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section is used to identify the many questions, inconsistencies, disagreements
and mysteries that we have encountered in our research of the Theriault
genealogy. These are the issues that we tend to concentrate on in our research.
Our hope is that you may have some information, or a different point of
view that can resolve these mysteries...
1.
The Case of the Two Family Crests... We have encountered
two very different crests that have been identified as
the Theriault
family crests. The two are shown below. (Click on each crest for
a larger, higher resolution graphic of each that you can download.)
Which of the two (if any) is the authentic Theriault family crest?
Or, are both of these crests, legitimate crests of the Theriault family?
2.
Did Joseph Marry Josette or Agnes? In the fifth generation of
Father Louis Cyr's genealogy of the Joseph Theriault Great-Branch, the
fifth generation grandson Joseph (Claude, Germain, Claude, Jehan) is shown
as having married Josette Girouard in Riviere aux Canards in 1758.
Other records however (e.g., Linda Dube's THERIAULT GENEALOGY) show Joseph
married to M. Agnes Cormier in 1746. Both versions show Joseph having
a son, Charles who married Anne Blondeau in Riviere Ouelle on 21 October
1793. However, in the "M. Agnes Cormier" version, the couple's last two
children (M. Genevieve and Charlotte) are shown as having been born five
years or more after Joseph died. So there's obviously at least this problem
with the "M.Agnes Cormier" version. Which version is correct?
Mr. Stephen White
was very timely in publishing his long-awaited "DICTIONNAIRE GÉNÉALOGIQUE
DES FAMILLES ACADIENNES" a few weeks ago. I just received my two
volume copy which covers the years around 1630 to 1720. On page 1500 of
Volume II, he notes that according to Mr. A. Godbout, noted Acadian genealogist
and researcher, Joseph, son of Claude Theriot and Anne Richard was born
around 1719 and married around 1746 to Agnes CORMIER. This affirms Linda
Dube's records in "THERIAULT GENEALOGY". However, it does not resolve the
discrepancy with the birthdates for the last two children. Stephen White
affirms Joseph's deceased date as 6/7 November 1765 in Ste-Anne de la Pocatiere,
PQ.
We must remember
that the time period surrounding these dates and the Great Eviction were
tumultuous times for most Acadian families. Many records were lost or destroyed.
3.
SOLVED: Did Germain and Anne Marry Three Times?
There are three possible marriage dates for Anne Richard and Germain Terriault
in the Third Generation of the Jehan Terriault family:
Linda Dube's 'Theriault
Genealogy' shows 25 Jun 1685 on page 216,
Linda Dube's 'Theriault
Genealogy' shows 10 May 1685 on page 218,
and Father Louis J Cyr
shows 1686 in his 'Theodule Theriault' genealogy.
Which is the correct
date? Again, I consulted with Mr. Stephen White in his "DICTIONNAIRE GÉNÉALOGIQUE
DES FAMILLES ACADIENNES", and he reports that the 1686 Census of Acadia
shows Germain and Anne as married. The exact date is apparently not known
at least according to Mr. White's research. This seems to bring into question,
Linda Dube's dates... both of them.
4.
From Northern Maine, the Three Theriault Brothers... We've received
an inquiry from Dave Thireault (no, this is not a spelling error,
just another variation of our last name) of Minnesota. His
grandfather
Denis Theriault was born in 1889 in Huot, Minnesota, a small french
community near Red Lake Falls, in northwestern Minnesota.
His great-grandfather,
also named Denis and his two brothers, Isaac and Zephier came from
Maine via Canada into northern Minnesota in the early 1890's. The three
brothers followed the logging industry. Great-grandfather Denis and
his brother Zephier were married to sisters from the Charles Guimont family.
Denis married Matilda Guimont. Matilda had a brother George and a sister
Ida. The three Theriault brothers and their wives moved into northern Minnesota
in the early 1890's when the area was open for homesteading. Dave explains
that his grandmother switched the 'i' and 'e' around in their last name
to keep their mail from getting mixed up with another family of Theriault's
closeby. Before that, the name had the more common spelling. Dave's grandfather
Denis married Nina Costello whose father was Irish and mother was Swedish.
The Costello's homesteaded in Saint Anthony, Minnesota, a part of present-day
Minneapolis.
For those of you
who have access to source data of the northern Maine and New Brunswick
parishes, please keep Denis Theriault (born in 1889) and his wife Nina
Costello in mind; as well as Denis' father, Denis Theriault and his wife
Matilda Guimont. We are looking for the connection back into the Theriault
family for this lumberjack family.
5.
Where did Fabien Come From? We've received another inquiry
regarding Fabien Theriault who married Tharzile Bertin. Linda Dubé
lists them in her book "THERIAULT GENEALOGY". Fabien was born on 3 Apr
1828 in New Brunswick and died on 2 Jan 1916 and that Tharzile died in
Palmer Road, PEI (no date). One of their children is listed, Bruno, a son
who in turn married Virginie Jeanne Clement on 15 April 1888 in Palmer
Road, PEI. Linda shows Bruno born in Palmer Road and shows him as having
died also in 1916. Sounds like it might have been a father/son accident.
Bruno's twelve children are listed as are their descendants from that generation.
We are told by one
of our website visitors "... that Fabien and Tharzile were listed in the
RC census of Palmer Road in 1890 as age 62 (Fabien) and 56 (Tharsille Bertin).
They had several children, some not in the household at that time.
Julia Theriault, one of their daughters is my great grandmother, who married
Agno Duguay son of Francis Xavier/Dauphine Bernard (Tignish,PEI).
Regarding Fabien Theriault, the PEI gov had records of death and burial
for Summerside, PEI, 1916."
The
mystery is where did Fabien come from? Monsieur Fidèle Theriault
offers no hint that Fabien's origins might have been from the Caraquet
area. Please let us know if you have any information on this couple. It
will make at least two people very happy: our visitor and myself...
21 Jan 2001:
We received a note from Mr. Gerald Peskett who says:
"In regards to question
5 in your unsolved mysteries, regarding Fabien and Tharsile Bertin.
According to the "Répertoire Alphabétique Des Mariages Des
Canadiens-Francais de 1760 à 1935" by Claude Drouin:
As listed:
theriau
fabien
bretain
tharsile a bathurst n.b
-de new bandon
----
24 juil. 1854
As you will notice
the spelling differs for Tharsile's last name but it would appear to be
the couple in question, and it seems to suggest that Fabien was from New
Bandon, New Brunswick.
Another listing
for a Fabien is a such:
therriau
fabien
porrier
susanne a bathurst n.b.
-de new bandon
----
4 nov. 1851
Possibly these entries
are for the same individual. Unfortunately no parents names are listed
on these two entries but it may give you a location to check into.
26 Dec 2003:
In a message from M. Fidèle Thériault way back on 17 July
2002, we receive the resolution to this mystery. Monsieur Thériault
says: "Fabien Theriault who married to Tharsile Bertin is no longer a mystery
for me. He was a native of Grande-Anse (N.-B.) and the son of
Paul Thériault and Marie Fournier. He moved to PEI (Palmer
Road) about 1877. Gerald Peskett has the correct date for his marriage.
The Fabien Thériault who married Suzanne Poirier in 1851 is from
another branch." My apologies to Monsieur Thériault and to
our visitors for this oversight in posting his response in a timely manner.
6.
The Twin Brothers from Caribou, Maine... Lynda Theriault (who
lives in Maine) is asking whether we have any information on her Theriault
lineage. Her grandfather's/"pépére's" name was Hector
who had a twin brother named Oscar. The twin brothers' father was Nomi
Theriault who was married to Elise Blis?. They lived in the Caribou, Maine
area. She has no birth, marriage or deceased dates. Her father is Sheldon
Theriault living in Maine.
Send me your solution at this address:
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