Lucienne Désilets (Joseph and Délima Daoust).
During his life, Borrémée Levasseur was a farmer. After his marriage he and is wife lived on the family farm for four years. He then bought Omer Leblanc’s farm where he settled with his family. Today this property belongs to his son Paul. Borrémée and his wife Lucienne live in Cap de la Madeleine where they enjoy their retirement. They are the parents of following children.
Robert was born on September 28, 1937 and died on June 26, 1940. Ida, born June 22, 1940, married Rodolphe Ducet of Trois Rivières Ouest. Noëlla, was born on December 23, 1941 and was married to Jean-Denis Doucet who died accidentally on August 15, 1976 at the age of 34. Jacques married Edith St-Pierre. They reside in Terrebonne. François married Nicole Boisvert and the live in Ste-Marthe. Paul who married Johanne Ségin lives in the family home. Thérèse is married to Serge Fauche.aucher de Ste-Marthe.
Réal Levasseur - Lucille Dumont
Réal devoted mush of his time to the progress of his community. He was mayor of St-Éleuthère when the three municipalities merged in 1973 to form the city of Pohénégamook. He was the first mayor of the new city and his two co-founding partners were mayors the following years. According to Mr. Georges Comeau,
Secretary Treasurer of the city of Pohémégamook, the local press referred to Rhéal as being «a good man, a good boss, someone who was very human. He was a good negotiator devoted to the interests of his citizens. Mr. Levasseur had excellent ideas and new how to sell them. He did not impose his beliefs but succeeded in getting people to follow his thinking».
To solve the problem of water supply that affected the three municipalities, Mr. Comeau remembers that Mr. Levasseur fought bitterly with the government to have them respect their promises of installing a sewage and water system. That was the reason, sine qua non, why the municipalities had agreed to merge. Mr. Levasseur was primarily responsible to establish the organizational structure of the new city.
When the Levasseur Association of America met in Kamouraska in 1999, Mrs. Denise LaPointe, his wife, actively participated in the organization of that gathering. Mr. Levasseur has been a strong supporter of the Association during the last two decades.