Derosier Jean Baptiste

These are the last of my paternal great-great-grandparents I have to write about.  Jean Baptiste and Marie Rose Delima were grandma Ellen Vadnais’ maternal grandparents, great-grandma Celestine Peltier’s parents.

Jean Baptiste Derosier (other spellings include Desrosiers, DeRosier, Desrosier and Dequire) was born to Jean Baptiste Desrosiers and Marie Luce Cournoyer in Yamaska, Quebec, Canada on December 14, 1842.

Translation:

“B 132” is the 132 baptism in 1842 at Saint-Michel d’Yamaska

Jean Baptiste Desrosiers [Derosier]

The 14^th of December 1842 we the undersigned priest have baptized Jean Baptiste born the same day of the legitimate marriage of Jean Baptiste Desrosiers, farmer of this parish and of Luce Cournoyer.  Godfather Francois Cardin, godmother Marie Pepin, —— the father who could not sign.

                                                                           Father Joseph ———–

End of translation.

Jean Baptiste was the oldest child and from what I currently know, he had 2 sisters, but there may have been more siblings.

His future wife, Marie Rose Delima Peltier who I will refer to as Rose Delima, was born September 20, 1844 to Paul Peltier and Rosalie Deguire dite Derosier.  Delima can also be written as de Lima or De Lima.  Rose Delima was the older of only two children born to Paul and Rosalie.  Her younger brother was Antoine Napolean Peltier.  Their mother Rosalie died August 31, 1846² about 5 weeks after Antoine’s birth.  Rose Delima would have her 2^nd birthday 20 days later.  Their father Paul remarried on February 15, 1847 to Angele Parenteau, and Rose Delima and her brother were blessed with an additional 11 half-siblings.  Many of the Peltiers in the White Bear Lake area are related to us through these half-siblings.  I’ll write more on that at a later time.

Translation:

“B 143” is the 143^rd baptism in 1844 at Saint-Aime, Richelieu, Quebec, Canada

M Rose de Lima Pelttier (Marie Rose Delima Peltier)

On the twenty-first of September, one thousand eight hundred and forty-four we the signed priest baptized Marie Rose Delima, born the day before, from the legitimate marriage of Paul Pelttier, farmer in this parish and of . Godfather Joseph Deguire godmother Adelaide Salva who have only the father did not know how to sign.

                                                                           (Signature of the priest)

End of translation.

Her godmother Adelaide Salva is Rose Delima’s paternal grandmother and her godfather Joseph Deguire is her maternal grandfather.  Both are 4^th great-grandparents of mine.

September 6, 1864 Rose Delima wed Jean Baptiste Derosier at Saint-Michel d’Yamaska.  Rose Delima was 19 years old and Jean Baptiste was 21 years old.  Their marriage contract with notary Francois-Xavier Rivard was also recorded on the same date.

Translation:

“M18” is the 18^th marriage in 1864 at Saint-Michel d’Yamaska, Quebec, Canada

Jean Baptiste Desrosiers [Derosier] & Rose Delima Peltier

On September sixth, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-four after the publication of two wedding banns, made the day before, at __ our parish mass, the dispensation of and of these other banns having been accorded by Monsignor Cooke, dated last August 30th, not having __ preventing the said marriage, the __ of the husband __ enter, we the undersigned parish priest of this parish, before the mutual consent of marriage by Jean Baptiste Deguire dit Desrosiers, blacksmith resides in this parish, adult son of Jean Baptiste Deguire dit Desrosiers __ and deceased Luce Cournoyer from this parish __, and Rose de Lima Peltier, __ from home in this the __ , minor daughter of Paul Peltier and the late Rosalie Deguire dit Desrosiers from St. Paul or Minnesota, other hundred and theirs give the nuptial blessing in the presence of Jean Baptiste Deguire dit Desrosiers, father of the husband, by Josephe Dequire dit Desrosiers, father and __ of the parish, which __ the husband said they did not know how to sign, and several others have __, __ sign with the wife, the others __ on the __ do not know in __ parish __.

(Rose Delima’s signature)

(three other signatures, the first may be Jean Baptiste, Rose Delima’s husband)

                                                                       (Signature of the priest)

End of translation.

Jean Baptiste was a blacksmith.  He began learning his trade around age 17 while living with his parents in Yamaska.  Supposedly he worked for 3 years for $36.  Still practicing his trade he went to Northhampton, Massachusetts for a year and then returned to Yamaska where he worked until 1869⁶ at which time he, his wife Rose Delima and their family of 3 children immigrated to Centerville, Anoka County, Minnesota where Rose’s father and his second family already resided.  In fact there were other relatives and family groups that had also emigrated from Yamaska and settled in the Centerville area.  For the most part these people all knew one another before coming to Minnesota.

Soon after arriving in Centerville Jean Baptiste built a blacksmith shop that he ran until his retirement.  The next owner Eugene Oliver Peltier converted the blacksmith shop into what we now know as the Blacksmith Lounge.  Eugene and his descendants operated the business until selling it in the 1970s.  The Blacksmith Lounge on Highway 61 north of Hugo is a familiar favorite eating spot for many of us.

From 1870 through 1886 there were 10 more children born to Rose Delima and Jean Baptiste.  The family of 13 children are shown below.

At the time of their last child’s birth, Rose Delima was 42 years old and Jean Baptiste was 44 years old.  All of the children lived well into the 1900s.

There is a family story that Jean Baptiste would make coffins for the neighbors that passed away and Rose Delima would help with the funerals.  I can only assume this information is true.

By 1895 the family resides in White Bear and Jean Baptiste is still a blacksmith.⁷  The 1900 U. S. census record shows Jean Baptiste living away from the family in Red Clover Township in Carlton County, Minnesota.  The Millard Aleshire family (7 people) are listed as boarders, Jean Baptiste owns the property, he’s married, he can read and write and farmer is his occupation.⁸  Knowing that he died of pulmonary tuberculosis I believe that he was advised, or chose, to leave his family because of his diagnosis.  At that time there were no sanatoriums in Minnesota for those with tuberculosis to go to for care.  The same census shows Rose Delima along with 5 of the children as living in a rental home on Bald Eagle Avenue in White Bear Lake Village.⁹

By 1905 Jean Baptiste and Rose Delima are together again living in Eagle Township in Carlton County, Minnesota.¹⁰  (Both Red Clover Township and Eagle Township are located between McGregor and Cloquet.)  Based on the record he had been residing in that enumeration district for 10 years (since 1895).  It is possible that he moved shortly after he was enumerated in the 1895 Minnesota census in White Bear.

Since the Twin City Photo Co. was only in business from 1905 through 1921 I know that the picture of Jean Baptiste sitting in the rocking chair in his outdoor room was taken sometime between 1905 and the time of his death.

I cannot find Jean Baptiste in the 1910 U. S. census.  Rose Delima is shown as living on a farm in Clear Lake Township, Sherburne County, Minnesota with her daughter Alice who works in the public schools.  Although Jean Baptiste is not dead, Rose Delima is recorded as widowed.¹¹

Jean Baptiste Derosier died about 3 months shy of his 70^th birthday on September 27, 1912 at his daughter Rose Marie (Derosier) Bonin’s home on 6^th Street in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.  He was buried at St. Mary’s of the Lake Cemetery on September 30, 1912.  His birth date is incorrect on the death certificate and he is shown as being widowed, which he was not.  The informant was one of his daughters, Leona Rose (Derosier) Houle.

Thanks to our cousin Peggy I am able to share the following picture of the Derosier family taken sometime after Jean Baptiste’s passing.  As you can see, the identification process is a work in progress.

Here are a few other pictures you may have never seen. 

In 1920 Rose Delima is living with her oldest son John and his family in Hill City Village (about halfway between Aitkin and Grand Rapids), Aitkin County, Minnesota.¹⁵ In 1922 she went to live with her daughter Rose Marie (Derosier) Bonin at her home in White Bear Lake.

Rose Delima Derosier passed away on March 5^th, 1923 at age 75 years, 5 months and 15 days old.  Three days before her passing she had a stroke with the contributing cause of death listed as old age.¹⁶  Rose Delima was buried next to her husband at St. Mary’s of the Lake Cemetery on March 8^th, 1923.

Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cindy

© 2022 Copyright by Cynthia Vadnais, All Rights Reserved

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Footnotes for Jean Baptiste and Marie Rose Delima Peltier post