My great-great-grandfather Francois was born on December 2, 1826 in Yamaska, Pierre-De-Saurel, Quebec, Canada, the third of 11 children. His father, Francois Vadnais, was 28 years old at the time and his mother, Marguerite (Petrin Houle), was 24 years old. His 10 siblings consisted of 5 brothers and 5 sisters: Joseph, Marguerite, Joseph (the elder Joseph died before this Joseph was born), Marie, Charles Onesime, Anne, Adelaide, Louis, Marie Celina and Nazaire. Only Marguerite, Francois, Anne, Louis, Marie Celina and Nazaire lived to adulthood.2
Translation:
273 for the 273rd baptism at Saint-Michel d’Yamaska in 1826
“B” for Baptism
Francois Vadenais
The year 1826 the 2nd of December by we the undersigned priest of this parish was baptized Francois today from the legitimate marriage of Francois Vadenais farmer of here and Marguerite Houle, godfather Jean Baptiste Salva, godmother Claire Badayac said Laplante – the father have not signed.
Signature of the parish priest
End of translation.
Jean Baptiste Salva was Francois’ uncle, married to his mother’s sister, Jeanne Marie Houle. Claire Badayac dite Laplante was Francois’ aunt, married to Pierre Vadenais, his father Francois’ brother.
Francois married Tharsile Mary (Marie) Hus-Lemoine on February 29, 1848 at Saint Pierre-de-Sorel, Richelieu, Quebec, Canada when he was 21 years old and she was 15 years old.4 She may seem quite young to us to get married, but the Canon Law of the Catholic Church before 1917 allowed girls to marry at 12 years old and boys at 14 years old, with parental consent.5 I often remind myself that most of our ancestors had hard lives and many did not live to be all that old. Adulthood came quickly.
Translation:
18 for the 18th marriage at Saint-Pierre-de-Sorel in 1848
Francois Vadenais and Tharsile Hus-Lemoine
The 29th February 1848 after the publication of 3 banns of marriage made…as it appears by the certificate of Mr Lafrance between Francois Vadenais son (who has reached majority of age) of Francois Vadenais and of Marguerite Houle, born father and mother of the parish of Sainte-Aime…and Tharsile Hus-Lemoine minor daughter of George Hus-Lemoine and of Marie Gautron Larochelle, father and mother also of this parish and of the other party not having discovered…preventing the said marriage, we the priest, the undersigned cure have the approval of parents…marriage consent and gave them the nuptial blessing in the presence of Joseph Petit, of Pierre Parenteau and of several others…the wife did not sign, the husband did sign.
[Francois Vadnais’ signature]
M. Piettiet (maybe Piettier) [the priest]
End of translation.
About 1858 Francois and Tharsile immigrated to Minnesota. A newspaper article states that, “…Francois, arrived with his family in 1858 and settled on Peltier Lake in Centerville. Francois is the ancestor of most of the Vadnais families of White Bear Lake.”6 It was also in 1858 (November 28) that their oldest child, Mary (Marie) Theresa Vadnais was born in Centerville, Anoka County, Minnesota.7
Minnesota was still a territory when Francois and Tharsile immigrated. The St. Paul that they would have known looked nothing like what it does now.
You are looking toward the northwest from about Fifth Street in downtown St. Paul. The road to the left is Wabasha Street. West Seventh Street, also known as Fort Road, is about halfway up the picture running horizontally. The domed building in the distance is the first state capitol building, designed by N. C. Prentiss. It is facing Exchange Street and sat between Wabasha Street and Cedar Street. The building was completed in 1853 and burned in 1881. It, like other buildings of the time, had gas lighting and was heated with wood burning stoves. The church to the right of the capitol building is Central Presbyterian Church, built in 1854; it faces Cedar Street. The current Minnesota State Capitol building, designed by Cass Gilbert, opened in 1905 and based on this picture would have been built somewhere in the upper left tree area bordering on the sky. Neither Francois nor Tharsile would live to see the new capitol building.
Francois and Tharsile had three more children after Mary Theresa. Their only son, William (my great-grandfather), was born on October 5, 1863, followed by their daughter Cordelia born December 24, 18658 and finally, Mathilda “Tille” born on April 30, 1870.9 All of the children were born in Centerville.
Francois was a farmer10,11 as were many of those who emigrated from Canada to Minnesota. I believe Francois and Tharsile led a simple, but hard working farm life. They remained in Centerville until sometime after 1895.12
The 1900 U.S. census enumerates Francois and Tharsile as boarders at The Little Sisters of the Poor for the aged in St. Paul, Minnesota.13 What happened between 1895 and 1900 that put Francois and Tharsile in the position they found themselves? My conjecture – the financial panic of 1893 was probably the event that tipped the scales against them. Since the early 1870s farmers were paid less and less for their crops, and after the financial panic of 1893 farming became even tougher as crop prices continued their spiral downward.14 There may have been another reason for their situation, but I would guess this was, at least, a contributing factor.
I can only imagine that Francois and Tharsile came to Minnesota with boundless dreams and hopes. It saddens me that their lives ended in poverty. Francois died at age 75 on February 3, 1902 in St. Paul15 (I assume at The Little Sisters of the Poor for the aged). His obituary states that he had “suffered much from rheumatism and cancer of the stomach, which was the immediate cause of his death.”16 Tharsile died at age 70 on April 18, 1903 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.17 William, Mary (Marie) Theresa and Mathilda had their homes in White Bear Lake when Tharsile died. I assume she was staying with one of them at the time of her passing.
Francis [Francois] Vadnais Obituary
Francois and Tharsile are buried at St. Mary’s of the Lake Cemetery in White Bear Lake.
I’ve added Francois’ signature to the “Ancestor’s Signatures” page and their grave markers to the “Final Resting Places of our Ancestors” page.
Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cindy
© 2022 Copyright by Cynthia Vadnais, All Rights Reserved
I remember my mom saying a relative had lived/died at the Little Sisters.
Also interesting about Mrs. Wm O’Neil. (-: