Uncovering my Loranger Roots

 This post may be a bit long but I am excited to share the family information I found.  I wish I had pictures or more personal information but I  am thrilled for what I have now.  A few months ago I knew none of this information. These people form a long line that leads to my current family.

(If you click on the pictures they will open big so you can read them)

So as I mentioned in an earlier post I outlined how I went back with my paternal Loranger roots to my 3x Great Grandfather.

John W Loranger – my grandfather

Walter L Loranger- my great grandfather

Peter J. Loranger- my great great grandfather

 

 

 

Alexis Rivard dit Loranger- my great, great great grandfather- who immigrated from Quebec to Detroit MI.
 

Alexis is where I first saw the surname Rivard dit Loranger on his burial records. 

In a nutshell what it means is the original last name  was Rivard dit Loranger- Meaning Rivard the Orange ( he- the first to use the surname probably had red hair)  His brother had a different Surname although they were in the same family with the same parents

 

Here are a few links that explain it in detail.

 

http://rivardcousins.com/dit.htm

http://blogs.ancestry.com/cm/2014/09/03/4-types-of-french-surnames-which-one-is-yours/ 

 

 my earlier post talks about his life 

 

Now I will go on to Alexis parents which were mention in the marriage documents of Alexis and Catherine.   Augustin Rivard dit Loranger (my 4x great grand father)-  born 31 Dec 1765  to Pierre Thomas Rivard and Marie Anne Cadot.  He married Marie Josephe Pitard 17 Nov 1788 in Yamachiche – Ste Anne Quebec Prov Cananada. They had 8 children.  Austin Loranger b.9 May 1790, Francois Louis  Rivard dit Loranger b. 3 May 1792, Alexis Rivard dit Loranger b. 23 Mar 1794, Marguerite Angele Rivard dit Loranger b 3 Mar 1796, Marie Claire Rivard dit Loranger 14 July 1798, Frederic Loranger 27 Apr 1800, Pierre Loranger 10 Apri 1802, Casimir Loranger 5 Mar 1804.  Apparently his wife died between 1804 and 1808.  I’m still trying to find documentation on when exactly. Marie Rivard .  Is a very common name! Augustine did remarry in 1808 to Elisabeth Isabelle Elie- no direct relation to me.

 

 

Then on to Pierre Thomas Rivard dit Loranger (my 5x great grandparents) b.15 Aug 1733 Married 19 Feb 1759 to Marie Anne Cadot.    They had 15 children together- and she died at age 40.   Vital-Modeste Rivard 1729, Pierre Rivard, Nicolas Rivard, Marie Catherine Rivard, Marie Anne  Flavie Rivard, Marie Joseph Rivard, Marie Marguerite Rivard, Louis Rivard and Joseph Rivard Loranger (Which is the father of Edward Loranger- the builder of the Loranger mill at Henry Ford Museum.)  Marie Anne Cadot married in 1759 at 24 yrs, had 15 children.  Her death date is unknown.

I do have many old French baptismal and marriage church records.  They are difficult to read.  Coincidentally I chose to take French in High School.  I kind of wish now that I would have applied myself better in the 3 classes I took. It would come in handy now.
 

 

Pierre’s father was Francois Rivard dit Loranger. (my 6x great grand parents)  Born about 5 July 1697.   Married Marie Lousia  Rose Hamelin 18 Feb 1754.  I have 7 children listed for them.  Pierre Thomas, Charles Francois, Marguerite, Rene, Marie Louse, Joseph, and Marie Joseph.

This is where is gets more interesting. Pierre’s father was  Claude Rivard dit Loranger (my 7x great grandparents) born 1665 in Champlain Quebec to Robert Rivard dit Loranger at 27 and his mother Marie who was 15  Marie Madelaine Guillet.  Robert Rivard dit Loranger is an early immigrant from  Trourouvre Normandie France.  

 

 

 

 Claude married Marie Catherine Roy dit  Chatellerault at Ste Anne de la Perade 15 Feb 1736.  They had 10 children.  Francois, Nicolas Catherine, Marie Anne Angelique, Claude Rivard, Marie Josephte, Joseph, Marie Catherine Josephte and Marie Josephte.  In the book our French Canadian Ancestors it is written that Claude lived in the home of his father-in law after his marriage.  As read below Claude was quite a voyager.  He was on  the original convoy in 1701 that established Detroit. 

 

 

 

Claude didn't settle in Detroit, his home and family were in Quebec.  I have read a book that talks about life on the first settlement in Detroit and what the settlers did to build the first settlement.  Very primitive.  They had no horses or cows.  They all came by canoes.

 

 His name is on the plaque in downtown Hart  Plaza in Detroit along the river.

  I had no idea and I live 30 min away from here.

Shocker! 

 

 

I found this written information on line about Claude Rivard dit Loranger.

Claude was born circa 1665 at Cap de la Madeliene, Quebec, Canada

He was a Captain in the Military. 

In 1692, Claude Rivard, organized a Voyageur partnership with Francois Mercure dit Villeneuve to go out to the lands of the Ottawas. Claude and Mathurin Rivard, in company with Francois Frigon   dit Espagnol, Jacques and Alexis Lemoyne, Jean-Baptiste and Louis Gatineau, all voyageurs, committed to go to Detroit. Reference for the following: French Canadian & Acadian Genealogical Review, vol. 2/ no.1: 1969 / CS1-F745. Publication sponsored by the Centre Canadian Des  Recherches Genealogiques, p.203. Bishop de Saint-Vallier of Quebec consented to evangelize native tribes along the Mississippi river, which had never been attempted. The effort was directed at areas where considered proper and, in particular, the Tamarois Tribe. Birch bark canoes were used. The Westerly route from Montreal included the Ottawa River and Lake Nipissing to Fort  Michillimackimac on LakeHuron. They started out 16 July 1698 and reached Lake Huron September 8th. Claude and his cousin, Jacques Rouillard son of Mathieu & Jeanne Guillet, had been hired to carry 1,000 pounds of merchandise in their canoe from Montreal to Missillimakinac. The merchandise was furnished by the Abby de Montigny. The contract did not mention wages, but did state that "They will be fed with foodstuffs such as biscuit, pork, peas, and to each one six jugs of eau-de-vie for their use only."

1696 Tiffany Fugere found in the Genealogy Library at Rick's College in Rexburg Idaho: Claude RIVARD dit LORANGER, Capitaine Birth: 1665 Death: 15 Feb 1736, Ste-Genevieve, Quebec, Canada Burial: Sainte-Genevieve (Adjacent To Batiscan)

Occupation: Voyageur.

In 1692, Claude, organized a Voyageur partnership with Francois Mercure dit Villeneuve to go out to the lands of the Ottawas. Claude and Mathurin Rivard, in company with Francois Frigon dit

Espagnol, Jacques and Alexis Lemoyne, Jean-Baptiste and Louis Gatineau, all voyageurs, committed to go to Detroit. Reference for the following: French Canadian & Acadian Genealogical Review, vol. 2 no.1: 1969/CS1 -F745. Publication sponsored by the Centre Canadian Des Recherches Genealogiques, p.203. 

Bishop de Saint-Vallier of Quebec consented to evangelize native tribes along the Mississippi river, which had never been attempted. The effort was directed at areas where considered proper and, in particular, the Tamarois Tribe. Birch bark canoes were used. The Westerly route from Montreal included the Ottawa River and Lake Nipissing to Fort Michillimackimac on Lake Huron. 

They started out 16 July 1698 and reached Lake Huron September 8th. Claude and his cousin, Jacques Rouillard son of Mathieu & Jeanne Guillet, had been hired to carry 1,000 pounds of merchandise in their canoe from Montreal to Missillimakinac. The merchandise was furnished by the Abby de Montigny. The contract did not mention wages, but did state that "They will be fed with

foodstuffs such as biscuit, pork, peas, and to each one six jugs of eau-de-vie for their use only. 

Spouse: Marie-Catherine ROY DIT CHATELLERAULT Birth: 1676 Father: Michel ROY DIT CHATELLERAULT Marr: 14 Feb 1696, Ste-Anne-De-La-Perade Children: Nicolas (1698- 1760) Francois (1700-) Joseph (1708-1768) Marie-Catherine (1715-).3 

Marriage 14 Feb 1696

Claude Rivard dit Loranger married Catherine Roy, daughter of Michel Roy dit Châtellereault and Françoise Aubé or Hobbe, 14 February 1696 in Ste Anne de la Perade, Champlain, Quebec, Canada. There is still a church on this site, but it was built in 1855.

Their children may have been: Francois RIVARD , dit Loranger b: 05 JUL 1697 in Batiscan, Quebec, Canada Nicolas RIVARD b: 04 DEC 1698 in LaPerade, Quebec, Canada Marie Anne Angelique LORANGER b: 19 AUG 1700 in La Perade, Champlain Co, Quebec, Canada Claude RIVARD , dit Loranger b: 10 JUL 1703 in La Perade, Champlain, Quebec, Canada Marie-Josephte RIVARD , dit Loranger b: 12 JUN 1707 in La Perade, Champlain, Quebec, Canada Joseph RIVARD , dit Loranger b: 20 NOV 1708 in Batiscan, Champlain, Quebec, Canada Marie Catherine LORANGER b: 19 JUN 1715 in Quebec, Canada Marie Josephte RIVARD , dit Loranger b: 20 APR 1721 in Batiscan, Champlain, Quebec, Canada.4,5 

Claude died on 15 February 1736 at Ste. Genevieve at Batiscan, Champlain, Quebec Canada. Burial Claude was buried at Ste. Genevieve, Quebec, Canada

_____________________________________________

So as I mentioned earlier Claude’s father was Robert Rivard dit Loranger 
(my 8x great grandfather) and he immigrated from France. To be exact Tourouvre Normandy France.
  

 

However his brother Nicolas Rivard dit Lavigne immigrated first in 1648 to Quebec.

 

 

Most likely on a ship similar to these

 

 

These photos were posted by a person that

traveled to their home in France.

 

This was their home

 

 

and this is said to be a later Rivard home

 

 

and the church they were baptized in

 

 

This plaque commemorates them

 

 

And these windows also a memorial to their

great voyage

 

and blessing their children

_____________________________

 

This is the contract Nicolas signed

 

--------------------------------------------------

the translation

 

 

 

The street sign in France marking where Nicolas land was

 

So Nicholas was a pretty remarkable person.  As you can see on the contract he did not know how to read or write and could not even sign his contract however if you read the attached link he learned how to read and write.  He became a influential person in the colony.  He on many occasions became the public defender on behalf of residents and petitioned to the tribunal to the King to petition for colonist.  On another census on ancestry posted.  It stated that his household had a servant.

This link describes a biography in greater detail of his life.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~havens5/p14515.htm

 

I have also been able to find out that his wife Catherine de Saint Pere was born in France and came to Quebec as a Filles a Marier.  Filles a Marier was  a group of 262 single girls who immigrated to Quebec with the intent of marring colonist in New France to  populate and colonizing it. She did marry a person per her contract however he died shortly after they married.  She then married Nicolas later.  I’m sure the women were looking for a better life.  I was happy to learn that apparently they had some choice in the matter of who they married and could change their mind even up to the point right before the ceremony.  I have to think that these women were probably leaving a desperate situation in France get on a difficult voyage all the way to Quebec in a very primitive settlement.  So Catherine must have been one strong woman to survive all that and go on to have 10 children with Nicolas.  Wow! This link explains a bit about them.

http://www.angelfire.com/ma3/noelofbrockton/page36.html

Now back to my 8x Great grandfather Robert.   At 27 Robert married 14 yr old Marie Madeleine Guillet.They had 13 children: Claude, Mathurin, Nicolas, Marie Anne, Joseph, Marie Charlotte, Robert, Francois, Louis, Marie Catherine, Rene-Alexis, Marie Francoise.  I did read on line that family received money for 10 or more childen.  

 

I was thrilled to find a Canadian school book with a whole chapter dedicated to Robert.  The following  write ups show what a hard working person he was.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Quebec Ancestry Dictionary

Shows both brothers lineage.

 

 

 

Where I am now is at Francois Mullard My 11^th Great Grandfather.  How crazy is that???  Little old me that knows nothing about Genealogy! 

 

 

I would like to say I am so grateful to all the people that scanned, logged and posted information on ancestors.  Without them I never would have found this information and been able to explore my new interest.  Ancestry.com and Google also was a tremendous help.   All was not perfect though.  I did upgrade to the International Ancestry account in the hopes to find info on my mother’s German side.  Sadly I did not get any hits on information for them.

 

I am thrilled that I have discover information farther back than many of the stars on those Ancestry shows which inspired the start of my search.  The information exceeded my expectations.  I never in my wildest dreams could imagine a Grandfather of mine was in the party that established Detroit. That I’d find books written about my ancestors voyage to start a new colony, or a church window that honors their voyage.  Not to mention Grandfathers that fought against British in the War of 1812 and in the Civil War.   I found that I do indeed have a proud family history and a real connection to living in South East Michigan.  This is just one line of my Ancestry and perhaps I will uncover more interesting facts. I am grateful to all my relatives that worked so hard and survived through many hardships for without them I would not be here to live and enjoy my life.   I hope this little chapter of my roots will inspire you to also dig into your family roots.

Natascha