Genealogy Wise

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Hello All,

 

I was wondering if there was anyone in this group that might have some knowledge of the lower Quebec Rebellion of 1837-38?

 

My gr gr gr grandparents were living in Longueuil, Quebec at this time and I'm trying to determine what their level of involvement in these Rebellions might be, although I have not gone beyond parish records in Quebec and am not sure where else to look.

 

My gr gr gr grandfather was Jean Marie Bessette, and he married Marie Gelineau in 1823.  They lived in Longueuil and raised their family until sometime between 1839-1841.  Their last daughter while they were living in Longueuil was baptized in Dec 1839 and their residence is noted on the bap. record.  They next show up on the baptism record of their next daughter in May 1841 in Henryville, but the bap. records notes they they were living in Hygate (Highgate, Vermont).

 

The timing that they choose to leave their home seems to indicate some level of involvement with the Patriots, but I really have not been able to find any additional information on them that notes any of this.  There was something written by the Longueuil Historical Society that notes that the incident that happened at the end of 1837 (where the people of the town lined the road to free the leaders that had been arrested and were being marched through the town) occurred on Joseph Bessette's farm.  I've gone through all the parish records for Longueuil and Chambly and am fairly certain that this Joseph must have been Jean Marie's second cousin.  That is as close as I've been able to put him to being involved with the Patriots.

 

I am assuming that those that left for the US would have left behind property (if they owned it), but does anyone know how to determine if this was so?  Were there land records that might give some indication of this?  

 

Or is anyone else able to give me some direction as to what kinds of records might exist that might shed some light on their lives in Longueuil?

 

I would greatly appreciate it!!  Thanks so much!

Amy Nichols

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Replies to This Discussion

Amy here is a bibliography to aid you in your research of French-Canadians involved in the military, war or skirmishes in Quebec, Canada in general, and the US (primarily Michigan) which had F-C settlers.  There is some very general info and "how to" books on various wars before 1900. Hope this is of some use, Jim.

 

#SEARCHING YOUR FRENCH-CANADIAN ANCESTORS IN THE MILITARY
Compiled by James P. LaLone, rev. 2010

General info:

MICHIGAN’S EARLY MILITARY FORCES: A ROSTER AND HISTORY OF TROOPS ACTIVATED PRIOR TO THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR, , by LeRoy Barnett, 2003.
MILITARY GENEALOGICAL SOURCES, by John W. Heisey.
SEARCHING AMERICAN MILITARY RECORDS by Fran Carter.
SOME OF THE MILITARY RECORDS OF AMERICA, BEFORE 1900; THEIR USE & VALUE IN GENEALOGICAL & HISTORICAL RESEARCH, by E. Kay Kirkham.

Revolutionary War:

LOCATING YOUR REVOLUTIONARY WAR ANCESTOR: A GUIDE TO THE
MILITARY RECORDS, by James C. Neogles, 1983.
REVOLUTIONARY WAR GENEALOGY by George K. Schweitzer.

GENEALOGICAL ABSTRACTS OF REVOLUTIONARY WAR PENSION FILES, 3 vls., by Virgil D. White, 1992

"Canadian Participants in the American Revolution - An Index" by Virginia E. DeMarce
in "Lost in Canada," starting in v.6 #2 (May 1980), pp.103-110.
"Michigan revolutionary pension payments" by John C. Curry in "Michigan Heritage", vols. 1 & 2.

see also:
RESEARCH GUIDE TO LOYALIST ANCESTORS: A DIRECTORY TO ARCHIVES, MANUSCRIPTS AND PUBLISHED SOURCES, by Paul J. Bunnell, 1990.

War of 1812:

WAR OF 1812 GENEALOGY by George K. Schweitzer.

THE CAPTURE OF MACKINAC IN 1812, L. P. Kellogg, 1913, Madison.
THE CAUSES OF THE WAR OF 1812, Reginald Horsman, 1962, New York.
DETROIT IN THE WAR OF 1812. A.B. Vorderstrasse.
THE DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF THE CAMPAIGN UPON THE NIAGARA FRONTIER, 9 vls., E. A.
Cruikshank, 1896-1908, Welland.
FLAMES ACROSS THE BORDER: THE CANADIANAMERICAN TRAGEDY, 18131814 by Pierre Berton.
THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR 1754-1760, by Daniel Marston, 2009, 7th ptg., Colchester
HULL AND THE SURRENDER OF DETROIT, J.F. Clarke, 1913, Boston.
IN THE WAKE OF THE EIGHTEEN-TWELVERS: FIGHTS & FLIGHTS OF FRIGATES & FORE-'N'-AFTERS IN THE WAR OF 1812-1815 ON THE GREAT LAKES, C.H.J. Snider, 1913, New York.
INDEX TO WAR OF 1812 PENSION FILES, Virgil D. White, 1989
INVADED ON ALL SIDES, by Ralph Naveaux, 2008.
INVASION OF CANADA, 18121813 by Pierre Berton.
MICHIGAN IN THE WAR OF 1812 by Fred C. Hamil.
NARRATIVE OF THE BATTLE OF BROWNSTOWN, J. Dalliba, 1816, New York.
REMEMBER THE RAISIN, G. C. Clift, 1961, Frankfort.
RICHARDSON'S WAR OF 1812,by Alexander C. Casselman (ed.), 1974 repr.,Toronto.
SEIGE AND RELIEF OF FORT WAYNE (IN) IN THE WAR OF 1812, by Robert B. McAfee, 1919
repr, Ft. Wayne.
A VETERAN OF 1812: THE LIFE OF JAMES FITZGIBBON, by Mary Agnes Fitzgibbon, 1979
repr., Toronto.
WAR DRUMS ALONG THE RIVER, Michael Gladstone White, 1991, Windsor.
THE WAR OF 1812, (Focus on Canadian History Series), Wesley B. Turner, 1982, Toronto.
THE WAR OF 1812 IN THE OLD NORTHWEST by Alec R. Gilpin.
WAR OF 1812 RESOURCE GUIDE, J.C. Fredricksen, 1979, Los Angeles.
WAR ON THE RAISIN: A NARRATIVE ACCOUNT OF THE WAR OF 1812 IN THE RIVER RAISIN SETTLEMENT, MICHIGAN TERRITORY by Dennis M. Au.

A number of articles dealing with the War of 1812 appear in the "Canadian Magazine", v.4, p.302; v.20, pp. 230, 327, 429, 539; v.22, pp.41, 164; v.40, p.437; v.42, p.464; v.45, p.298.

Civil War:

CIVIL WAR GENEALOGY by George K. Schweitzer.
TRACING YOUR CIVIL WAR ANCESTOR by Bertram H. Groene.

RECORDS OF SERVICE OF MICHIGAN VOLUNTEERS (18611865), 45 vols. by Adjutant
General. Of which there is the INDEX TO MICHIGAN SOLDIERS & SAILORS IN THE CIVIL WAR by Michigan. Department of State.
MICHIGAN SOLDIERS IN THE CIVIL WAR by Frederick D. Williams.
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF PRINTED MATERIAL ON MICHIGAN AND THE CIVIL WAR by Michigan
Civil War Commission.
MICHIGAN IN THE CIVIL WAR: A GUIDE TO MATERIAL IN DETROIT NEWSPAPERS, 1861-1866
by Helen H. Ellis.


In Canada:

Sources & General Info:

COPIES D'ARCHIVES D'ORIGINE FRANCAISE, by Renald Lessard, Quebec, 1990.

DuLong, John P. - "Genealogical Research Among the Military Records of New France," in
IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE HABITANT, 1986 SEMINAR ANNUAL, pp.15-37.
_______, - "Genealogical Research Among the Military Records of New France: An Update,"
in "Michigan's Habitant Heritage," v.15 #1 (Jan 1994), pp. 5-9.

Ministère de la Defense
État Major de l'Armée de Terre
Service Historique de l'Armée de Terre
Château de Vincennes
94304 Vincennes Cedex
FRANCE

Soldiers & Officers:

DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY, by the University of Toronto. There is a master index to the first 4 volumes titled DICITONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY: INDEX TO VOLUMES I TO IV, 1000 TO 1800, which includes a list of biographies dealing with French armed forces in Canada, pp. 35-8. DCB is now online.

Auger, Roland-J. -"Les Soldats de la Guerre de Sept Ans" in "Memoires", starting with
v.4 #4 (Jun 1951) through v.20 #1 (Jan-Mar 1969).
Bonnault, Claude de - "Le Canada Militaire: État Provisoire des Officiers de Milice, de 1641
à 1760." in "Rapport des Archives Nationales du Quebec" (1949/50 - 1950/51),
pp. 263-527.
_______, - "Notes pour Servir a l'etablisement d'une List des Capitaines de Milice au Canada
Sous le Regime Français," in "Les Bulletin des Reserches Historiques," v.56 #10-12
(Oct-Dec 1950), pp. 359-72.
Bouchard, Russel - LES ARMURIERS DE LA NOUVELLE-FRANCE, 1978.
"Les Bulletin des Reserches Historiques" - "Les Officiers du Regiment..." series:
"de Guyenne," v.51 #5, (May 1945), pp.189-94.
"de Berry," v.51 #6 (Jun 1945), pp. 223-30.
"de la Sarre," v.51 #7 (Jul 1945), pp. 251-60.
"de Languedoc," v.51 #8 (Aug 1945), pp. 283-89.
"de Bearn," v.51 #10 (Oct 1945), pp. 352-8.
"de la Reine," v.51 #11 (Nov 1945), pp. 385-91.
"de Royal-Roussillon," v.51 #12 (Dec 1945), pp. 425-32.
Burnham, Koert D. - "Carignan Soldiers & Kings Daughters," in "Lifelines," v.7 #1
(Spring 1990), pp.7-9.
Casgrain, Henri-Raymond, ed. - COLLECTION DES MANUSCRITS DU MARECHAL DE LEVIS,
12 vls. 1889-95.
Cassel, Jay - THE TROUPES DE LA MARINE IN CANADA, 1683-1760: MEN AND MATERIAL
(Ph.D. Dissertation), 1987.
Chartrand, Rene – THE FRENCH SOLDIER IN COLONIAL AMERICA (Historical Arms
Series #18), 1984.
Courteau, Elmer - "The Carignan Regiment," in "Lost in Canada?", v.8#3 (Aug
1982), pp.145-7; v.8#4 (Nov 1982), pp.211-4; v.9#1 (Frb 1983), pp.30-3; v.9#2
(May 1983), pp. 94-7; v.9 #3 (Aug 1983), pp.155-6; v.9 #4 (Nov 1983), pp.224-
6; v.10 #1 (Feb 1984), pp.32-6; v.10 #2 (May 1984), pp.91-101.
DeVille, Winston (trans/comp.) - LOUISIANA COLONIALS: SOLDIERS AND VAGABONDS,
1963.
_______, LOUISIANA RECRUITS, 1752-1758: SHIP LISTS OF TROOPS FROM THE INDEPENDENT COMPANIES OF THE NAVY DESTINED FOR SERVICE IN THE FRENCH COLONY OF LOUISIANA,
1973.
_______, LOUISIANA TROOPS, 1720 - 1770, 1965.
Faribeault-Beauregard, Marthe - LA POPULATION DES FORTS FRANCAIS D'AMERIQUE
(18th C), 1982. 2 vls.
Fauteux, Aegidus - LES CHEVALIERS DE SAINT-LOUIS EN CANADA, 1940.
_______, - "Officers de Montcalm," in "Revue d'Histoire de l'Amerique Francaise, v.3
#3 (Dec 1949), pp.367-82; v.4 #4 (Mar 1951), pp. 521-9; & v.5 #3 (Dec 1951),
pp.404-15.
Leclerc, Jean - "Les Soldats Maries," in "Memoires", v.12 #2 (Feb 1961), pp.38-42.
Lefebvre, Jean-Jacques - "Quelques Capitaines de Milice de Chateauguay," in
"Memoires", v.18 #4 (Oct-Dec 1967), pp. 220-33.
_______, - "Officiers et Miliciens du District Quebec en 1776," in "Les Bulletin des
Recherches Historiques," v.59 #4 (Oct-Dec 1953), pp. 225-7.
_______, - "Les Capitaines de Milice de Pointe-Claire," in "Memoires", v.19 #2 (Apr-Jun
1968), pp. 98-115.
Mason, Edward G. - ILLINOIS IN THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY: KASKASKIA AND ITS PARISH RECORDS AND OLD FORT CHARTRES, 1881.
Massicotte, Edouard-Zotique - "La Milice de 1663," in "Les Bulletin des Reserches
Historiques", v.32 #7 (Jul 1926), pp. 405-18.
Racine, Denis - "Les Officiers de Milice de la Cote de Beaupre (1774-1868)," in
"L'Ancetre," v.7 #6 (Feb 1981), pp.163-74.
Robert, Jean - "Les Capitaines de Milice de Pointe-aux-Trembles, apres 1750," in
"Memoires", v.31 #3 (Jul-Sept 1980), pp. 220-1.
Roy, Christian - HISTOIRE DE L'ASSOMPTION, 1967, Chap. 18 "DeGeay et les Soldats de
Montcalm," pp.129-35.
Roy, Regis & Gerard Malchelosse - LE REGIMENT DE CARIGNAN: SON ORGANIZATION ET SON EXPEDITION AU CANADA (1665-1668): OFFICIERS ET SOLDATS QUI S'ETABLIRENT EN CANADA, 1925.
Seguin, Robert-Lionel - "Les Miliciens de Vaudreuil et Soulanges," in "Rapport des
Archives Nationales du Quebec (1955/56-1956/57), pp. 223-52.
Sulte, Benjamin - "Early History of the Militia," in "Melange Historiques", v.1,
pp. 127-34.
_______ - "Canadian Militia Under the French Regime," in "Melange Historiques", v.1,
pp. 135-46, 1918.
_______, - "Le Regiment de Carignan," in "Melange Historiques", v.8, 1922.
Varney, Jack - THE GOOD REGIMENT: THE CARIGNAN-SALIERES REGIMENT IN CANADA, 1665-1668, 1991.


MILITARY HISTORY:

Ballard, Ralph - OLD FORT SAINT JOSEPH (MI), 1973 repr.
Bornem, Walter R. – THE FRANCH & INDIAN WAR, DECIDING THE FATE OF NORTH AMERICA, 2006, New York.
Chartrand, Rene – THE FORTS OF NEW FRANCE: IN NORTHEAST AMERICA, 1800-1763, 2008, Oxford.
Chartrand, Rene – THE FORTS OF NEW FRANCE: THE GREAT LAKES, THE PLAINS AND THE GULF COAST, 1600-1763, 2010, Oxford.
Chidsey, Donald B. - THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR; AN INFORMAL HISTORY, 1969, NY.
Connell, Brian - THE PLAINS OF ABRAHAM, 1959, London.
Courteau, Elmer - "The Carignan Regiment," in OUR FRENCH-CANADIAN ANCESTORS, v.2,
ed/trans by Thomas J. LaForest, 1984, pp.5-11.
Delmas, Jean (ed.) - CONFLITS DE SOCIETES AU CANADA FRANÇAIS PENDANT LA GUERRE DE SEPT ANS, 1978, Vincennes, FR.
Eccles, William J. - "The French Forces in North America During the Seven Years War," in
DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY, v.3, ppxv-xxiii.
_______, - "The Social, Economic and Political Significance of the Military Establishment in New France," in "Canadian Historical Review," v.52 #1 (Mar 1974), pp.1-22.
Edmunds, R. David & Joseph L. Peyser - THE FOX WARS: THE MESQUAKIE CHALLENGE TO NEW FRANCE, 1993, Norman.
Embleton, Gerry A. - "The French Army in Canada," in "Tradition: the Journal of
the International Society of Military Collectors," v.4 #24, pp.4-7; v.5 #26,
pp.10-13 (includes "Some Remarks on the French in Canada" by Rene Chartrand,
p.14.)
Eringaard, Cornelius - FORT ST. JOSEPH UNDER FRENCH CONTROL, 1693-1760, 1961.
Fregault, Guy - CANADA: THE WAR OF CONQUEST, 1969, Toronto.
Gringhuis, Dirk - "In Grey-White and Blue: French Troops at Fort Michilimackinac 1715-
1760," in "Mackinac History Leaflet" #12, 1969.
Hart, Gerald E. - THE FALL OF NEW FRANCE, 1755-1760, 1888, Montreal.
Houlding, J.A. - FRENCH ARMS DRILL OF THE 18TH CENTURY, (Historical Arms Series
#19), 1988.
Kennett, Lee - THE FRENCH ARMIES IN THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR, 1967, Durham.
Knox, John B. - AN HISTORICAL JOURNAL OF THE CAMPAIGNS IN NORTH AMERICA FOR THE YEARS 1757, 1758, 1759 AND 1760, 1914-16, Toronto.
May, Robin - WOLF'S ARMY, 1974 New York.
Lanctot, Gustave - "Les Troupes de la Nouvelle-France," in "The Canadian Historical
Association Annual Report," 1926, pp.40-59.
Landry, Y. - "La population militaire au Canada pendant la Guerre de Sept Ans," in
"Annales de Demographie Historique,", 1978.
MacDonald, M.A. - FORTUNE & LATOUR: THE CIVIL WAR IN ACADIA, 1983, Toronto.
Malchelosse, Gerard - "Milice et Troupes de la Marine en Nouvelle France, 1669-1760,"
in "Les Cahiers des Dix," #14 (1949), pp.115-48.
_______, - LE POSTE DE LA RIVIERE SAINT-JOSEPH, 1691-1781, (MI) 1959.
Marston, Daniel – THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR 1754-1760, 2002, Oxford.
McCulloch, Ian Macpherson – HIGHLANDER IN THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR, 1756-1767, 2008, Oxford.
Patterson, T.W. - CANADIAN BATTLES & MASSACRES: 300 YEARS OF WARFARE AND ATROCITIES ON CANADIAN SOIL, 1977, Langley, B.C.
Rollo, John - UNIFORMS OF THE SEVEN YEARS WAR 1756-1763, 1977, New York.
Samuel, Sigmund, comp. - THE SEVEN YEARS WAR IN CANADA, 1756-1763, 1934,
Toronto.
Stacey, C.P. - QUEBEC 1759: THE SIEGE AND THE BATTLE, 1959.
Stanley, George F.G. - "The Canadian Militia during the Ancien Regime," in "Journal
of the Society for Army Historical Research", 1943.
Stanley, George F.G. - CANADA'S SOLDIERS: THE MILITARY HISTORY OF AN UNMILITARY PEOPLE, 3rd ed., 1974, Toronto.
Steele, I.K. - GUERILLAS AND GRENADIERS: THE STRUGGLE FOR CANADA, 1689-1760, 1969.
Summers, Jack L. & Rene Chartrand - MILITARY UNIFORMS IN CANADA 1665-1970,
1981, Ottawa.
Voorhis, Ernest - HISTORIC FORTS AND TRADING POSTS OF THE FRENCH REGIME AND OF THE ENGLISH FUR TRADING COMPANIES, 1930, Ottawa.
Webster, Mildred E. & Fred Krause - FRENCH ST. JOSEPH: LE POSTE DE LA RIVIERE ST. JOSEPH, 1690-1780, 1990,
Windrow, Martin - MONTCALM'S ARMY, 1973, Berkshire, Eng.
Wood, William C.H. - THE LOGS OF THE CONQUEST OF CANADA, 1909, Toronto.
Wrong, George M. - THE FALL OF CANADA: A CHAPTER IN THE HISTORY OF THE SEVEN YEARS' WAR, 1914.


Rebellion:

Beauclerk, Charles - MILITARY OPERATIONS IN CANADA, 1837-8-9, 1980 repr.,
Belleville.
DeCelles, Alfred Duclos - PAPINEAU, CARTIER, 1904, Toronto.
Dent, J.C. - THE STORY OF THE UPPER CANADIAN REBELLION, 2 vls., 1885, Toronto.
Fauteux, Aegidus - PATRIOTES DE 1837-1838, 1950, Montreal.
Guillet, Edwin G. - THE LIVES AND TIMES OF THE PATRIOTS: AN ACCOUNT OF THE REBELLION IN UPPER CANADA, 1837-1842, 1938.
Hand, Augustus N. - "Local Incidents of the Papineau Rebellion", in "Proceedings of
the New York State Historical Associatoion", v. 32 (1934), pp.376-387.
Kinchen, Oscar A. - THE RISE AND FALL OF THE PATRIOT HUNTERS, 1956.
Ontario Historical Society - 1837 REBELLION REMEMBERED, 1988, Willowdale.
Read, D.B. - THE CANADIAN REBELLION OF 1837, 1896, Toronto.
Ryerson, Stanley B. - REBIRTH OF A CANADIAN DEMOCRACY, 1937.
Schull, Joseph - REBELLION: THE RISING IN FRENCH CANADA 1837.
Wallace, Stewart - THE FAMILY COMPACT: A CHRONICLE OF THE REBELLION IN UPPER CANADA, 1915.
White, Ruth L. - LOUIS-JOSEPH PAPINEAU ET LAMENNAIS. LE CHEF DES PATRIOTES CANADIENS À PARIS 1839-1843.

in "Canadian Magazine" - v.3, p.237 "Papineau and His Home"; v.36, p.411 "Papineau."

Louis Riel & the Riel Rebellion:

anon. - THE STORY OF LOUIS RIEL THE REBEL CHIEF, repr. of 1885 ed., 1979, Toronto.
anon. - "In the Camp of Louis Riel," in "Month," v.55, London, p.322.
Anderson, Frank W. - THE RIEL REBELLION, 1885, 1962, Calgary.
Boulton, Charles A. - REMINISCENCES OF THE NORTHWEST REBELLION, 1886, Toronto.
Bowsfield, Hartwell - LOUIS RIEL: REBEL OF THE WESTERN FRONTIER OR VICTOM OF POLITICS AND PREJUDICE?, 1969, Toronto.
Charlebois, Peter - THE LIFE OF LOUIS RIEL, 1975, Toronto.
Davidson, W. M. - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF LOUIS RIEL, 1952, Calgary.
Flanagan, Thomas - "Louis David Riel: Prophet, Priest-King, Infallible Pontiff," in
"Journal of Canadian Studies," v. 9 (Aug 1974), pp.15-25.
_______, - LOUIS DAVID RIEL: PROPHET OF THE NEW WORLD, 1979, Toronto.
_______, - "Louis Riel and the Dispersion of the American Métis," in "Minnesota History,"
(Spring 1984), pp.179-190.
Harris, C. Alexander - "Riel, Louis," in DICTIONARY OF NATIONAL BIOGRAPHY, v.48
(1896), NY, p.295.
Howard, Joseph Kinsey - THE STRANGE EMPIRE OF LOUIS RIEL, 1965, Toronto.
Jordan, Mary Veronica - TO LOUIS RIEL FROM YOUR SISTER WHO LOVES YOU: SARA RIEL,
1974.
Lamb, R.E. - THUNDER IN THE NORTH, CONFLICT OVER THE RIEL RISINGS, 1870-1885, 1957,
NY.
Morton, W.L. - "Riel, Louis," in DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY, v.9 (1976),
Toronto, p.663.
Mulvaney, C.P. - THE HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST REBELLION OF 1885, 1885, Toronto.
Needler, Rosemary - LOUIS RIEL, 1977, Toronto.
Osler, E.B. - THE MAN WHO HAD TO HANG, LOUIS RIEL, 1961, Toronto.
Provincial Library - LOUIS RIEL: A BIBLIOGRAPHY, 1972, Saskatchewan.
Rambaut, T.D. - "Rebellions of Louis Riel," in "Political Science Quarterly, v.2, NY,
p.135.
Riel, Louis - THE QUEEN V. LOUIS RIEL, 1974, Toronto,
Stanley, George F.G. - THE BIRTH OF WESTERN CANADA, A HISTORY OF THE RIEL REBELLIONS, 1936, London.
_______, - "Footnote to History: Was Louis Riel an American Citizen?," in "Canadian
Historical Review", v.29, (Mar 1948), pp.40-3.
_______, - LOUIS RIEL: PATRIOT OR REBEL?, 1954, Ottawa.
_______, - LOUIS RIEL, 1963, Toronto.
Trémaudan, A.H. de - "Louis Riel and the Fenian Raid of 1871" in "Canadian
Historical Review," v.4 #2 (1923), pp.132-44.
_______, ed. - "Letters of Louis Riel and Ambroise Lépine to Lieutenant-Gouvernor Morris,
January 3, 1873," in Canadian Historical Review, v.8 #4 (1927), pp.302-8.
Woodcock, George - "Louis Riel: Defender of the Past," in "History Today," v. 9, (Mar
1959), pp. 198-207, and "the Beaver," (Spring 1960), p.24.
_______, - "Dumont and Riel: Hero and Martyr," in "Canadian Forum," v. 55 (Oct
1975), pp.13-15.
Woodside, H.J. - "Riel Rebellion: Canadian Militia in Action," in "Outing," v. 22, NY,
pp.227, 288.

Also check into the different re-enactment groups.

Hi Amy,

 

In the National Archives of the Province of Quebec, you'll find a bit of information here about a Jean-Marie Bessette and the Rebellion:

http://pistard.banq.qc.ca/unite_chercheurs/description_fonds?p_anqs...

 

Unfortunately, the document - an affidavidit -  is not available on the site, but you could probably order it from the Quebec Archives. It's description, in french, reads:

TITLE OF THE DOCUMENT: Affidavit de Joseph Tremblay, journalier, de Longueuil . - 21 novembre 1837

DESCRIPTION: Le déposant déclare qu'il entendit des décharges d'armes à feu. Il vit ensuite passer plusieurs hommes armés, entre autres, Jean-Marie Bessette qui conduisait un cheval libre devant sa voiture.

Ce dossier fait partie d'un ensemble de documents intitulé : Attaque de la cavalerie à Longueuil, le 17 novembre 1855 .

 

I'll try a translation (I'm French Canadian...)

TITLE: Affidavit of Joseph Tremblay, laborer, from Longueuil - november 21, 1837

DESCRIPTION: : The applicant states that he heard the discharge of firearms. He saw then several armed men, among others, Jean-Marie Bessette leading a loose horse in front of his cart. 

This file is part of a set of documents entitled: Attack of the cavalry in Longueuil,November 17, 1855.

 

What the document tells is that your ancestor was probably part of the Rebellion!

 

Hope this will help,

 

Johanne Prud'homme


 

 

 

I want to add to my last message that you can also find a file refering to Jean-Marie Bessette on the site of LAC (Canada Archives). It's title is: Lower Canada Rebellion losses claims [textual record, cartographic ...(R200-113-0-E)

 

The url which refers precisely to JM Bessette is the following:

http://www.lac-bac.gc.ca/pam_archives/public_mikan/index.php?fuseac...()&back_url=()&&back_url=(&node_state_all=0&page_nbr=6.3&&back_url=()

 

I don't know if this is the same document as the one I found in the Quebec Archives.

 

Johanne

JOHANNE -

I just about had a heart attack reading this message!!!! Or actually about 23 heart attacks!! Oh my gosh!! I have tried looking through the Canadian Archives site before, but never found anything! This is just wonderful! Holy cow! I found a mention of one battle in Longueuil where some of the Patriot Leaders had been arrested and were being led on foot through the streets from Chambly to Longueuil. The Patriots in Longueuil gathered on a farm to wait for the caravan to arrive - and the farm belonged to Joseph Bessette. From what I can determine this must have been Jean Marie's 2nd cousin, but I could never find more than that.

This is just so great! And I really can't thank you enough!! Wow! Now I'm off to see about how to get a copy!

Thank you so much again! You've made my year!!

Amy

HI Amy,

 

I hope you feel well after your 23 heart attacks! I'm very glad that these informations were of interest for you. If I find anything else, I'll post here. The year is not finished yet!

 

Johanne

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