Oregon Pioneers

Please send corrections & additions to Mike RANSOM strebig@gmail.com, web-page maintainer.

"On my transcription of Elijah WHITE's 1842 census, I have the following additional people, mostly French Canadians:

[note: spelling corrections and additions by of Quebec, Canada, September 1998; coded "BL"] Other additions as noted.

• ARQUETTE, A [BL: Amable ARCOUET or ARCOUETTE]

  Amable ARCOUET, born 1 Sept 1797 in Montreal to Michel and Marie Louise GAUDRY. Joined Hudson Bay Co [HBC] 1 June 1825 as a mason at York factory. He was part of a group that left Fort Vancouver 27 June 1827 to establish Fort Langley. He worked as a mason or midman until 1 Sept 1833 when he retired from HBC, receiving 3 months wages. In 1834 he helped rebuild the powder magazine at Fort Vancouver. From 1835-1842 HBC listed him as a Willamette River Valley settler. He maintained an account with the HBC, providing services as a mason, or furs and wheat in exchange for HBC goods. He was among the settlers from French Prairie who went to California for cattle in 1837, and went back in 1849 for three months during the gold rush. Married 28 Jan 1839 in Vancouver to Marguerite WAPONTE, and recognized as legitimate children, Amable 8, Michel 5, and Lisette 3. He settled near Donald and was naturalized in 1851. He was permanently blinded while helping blast a mill canal around the falls at Oregon City. Eight children, (five boys). Buried 8 July 1880 in St Paul parish cemetery, where wife Marguerite was buried Oct 1870. --from "Catholic Church Records of the Pacific Northwest" by Harriett MUNNICK, and HBC records; courtesy of Hal ARCOUET.

  "Amable's brother, Charles Leon ARCOUET [also, "Jean"] was born 11 June 1806, baptized in Notre Dame Cathedral, Montreal. He joined HBC in June 1841, and drowned while working at The Dalles. Amable "ARQUAITE" brought his body to St Paul and buried him there 3 Oct 1843." --14 Oct 1999,

• BALDRO, Wm
• BEAUVAIN, [BL: probably BOVET, BOIVIN, or BOVIN]
• BERNIA, F [BL: Francois BERNIER]
• BILAKE [BL: BELEC]

  "My great, great, grandfather was Pierre BELLEQUE. I am told he had the first will drawn up when Oregon became a state, also the first Fur Trading Post. He married a Chinook woman, and his property was on the Willamette River." 23 Nov 1999, from

• BISCORNET, Paschal [added 5 May 1999]

  "Paschale Caille dit Biscornet (Pascal Biscornet) was my GGGGrandfather. He came to Oregon Territory in 1820 with Hudson Bay Co and married Louise Cowitchin in 1839. By 1845 he settled on a land claim near Donald OR but died 1854 and is buried at St Paul."

• BLANCHET, F N

  Priests Progress : The Journey of Francis Norbert Blanchet from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific in Three Parishes by Harriet D MUNNICK, $15.

  François-Norbert BLANCHET, son of Pierre BLANCHET was born at Saint-Pierre-de-la-Rivière-du-Sud, in Bellechasse county, Quebec. He left Montreal on 3 May 1838, with a train of canoes from the Hudson Bay Company. He arrived at St Paul, Oregon, on 5 January 1839, a total of 208 days after his departure from Montreal. The next day, on the Epiphany day, he celebrated Mass in a small log chapel built by the inhabitants of the 'French Prairie' for this purpose. See more of this story at On the Trail of a Pioneer

  Father BLANCHET also figures prominently in the book, Les débuts de l'Église Catholique en Orégon (The beginnings of the Catholic Church in Oregon). See the book review.

  Le tissu Blanchet is a bulletin of information and communication for the Association of the Blanchet and Blanchette families of America

• BONERFAW, Antoine [BL: Antoine BONENFANT]

  This is my husband's family. Antoini BONANFANT is my husband's ancestor. Antoini married [1] to Marie PEPIN and had one son Antoine BONANFANT I. Antoini m [2] Francoise DEPARITI on 10 Jan 1842, and had three children:

  1. Angelique Marguerite BONANFANT, b 9 Jan 1842 (day before marriage); (my husband's line);
  2. Marie Ann BONANFANT, b 16 Jun 1845, d 9 Jun 1850;
  3. Charles BONANFANT, b 30 Apr 1847, d 1 May 1850.

  Antoini also fathered two children by Maguerite Indian / Marie Spokane / Mary Ann Pend d'Oreille (these are all names I have found used for this person.) The boys were Martin b c1830, d c1858; and Antoine II b c1831, d c1848.
  --28 Jan 2000, from

• BOSSU, Baptiste
• BREIVER, A B [BL: probably BREVIAIRE; possibly PREVERT]
• CAMPO, Charles [BL: Chalres CAMPEAU]
• CHAMERLAIN, A

  My gggrandfather Adolphus CHAMBERLAIN aka Francois-Dolphis CHAMBERLAND, came to Fort Vancouver with the Hudson's Bay Company. He married a woman named Julia Ann WATICIE, daughter of an Iroquois George WATICIE and a Chinook woman. Julia's brother Thomas WATICIE also settled in Oregon, but he and his family all died young. I see that you have included Adolphus in your list, but omitted his friend St MARTIN. If you would like more information, I would be happy to supply it.
  from in Toronto CAN.

• CHARLEFOU, Andrew [BL: possibly CHALIFOUX]
• CURNIA, Joseph [BL: Joseph CORNIER]
• DECHARM, B [BL: B DUCHARME]
• DEGEAR, Baptiste [BL: Baptiste DEGUIRE]
• DELOIR, J [BL: J DELOIRE]
• DEPAU, Pierre

  "This is my g-g-grandfather Pierre DEPAU, also known as Pierre DEPOT. His wife Lizette, an orphan (per Catholic Church Records) married [2] Jean Baptiste GOBIN. From articles and interviews in the Gervais and Portland newspapers, Grandma GOBIN died in 1932 and said her father was Lucien GAGNON of St Louis [OR] and she came with him to the prairie when she was about six, through Fort Vancouver. She also said she was born on Vancouver Island, and her mother was from the Frazier River tribe. I am still researching her origin and indian heritage. Last spring, I met my grandmother's niece Stella McKAY OCONNOR KUNTZ, age 93, who is in a widely-used picture in Oregon history books with Jean Baptist GOBIN and other ancestors." -10 Nov 99, from Christine, Dallas, Oregon.

• DEPORTE, J B
• DESPAU, J F
• DESPON, Champine [BL: possibly DESPONTS]
• DONPIERRE, David [BL: possibly DOMPIERRE]

  Pierre David DOMPIERRE is the correct name for my husband's ancestor. He married Marguerite SOUILLIER on 29 Dec 1838, and had seven children:

  1. Marie Genevieve DOMPIERRE, b 24 Dec 1893;
  2. David DOMPIERRE, b c1837, d 1858;
  3. Julienne DOMPIERRE, b 2 Jun 1839, d 1840;
  4. John Baptiste DOMPIERRE, b 12 Jun 1841, d 1901 (my husband's line);
  5. Philomen DOMPIERRE, b 24 May 1843;
  6. Louis DOMPIERRE;
  7. Francois Xavier DOMPIERRE, b 12 Oct 1845, d 1911.

  Marguerite SOUILLIER had a child, Joseph ROUSSIN, from a prior marriage to Sieur ROUSSIN. Pierre David died 17 Oct 1849.
  --28 Jan 2000, from

• DUBARR, O [BL: O DUBARRE]
• DUBOIS, J
• DUBOY, John B Jean-Baptiste Dubreuil---Voyageur
• EURBARE, Joseph [BL: Joseph HERBERT]
• FERCIA, L [BL: L FORCIER]
• GARNIA, J [BL: J GARNIER]
• GARNIA, Francis [BL: Francois GARNIER]
• GERE, G H [BL: G H GUIRE]
• GERVAIS, David
• GERVIA, J [BL: GERVAIS; perhaps GERVIER]
• GOBAR, John B [possibly Jean Baptiste GOBIN, who married the widow of Pierre DEPAU].
• GOTA, Perre [BL: Pierre GAUTHIER]
• GREGRA, John [BL: John O GREGOIRE]
• GREGWARE, A [BL: Etienne GREGOIRE]
• JOCK, Francis [BL: Francois JACQUES]
• LABOMBARD, J [BL: J LABOMBARDE]
• LABONTE Jr, L
• LABONTE Sr, L
• LACHAPELLE, Andrew
• LACOURSE, P
• LADDYROOT, H [BL: H LADEROUTE or Xavier LADEROUTE]

  "Francois Xavier Seguin dit Laderoute, born 1800 in Vaudreuil, Quebec, Canada, is our great great grandfather. He worked for the Hudson Bay Company as a trapper for several years, and later established a farm in the Willamette Valley. A researcher who is affiliated with the Seguin Association states, "Francois...was known as the best Log Lever on the French Prairie[, w]hich was in the Willameth [sic] Valley, Oregon. Many of Francois' children moved to Montana and lived on the Flathead Reservation."
  Their son Charles Augustus, our great grandfather, moved to Grant County, Oregon when he was about 16 years old and changed his name to LADROW. Charles married Sara Jane KIMBALL in about 1890. Their daughter Ida Mae LADROW married Charles William DERR: our grandparents. " --13Aug2002, from

• LAFRANBOIS, Michael [may also be spelled Michel LaFramboise]
  

  per descendant of Antoine LaFRAMBOISE, m 1905 in Moxee/Toppenish, Washington State, Fred FOY - home e-mail: ; or school e-mail:

• LAPRATT, P [BL: LAPRATTE or LAPRADE]
• LAROQUE, Pierre [BL: Pierre LAROCQUE]
• LEBRETON, Geo W
• LEFANTASIE, Charles [BL: Charles LAFANTAISIE]
• LEROE, J [BL: J LEROY]
• LEROONG, Pierre [BL: possibly LEROUX, LORANGER, LORANGE, LEROUGE]
• LEVIESE, Francis [BL: Francois LEVIESE
• LONGTERN, Andrew [BL: Andre LONGTIN or LONGTAIN]

  "This is my husband's family; the correct spelling is Andrew LONGTAIN."

  "This is my great-great-grandfather; see my notes about Andre LONGTAIN, trapper and pioneer". - 9 Dec 1999 from

• LUCIA, E see Etienne LUCIER or LUSSIER below
• MASTEAU, A [BL: A MATTEAU]
• MATT J [BL: MATTE]
• MCKEY, Thos
• MCKEY, Chas
• MCLAUGHLIN, J
• MENARD, Pierre
• MOISANG, Thomas [BL: MOISAN]

  "This is my husband's family; the correct spelling is Thomas MOISAN."

• MONTURE, Nicholas
• OBESHAW, A C [BL: AUBUCHON]
• OBESHAW, B [BL: AUBUCHON]
• OOSAW, Louis
• PARO, Joseph [BL: Joseph PERREAULT]
• PECHET, J B [BL: PICHETTE]
• PEGNEW, Andrew
• PERAULT, John B [BL: John B PERREAULT]
• PHLETTE, David
• PHLETTE, Jas
• PHLETTE, John
• PLACEA, M [BL: PLACIER]
• PLANT, Charles [BL: Charles PLANTE]

  "He married the widow of J B DUBREUIL"

• POIRIA, Toosang [BL: Toussaint POIRIER]
• QUANTILE,
• RAYMOND, H H
• REAUSHO, Eustaces [BL: Eustache ROCHON]
• REMMO, J
• REVIT, Joseph [BL: Joseph RIVET]
• RIVET, Antoine
• RIVET, Frances

  I noticed several RIVET family members on the 1842 Oregon census list at your web site. One correction: "Frances" should be "Francis" - or more correctly "Francois." Francois was the father of Joseph and Antoine, the other RIVETS on the list.

  Francois RIVET is a colorful character in American history. Born in Quebec in the mid-1750s, Francois RIVET traveled from Quebec to the Mississippi Valley some time prior to 1804. He joined the LEWIS and CLARK Expedition in 1804 at St. Louis, traveled with them up the Missouri River to the Mandan villages, wintered there at Fort Mandan (near present-day Stanton ND), and returned to St Louis with the expedition's keelboat in the Spring of 1805 while the main party continued West. His name is on the Lewis & Clark expedition roster.

  Francois also served on several other early expeditions of discovery, including Alexander ROSS' 1824 expedition into the Snake River country.

  About 1808, Francois had a son, Antoine, near Paradise, Montana by a Flathead Indian woman named Theresa TETE PLATTE. ("Tete Platte" is French for Flathead.) Another son, Joseph, was born about 1810. Francois and Theresa formalized their relationship in 1839 in a Catholic wedding at St Paul Mission. He died near there in 1852. (See Leroy HAFEN, ed, Mountain Men and Fur Traders of the Far West ($12), Volume VII, p 237, chapter "Francois Revet" by Harriet D MUNNICK; [Glendale CA: Arthur H CLARK Co, 1969].

  Until recently, I was not able to trace Francois RIVET's origins in Quebec. Thanks to information received from Gerald LENZEN, a member of the board of St Paul Mission Historical Society, I have now made the connection. Mr LENZEN told me of a book by George T BROWN, "Friend and Family on French Prairie," published in 1993, and available from the St. Paul Mission Historical Society. In the book, Mr Brown identifies Francois as born on 7 June 1754, the son of Pierre-Nicolas RIVET (a/k/a RIVEST) and Marie-Madeleine GAUTHIER a.k.a. LANDREVILLE. With this new information, I have found Francois' baptismal certificate in the records of St Sulpice Catholic Church, in St Sulpice, L'Assomption County, Quebec. From there, I've been able to trace Francois RIVET's ancestors back to LaRochelle, France in the early 1600s.
  Ellicott City MD, updated 11 March 1999

• RONDO, Charles [BL: Charles RONDEAU]
• [SINCLAIR, James] brought French Canadian families in separate party, 1841 & 1854
• TENISLAW, Peter
• TOPAN, John B [BL: John B TOUPIN or TOPIN]
• UMPERVILLE, Pierre J
• VANDERCOTT, J
• VANDOLL, F [BL: VANDAL]
• VEVETTE, Francis [BL: Francoise VEUVETTE]

Regarding Etienne LUCIER: "The French Canadians are fascinating people. The measure of them is wrapped up in Etienne LUCIER.

"LUCIER was pensioned off from the Hudson's Bay Company. The required move for all pensioned employees was to return to Montreal. The HBC had an interest in trapping, not settling the land.

"LUCIER did not want to go back to Montreal. He had married an Indian woman and had a family. Rules were rules, and McLOUGHLIN insisted that he leave. This must have been hard on McLOUGHLIN since he also had an Indian wife. My sister-in-law is descended from Tom McKAY, McLOUGHLIN's step-son.

"LUCIER started back, changed his route, and went to California. He then walked back to Oregon and begged to stay with his family again. This time, permission was given.

"Etienne LUCIER is called the first farmer of Oregon. He had a place on the east bank of the Willamette in what is now Portland for a while. However, he moved to the St. Paul area and built his home and farm. He is buried at St. Paul, as are many of the early French Canadians, Oregon's first settlers." --by Connie LENZEN

"Etienne was married to Josephte Nouite 23 January 1839 at Fort Vancover [now Washington state]. Etienne LUCIER's parents were Michel LUSSIER & Marie Victoire DELINE-VALET, who married 2 March 1772 in Boucherville PQ Canada." -from , Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec. Also see [using the WayBack Machine / WebArchive]Famous LUSSIERS.

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