Francois Vadnais and Marie Genevieve Coulombe are my 4^th great-grandparents.

Francois was born on February 10, 1767 and baptized 5 days later at Saint-Pierre-de-Saurel, Quebec, Canada.  His father Antoine Vadnais celebrated his 37^th birthday on the day of Francois’ birth and his mother Francoise Laporte was but a few weeks away from turning 30 years old.  He was the 6^th of 10 children which included 5 boys and 5 girls.²

This is a tough record for me to read.  I believe that it is saying that he had been conditionally baptized when he was born.  His godparents are listed as Francois Vadnet [Vadnais], probably his uncle, and Genevieve Rondau [Rondeau].

Francois was born about 48 years after his grandfather, my 6^th great-grandfather, Jean Baptiste Vadnais dit d’Argenteuil first set foot in Canada.³ 

Francois’ future wife, Marie Genevieve (or just Genevieve) Coulombe was born on April 15, 1771 at Berthierville, Quebec, Canada.⁴  Her father Pierre Ignace Coulombe was 31 years old and her mother Marie Boucher was 26 years old.  Genevieve was the 2^nd oldest and the family would eventually include a total of 8 children: 1 boy and 7 girls with 2 additional children that had not survived birth.⁵  Genevieve was baptized at Sainte-Genevieve-de-Berthier on April 16.

Translation:

B (baptism) of Marie Genevieve Coulombe

In the year one thousand seven hundred and seventy-one on the sixteenth day of April I, the undersigned priest, have been baptized Marie Genevieve Coulombe born yesterday from the legitimate marriage of Pierre Ignace Coulombe and Marie Boucher. The Godfather was Alexis Laferriere and the Godmother Genevieve Pietto who declared that they did not know the required signs.

                                                                                          (signature of priest)

End of translation.

I am unfamiliar with her godparents.

The 2 communities where Francois and Genevieve were born are right across the St. Lawrence River from one another about halfway between Montreal and Trois-Rivieres.

Francois and Genevieve were married on January 12, 1789 at Sainte-Genevieve-de-Berthier, D’Autray, Quebec, Canada.⁶  At the time of their marriage, Francois was 21 years old and Genevieve was 17 years old.

Translation:

M (marriage) Francois Vadenais and Genevieve Coulombe

This twelfth day of January of the year one thousand seven hundred eighty-nine, three bans were published during the sermons of the parish masses announcing the wedding promises between Francois Vadenais, son of Antoine Vadenais and Francoise Laporte, father and mother of the Saint-Cuthbert parish on this hand, Genevieve Coulombe, daughter of Pierre Ignace Coulombe and Marie Boucher, the father and mother of this parish, on the other hand, a certificate of the same announcement made by Mr. Delorimier, priest of Saint-Cuthbert, without any hindrance to the wedding, I, the undersigned priest, mission priest (in abbreviation in the text) of Berthier, received their mutual marriage assent and gave them the marriage benediction in the spirit of the Holy Church in the presence of Antoine Vadenais, father of the groom, Joseph Laporte, his uncle, Pierre Ignace Coulombe father of the bride, Jean-Baptiste and Charles Boucher, his uncles and of many others, of whom two signed, the others declared not being able to sign.  The certificate was read.

Charles Boucher                J Bte Boucher                                                  Pouget, priest

End of translation.

Their first child, Jean Francois was born about 10 months after their marriage on November 5, 1789.  Almost every 1 to 2 years thereafter, over a 22 year period, another child was born.  Genevieve gave birth to a total of 13 children.  The 2 oldest boys and 2 of the girls died young.  Of the 9 remaining children there were 3 boys and 6 girls.⁷  The oldest surviving boy, Francois, would become my 3^rd great-grandfather.

Although most records I’ve found list Francois as a farmer, one of our distant Canadian ancestors Laurier Vadnais, now deceased, claimed that Francois was a voyageur for the fur trade.  I’ve not found him associated with any voyageur contracts, but it is possible that he supplemented his farm income during the off season.

Francois died on August 30, 1830 at 63 years old (not 64 as stated in his burial record).  He was buried the following day at Saint-Michel d’Yamaska, Quebec, Canada.⁸

Translation:

88 Sp (88^th burial at St-Michel d’Yamaska in 1830)

On the thirty-first of August, one thousand eight hundred and thirty by us, the undersigned parish priest was buried in the cemetery of this church Francois Vadenais, married to Genevieve Coulombe; in his lifetime, a farmer of the place who died yesterday aged sixty-four years old; Present Pierre Lisotte and Jean Lisotte who failed to sign.

                                                                            (Signature of the Priest)

End of translation.

At 61 years old Marie Genevieve remarried to Joachim Caron on June 16, 1832 at Saint-Michel d’Yamaska.⁹  She lived another 2 years before passing away on June 8, 1834 at 63 years old (the age on the burial record is incorrect).  She was buried June 9, 1834 from Saint-Michel d’Yamaska.¹⁰

Translation:

79 Sp (79 burial from St-Michel in 1834)

Genevieve Coulombe

On the ninth of June, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-four by us, the undersigned parish priest, was buried in the cemetery of this Church, Genevieve Coulombe, wife of Joachim Caron, the cultivator of this said parish, who died the previous day at the age of sixty-five. Present Pierre Lisette and Antoine Lessard: who declared not knowing how to sign.

                                                         (Signature of priest)

End of translation.

The 3 male branches of Francois’ and Genevieve’s family are the roots of the earliest Minnesota Vadnais family history.  Pierre (later called Peter) and Jean Baptiste, both 3^rd great-granduncles, settled at Lake Vadnais (later named after Jean Baptiste) around 1846¹¹ and my 3^rd great-grandfather’s son who was also named Francois (my 2^nd great-grandfather), followed his uncles to Minnesota in 1855.¹² 

Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cindy

© 2023 Copyright by Cynthia Vadnais, All Rights Reserved

—-

Footnotes for Francois Vadnais and Marie Genevieve Coulombe post