Descendant chart for Francois Violette, three generations

When Francois and Marie-Luce Violet moved their family around 1789 from lands they had lived on and farmed along the Hammond River in lower New Brunswick, there were twelve children ranging in age from infancy to 19 years old. Three more children would be born to this family after arriving in the Upper St John River Valley bringing the total to 15. But Marie-Luce died about 1800, at 50 years of age – not uncommon in those days when life was not easy. The community around the Hammond River could count on established commercial enterprises to provide supplies of all kinds – the things they could not raise on their farm. Pioneering in the Upper St John meant there was none of those “conveniences” available and they probably had to do without or make their own substitutes for many things.

Such was the age range of this large family that their first grandchild was born before their fifteenth child was born in 1792! Son Augustin married Elizabeth Cyr 11 years after moving to his new land (he was one of those who was granted land under the Soucy Concession) and their first child was born in 1799.

Francois’ and Marie-Luce’s first house along the Upper St John River must have been a large and busy one! Though only required under the terms of their land grant to build a home at least 15 by 20 feet, there was no way they could have housed two adults and eleven children in one that small.

Their first child, daughter Marguerite Genevieve, married Jean-Baptiste Cyr II in 1793 so moved to her own place. Genevieve, their third child, married Antoine Cyr in 1792 and also moved out. But son Pierre Hilarion was born in 1792 so the house remained full.

It was well that there were lots of people there, for it took quite a few to make it work for all. Lots of crops to plant, harvest, and put up; lots of wood to cut and chop; and so on.

Likely inhabitants of the Francois Violette home 1789-1824

Francois Jr did not marry until age 28 (1803), Charles Amand Henri was 32 (1808) and Dominque was 31 (1808). It is likely, though, that they had acquired land and moved prior to their marriages. Sons Benoni married at 25 (1810), Alexandre at 23 (1813), Pierre at 25 (1818), and Isaac at 21 (1818). Daughter Marguerite was married at 22 (1793), Genevieve at 18 (1792), Marie Anne at 22 (1802), Madeleine at 23 (1804), and Venerande at 21 (1808); Elizabeth died at age 17 so was probably not married.

Three years after Marie-Luce’s death in 1800, Francois married Marie-Rose Cormier in 1803. They had five children in the years from 1803 through 1810. Their first child, Joseph, was born in March 1803 though the marriage was recorded on Jul 4, 1803; this was a “reconstituted” marriage. This situation was common in those days because of a lack of priests to perform and record marriages. Francois and Marie-Luce’s first child was born on July 25, 1770 though the marriage was recorded on May 6th of that same year.

Marie-Rose died on November 11, 1811 and Francois married Genevieve Tardif on January 17, 1814. Their first child was born on September 9, 1814. The last of their three children, Francois, was born in 1818 and Francois the father died in 1824. Genevieve lived on until 1864. Her death was recorded in St Francois Parish in New Brunswick (Madawaska County), so she probably had moved some time after her husband died.

Timeline of events in Francois Violette family, two generations

Francois lived for 79 years (1744-1824) and had a very fruitful life, it would appear. Through his three marriages he had 23 children in the years from 1770 through 1818 and he was to have 151 grandchildren! Sixty-seven of those grandchildren were born after Francois died, but that meant 84 grandchildren were living before he died. I cannot imagine keeping track of 100 or so birthdays! The last of his children (Luc) died in 1887 and the last of his grandchildren (Charlotte) died in 1926.

Three charts help to illustrate the points in this story. The first is the descendants chart referenced above. The second is a timeline of family events through the life spans of all those 178 people (Francois, three wives, 23 children, 151 grandchildren).  The third is a table showing the likely number of people living in Francois’ home at any time during the 1789-1824 span.

A Violette History, published by the Violette Family Association

You can learn more about this fascinating family in the book A Violette History, available at Amazon. It covers the period from Francois’ grandparents through about 1845.