Category Archives: History

The Violette Family Book, by Peter R Violette

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Cover of Violette Family Book, available for purchase at Amazon. Click the image to go there.

Another book about the Violette Family was written by Peter R. Violette (VFA #1793) and published in December 2015. It is available from Amazon using this link. This book starts with the known history of our family starting with Francois’ grandparents, Louis and Marie, and continues on to tell the story how the family came to move from France to Louisbourg. He traces the history at Louisbourg with excellent details and insights,and continues with the family history in southern New Brunswick and the later move to the Upper St John River, where Francois and his family pioneered.  Continue reading →

A pioneer family grows and grows

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Francois Violette Descendants

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. Continue reading →

Early Violette land grants, St John River

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Figure 1

Figure 1: Original map of part of the original Soucy Concession map. Shows Tract 3 on the left with the lots pioneered by Francois and his son Augustin.

Let’s go back in time a bit – well actually back to around 1791 – and see where François and his family pioneered when they moved to the Upper St John Valley. They had felt forced out from the lands along the Hammond River where they had been settled for about 20 years, and with several other families sought land far away from the growing British influence in southern New Brunswick. Several families were granted land under what was called the Soucy Concession. Other families had recently been granted land under the Mazzerole Concession in the area where Madawaska ME is now located. Continue reading →

Have you read A Violette History book?

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A Violette History

A Violette History, published by the Violette Family Association

It has been over three years since A Violette History was published – have you ordered your copy yet? It is available on Amazon. Just search for the book title.  Book sales proceeds go to the Association. This was a major work authored by David A. Violette (VFA #621), Rod Violette (VFA #12), and Guy Dubay (VFA #892). The book traces the history of François Violet/Violette (1744-1824), acknowledged as the progenitor of our Violette family in North America. It covers the period from his grandparents in France through his own life in France, Fortress Louisbourg, New Brunswick, and Maine. Continue reading →