Book illuminates corner of Gaspe region

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Opening a package from Connee Jellison, who wrote Family Ties for 10 years, I couldn’t guess what genealogical data there might be in a small book with a cover photo of a big rock with a hole in it.

The title “Perce” brought to mind France, but little else. Nor did I know the author, the Rev. C.E. Roy, though past experience with Franco-American works by Tanguay, Albert, Talbot and Labonte has convinced me we owe much to the efforts of priests and brothers in compiling records and history of much of Quebec and Roman Catholic areas of the New England states.

“Perce” is a little treasure Jellison found at a yard sale, a 159-page paperback written in 1947 about one corner of the Gaspe peninsula. It is both history and nature guide, and certainly intended as an encouragement to tourists.

The missionaries came in the 17th century – church history comes first in the book, hence the Catholic stamps of approval in the front: the imprimatur and the nihil obstat. Yet the census of 1777 shows a mixture of settlers as head of household:

Peter Fraser, Geo. Richardson, George Geddes, Andrew Ferguson, Michael Connors, John Churchward, Abraham Hayden, Patrick Fleming, Christopher Mackenzie, Donald Macrae, John Dunn, John Robinson, James Hensley, William O’Brian, Edward Ryan, Edward Sinnet, Duncan McDonald, William McFee, Michael Reardon, James Walsh, Thomas Range, John McGrae, Philip Fainton, George Rankillen, William Smith, John Bte Noro (Moreau), Charles Belleveau, Francis Pagel or Paqette, Dominico Garatte, Francis Robert, Paul Bigonette, Jean Bte Bourget, Rocque D’Erache, Joseph Arbour, Lewis Bourget, Jean LaVielle. Bte. is the abbreviation for Baptiste.

The author transcribed the names from a photograph of Nicholas Cox’s handwritten census, and some are hard to read. The 1831 census, however, is typed, with corrections in parentheses, occupations and “population,” presumably the number in the household. Because the book is rare, we’ll include the data here, three households to a paragraph:

Edward Yosihe, (O’Leary), fisherman, 10. Joseph Mellot, (Methot), fisherman, 3. Paul Caron, fisherman, 5.

Jacques Lebec, (Levesqe), fisherman, 8. Mary M. Gennis, (McGinnis), farmer, 2. Mary M. Gennis Junr., (McGinnis), farmer, 5.

Susan Bourge, (Bourget), farmer, 3. Misse Bourge, (Bourget), fisherman, 6. Nichs. Bourge, (Bourget), fisherman, 3.

Joseph Lebec, (Levesque), fisherman, 4. Jacques Dunne, fisherman, 7. Louis Chretien, fisherman, 5.

Alexr. McGennis, publicain, 4. Wm. Annet, gaoler, 5. Thos. Moriarty, farmer, 11.

Nichs. Bouche, (Boucher), merchant, 3. Frangl. Du Guis, (Duguay), fisherman, 6. Patrick Conney, blacksmith, 9.

Hugh Cassidy, publicain, 6. Stephen Walsh, carpenter, 3. John Nickaley, (Nicolas), fisherman, 4.

Wm. Dennehe, (donohue), fisherman, 5. Andis Wettell, (Loisel), fisherman, 5. Sarah Holey, (O’Leary), farmer, 1.

Wm. Denehe, (Donohue), fisherman, 10. Charles Robin, merchant, 4. George Maloy, fisherman, 10.

Edmd. Flynn, fisherman, 8. Lource (Lawrence) Lamb, fisherman, 8. James Rooney, merchant, 5.

John Blodin, (Blondin), fisherman, 6. John Brock, fisherman, 4. James Lenfesty, fisherman, 15.

John LeGros, farmer, 12. James LeMarquand, farmer, 12. John Loizel, farmer, 10.

J.B. Greneau, (Grenier), farmer, 8. John Asperot, (Aspirot), laborer, 12. Thos. LeMaitre, fisherman, 12.

John Buslaur, (Despard), fisherman, 24. Stephen Dowen, (Dowell), fisherman, 24. Edwd. Hamon, fisherman, 8.

Wm. LeTerre, (Laterreur), fisherman, 8. Julien LeRue, (Larue), laborer, 10. James Ballem, laborer, 12.

Edwd. Dumain, fisherman, 12. Wm. Wall, fisherman, 14. John LeBroy, (Arbour), laborer, 14.

Clement Master, fisherman, 6. J.B. Morin, fisherman, 4. Thos. Dorion, fisherman, 4.

J.B. LeRue, (Larue), fisherman, 6. John DePres, (Despres), laborer, 6. Louis Cloutier, laborer, 4.

Louis Fortin, fisherman, 4. J.B. Morrough, (Noro or Moreau), fisherman, 6. Louis Gudmotle, (?), laborer, 8.

Chas. Blanthie, (Blanc-Pied), fisherman, 6. Louis Fournier, fisherman, 8. Thos. Jervis, (Gervais), fisherman, 8.

Chas. Boullee, (Boulet), laborer, 11. Fabien Couture, fisherman, 11. John Kennedy, fisherman, 2.

Joseph Bouchard, fisherman, 6. Plk. Cox, laborer, 7. J.B. Martin, laborer, 8.

Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402; or send e-mail to familyti@bangordailynews.net.