I found this article some time ago in the old South Bend Register and I have been to this grave site. This Joseph would have been born in 1782 or thereabouts....I have always believed this was the Joseph who's first wife was Madeline Bourassa Bertrand. People keep saying I am wrong, but so far, nobody has been able to tell me who THIS Joseph really is. I lived in the South Bend/Niles area where the town of Bertrand is, and there were all these stories, that Joseph, being part Potawatomi, was removed west with the rest of the Potawatomis, but he supposedly buried money back where his town was. People have dug up the cemetery there, where Madeline is supposed to be buried looking for that money, but I think IF there was money, Joseph came back to get it. Anyway, I have my own theories about things, and am still waiting for someone to explain to me who this guy is. The grave is definitely there, and I have a hardcopy of this article.... Cindy >South Bend Daily > South Bend, Indiana, Thursday, April 21, 1892 > > HE WAS 110 YEARS OLD > > Death of the Famous Half-Breed, Joseph Bertrand. > > Joseph Bertrand, a half-breed Indian of the Pokagon tribe of the > Pottawotamies, died about 1 o'clock this afternoon, at the home of Mr. > Robert Rubshaw, No. 316 Howard Street, east side. He suffered from grip and > paralysis for several weeks. "Joe Bertrand" as he was called was a noted > character in northern Indiana and southern Michigan and was, without a doubt > the oldest man in Indiana. At the time of his death he claimed to be 110 > years old, and it is positively known he had lived 105 years. For many years > he lived at Crumstown. Bertrand, Michigan, was named after a nephew of his. > Bertrand was of small stature and wiry frame, but for many years had been in > feeble health. He will be buried in Cedar Grove cemetery, Notre Dame. -------Original Message------- From: Larry F. Friend Date: 02/09/05 02:09:06 To: NISHNAWBE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [NISHNAWBE] Little PLANTEs into big trees! I did a quick 1860 census search of the Kansas Territory on ancestry.com and could find no Joseph Bertrand, even by soundex, around that age. In fact I could not find a Joseph age 65 to 75 with a name anything close to Bertrand. Larry Friend (Black Buffalo) niidji@mchsi.com -----Original Message----- From: James P. LaLone [mailto:jplalone@prodigy.net] Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 10:18 PM To: NISHNAWBE-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [NISHNAWBE] Little PLANTEs into big trees! Thank you, it gives me some more things to go on, Jim. ----- Original Message ----- From: <BoBe263@aol.com> To: <NISHNAWBE-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, February 08, 2005 10:50 PM Subject: Re: [NISHNAWBE] Little PLANTEs into big trees! >A few notes Re: Elizabeth LaPlante/Joseph Bertrand > > The following is taken from an article in a file on Joseph Bertrand - > "Joseph Sr. married again the 2nd of January 1853 to a widow, > Elizabeth LaPlante in Bertrand. Sometime in the mid l850's, probably > 1855, he and his second wife moved to St. Mary's, Kansas, to be near > his children. There he died > the 8th of September 1865 and she died the 5th of November 1865. They are > both buried in the Catholic cemetary at St. Mary's." > > It also stated that Joseph was 75 when he died and Elizabeth was 50. > > In another article it mentioned that Elizabeth was the widow of > Charles L'Huissier. > > Her given name was - Elizabeth Ann Jackson. > > There was no mention that Elizabeth had any children of her own. > Also, I tried to find her in census around here and she just does not > show up, nor does Charles. Hope this little bit helps in some way. > > BB > > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. New > content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > > ============================== View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find marriage announcements and more. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx ============================== Search the US Census Collection. Over 140 million records added in the last 12 months. Largest online collection in the world. Learn more: http://www.ancestry.com/s13965/rd.ashx