Greetings! I am new to this list but have been reading it and the archives for several weeks. I've found information that makes me believe one of many of you may have the information I'm seeking, so offer thanks to the many contributors! My paternal great grandfather was Israel Francis Bernier. According to his Civil War discharge papers he was born 1845 at Maskinonge, Quebec, CA. On his citizenship application he says he emigrated to the US in July 1846 through Detroit. He enlisted in Company B, the 46th Infantry from Grand Rapids, WI in 1865, catching the last months of the war. Family information says he married Mary Susan LaVigne about 1873 and probably in Juneau County, perhaps Necedah, WI. He died there 11 Sept 1895. Mary Susan, born 11 June 1850, was the daughter of Charles LaVigne and Ursula Lessard LeRoy (Roy, Roi) LaVigne of Portage, WI. I am drawing blanks on the US census lists for Israel Francis Bernier. This family was Catholic--Charles and Ursula LaVigne are buried in St. Mary's Cemetery at Portage. The story is that Ursula was born at Prairie Du Chein, 1818 to Pierre Lessard and Julie Crelie, was a sister to Pierre Pauquette's wife and a granddaughter to Joseph Creley (Creli). Charles LaVigne claimed Michigan as a birth place and gave the year as 1810. His parents are supposed to be Jean Baptist LaVigne and Elizabeth Hyotte of Prairie du Chein. I would appreciate any help you can give confirming any of this. I am especially interested in any traditional names and tribal affiliations you might have for any of the above as that information is lacking from the information that's been passed to me by distant cousins. I discussed this with my father before he died and it was all new information to him although he said his German cousins from his mother's side always called him and his sister "The Indian" and "The Squaw" and they weren't being nice about it. He questioned his parents but was only told he was half French and to be quiet about "that Indian nonsense". I would like to claim with pride something that appears to have been lost to him, if in fact it was there. Unfortunately I'm 2000 miles distant from being able to research any records in Wisconsin and am unable to travel so I'm depending on your generosity to help me put the family story together for younger generations. Thanks so much! Linda.

Here is part 1 (5 pages total) - additions/corrections appreciated. 1. Pierre PELLETIER-ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1750, (son of Pierre PELLETIER-ANTAYA and Francoise PARENT) died 1816 in Prairie du Chien, WI. Taken from the Draper Manuscript, "Forsyth Papers", series 2T and reprinted in Michigan's Habitant Heritage, v.9 #3 (Jul. 1988), p.60 by the French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan. It is a list of metis Sauk-Fox "who claim land according to the treaty made at Washington City, on the 4th August, 1824." The list is given twice, the first list contains the names of people living at the time of the treaty, the second list is that of the children "who are supposed to be now living." Additional info was given in the article taken from Prairie du Chien parish records. . He married Catherine POKOUPEE-RENAUD, buried in Old French Cem., Prairie du Chien, WI. Catherine: Fox Indian. Children: 2. i Elizabeth b. c. 1784. 3. ii Frances b. c. 1785. 4. iii Margaret b. c. 1786. 5. iv Maria b. c. 1790. v Therese ANTAYA. Unsure of her parentage. She married Michael GAUTIER, born 1790, (son of Claude-Charles GAUTIER/GAULTHIER and unknown). vi Josephte Louise ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA. She married Charles LaPOINTE, (son of _____ LaPOINTE and unknown). 6. vii Theotiste/Theodille b. c. 1795. 7. viii Euphrosine b. c. 1797. 8. ix Catherine b. c. 1797. x Isaac ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1799, baptized 7 May 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. xi Isidore ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1801, baptized 2 May 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. xii Chrystsom ANTAYA, born 1804. He married Julia GRIGNON, born 1813, (daughter of Augustin GRIGNON and Teresa DeKORAH/Ma-Na-Tee-See). Second Generation 2. Elizabeth ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1784. She married (1) Jean-Marie CARDINAL, died 1823. Children: i Eustache CARDINAL, born 21 Jan 1808, baptized 4 May 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. ii Helie CARDINAL, born 14 Jan 1810, baptized 4 May 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. iii Pierre CARDINAL, born 20 Dec 1812, baptized 4 May 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. iv Paul CARDINAL, baptized 4 May 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. v Julien CARDINAL, born 19 Dec 1826?, baptized 9 Jul 1827 in Prairie du Chien, WI.[1] She married (2) Jean-Baptiste OUELLET. 3. Frances ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1785. She married (1) Joseph CRELIE/CRELIS, born 1771, died 1865. Children: 9. i Julie b. 2 Apr 1795. ii Marie-Louise CRELIE, born 12 May 1796. iii Therese-Josephine CRELIE, born 4 Dec 1798. iv Joseph CRELIE, born 1803. 10. v Josephine b. 1807. She married (2) Pierre COURVILLE, born 1784, (son of Antoine COURVILLE and unknown). Children: 11. vi Genevieve b. c. 1809. vii Pierre COURVILLE Jr., born 1811. viii Antoine COURVILLE, born c. 1812, baptized 28 Apr 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. 12. ix Florence b. Dec 1816. x Francoise COURVILLE, born 1 Apr 1821, baptized 17 Jun 1827 in Prairie du Chien, WI. 4. Margaret ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1786. She married Pierre LARIVIERE. Children: i Baptiste LARIVIERE. 5. Maria ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1790. She married Pierre LAPOINTE, (son of _____ LaPOINTE and unknown). Children: i Euphrosine LAPOINTE. ii Pierre LAPOINTE. 6. Theotiste/Theodille ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1795. She married (1) Edouard LaGOTERIE. Children: i Judith LaGOTERIE. She married (2) Francois PREVO(S)T. 7. Euphrosine ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1797, baptized 5 May 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. She married (1) James FRAZER. Children: i Domitille FRAZER. She married (2) Strange POWERS. Children: ii Helene POWERS, born 18 Sept 1819, baptized 12 Aug 1827 in Prairie du Chien, WI. iii Euphrosine POWERS, born 13 Feb 1821, baptized 26 Jun 1827 in Prairie du Chien, WI.[2] iv Jean-Baptiste POWER(S), born 10 Oct 1826, baptized 4 Jun 1827 in Prairie du Chien, WI.[3] v George POWERS, baptized 8 Sept 1828 in Prairie du Chien, WI,[4] (see note 1). vi Harriet POWERS. 8. Catherine ANTAYA/ANTAILLIA, born c. 1797, baptized 2 May 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI, buried 10 Oct 1817 in Prairie du Chien, WI. She married Andre BAZIN. Children: i Pierre BAZIN. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] O'Reilly, Isabel (transcriber), Parish Registers of Prairie-du-Chien, Galena, and Fever River, 1827-1833 (American Catholic Historical Society Records, 1911, v. 22), 170. [2] O'Reilly, Isabel (transcriber), Parish Registers of Prairie-du-Chien, Galena, and Fever River, 1827-1833 (American Catholic Historical Society Records, 1911, v. 22), 170. [3] O'Reilly, Isabel (transcriber), Parish Registers of Prairie-du-Chien, Galena, and Fever River, 1827-1833 (American Catholic Historical Society Records, 1911, v. 22), 166. [4] O'Reilly, Isabel (transcriber), Parish Registers of Prairie-du-Chien, Galena, and Fever River, 1827-1833 (American Catholic Historical Society Records, 1911, v. 22), 186. ----- Original Message ----- From: <Llking47@aol.com> To: <NISHNAWBE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 1:13 PM Subject: [NISHNAWBE] Israel Francis Bernier > Greetings! > I am new to this list but have been reading it and the archives for > several weeks. I've found information that makes me believe one of many > of you > may have the information I'm seeking, so offer thanks to the many > contributors! > > My paternal great grandfather was Israel Francis Bernier. According > to > his Civil War discharge papers he was born 1845 at Maskinonge, Quebec, > CA. On > his citizenship application he says he emigrated to the US in July 1846 > through Detroit. > He enlisted in Company B, the 46th Infantry from Grand Rapids, WI in > 1865, catching the last months of the war. > Family information says he married Mary Susan LaVigne about 1873 and > probably in Juneau County, perhaps Necedah, WI. He died there 11 Sept > 1895. > Mary Susan, born 11 June 1850, was the daughter of Charles LaVigne > and > Ursula Lessard LeRoy (Roy, Roi) LaVigne of Portage, WI. > I am drawing blanks on the US census lists for Israel Francis > Bernier. > This family was Catholic--Charles and Ursula LaVigne are buried in > St. > Mary's Cemetery at Portage. The story is that Ursula was born at Prairie > Du > Chein, 1818 to Pierre Lessard and Julie Crelie, was a sister to Pierre > Pauquette's wife and a granddaughter to Joseph Creley (Creli). Charles > LaVigne > claimed Michigan as a birth place and gave the year as 1810. His parents > are > supposed to be Jean Baptist LaVigne and Elizabeth Hyotte of Prairie du > Chein. > > I would appreciate any help you can give confirming any of this. I am > especially interested in any traditional names and tribal affiliations > you > might have for any of the above as that information is lacking from the > information that's been passed to me by distant cousins. > I discussed this with my father before he died and it was all new > information to him although he said his German cousins from his mother's > side > always called him and his sister "The Indian" and "The Squaw" and they > weren't > being nice about it. He questioned his parents but was only told he was > half > French and to be quiet about "that Indian nonsense". I would like to > claim with > pride something that appears to have been lost to him, if in fact it was > there. > Unfortunately I'm 2000 miles distant from being able to research any > records in Wisconsin and am unable to travel so I'm depending on your > generosity to help me put the family story together for younger > generations. Thanks so > much! Linda. > > > > > ============================== > Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. > Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx > >

Did you mean Grand Rapids, Michigan? If you send to the National Archives for your Civil War ancestor's file and ask for the Personnel File and Pension File, it will give you much more information than the Military File. I will take a look at my Prairie du Chien information. Remember that Crawford Co. and Brown Co. Wisconsin were Michigan at one time. You may want to try writing the State Historical Society of Wisconsin for your information. They were very helpful to me in this type of research. Anita, great grand daughter of a Michigan Civil War Vet. ----- Original Message ----- From: <Llking47@aol.com> To: <NISHNAWBE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, March 04, 2005 1:13 PM Subject: [NISHNAWBE] Israel Francis Bernier > Greetings! > I am new to this list but have been reading it and the archives for > several weeks. I've found information that makes me believe one of many of you > may have the information I'm seeking, so offer thanks to the many > contributors! > > My paternal great grandfather was Israel Francis Bernier. According to > his Civil War discharge papers he was born 1845 at Maskinonge, Quebec, CA. On > his citizenship application he says he emigrated to the US in July 1846 > through Detroit. > He enlisted in Company B, the 46th Infantry from Grand Rapids, WI in > 1865, catching the last months of the war. > Family information says he married Mary Susan LaVigne about 1873 and > probably in Juneau County, perhaps Necedah, WI. He died there 11 Sept 1895. > Mary Susan, born 11 June 1850, was the daughter of Charles LaVigne and > Ursula Lessard LeRoy (Roy, Roi) LaVigne of Portage, WI. > I am drawing blanks on the US census lists for Israel Francis Bernier. > This family was Catholic--Charles and Ursula LaVigne are buried in St. > Mary's Cemetery at Portage. The story is that Ursula was born at Prairie Du > Chein, 1818 to Pierre Lessard and Julie Crelie, was a sister to Pierre > Pauquette's wife and a granddaughter to Joseph Creley (Creli). Charles LaVigne > claimed Michigan as a birth place and gave the year as 1810. His parents are > supposed to be Jean Baptist LaVigne and Elizabeth Hyotte of Prairie du Chein. > > I would appreciate any help you can give confirming any of this. I am > especially interested in any traditional names and tribal affiliations you > might have for any of the above as that information is lacking from the > information that's been passed to me by distant cousins. > I discussed this with my father before he died and it was all new > information to him although he said his German cousins from his mother's side > always called him and his sister "The Indian" and "The Squaw" and they weren't > being nice about it. He questioned his parents but was only told he was half > French and to be quiet about "that Indian nonsense". I would like to claim with > pride something that appears to have been lost to him, if in fact it was > there. > Unfortunately I'm 2000 miles distant from being able to research any > records in Wisconsin and am unable to travel so I'm depending on your > generosity to help me put the family story together for younger generations. Thanks so > much! Linda. > > > > > ============================== > Census images 1901, 1891, 1881 and 1871, plus so much more. > Ancestry.com's United Kingdom & Ireland Collection. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13968/rd.ashx > >