Magloire and Marguerite Morin: The Great Great Grandparents

I made a connection on Ancestry with a third cousin, who is the great grandson of Eliza Morin. He told me that his mother had these old slate negatives of our great great grandparents and that she had prints made. Here they are.

 Magloire Gilbert Morin was born on May 3, 1824, and baptized at Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire at Saint-Hyacinthe. He was the first child of Joseph Morin and Reine Cormier. His father was a farmer and he was also a farmer but later became a "boulanger". I was told by a French sister in Salt Lake that the name Magloire means "my glory".

Magloire and Marguerite were married in 1850 in Saint Damase, a nearby village. (It was Marguerite's brother Pierre who owned the foundry and later repaired the church bell at Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire.)

Morin-Soly Marriage Record

Great great grandmother Marguerite Soly (here referred to as Marguerite De Soly Morin) was born on April 15, 1819, in Saint-Hyacinthe and was also baptized at Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire. Marguerite had a twin sister Veronique, who married the following year. There were 16 children born of her parents, Pierre Soly and Marie Joseph Crete. Three of those children, including another set of twins, died at tender ages.

Magloire and Marguerite had six children and lived in the area known then as Brittania Mills, but is known today as Saint Damase. In November of 1863, the Morins moved with their children, the youngest being three years old, to Pawtuckett, Rhode Island, a town just outside of Providence.The immigration from Canada to the United States was most likely caused by economic circumstances. Like the Mexicans who have come here in this century to work in our fields, the French-Canadians came to come work in the textile mills. Typically Magloire as the eldest son would have inherited his father's property. I only know that his father Joseph died in 1845 and his mother Reine remarried in 1854. I don't know if they owned the land they farmed. [Nearly 100 years later great grandson George Arthur Morin would migrate from Pennsylvania to Arizona with seven children. I remember it well.]

In Pawtucket, Rhode Island in 1870, Magloire is working as a baker. Sons Napolean and Arthur Noel worked as machinist apprentices. Joseph is a farm hand. The younger children, Zoe, age 12, and John, age 10,  are working in the cotton mill. Magloire became a naturalized citizen in 1876. The Morins lived one block from the Church of St. John the Baptist.

 In 1880 Magloire is listed as Gilbert in the census. He continues to work as a baker in Pawtuckett, Rhode Island. In the same household lived son Napolean, his wife Melinda Hald and their three young daughters. There was also daughter Zoe with her husband Joseph Goddard and their three young children. In addition, daughter Eliza. a dressmaker, and John who is now a machinist apprentice lived there. Magloire and Marguerite had six grandchildren living with them all under age four. But there's more. I found one more family living in the house at 201 Harrison in Pawtucket. Louis Boureassau, who worked in the cotton mill, lived there with his wife and one-year old daughter. The house at 201 Harrison no longer exists but I have since learned that typical houses were three stories with a family on each level.

Their son Arthur, married Azilda Desroches, in 1878, and lived just 32 miles away in Danielson, Connecticut, with our grandfather George, age one. Arthur is also making his living as a baker.

Ancestors:

Pierre Morin dit Boucher and Marie Madeleine Martin

Pierre Morin and Francoise Chiasson

Pierre Noel Morin and Marie Francoise Boulet

Antoine Morin and Anne Marie Pellerin

Jean Baptiste Morin and Marie Madeleine Proulx

Joseph Morin and Reine Cormier

Magloire Gilbert Morin and Marguerite Soly

Arthur Noel Morin and Azilda Desroches

The "Proof" of our Spanish Royalty

Today a third cousin in Massachusetts sent me an article printed in The Evening Bulletin on June 12, 1925. We all know if something is printed in the newspaper that it is actually true. Now there is no doubt that our ancestry can be traced to Spanish royalty. Oh, but wait, where are the documents? Did Arthur Noel give them to Aunt Ida? Who did she give them to? There must be a probate file somewhere ...

Article transcribed: 

   Miss Ida Morin, prominent in social and business circles of Woonsocket, claims she is able to trace her ancestry back to a nephew of King Ferdinand VI, of Spain, who reigned from 1746 to 1750. "'There are many people claim to be of noble blood, but they have no documents to substantiate their contentions,' she declares."

   According to documents in the possession of her father, Arthur N. Morin, a Woonsocket realtor, Laurent de Soly, nephew of King Ferdinand, was born in Spain in 1721, near the French border. He married Marie Deligni [Deligny] about the time of King Ferdinand's accession, but she died shortly afterward.

   Laurent was banished from the country when he disagreed with the new policies of the King, one of the Bourbons, described as "anxious-minded and weakly." but who, nevertheless, instigated a period of reform in Spain and started the country on a career of prosperity.

   Laurent went to Canada, settled at St. Charles du Richelieu, P.Q., where he married Marie Clemence Guiette [Guillet], a native. A son, Pierre, was born in 1783. Pierre married and had 14 children, among them Marguerite de Soly, mother of Mr. Morin. In 1760 the King died, and Laurent, who would have been welcomed by the new King, Charles III, was persuaded by his wife not to return.

   Laurent's wife burned the deed to the baronial estate when he attempted to return, 20 years later at the instance of a French priest, to claim his lands.

   In St. Charles du Richelieu, both Laurent and Pierre were known as "L'Espagnol," which means "The Spaniard." Laurent died Jan. 6, 1786, and Pierre March 10, 1900 [1860]. Mr. Morin believes there is now no hope of ever obtaining the lost Spanish estate.

   "We don't believe in the monarch," he said "America is our country, and we are satisfied to remain here. One of my sons [George Arthur] was in the Spanish American War fighting against Spain, and I was proud to have him fight for America."

Old Quebec

We left Trois-Rivieres taking the old two-lane Highway 40, which we were told would be scenic, and drove the hour plus ride to Quebec City. We passed through or near the ancestral towns of Point-aux-Trembles, L'Ancienne Lorette and Sainte Anne de la Parade. We made our way to the old part of Quebec City and found our small hotel in the backyard of the Chateau Frontenac. We put the car in the car park and spent the next three days walking and exploring. One day we walked through lower town to the old port and took the funicular back to upper town. Another day we walked the entire upper town area. I stopped to examine every bronze statute until I found the one I was looking for at Montmorency Park.

Monument to Louis Hebert

No resemblance

The statue stands in the park across from City Hall in Québec City honoring Louis Hébert, credited with being the first European to build a home in Canada and the first European to establish a farm in Canada.  On the back of the statue is a plaque honoring the earliest families to establish themselves in Québec City. His wife Marie Rollet is on the right holding her three children, one is Guillaume ,one of our eighth great grandfathers. Read more on Wikipedia

The other significant ancestral place was the Basilica of Notre Dame. This cathedral was first built in 1647. Only the bell tower and parts of some walls are original. This building has suffered from bombardment and fires over the years, but there are still paintings and treasures from the time of the French regime including a chancel light from King Louis XIV. The cathedral has been beautifully restored. Laurent Soly married Marie Deligny here in 1770. We also have many other ancestors who have been married in this cathedral over the years.

Basilica of Notre Dame Quebec

Chancel Light from King Louis XIV

We walked to Parliament Hill and found ancestor uncle Pierre Boucher hanging out there. 

Pierre Boucher (1639-1707)

More Photos

Visit to Saint-Hyacinthe

River Yamaska with Notre Dame on left and Cathedral on right

Saint-Hyacinthe is a small village with about 53,000 inhabitants located on the Yamaska River. It is approximately 35 miles east of Montreal. In the mid 1800's, the time when our great great grandparents (Magloire Morin and Marguerite Soly) lived here, the population was less than 10,000. I recently had an opportunity to visit this beautiful area.

The Saint-Hyacinthe Market

It was Saturday and the Library of the Seminary of Saint-Hyacinthe would close early.We had lunch, took a quick drive around town and then found the library. The Seminary is a private secondary school founded in 1811. In that library is a special room for genealogical studies only open three days a week. There is also another historical library in the building open daily.

I paid my $5.00 visitor's fee at the genealogy library and was helped by a volunteer who showed me the local family histories and helped me search for more family information. He encouraged me to come back to visit the history library on Monday. 

The next day was Sunday and we attended a French Mass at Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire (Our Lady of the Rosary). This is the church where 4x great grandparents: Joseph Crete married Marie Dugas in 1785 and Laurent Soly married Marie Josephte Crete in 1805. Also, 3x great grandparents:  Joseph Marie Morin married Reine Cormier in 1816. Dozens more relatives were baptized and married here. There is also the Cathedral of Saint-Hyacinthe about one block away on the same street where more ancestors were married and baptized. (This was a genealogist's dream.)

The church bell, which rang for many years calling people to prayer, was rebuilt by Pierre Soly in 1846. Pierre was the son of our 3x great grandfather (with the same name) and brother of Marguerite Soly. Many of his descendants still live in this area. In fact, I have been put in contact with a distant relative in Quebec and his name is ... Pierre Soly.

After Mass, we went for a drive to visit some of the other villages in the area. We looked for Brittania Mills, where Magliore Morin was born and worked as a boulanger. (We later learned that this town name has changed to Saint Damase.) We continued our drive to Marieville, the birth home of great grandmother Azilda Desroches. We then went on to Mont-Saint-Gregoire, the home of the Bessette family. The countryside was beautiful with fall color and small streams along side the road. There was more to see, but it was time to head back to the hotel.

We even stopped at a few cemeteries. (Well things are pretty dead on Sundays).

Found a great headstone

On Monday, we returned to visit the history library and met with a volunteer who helped us with local information. 

Checking Canada City Directories

I learned that great grandfather Magliore Morin lived in a very small community formerly Britannia Mills which is now the town of Saint Damase. We left Saint-Hyacinthe after lunch and continued to our next destination: Trois-Riviere.

More Photos

Laurent Soly - The Spaniard (1721-1786)

This is the story of Laurent Soly, our fourth great grandfather, that has been passed down to our family.

"Laurent de Soly, nephew of King Ferdinand VI of Spain, was born in Spain in 1721, near the French border. He married Marie Deligni about the time of King Ferdinand's
accession (1746), but she died shortly afterward.  [Note: They married in 1770 not 1746.]

Laurent was banished from the country when he disagreed with the new policies of the King, one of the Bourbons, described as "anxious-minded and weakly" but who,nevertheless, instigated a  period of reform in Spain and started the country on a career of prosperity. 

Laurent went to Canada, settled at St. Charles du Richelieu, Quebec, where he married Marie Clemence Guiette, a native [in 1771]. A son, Pierre, was born in 1784. Pierre
married and had fourteen children, among them Marguerite de Soly. In 1760 the King died, and Laurent, who would have been welcomed by the new King, Charles III, was persuaded by his wife not to return. 

Laurent's wife burned the deed to the baronial estate when he attempted to return, twenty years later, at the instance (sic) of a French priest, to claim his lands. [note: This wife would have been our ancestor Marie Clemence Guiette. [I have always loved this part about burning the deed.] In St. Charles du Richelieu, both Laurent and Pierre were known as 'L'Espagnol.'"

The name Soly is Spanish and refers to the sun. There is a parish in the Asturias region of Spain called Solis (Corvera). It is not near the French border. Variations of the name are Saulie, Sauly, Solly, Soli and de Solis. It was a surprise to learn of his four other marriages and many children.

Here are the facts that we have so far with the help of Stephen A. White, author of Genealogy Dictionary of Acadian Families:

Laurent came to Nova Scotia, Canada (Ft. Louisbourg) before December 1744. According to the 1752 Ill Royale Census, he originated from Spain. No records have so far been located to confirm or deny that claim of origin. Laurent was part of a Swiss regiment (Karrer) station at Ft. Louisbourg, Acadia, Canada.

 

Laurent Soly, his first wife, Jeanne Lécuyer, and their four children were deported from île Royale to France in the fall of 1758. The youngest of their children, Rose-Françoise, died shortly after their arrival at La Rochelle [France]. The family then went to Rochefort, where Jeanne Lécuyer herself died on August 10, 1759. She was buried in the cemetery of St-Louis parish there the following day. 

We do not know what became of the three other children from Laurent Soly's first marriage. They may all have died young, like their little two-year-old sister, as their names do not appear on the lists of refugees from île Royale at La Rochelle in 1761 or 1762. It might also be that they were placed with relatives, while their father returned to North America. There is nothing that might suggest that they went back to New France with him.

As a widower, Laurent Soly was free to remarry Théodose Girouard in 1760, (the young widow of Pierre Arseneault).  No record of Théodose Girouard's death has been found. It appears that she must have died soon after her second marriage. There were no children of this marriage.

 Laurent Soly and his first wife, Jeanne-Françoise Lécuyer, had four children:

1. Antoine-Thomas, born about 1750
2. Laurent, born about 1752
3. Marie-Françoise, born in Louisbourg 1754
4. Rose-Françoise, born in Louisbourg 1756; buried St-Nicolas de La Rochelle, France 1758

Laurent Soly's third marriage is to Marie-Charlotte Guyon (Dion)  in 1765. She died in 1769. They had two children who both died young:

5. Marie-Charlotte, born Québec Nov. 1765; died  Québec 1769, aged 4 years.
6. Marie, born Québec Sept. 1768; died Chambly Feb. 1774, aged 5 years. 

Laurent Soly and his fourth wife, Marie Déligny, had twin boys who died at birth. She died a week later.

7 and 8. Unbaptized twin sons, buried St-Charles-sur-Richelieu on March 26, 1771.

Laurent Soly's fifth marriage was to Marie-Clémence Guillet dit Saint-Mars in 1771. At least seven children were born to this marriage:

 9. Marie-Clémence, born Chambly April 1772; buried Chambly December 1774
10. Laurent, born Chambly 1773; buried  Chambly 1773, aged 1 month
11. Josèphe-Clémence, born Kamouraska November 1775
12. Marie-Euphrosine, born Kamouraska April 1777
13. Marie-Angélique, no baptismal record found, but probably 1779
14. Marie-Rosalie, born Kamouraska  March 1781
15. Pierre Laurent, born Kamouraska  June 1784

Laurent Soly moved back to St-Charles-sur-Richelieu around 1785, and he died there at the beginning of 1786. He left a thirty-five-year-old widow with at least four, and possibly five, of their young children, and perhaps as many as three adult children from an earlier marriage. Our ancestor, Pierre Laurent, was the youngest and was only 12 when he lost his father. Laurent outlived four other wives, and at least seven (and possibly as many as eleven) of his fifteen children. No one can say that he had lived a life free of troubles considering his living through the last siege of Louisbourg, his deportation in 1758 as well as his presence at the Battle of Restigouche in 1760.

No record of his "royal" birth has yet been found. We continue to look for his birth record and expect to find it in the future when more Spanish records come available. I did find a Dona Isabel de Solis, Queen of Granada. Hmm . . . [See map of Laurent Soly's travels]