About two weeks ago, I was surprised with a very pleasant email and picture from one of my ‘cousins’. Barb had been researching the Deyo family and made a very exciting discovery, she wrote:
Look what I found while searching online at SUNY Plattsburgh. Leona Deyo, Altona, NY. They give her age as about 2 yrs. old. This is a part of their special collections.
I was told that “If this image is used in any publication or posted online, we ask that this credit line is used: Courtesy SUNY Plattsburgh Special Collections. This way other people know where the original image is held.”
Needless to say, I was thrilled, as was my dad (Leona’s son). Below are copies of both the original photo (left) and an enhanced version of the original (right).
I have encountered yet another Quebec genealogy mystery. As you might expect, this “new” mystery also involves the Deyo line. Nothing new there, I guess!
Here’s where things stand currently. The family in question are the Francois Lafaye/ Marguerite Foret family- my gggg-grandparents down my grandmother’s maternal line (mid 1700s).
Marguerite Foret/Forest appears ‘likely’ to have been the daughter of Bonaventure Foret/Forest and Marie-Claire Rivet. She as well as her entire Forest/Foret family were deported by the British ultimately landing in Louisiana as part of le Grand Dérangement; deportation records (on Ancestry.com) support that assertion as does a database on the Acadian-Cajun website. Additionally I have found the following history on the Acadiansingray website (for the complete history and sources click this link):
All of the Acadian Rivets who found refuge in Louisiana came from Maryland in the late 1760s:
Claire Rivet of Pigiguit age 42, wife of Bonaventure Forest, age 44, reached Louisiana in July 1767 with the second contingent of Acadians from Maryland. With them were four daughters, ages 18 to 12. They settled with the rest of the 1767 arrivals at St.-Gabriel d’Iberville south of Baton Rouge. Claire remarried to Abraham dit Petit Abram, son of fellow Acadian Abraham Landry and widower of Élisabeth LeBlanc and Marguerite Flan, probably at nearby Ascension in the 1770s. Claire died at Ascension in March 1780; the priest who recorded her burial said that she was 62 years old when she died, but she was closer to 57.
However there are other opinions on this including the following very nicely articulated by Paul Drainville of Springfield, Ma.
English: A painting of the portation in Grand-Pré, Nova Scotia. Français : Scène de la déportation des Acadiens en 1755. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
[...] I was able to read of the hardships “Marie Lore” went through in her conversion (to the religion of her youth) and in the help that she provided to Madame Feller in her establishment of [her] mission.
It was interesting to read that Madame Feller referred to Francois Lafay as having been a French sailor who left his ship in the area of Boston…
I also was directed by M. Doray to the marriage record for Marie Anne Lafay who married Francois Lord, June 6, 1806 St. Marguerite de Blairfindie. In this record Francois Lafay is listed as an officer. I then found through a google book search a book that listed Francois Lafay as being an officer who served in the Canadian militia (at L’Acadie) for Britain in the war of 1812 (he would have been in his early 70′s). So two differnet sources refer to him being an officer…
This likely confirmed for me what Prof. Stephen White had written to me that Francois Lafay was most likely educated as Francois signed his name “Francois Lafay” as someone educated in English would have signed. If Francois was an officer he most likely would have then been educated.
[...] Quebec records indicate a Boston connection (area of Boston could mean the whole of New England). Prof. White suspects a Connecticut connection, as that was the location Marguerite and her family had been exiled in the deportation.[...]
The curious counter-point I would mention is to be found on the marriage record of my ggg-grandparents- Ignace Denis dit LaPorte and Julie Lafaye. On their marriage document dated 1801, it is noted that Francois Lafaye is a Laboreur. As in the example above his signature remains the same. So was he a military man or was he a common man? If you are fluent in French, I’d appreciate comments on the marriage text below.
Map of Louisiana highlighting Iberville Parish (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
So what can I say? Marguerite’s husband, Francois, is a perplexing ‘mystery’. How and when Francois Lafaye arrived in the Southern colonies (today the US) is not certain. His position in life, uncertain. More frustratingly, Francois Lafaye is also extremely difficult to connect firmly to a set of parents- for now I have him linked with Francois Faille and Marie Anne Brosseau, because they had a son of the correct age and name (this is a commonly accepted, albeit, unreliable connection). The truth is, we don’t know who his parents were. The best I can do right now is guess.
To be genealogically more accurate and for me to be personally more comfortable, I really need some definitive information explaining how Francois came to the American colonies (Louisiana?). Finding that information, it then becomes more likely that we will be able to clearly identify his parents. But, to date I have not been able to find that information and those linkages. Perhaps some one out there has?! Ah well, such is the uncertainty of genealogy.
There seems to be a lot of confusion on the web regarding the ancestors and history of Marguerite Forest/Foret . But I, at least, am pretty happy saying she is the daughter of Bonaventure Foret and Claire Rivet. By that I mean I have found an adequate and cohesive amount of readily available circumstantial evidence. As was mentioned earlier, it seems probable that Marguerite and her family were deported to Maryland ending up in Louisiana in the south as part of the British deportation (ethnic cleansing) of Acadia; and, she resided in that area and perhaps the American Colonies during the 10 to 15 years after 1767 (this comment is based on the terminology used in her and Francois rehabilitation marriage record, above). As with most ‘removed’ Acadians, we tend to loose track of them once they departed Canada (such is largely the case with Marguerite). And as was explained above, there are other opinions, some seem very probable. But, each of the options seem to be missing hard evidence.
St. Gabriel (1761 – 1763) Church of the Iberville Coast [was] built by Acadian exiles in 1769. It was located in 1773 on Spanish Manchac on a grant given by that Government. [...] Believed to be the oldest Catholic church structure in Louisiana, St. Gabriel Church has been lovingly restored and maintained by the church congregation. It was built in 1769 and has been moved several times. [...]This area is in a part of Acadiana, which was founded by the Acadians, after their expulsion from Nova Scotia in the mid 1700s. St. Gabriel Roman Catholic Church is perhaps one of the oldest churches in the Louisiana Purchase Territory. [...]Tradition sets the date of the formation of the parish in 1761. According to the 1972 National Register nomination form, the Capuchin Vicar General, Father Dagobert, directed that a church be established in 1769, and tradition has it that the church building was completed in that same year. [...]The first baptism record available for the St. Gabriel Church is dated April 22, 1773, and the first marriage record is from January 1, 1773.
All of the above information certainly goes a long way towards explaining why the marriage of Francois Lafaye and Marguerite Foret required rehabilitation, it was never officially registered. or recognized by the Catholic Church. It may in fact have not even been conducted in a Church setting. hmmm.
Given the data I have discovered to-date, Francois Lafaye (Lafaille) & Marguerite Forest/Foret were most likely married in a non-Church setting (or minimally their wedding was unregistered) in Louisiana in 1767. This date is supported by PRDH & Drouin films, the location is up to the facts you choose to believe. I personally like the facts associated with the Rivet-Foret relocation through Maryland to St. Gabriel, Louisiana. The actual month and day, given on their rehabilitation record, seems to read 4 June 1767; other readers have translated the date differently. Most certainly, their marriage was rehabilitated 23 June 1792 in L’Acadie, St-Jean, Quebec. The rehabilitated marriage is signed by “Francois Lafay” not “Lafaille” or “Faille”.
We also, know that the couple had several children while living in the southern colonies who were re-baptized in that same church in L’Acadie, St-Jean, Quebec in the 1790′s (see image below). Julie Lafaye (my ggg-grandmother) was one of those children as her re-baptismal record attests. She (age 7) and her sister Brigitte (age 13) were re-baptized on the same day, 21 Sept. 1791; their brother Francois was also re-baptised that same year.
As Mr. Drainville’s note suggests, collateral searches are in order; without additional evidence this genealogy is at a brickwall. And so the search goes on!
To conclude our tale, Marguerite died 18 Feb 1819 in L’Acadie, Quebec. Francois Lafaye remarried Magdeleine Lepine 22 in Nov 1819 in L’Acadie, Quebec, Canada.
Francois Lafaye died June 1824 in L’Acadie, Quebec.
If you know of additional source information regarding this couple that you are willing to share, please let me know. Any/ all help are most welcome.
This history will become the basis for my September 2011 tutorial at the Parker Genealogical Society. (Another example French Canada search for Francois Lafaye & Marguerite Foret/Forest is also underway at ManyRoads and may be used during the tutorial.)
Hyperlinks on this page will most often open source documents.
Comments, suggestions & questions are most welcomed.
For those of you who follow ManyRoads, you will recall that I have been looking for years for my great-grandmother’s family (Exina Menard- Deyo). I am sharing my work and data as it evolves (I hope much like a tutorial or case study.) for three reasons:
to help me keep things in one place (a running log?)
share the process of research with anyone interested in seeing my work as it stumbles, jerks and ultimately unfolds
to use in my September tutorial
Be aware, this page is being actively worked and its content will change!
This material grew in large part from a forum posting originally created by Bev Farrington (thank you Bev for the leads!). So far as I can tell, based upon Bev’s, as well as my own, research, our Alexandre Menard is NOT related to another Alexis Menard from Clinton County NY- he was the son of Francois Menard & Madeleine Matte.
Now on to what I believe we can say about Exina Deyo’s parents, Alexis/Alexandre Menard/Minar/Miner (also known as: Alexis Menard dit Bellerose) and Louise/Marie-Louise/LaLouisa Pageau/Pajeau/Painchaud/Page/Pigeon/Payette/Pajo/Pacheau.
In the 1851 Canadian Census, Alexis shows up as living with his parents (Alexis Menard- a farmer & Margueritte Barriere- housewife) as well as with his siblings (Pierre, Edouard, Abram- all three sons were classed as Laborers). Most peculiarly, the Alexis Menard family is listed on the exact same page of the 1851 Canada Census as the family of Joseph & Julie Dion/ Deyo/Deo (this is the family into which Exina later marries- George/ Georges Deo/ Deyo!).
Then if that weren’t odd enough, a very generous Menard Family Member (Jackie Menard Hillier) sent me additional information on Alexis; and there he was married to Aurelie Dion (10 Feb 1852). Be aware, this is the very same Dion family into which my g-grandmother Exina marries again (to a nephew of Aurelie) much later in time. To add further confusion to the mix, I have no children for this marriage, nor do I find a death for Aurelie (yet). My assumption, based upon the data I have, is that Aurelie and Alexis had no children. And, Aurelie disappears after this marriage; it is likely she dies.
Further research (perhaps I should say, fortuitous searching)also has lead me to the discovery of a Michel Page family in Huntingdon County Quebec. Is this the family of Louise Page? It looks like it might be. Certainly the name and location is correct. But most certainly we need more information.
Alexis’ & Louise’s marriage is likely to have taken place between 1852-1855 before 1856 (the assumed birth date of Marie-Louise Menard for whom I have yet to find a birth document) but after 1852, the marriage of Alexis to Aurelie this is based upon the fact that in 1851 Alexis was living with his parents in St. Bernard Lacolle, Quebec, Canada; and, the couple’s first known child was born in 1856. I expect that the actual marriage year is closest to 1855 (or 1856 minus 9 months).
Of an expected 13 children, we have, thus far, identified:
Son- Alexandre Thomas, born 26 May 1857, bapt 17 Oct 1857, St John the Baptist of Keeseville – the 1861 Canada Census notes his birth as being in L.C or Bas Canada (no birth record yet…)
Daughter- Marceline (Marie Marceline Menard), born about 1859, Lacolle Quebec, Canada. She appears to have died before 1863 when her sister Marie Celina was born. Based upon naming conventions, it is possible that they shared the same name.
The family is known to have resided in the following locations (this chronology is based largely upon children’s assumed or documented birth locations as well as Census data)….
The family has not been found in 1860 US Census which leads me to believe they may have resided in Canada during the time that enumeration was taken (the Census year of 1860) and perhaps for the duration of the US Civil War- the years 1861- 1865.
One fact supporting this contention is that in 1865, the year Aurelie was born in LaColle Canada, the family was noted as being members of the LaColle parish in Quebec. Additionally, I have found a record for one “Alex Manor of Mooers, NY” who was a private in the 118th Regiment, New York Infantry Company I (Adirondack Regiment) of the Union Armies during the years of 1862-1865. (For a timeline of the 118th access this link). Circumstantial evidence appears to point to this as our Alex Menard although thus far it is impossible to prove this ‘absolutely’. Interestingly, the 118th and Alex Manor were present at the cesation of hostilities following their participation in the Battle of Appomattox.
During the 1861 Canada Census, the family of Alexis Menard and Louise Pageau is living in Lacolle next to Alexis parents. Based upon this data, they appear, as of 1861 ‘not yet’ to have emigrated to the United States. This conflicts with the assumed residences listed in Bev’s original posting on the family. Birth records of the family’s pre- 1861 children will provide a more accurate indication of their home location during the first years of their marriage. Until I find something different, I will continue with my assumed chronology, above, using the mix of Census data and birth records I have at this time.
By the time of the 1870 US Census, we find the Alex MAINOR family living in Ellenburgh Center (Clinton County) NY. This would seem to indicate that they emigrated to the US sometime during the years between 1861 and 1869. In 1870 the family members include:
Alex, 42, Canada
Mary, 31, NY
Louisa, 14, NY
Alexander, 13, NY
Aurilla, 5, Canada
Jeremiah, 2, NY
Adelia, 2/12, NY
With the 1880 US Census, the “renamed” MINERs are located in Clinton (Clinton County) NY. By this time the family has grown to include:
Alexander, 48, Canada
Mary, 42, NY
Thomas, 23, NY
Aurilla, 15, Canada
Jeremiah, 12, NY
Delia, 10, NY
Agnes, 7, NY
Mary, 5, NY
Honora, 2, NY
Francis, 10/12, NY
Then sadly in August of 1883, we find that Louisa Page/ Miner has died. The words on Louisa Page/ Miner’s grave (located in St. Edmund’s Cemetery, Ellenburg Center, Clinton County, New York) read:
MINER
Louisa PAGE / Wife of / Alex MINER, / Died Aug. 21, 1883. / AE. 45 Yrs. /
May her soul rest in peace Amen /
She was mother of 13 children /
Francis / Their Son died / Sept. 1880. / Age 22. Mos. /
Catholic Church. St. Jean le Baptiste (Keeseville, New York)-Baptisms, marriages, burials 1853-1863 FHL US/CAN Film 1450720
St. Patrick’s Church of Chateaugay, N.Y., 1863-1915 FHL US/CAN Film 1450729
“Town of Mooers” book which was compiled in 2004 with the civil records of Mooers (1804 – 2004) from the Northern New York American-Canadian Genealogical Society
Tricks? I have used to uncover my data..
For more detailed pointers/tips see additional posts on searching for materials about Quebec ancestors:
I have read every page of each Census (US and Canada looking for clues beyond those found for an original searched ‘person’.
I have conducted extensive research on siblings to find clues about parents.
I have conducted numerous validation and exploratory searches on Canada Genealogy for information.
I have searched every online cemetery record/ database I could find for Clinton County NY; the northern NY transcription project being most heavily used.
I use as many spellings of surnames and given names as I can invent to conduct queries.. never say never!
Researched Rootsweb looking for clues & hints. I have found some very useful information on Alexis’ parents there!
I have read every page of the Church and Census records for the following Towns and years:
St. Bernard Parish in Lacolle, Quebec, Canada- 1854,1855,1856,1857 (on Ancestry.com)
St. Valentin Parish in Lacolle, Quebec, Canada- 1855-1867, 1847-1855, 1839-1847 volumes (for years 1852-1859 and 1839 on FamilySearch.org; 1856, 1839 (on Ancestry.com)
St. Constant 1852-1855 on FamilySearch.org
St. Bernard 1852-1855 on FamilySearch.org
Lapraire 1852-1855 also 1835-1841 on FamilySearch.org
Napierville 1852-1855 also 1835-1841 on FamilySearch.org
St Jean Chrysostome 1852-1855 also 1835-1841 on FamilySearch.org
St. Mathieu 1852-1855 also 1835-1841 on FamilySearch.org
St. Marc sur Richelieu 1852-1855 also 1835-1841 on FamilySearch.org
St. Antoine sur Richelieu 1852-1855 also 1835-1841 on FamilySearch.org
St. Philomena Parish in Churubusco, NY, USA- 1873-1915 (LDS Family History Center)
St. Joseph du Corbeau in Coopersville, NY, USA- 1855, 1856 (on Ancestry.com)
I have read the following Canada Census documents:
Huntingdon County, Quebec, 1861, 1851 (all)
I continue to seek additional clues for Alexis Menard dit Bellerose’s and Louise Pageau’s life, marriage, children, events and photos(?). Is there anyone out there who might have additional clues or pointers? If so, please contact me directly.
I guess I could have entitled this posting, out with the old, in with the new. But as with most genealogy not very much of this information is actually new; including the fact that I had yet another problem in my Deyo lineage.
Here’s the long and short of what has happened. Barb (one of my Deyo ‘cousins’) reviewed my latest Deyo line and noticed that my information and hers were not in synch. She is the proud owner of many things Deyo including photos, death certificates, folklore and the like. And as luck would have it, Barb’s copy of Mary (Bonah) Deyo’s death certificate indicated that Mary’s parents had names sounding like Paul Bonah and Nora Bolack.
My records showed a Calixte Bonin and Hedwige Delaire as Mary Bonah Deyo’s parents, opps! I had come up with Calixte and Hedwige as Mary’s parents based upon a match with Mary (Bonah) Deyo’s birth date, which was close but not perfect (I have to admit I also really liked their names!).
Anyway a new hunt was on! We needed to right this fairly obvious mistake -note: By the way all genealogists make mistakes, just not all are as enthusiastic about publishing them on the web as I seem to be.
So to begin my search, I looked for a Paul Bonah and Nora Bolack. It probably comes as no big surprise, neither name produced anything approaching a reasonable result. Given that these folks were ‘most likely’ French Canadian (remember my Prussian- Quebecois ethnicity) I needed their names revised into something more French and less Italian, German sounding. Again to the rescue came my cousin. She suggested that Bolack might be Beaulac and Burnah/Bonin might ‘originally’ have been Bonin. She further suggested that Paul might appear in French records as Napoleon and that Nora could appear as Honoree/ Honoret. So the search now was for a father-mother combination of Paul Bonin and Honoret (Nora) Beaulac to fit with our Mary Burnah/ Bonah/ Bonin.
By way of a hint, with these new criteria for search values I was able to find all manner of interesting things. More on that and the next phase of this adventure in a follow-on posting.
Gerald Deyo was one of the first US paratroopers trained in Panama, during World War 2. After his training, he became a member of the the 503 Parachute Battalion. Ultimately he attained the position of Jumpmaster.
During the war, Gerald was based in Australia and fought mostly in New Guinea. On one of his jumps into New Guinea he was wounded by the enemy with a bayonet stab to his back, as he landed.
this account was related by Fred Rabideau to Mark Rabideau and Linda Ziegler
While in Northern France his platoon unwittingly captured a German payroll truck. After the capture, his squad got drunk and burned all the money to keep warm.
Clarence’s most traumatic incident in the Second World War involved the killing of a German sniper, who had pinned down his platoon and was shot out of a tree. Upon examining the dead sniper, he discovered a pretty young French girl. That incident troubled and haunted him for the rest of his life.
this account was related by Fred Rabideau to Mark Rabideau and Linda Ziegler
Lacolle is the area from which the Joseph Dion family emigrated to the United States. Historically both Rabideau and Dion/ Deyo family members lived and traversed this region.
source [minor edits and corrections made by ManyRoads]
First written mention of Lacolle can be traced back to July 4, 1609 when Samuel de Champlain and his entourage stopped briefly at the mouth of a small stream for a meal before continuing southward up the Richelieu River into the lake which now bears his name. In his journal Champlain referred to the location of the delta as “Lacole”. When translated literally the term means the neck of a bottle or that which is above the shoulders. [...]This river seems to take its source from a nearby, solitary hill. From many places in France the term “La Cole” or “La Colle” stems from the Latin “colla”, which means “hill”.
“La Rivière à La Colle” appeared for the first time in the 1740 “Map of Lake Champlain from the Fort of Chambly to the ‘pointe à la Chevelure’” drawn by Chaussergros de Lery. His map is seen here. You can barely make out “Beaujeu” in the block to the right of the crease in the paper, below the river
Lacolle Quebec- 1740
What today is the farming village of St-Bernard-de-Lacolle has its roots in the Seigneurie of Beaujeu. The seigneurs of Beauharnois and Hocquart hatched a project to concede some seigneuries in the area of the Lake Champlain Valley. In 1733, they conceded land to Louis Denis de la Ronde (seigneurie of Lacolle) and to Louis Lienard de Beaujeu (seigneurie of Chazy). Unfortunately, as of 1741, both seigneurs had left the land as they received it.
On the 10th of May, 1741, the lands were returned to Couronne because the consessioners had not established colonies. On March 22nd, 1743, Beauharnois and Hocquart conceded the seigneurie of Lacolle to sir Daniel Lienard de Beaujeu, son of Louis. By 1751, two new families had settled by the “rivière à la Colle”. On Mar 6, 1752, under the Marquis de la Jonquire and Francois Bigot, Daniel received the lands of his now-deceased father. It would be told “…how he made, before and after the war (1746-1748), considerable dispenses for the establishment of said concession on which he had settlers who have bulls, cows, plows, and other work tools.”
The seigneurie changed hands several times, passing from one generation to the next. During this time, several mills, churches, schools, and homes were built. Some had stone houses while the poorer settlers built log cabins. [...]
Along the Richelieu River, the closest church to Lacolle was in Chambly, quite a distance to travel for marriages and baptisms. In 1810, the curé Berthelot took his chalice and portable alter to visit the settlers in Lacolle. He baptized several children and said mass. Later, other protestant missionaries made their way to the area and founded the United Church of Lacolle called St-Saviour.
In 1841, Lord Sydenham proposed the erection of municipal districts. Everyone thinks these municipalities will revive and that they will come to be well-known like a parish. On November 18, 1841, some residents of the seigneurie of Lacolle addressed Monsignor Ignace Bourget, bishop of Montreal, to obtain the erection of a parish. They presented the usual reasons: distance from the nearest church, the dreadful state of the roads [in order to get there], the difficulty in training their children in the catholic religion. The real reason appeared at the end of the document: “after the ecclesiastical recognition, they would be addressing the government to obtain “some documents that grant to their said new parish a civil existence which will soon be recognized.”
In January 1842, M. Charles Laroque, curé of Blairfindie was sent by Bourget to make an inquest. On the first of February, Monsignor Ignace Bourget set up the “mission of St-Bernard-de-Lacolle”, as the population is still too dispersed to create a parish. He also accepted the gift of three arpents [unit of land] of land from Michel Normandin on which to build a church.
11 July 1842 – four representatives (James O’CONNOR, Michel NORMANDIN, Louis REMILLARD, Etienne DUQUETTE) signed a contract with Charles NOËL to build a stone church for $250 ($150 silver,$100 hay and grain).
13 October 1843 – three representatives (Patrick BARKER, Constant BOUSQUET, Noël DESAUTELS) purchased 80 benches from the chapel of Saint-Jacques-Mineur for 16 livres 14 shillings.
11 November 1843 – Charles François Calixte MORRISON is named the parish priest.
16 November 1843 – At the courthouse of Montreal, the church was equipped with the necessary registers for the parish.
19 November 1843 – The first baptism is recorded.
In 1851, the census of St-Bernard-de-Lacolle reports: 3483 persons (1760 anglophone and 1723 francophone), 1787 men and 1696 woman, 1886 catholic and 1597 protestant.
The law of December 18, 1854 ended the seigneurial system in Canada, and the municipality of St-Bernard-de-Lacolle has flourished since its first mayor [was elected] in 1833.
Charles Berthelot, curé of Saint-Luc, [wrote] on 9 October 1909 that the young people of the area are working cutting trees down south, near Lake Champlain.” In the 40-50 years since [then], many young families [spent] years in the factories in the [United States] to earn better wages. Many returned, but not all, with their savings. The [Canadian] census records still indicate one or two children from these families [were] born in the United States. [...] In 1850, the California gold rush saw many men leaving behind a wife and children [...]never [to] return with [...] promised riches. Soon after [1850], many farmers left with their families to settle in the fertile prairies of Illinois [and Michigan], where they could easily establish their sons. In October 1867, the [Lacolle] city council began to worry, for an empty house meant that the road opposite this property was no longer maintained. [Dirt roads needed to be maintained by the settlers.]
[At] the turn of the [21st] century, the parish of Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel and the municipality of Lacolle [were] established, and St-Bernard-de-Lacolle has become seemingly very small. The area has seen many ups and downs, but the overall feel for the land is the same. The families who till the land and milk the cows are as hardy today as they were in the first days of the seigneurie. If you ever visit this village, take note of the rolling hills and the wide open fields with their long, plowed rows, [...] you’ll be swept away to another time when your ancestors [settled] a whole new world.
Based upon Census data, we know the following information regarding the Rabideau & Deyo branches of our family (note all photos are from Google).
According to the 1920 US Census
In 1920
the George Deyo Family lived at 214 Main Street in Altona, NY; father George (age 52) was a farm worker. Exina his wife (37) was keeping house. They had 6 children living with them at that time including:
Edward (17)
Leona (13)- my grandmother
Lawrence (10)
Clarence (6)
Gilbert (2)- interestingly listed as a daughter on the 1920 Census
Gerald (an infant)
The
Alexander Rabideau family, at that same time, lived at 21 Mt. Tom Avenue. Father, Alexander (46), was an unemployed wood chopper; Flora, his wife, was keeping house. They had three children and a boarder living with them:
Alexander Jr. (18)- working in a plastic mill
Victor (16)- working in a cotten mill
Fredrick (15)- my grandfather- was working in a plastic mill
Mildred (6)
Nelson Diteau (16)- boarder (his parents were unknown)- working in a cotten mill
According to the 1930 US Census
By 1930
the George Deyo Family had moved from Altona and was now living at 5 Maple Street in Easthampton. Father, George (age 61), was a dryer working in a cotton mill; Exina, his wife (48), was keeping house. They had 4 children living with them in 1930 including:
Lawrence (21)- working as a machinery oiler in a cotton mill
Clarence (16)- working as a clerk in a chain store
Gilbert – is missing from the 1930 enumeration and perhaps died during the years between 1920 and 1930.
Gerald (10)
Dora (8)
George’s daughter, Leona nee Deyo, and her husband, Frederick Rabideau/Rabidue (my grandparents), were living next door at 7 Maple Street. Frederick was employed as a truck driver for Yen Trucking. They had three young children living with them in 1930.
Verda (4)
Mildred (2)
Francis Frederick (1)- my father
Also in 1930, Alexander Senior (55), Flora (44) appear to have owned a home on 37 Cottage Street (today, 2010, this location is a gas station…in 1930, it was around the corner from 5 & 7 Maple Street, about 100 feet distant) where they lived with their daughter Mildred (16) and son Victor (plus his young family). Alexander Sr. was employed as a wood chopper at a lumber company.
Victor Rabidue (26), in 1930, was married to Simonne (21) and living in his parent’s home with their son Victor Jr. (3) on 37 Cottage Street. Victor Sr. was, also, employed as a wood chopper for a lumber company.
In 1930, I find no US Census records for Alexander Rabideau (Rabidew/ Rabidue) Jr. It is possible that he either moved away or died in the years between 1920 and 1930.
To fix the problems, Craig and I devised a fairly simple plan.
Craig sent me the genealogical documents he had in his possession.
He agreed to travel to Plattsburgh, New York in search of additional source evidence.
I agreed to re-read (this time more carefully) all the documentation I had in my possession; this evidence was mostly sourced from Pati Gravel and Barb Deyo (a lot of photos, emails, as well as numerous Wilfred Deyo’s documents- Deyo histories).
I was to re-plow through available evidence on Ancestry.com and see what I could find. This was especially crucial in that I had to confirm notes from Craig for which we were missing source documentation. Not to mention, I needed to this for the information from Barb, Pati and Wilfred as well.
In total things worked out as we had hoped; we found a more complete and accurate (we believe) ancestry for our Deyo Branch of the family. There remains a lot of work to do but we believe our evidence and source materials are aligned and as accurate as they can be given the data at our disposal. In this effort, we added some 500 pages of additional source data.
We did the work all in the span of 7 days. As my daughter would say: “Hooray for us!”.
Joseph Yon was born around the year 1805. His parents, Ignace Yon (Guyon) and Marie Suzanne Gervais were of the Parish of St. Marc sur Richelieu. It is believed Joseph lived in the area of St. Marc until his marriage at about the age of twenty three. He was a furniture maker of legal age when he married Julienne Denys, daughter of Ignace Denys and Julie Fall. The marriage took place on June 22, 1828 in the parish of St. Cyprien of Napierville, Quebec, Canada.
With all the information available it would appear that Joseph and Julienne (Denys) Yon/Deyo had a total of eleven children, six boys and five girls-the last being Marie Dion (Mary Deyo), born February 2, 1852 in the parish of St. Bernard of Lacolle, Quebec, Canada.
It is believed that Joseph Yon/Deyo migrated to the United States from the area of Lacolle, Quebec, Canada around the mid 1850’s and settled in the area of Altona/Sciota in Clinton County, New York where he lived until his death sometimes after the year 1880. It is not known at this time whether Joseph or Julia died first.
There were instances where Julia’s maiden name was given as “FAYE”. The writer thinks this was in reference to her mother’s maiden name which appears as “FALL” in some documents such as a Chart received from Albert Smith that lists all their children as he found them in the records at that time. The name “FALL” may well be an error of what would have been the most probable French surname of “FALLE” or “FAILLE”-both of which may translate as “FAYE” in English. Why Julie (or others) used her mother’s maiden name is not known other than perhaps this was another case of the language difficulty that existed between the French-Canadians and the English speaking officials at that time.
The writer wishes to note here that in research he has reached the conclusion that after Joseph Yon migrated to the United States, he and his family became known by the name DEO and/or DEYO and as such were recorded in the “public records” of the various “Public Offices” where they lived at the time. The exception of course being Catholic Churches (at least until 1900) that continued to use the name DION as the family surname for the records in their Parish books.
The writer in correlating all the information available to him through research has compiled the following Genealogical account of the children he believes to be the complete and entire family of Joseph Yon/Deo/Deyo/Dion. Dion of course being the family surname sometimes recorded in the Church records in Canada and the United States. In the United States after the year 1900 the name Deo and Deyo began appearing in the church records, particularly in upper New York State.
The reader is taken through the following phases of the writer’s research in order that it will be better understood how the writer came to the conclusion that the children shown under Genealogy were the total and final members of the Joseph Yon and Julienne (Denys) Yon family, later known as Deo and/or Deyo.
On January 28, 1983, Albert Smith, the writer’s record searcher in St. Jean, Quebec, Canada sent him the following names and baptism dates of Joseph Yon’s children. All information available on the children will be shown under the heading of Genealogy.
1. Louis Yon
2. Dorothee Yon
3. Aurelie Dion
4. Adelaide Dion
5. Julie Yon
6. Joseph Dion
7. Raphael Dion
8. Hilaire Guinon (The writer’s grandfather)
On December 8, 1983, Albert Smith provided the writer with the following information in his letter of the above date. The writer will quote directly from that letter.
“What I did come across in doing some research for other families in this area has to do with the Census records done in 1842 and 1851. In the 1842 Census on microfilm, reel C-731, folio 2493 for Henryville lists a Joseph Deo with a total of 7 in household, this being a family head only Census. Lists 2 males under 5 yrs. 1 female aged 5-14 yrs., 1 female 14-45 yrs. Husband over 60 and wife over 45 yrs.
The writer correlated this information with the one sent on January 28, 1983 and came up with what he believes to be a correct assumption of the family of Joseph Deo in 1842. The parents ages appear to be in error so a question mark takes the place of their ages.
1842 Census Report-Henryville, Quebec, Canada
Deo, Joseph—————Age–??
Wife—————– “ –??
Aurelie————– “ –10
Francois————- “ –07
Baptiste————– “ –06
Julie—————— “ –5/12
Note:-The children’s ages are calculated on previous information and later data received by the writer.
Also note that Louis and Dorothee were already deceased when this Census Report was taken. And Julie had just been born prior to the Census. The above accounts for the 7 mentioned in Albert Smith’s letter.
1851 Census Report for St. Bernard of Lacolle, reel C-1121, page 25 lists a Joseph Dion and family:
Joseh Dion——————–Born St. Marc———Age 46
Julienne Dion—————–Born Lacadie———-Age 45
Aurelie————————- “ Lacadie———- “ 19
Adelaide———————– “ “ ———- “ 17
Francois———————— “ “ ———- “ 15
Baptiste———————— “ “ ———- “ 12
Julie—————————- “ “ ———– “ 9
Joseph————————– “ “ ———– “ 7
Raphael———————— “ “ ———– “ 5
Hilaire————————– “ “ ———- “ 3
Note:-As in the 1842 Census for Henryville-Louis and Dorothee are deceased. Julia who will be shown later was born shortly after the 1852 Census was taken. Also the writer believes that the name Dion is used in this Census Report because the Church Parish of Lacolle may have been involved in gathering the data.
The next period in Joseph Yon/Deyo’s life that the writer learns about is that shortly after migrating from Canada to Upper New York State he became a United States citizen. The following information was received in a letter from Addie Shields, Historian, Clinton County, New York.
Aliens admitted, Clinton County, Plattsburgh, New York.
Book 3, pg. 2502.
-Deyo, Joseph at 60 yrs., living in Altona, born in Canada
makes a declaration and is received 24 Oct., 1861.
The next time anything is seen about Joseph Deyo is when he appears in the United States Census. Much of the information that follows was received from Addie Shields, Historian.
United States Census Reports.
1870-Town of Altona, Clinton County, New York.
-Deyo, Joseph———-60——–Farmer——-b. Canada
Julia————-60——-Wife———-b. Canada
(Note: Joseph’s and Julia’s ages are apparently in error).
1880-Town of Altona, Clinton County, New York
-Deyo, Joseph———-80——–Farmer——-b. Canada
Julia————-81——-Wife———-b. Canada
The reader is reminded that there is no positive proof that the Joseph Deyo, purchaser of the property below is same one as above. This person could logically be his son or other kin since there were so many males named Joseph in those early days of the Deyo lineage.
The writer has recorded the following information in the interest of avoiding any oversight in the life of Joseph Yon/Deyo (ac1805-1880-plus) in his write-up. Research will continue in hopes of clarifying this area.
Property purchased.
1871-Deyo, Joseph of Plattsburgh purchased for $350, half of Lot
No. 8 on West side of Wm. St.
1873-Deyo, Joseph of Plattsburgh purchased half of Lot No. 8.
(Note: Writer believes this refers to the other half of Lot No.
8 purchased in 1871).
There are still many areas relating to PART I which are being researched by the writer. When sufficient information becomes available it will be made an addendum to this write-up.
GENEALOGY
Joseph Yon/Deyo.
Born:-ac1805. Place believed to be St. Marc.
Bapt:-Date and place unknown.
Married:-July 22, 1828 to Marie Anne Gervais of St. Marc., in the Parish
of Saint-Cyprien of Napierville, Diocese of St-Jean., Quebec,
Canada.
Died:-Sometime after 1880. Date and place unknown.
CHILDREN
1. Louis——–Born:-August 17, 1829 in the Parish of St. Cyprien, Napierville, Quebec,
Canada.
Bapt.-August 18, 1829.
Died:-September 9, 1829. Place unknown.
2. Dorothee—Born:-ac June 6, 1830 in the Parish of St. Cyprien.
Bapt.-February 6, 1831 in the Parish of St. Valentin.
Died:-February 6, 1831 in the Parish of St. Valentin.
3. Aurelie—–Born:-June 26, 1832
Bapt.-July 26, 1832 in the Parish of St. Valentin.
Married:-February 2, 1852 to Alexis Menard in the Parish of St. Bernard
of Lacolle, Quebec, Canada.
Died:-Date and Place unknown.
4. Adelaide—Born:-May 19, 1835 in St. Jean, Quebec, Canada.
Bapt.-July 7, 1835 in St. Jean.
Married:-No information.
Died:-Place and Date unknown.
5. Francois—-Born:-sc 1836 in Lacolle, Quebec, Canada.
Bapt.-Date and place unknown.
Married:-Date and place unknown. Based on other documents-to
Margaret Dennis of Canada.
Died:-March 22, 1913 in Alburg, Vermont. Buried there with his wife
in the Catholic Cemetery. The names on the tombstone are Deo
and Deyo. Margaret died in Alburg, Vermont on August 9, 1882
at the age of 35.
6. Baptiste—-Born:-ac 1839 in Lacolle, Quebec, Canada.
Bapt.-Date and place unknown.
Married:-Around 1867. Place believed to be Altona, New York and under
the name John Baptiste Dion to Marrie Anna Bonah.
7. Julie———Born:-August 5, 1842 in St. Valentin, Quebec, Canada.
Bapt.-August 7, 1842 in St. Valentin.
Married:-No information
Died:-No information.
8. Joseph——Born:-February 7, 1845 in the Parish of St. Bernard.
Bapt.-February 24, 1845 in the Parish of St. Bernard.
Married:-No information.
Died:-No information.
9. Raphael—–Born:-May 26, 1847 at Henryville, Quebec, Canada.
Bapt.-May 29, 1847 at Henryville.
Married:-Date and place unknown. To Adeline Lambert of Canada.
10. Hilaire—–Born:-March 26, 1849 in Lacolle, Quebec, Canada.
Bapt.-April 12, 1849 in the Parish of St. Bernard of Lacolle.
Married:-1st:-October 10, 1870 in St. Joseph’s Church in Coopersville,
New York under the name Hilaire YOUNG to Marcellaine
Babien.
2nd:-January 6, 1873 in Alburg, Vermont under the name ELI
DEYOto Miranda Baba.
3rd:-February 25, 1895 in Champlain, New York under the name
Hilam DION to Philomnie Lafountan.
Died:-January 24, 1924 in Hampden, Massachusetts. He and his third
wife are buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Hampden, Mass. His
third wife, Philomena (LaFountain) Deyo died May 21, 1950 in
Springfield, Massachusetts at the age of 90. The writer has no
information on the date, place and burial location of Hilaire’s first
and second wives. The logical places would be in New York
and/or Vermont.
11. Marie——Born:-February 6, 1852 in the Parish of St. Bernard of Lacolle, Quebec,
Canada.
Bapt.-February 8, 1852 in the Parish of St. Bernard.
Married:-May 11, 1868 to Louis Trombley. Place unknown.
Died:-December 15, 1926. Louis died on January 15, 1907. Place of
death and burial site is Sciota, New York with burial in the St.
Louis of France Church Cemetery in Sciota.
The reader must now begin to understand and appreciate the complexity of this research work as so many first names and surnames appear and vary for the same person over the early years of the writer’s ancestors. The language difficulty experienced by these people must have been enormous.
The lives of the persons, such as their marriages, children and other information of interest will be covered in greater detail when the Genealogy of each is written and added to Part I by the writer.
POSTSCRIPT by Craig LaPine: I obtained this work by Wilfred Deyo in the Clinton County Historian’s office in Plattsburgh, New York on 29 April 2010. It was located in the “Deyo” file among clippings and many other letters written by Wilfred between 1982 and 1985 to former historian Addie Shields. This appeared to be the last draft as I did not find any additions to this version of Wilfred’s genealogy in the file. This work has been retyped by myself but I added nothing nor did I take anything out of Wilfred’s work. It is typed verbatim.
-29 Apr 2010
As I have written numerous times before the Deyo portion of my family is a bit of a challenge.
Well recently, my analysis and documentation of the Joseph Dion line was once again brought into question (by my new friend Craig LaPine!).
On Saturday the 24th of April, I received the following email note from Craig:
Hello Mr. Rabideau. I enjoy your [ManyRoads] site regarding the Deyo family. I am a descendant of Emma Deyo (a daughter of John and Mary Ann Bonah, whom I don’t see listed on your site [meaning I missed Emma]). I have specifics on her but she first married Charles Lagoy and the Fred Belair. I am from the Lagoy/Deyo line. Anyhow, I see that you listed John’s parents as Joseph and Julie Denis and his parents as Benoit Guyon and Marie Alain. Today I was looking up Joseph and Julienne’s marriage in the Drouin files and found that they were married in Napierville on 22 Jul 1828. Her parents were listed as Ignace and Julie Fall). Joseph’s parents were listed as Ignace (from St-Marc) and Marie Anne Gervais. Have you come across these names before?
Needless to say this brought to question my Joseph Dion to Benoit Dion/ Marie Allain family line. Not only had I missed his ‘Emma’ but I had introduced serious structural errors into the line. I reinvestigated. As I rummaged around, I stumble across a note from Wilfred Deyo that had been given me by Barb Deyo. Wilfred’s note [analysis] reads:
John Deyo & Mary Anna (Bonnin) Deyo
Short Genealogical History
According to his death certificate John Deyo was born in Rouses Point, New York on February 23, 1839. The year 1839 agrees with the data in various Census Reports on the family. He was born the son of Joseph Yon/Dyon and Julienne Denys. Julienne’s surname like Joseph’s took on many variations over the years- for example Denis and Dennis. She was also known as Julia, the English version for Julienne. There were many variations of the French Canadian names in the early years because of their inability to read and write in both their native tongue and English. Therefore they were unable to understand the names as they were spelled and entered in the records. And then there were priests in Canada in those early years that made personal decisions as to how the names of the family would be spelled. Most of the spelling of the names was based on the phonetic sound- the sound of the name as given by the person involved in providing the information for the records, such as births, marriages, deaths and of course Census Reports.
John Deyo was married under the name of John Dyon to Maria Bonin in St. Ann’s Church at Mooers Forks, New York on July 2, 1866 according to a copy of his “marriage certificate’ the writer has. The name Dyon appears to be a simple mis-interpretation of the name Dion. Maria was recorded under a number of names, both given and surnames as time went on. For example, she was known by the first names of Maria, Mary, and Anna. Mary, of course, being the English version of Maria. Surnames were also Bonin and Bonah. These names are all English versions of the French name Bonney. The name Bonney appears on a postcard that she received from a brother in Tacoma, Washington in the year 1915. The writer has that postcard.
John and Mary Deyo had 10 children. One name Jean Baptiste Yon (after his father) died in infancy.
John (Jean Baptiste) and another brother Frank (Francois) were both born in the United States while their sisters and brothers were born in Canada. Frank being born in 1837 and John in 1839 which were then known as the “Troubled Years” in Canada- that is when the French Canadians made an attempt to gain their independence and seize Quebec and failed. It appears that Joseph and other heads of French families living close to the American border (LaColle) decided to cross over and did return after the trouble was over. Joseph did migrate to the United States in the early 1850′s and become a U.S. citizen in October of 1861.
John Deyo died in Altona, New York on April 15, 1924.
Anna (Bonin/ Bonah) died in Altona, New York on February 17, 1937.
are both buried in the Holy Angels Cemetary in Altona, New York.
Note: Rough draft.
Date: September 3, 1986
writer: signed
Wilfred F. Deyo
No doubt, I had missed something important. The problem needed to be fixed. Craig and I discussed and analyzed the problem (via email); we were on our way to repairing my mistake. Craig and I compared notes… discussed options.
Our plan was a simple one. I would do the Ancestry re-work. Craig would trek to Plattsburgh to see what he could find. It was great having a partner doing our family genealogy. The fix was on!
The Deyo Family genealogy (of Upstate NY and Southern Quebec) is offically online.
Currently, there are more than 3000 pages of materials in this area; there are also a few bugs and unfortunately the data remainsincomplete. I have several hundred (thousand?) documents yet to link in this area. I, also, have significant sections of the tree that remain ‘under-staffed’ most notably those in Julie LaFay’s and Exina Minor’s descendancy lines.
Please contact me with any problems, additions, edits, etc.
The first of our on-line family trees is now available- The Deyo Family Line.
It is readily accessible from our Menus simply by selecting Genealogy and then Deyo Family (Branch). Using the GRAMPS integration approach, there are no user/ password requirements for gaining access to and open family line.
This portion of our tree is by no means finished or complete. I have numerous documents (meaning hundreds) that remain to be added and linked to the appropriate family member records. However, should you wish to receive a copy of the GEDCOM for this section of our genealogy, simply contact me to request a copy; I’ll send my most recent file your way. Eventually, I will post a file for user download; when things get closer to the finish line!
Jean Guyon is the scion of the Guyon, Yon and Dion Families in North America. The surname Guyon has taken numerous forms over time; Guyon descendants are additionally known by the following surnames: Després, Dumontier, and Lemoine, and in Louisiana, Derbanne. More
As hard as it was for me to believe, our Deyo family name is not from the Netherlands and/or Huguenot communities as I had earlier thought but rather it comes down a more circuitous, and I might say “interesting” route. Let me explain what I have thus far unearthed:
Leona Deyo, my grandmother (father’s mother) was born to George Deyo and Exina Minor in upstate New York in 1906.
Her father, George Deyo, was born in 1868 of Mary Ann Burnah (Marie-Anne Bonin) and John Deyo (alternately known as: John Deo, John Dion and Jean Baptiste Dion).
Jean Baptiste Dion was born in 1838 in Rouses Point, New York of Joseph Dion (also known as: Joseph Deyo, Joseph Deo, and Peter Deyo) and Julienne Denis (aka: Julia Faye and W. Julienne LaFaille).
Joseph Dion was born in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec in 1810 of Benoit Guyon (aka. Benoit Dion) and Marie Alain.
Benoit Guyon was the son of Joseph Benjamin Guyon and Brigitte Dion born in 1772.
Joseph Benjamin Guyon born 1748 was the son of Claude Guyon and Marie Geneviève Martineau.
Claude Guyon was born in 1720 to Claude Guyon (the elder) and Francoise Gagnon.
Claude Guyon (the elder) was born in 1693 to Jean Guyon and Marie Pepin.
Jean Guyon, born in 1656, was the son of Claude Guyon (the eldest??) and Catherine Collin.
Jean Guyon dit Dion was born in 1592 in Perche, France to Jacques Guyon and Mathurine Robin
Jacques Guyon was born in 1562 to Mathurin Guyon and Madeline Aymard.
So as you can see, the Deyos are by virtue of time, transliteration and Anglicisation really part of the Guyon family.
If you want a copy of the GEDCOM file for the Deyos, once I am done with my major efforts, please let me know. I am happy to share the tree. As of this writing the tree contains nearly 500 people.
Cyprien Tanguay "Genealogique..." for Claude Guyon
It pleases me to say that I have identified the entire male Deyo line from John Deyo through to Claude Guyon (born 1629). The Deyos as we all knew were from France. Now we know their names and a bit about their journey. As I find additional information, I will continue to update and post notices on ManyRoads.
CLAUDE GUYON DION Status(es) : Immigrant
Birth : 1629-04-22 st-jean, v. mortagne, ev. sees, perche (ar. mortagne, orne)
First marriage : 1655 Québec
with
CATHERINE COLIN
Second marriage : 1688 Ste-Famille I.O.
with
MARGUERITE BINAUDIERE
It is with special gratitude, appreciation, and ‘apologies’ to the following individuals:
Barb Deyo,
Wilfred Deyo (deceased),
Linda Hayne,
Craig LaPine
Patti Gravel,
Gloria Pratt,
Carole Relation
that I can now tell the tale of our Dion Family (today most commonly known as the Deyo Family) and their migration from Quebec to the Clinton County area of upstate New York.
This story has long been muddled and unclear. But in concert with the efforts and information from the folks listed above, I am certain that we now have a much clearer and accurate picture of who we are and where we came from.
This story has its beginnings with two people who, we now know, were born as Joseph Dion and Julienne Denis; both came from humble roots.
Based upon circumstantial evidence, it appears that Joseph Dion was born Jean Baptiste Guyon on 24 Jun 1799, the second such named son of Ignace Guyon and his second wife Marie Suzanne Gervais. His birth is recorded in the Church registry of Saint Marc sur Richelieu parish in Quebec. The same church registry records Joseph’s first marriage as taking place on 24 November 1818 to Marie Normandin the adopted daughter of Francois Normandin and Judith Chatel. The registry records no children pf this union, nor does it record the presumed death of Marie Normandin before the 1828 marriage of Joseph Dion and Julie Denys.
Julienne (Julia) was baptised on 28 January of 1808 at Ste-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie, L’Acadie, Quebec, Canada. Her father was Ignace Denis a laborer; her mother was Julie LaFaye.
Their marriage took place 22 July 1848 in Napierville, Quebec (St Cyprien Parish). The marriage is noted as being between Joseph Yon & JulieDenys.
In 1851 we find the family living in St. Bernard, Lacolle, Quebec. They are living, according to the 1851 Census in Canada, in a log home with a second family (Augustin & Polini Marier). Joseph is earning a living as a joiner (carpenter).
Based on the Baptisms of the Dion children appearing on the 1851 Census, we know the following:
in 1832 the young family lived near St. Valetin parish in St. Jean Quebec (Aurelie’s baptism)
1835 they were near St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu (St-Jean-L`Évangéliste), Québec (based upon the baptism of Adelaide)
in 1838 they were living near Rouses Point, New York (this based upon the death record of John Deyo) who in 1851 was enumerated using his middle name: Baptiste
It is my belief that the remaining children may have been been baptized at St. Joseph’s Corbeau, Coopersville, Clinton Co. N.Y Roman Catholic Church (if anyone has records of these baptisms, wherever they may have occurred, I would greatly appreciate a link or copy).
By 1860, we find most of the Joseph Dion/ Julienne Denis, now registered in the US Census of 1860 as Peter & Julie Deyo of Westport, Essex County New York. Joseph is working as a laborer; Frank (formerly Francois) is also a day laborer. The two older daughters, from the Canadian 1851 enumeration, appear to have remained behind in Quebec (they are not enumerated in the US in 1860). It is worth noting that there are numerous problems with the 1860 Census data including the fact that all of ‘these’ Deyos were born in the US. However, even given those problems, I still believe this indicates that most of the Dion/Deyo family was in Northern New York by 1860.
By 1870, both Joseph and Julia were in Altona.
Eli, Ralph and Adeline were all in Alburg Vt. by 1870 (according to the US Census)- although the birth date for Adeline could indicate she is not our Adelaide Dion. Further, as Wilfred Deyo’s report further indicates:
Immigration
1850’s: The records would indicate that Joseph and Julia(Faye) Deyo immigrated to the United States of America in the 1850’s following the birth of their last child- Eli Deyo. It appears that they entered. the United States at Rouses Point, New York and moved on to Champlain, New York; Chazy, New York; and then Altona, New York where they apparently settled permanently and, became farmers. Records of deeds shows Joseph Deyo owning a farm in the Altona, New York area around 1865. Later some members of the family migrated to Alburg, Vermont where some remained permanently while others returned to New York State and settled in Clinton County.
Citizenship-United States
186l: Joseph DEYO Age 60 years-Living in Altona, New York, makes a declaration and is accepted as a citizen, on October 24, 1861.
1868: Joseph DEYO Age 24 years-living in Altona, New York for the past 6 years makes a declaration and is accepted as a citizen- October 24, 1868.
1868: Ralph DEYO Age 22 years-living in Altona, New York makes a y declaration and is accepted as a citizen on October 24, 1868.
Note: It is not known at this time where the other members of the family were admitted as citizens, if in fact they were.
Property purchased
1871:-DEYO, Joseph of Plattsburgh purchased for $350 half of lot no.8 on West side of William St.
1875:-DEYO, Joseph of Plattsburgh purchased half of lot no. 8 (other half of lot in no. 1)
Note: It is presumed that the Joseph buying the lot in Plattsburgh was the son of Joseph who at that time already was owner of a farm in Altona, New York.
Today through the generosity of the Altona Town Clerk, Carole Relation, I received a copy of my g-g-grandfather’s death certificate. He died on 12 April 1924 and was buried 18 April 1924 in Altona, New York. More
If you look at the attached record you will find the following Joseph Dion/Deo/Deyo family residing in Quebec during the 1851 Census. This both firmly places the family in St. LaColle, near Montreal. We also now know through related birth documents of these ‘newly found’ children (for me ‘new’ at least…), the parents birth names were:
Joseph Dion born in St. Mare Quebec (according to the 1851 Census)… it is worth noting that there is no St. Mare in Quebec so that fact must be incorrect.
Julienne Denis born in L’Acadie Quebec (according to the 1851 Census)… this additional fact confirms the birth record we have found for Julienne Denis
Thank you to Barb Deyo for the following documentation.
Plattsburgh Daily Press – February 18, 1938
MRS. MARY DEYO OF ALTONA DIES
Mrs. Mary Deyo of Altona died at her home yesterday morning at ten O’clock. She was 81 years old.
Mrs. Deyo had lived in Altona for the past forty years. Her husband, John Deyo, died 15 years ago. She leaves nine children: George Deyo of Altona, Jerome Deyo of “Plattsburgh; Henry Deyo of Barre, VT.; Mrs. Celina Ladue of Altona; Napoleon Deyo of Sciota; Mrs. Fred Blair of Altona; Fred Deyo of Alona; Mrs. Frank Dragoon of Sciota and Frank Deyo of Altona. Twenty-five grand children and forty-five great grand children also survive.
Funeral services will be held in Holy Angels church at Altona Saturday morning at ten o’clock. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
The mystery of George Deyo’s death is solved. Here is the text of his obituary:
The obit was dated Oct. 19, 1942 and the date of death was Oct. 17, 1942.
GEORGE DEYO TO BE BURIED AT ALTONA
Funeral services for George Deyo, 78, who died at the home of his sister, Mrs. Fred Belair of Altona, at 7 o’clock, Saturday morning, will be held at the Holy Angel’s church at Altona at 9:30 o’clock, this morning. Burial will take place in the church cemetery.
Survivors include nis wife, three daughters, Mrs. E. Perry of Plattsburgh; Mrs. L. Rabideau of East Hampton, Mass.; and Miss Dora Deyo of Altona; four sons, Edward Deyo, of Shirley, N.H.; Lawrence Deyo of Altona; Clarence Deyo of Altona and Gerald Deyo of VS. Army; three sisters, Mrs. Fred La-Due and Mrs. Fred Belair of Altona; Mrs. Lillian Dragoon of Sciota; and five brothers, Jerome Deyo of Plattsburgh, Henry Deyo of Randolph, Vt., Napoleon Deyo of Sciota, Fred Deyo and Frank Deyo of Altona.
Eli Deyo was born in Lacolle, Province of Quebec, Canada around the year 1850 according to a copy of the marriage certificate issued to him by the Town of Alburg, Vermont when he married Miranda BABBA in Alburg, Vermont on January 6, 1875. He gave his age then as 23. Also according to this marriage certificate this was the second marriage for Eli DEYO and the first for Miranda Babba. The writer has had no success in trying to learn more about Eli’s first marriage-whether it took place in Canada or the United States. Research will continue in an attempt to learn more about this event.
The United States “Special Census of 1896″ for the Town of Altona, Clinton County, New York indicates that Eli Deyo was married to a 2nd wife by the name of Flora Babbia. It is not known at this time if this is an error or whether when Miranda Babba/Babbin died Eli married her sister or other relative names Flora Babbin.
Should the “Special Census of 1896 records be correct in showing Eli Deyo being married to two different women at those times by the name of BABBIN then it means that at that point in time Eli Deyo had been married three times. The name Babbin as recorded in New York State has to be in error as the name was correctly known and spelled as BABBA in Alburg, Vermont. Miranda Babba was born in Alburg, Vermont around the year 1853, the daughter of George And Liza Babba. It is not known(if in fact the record is correct) where Eli Deyo married Flora Babbin, Perhaps New York State.
Later records indicate that Eli Deyo must have become a widower again following the special census of 1896 in Altona, New York and subsequently married a widow by the name of Philomina (LaFountain) Derry. She had four daughters by her previous husband. It is also believed that, she was born in Malone, New York on April 18, 1859.
Eli Deyo died in Springfield, Massachusetts on January 16,1924 at the age of 72 years, 9 months and 1 day. He is buried in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Hampden, Massachusetts.
(document converted from the original text scan with minor edits and spelling corrections by Mark F. Rabideau on 20 February 2010)
The Deyos- 1800-1982 [written by Wilfred Frank Deyo circa 1982]
The writer, Wilfred Frank Deyo will incorporate -the following information available as of October 8, 1982 into the “Deyo Family History”- 1800-1982-From Canada to the United States of America which he hopes to put together in the not too distant future. More
Plattsburgh Sentinel -1918
Mr & Mrs. Napoleon Deao received a telegram a few days ago stating that John Deao had been severly wounded in action in France July 15th. John was cited for bravery in action on April 21.
Some names can be confusing! I think the title of this post bears that out.
Recently I received the following note from Gloria Cusson Pratt of the Northern New York- American Canadian Genealogical Society. Her note informed me of the following:
John married as Jean Baptiste Dion to Marie Bonin on 2 July 1866 at St. Ann’s [Roman Catholic Church in] Mooers Forks, NY. Deo/Deyo/Dion are all dit names [synonyms] for Deo. Most of their children are listed in the St. Ann Book, Moeers Forks, NY. His parent’s are Joseph Dion and Julia Lafaille/Faye.
Gloria
With this information in hand, I am now able to add numerous avenues of research in finding the roots of the Deyos of Northern New York.
Based on data and input I have received from various people, I believe I have traced and documented a “plausible” genealogy for the Joseph Deo family leading back to France in the late 1600s.
If anyone is interested in reviewing the tree and commenting on what I have pieced together, please contact me.
Today was one of those great days for a genealogist… I found some lost relatives. We had been looking for years to try and figure out who my gg-grandmother’s family was and today Mary Ann Giza from the Town Clerk’s Office in Easthampton, Mass tracked Exina down and sent us the news. We are VERY grateful.
This document and information is sourced from email messages sent to Mark Rabideau by Patty Gravel.
In 1982 Wilfred Deyo, the son of Richard Deyo and the grandson of Eli Deyo, went to Altona to trace the Deyo family line. While there he met with family members to gather their oral history. His findings made there way to me via my Mom (Today my Mom is 85; her mother was Mina Deyo Oconnor, the daughter of Eli Deyo and Philomen Lafountain). More
Note: I have solved this mystery and established the link. John’s parent’s were, in fact, Joseph Dion (Deo- Deyo) and Julia (Julie/ Julienne) Denis (Denys, Lafay, LaFaille, Dennis).
The most commanding piece of obvious genealogical evidence is immediately below (John’s death certificate).
As for the rest of the story, I am writing and plan to post a more complete history. My previous post on this subject is below:
I am searching to find the parents of one John Deyo. I can find an obvious (but incorrect!) link from him to a set of parents identified in the New Paltz area of New York as Christian Deyo… I think we now can say for certain that our Deyos are from Canada not New Paltz. My sister (Linda) is going to do some record research in Albany this week to see what she is able to unearth. (more to come… we hope!)
So here’s the dilemma I have, on the last census it seems John parents are Canadian (John & Julie Deo); earlier evidence seems to indicate John was born in the US (what we don’t know is who these people were before they came to the US).
After performing a detailed analysis of all the Deyo’s it is highly unlikely that I have yet found the parents of our John Deo/ Deyo. My analysis of the Joseph & John Deo’s in Altona circa 1870-1880 would seem to point to Joseph Deo being the father of John… however, we have no proof . My sister Linda is going to visit NYS records to see what may lie there. I have contacted Holy Angels Church in Altona and also Altona (NY) Town Clerk to see what they might offer. Oh and yes, I have contacted the genealogy group from Altona. My sister is going to also examine the adjoining town of Chazy for records… and look in Altona for any property records (because 1880 and 1870 Censuses both indicate the Deo’s were property owners- farmers). It is quite the mystery.
Any help or insight is MOST appreciated!
Genealogically, here’s what I had (and now believe to be incorrect!):
Deyo John
1837 – 1924
Birth
Abt Dec 1837
Rosendale, Ulster, New York USA
The 1910 Census indicates he was born in Vermont. The 1900 Census provides the approximate birth date.
Gender
Male
Census
1870 Census
Altona, Clinton, New York USA
Census
1850
Rosendale, Ulster, New York USA
Census
1900
Wilton, Saratoga, New York USA
This census indicates John was born in New York, as were his parents and wife.
Census
1910
Altona, Clinton, New York USA
Died
1924
Altona, New York USA
date obtained from his headstone…Holy Angels Roman Catholic Cemetery Altona, Clinton County, New York
Father
Deyo Christian J, b. 11 Apr 1807, New Paltz, Ulster, New York USA , d. 11 Dec 1887, New Paltz, Ulster, New York USA
Mother
DuBois Blandina, b. 17 Jul 1812, New Paltz, Ulster, New York USA , d. 25 Jul 1885, New Paltz, Ulster, New York USA
Married
8 Sep 1831
New Paltz, Ulster, New York USA
Family
Burnah Mary Ann, b. Abt Apr 1853, d. 1940, Altona, New York USA
Married
Abt 1864
Children
>
1. Deyo George, b. 1868, Altona, Clinton, New York USA , d. 1945
Notes
John appears to have been either disowned or otherwise cast away from the Christian J. Deyo family. For most of his life, he moves from place to place and continually changes description of his birth location.
After his training, he became a member of the the 
