Early Families of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
The following illustrates those individuals who were residing on the North Bank of the St. Mary's River or was in possession of land, at the time of Alick Videl P.S.S. visit to Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. This list, dated May 18, 1846 is considered to be the earliest known census for the community.
1) Dwelling house of J.B. Soulier He claims from the fence of the Hudson Bay Company to the dotted line,
5.l and has been in possession for 25 years on which he grounds his claim - he has no land enclosed.
2) A roofless house belonging to ________ Guidon who has no land enclosed and does not reside in the
place; his claim is on purchase from J.B. Soulier of the piece between the dotted line and the fence
of No. 3 - 5. 50.
3) A small enclosure of 1/2 acre claimed by Augustus LaRoche, by possession. (See No. 7)
4) House and enclose of Pierre Belleau who has been in possession 4 years, he has a small enclosure of
one acre, only partly under cultivation and clams 2.50 frontage.
5) House and enclosure of Michel Bouille who claims about 2 ch. 50 l. frontage and has about 3/4 of an
acre enclosed, but not cultivated he has been in possession 12 years but has no other claim.
6) House, barn and enclosure of Augustin LaRoche who claims frontage 7.50 from ________ been 25 years
in possession, he has about 3 1/2 acres fenced in and under cultivation.
7) House and enclosure of J.B. Charette who claims about 2.50 frontage and has 2/3 of an arce enclosed,
he also has occupied the spot 25 years on which he rests his claim: one fence encloses this and the
too preceding pieces.
8) House and enclosure of William Perrault: claims about 2.50 frontage has been in possession 2 years
and has 1 1/3 acre enclosed, no other claim.
9) Houses and small detached enclosures of Alexis Biron containing together about 1/4 of an acre _ he
claims a frontage of 5.75 by purchase 2 years ago from one Camerone who had been long in possession.
10) House and small barn and enclosure of about 4 acres belonging to___________ Brassar he claims a
frontage of 7 chains by purchase from the former occupant McKay, 3 years ago who had no claim but
possession.
11) This enclosure containing together 3 1/3 acres occupied and claimed by Michel Labatte who has had
possession 12 years, claims a frontage of 5.50.
12) House and enclosure of Louis Miron; he claims a frontage of 5.50 by purchase 10 years ago from one
Black, who had been some time in possesion; has 2 1/4 acres fenced in.
13) Houses, Barn and enclosure of Joseph Lafond who has within five and under cultivation, 10 acres,
he has been in possession 31 years and claims a frontage of 3 arpens under written authority
from Major Winniet when commanding a Drummond Island.
14) House and enclosure of Francois La-rose, he claims a frontage of 1.80 given to his wife by her
father who had been 29 years in possession he has 3 1/2 acres enclosed. No. 29
15) House and enclosures of Alexis Biron who has been in possession for 31 years under written
authorithy from Major Winniett - he claims a frontage of 3.50 and has fenced in 4 acres.
No.28
16) A house belonging to and occupied to Francois La rose (see No. 14) built on land purchased
from Alexis Biron of No. 15.
17) A house belonging to and occuped by Etienne Jolineau who has been in possession 27 years he
claims a frontage of 4 chains and has enclosed 5 acres. Lot No. 27
18) House and enclosure of Charles Cadotte:- has been in possession 15 years he claims 80 links in
front and 1.00 in rear, has enclosed 3/4 of an acre. Lot No. 2_
19) House and enclosure of Joshua Trott who purchased them from a person having a claim of
possession 6 years ago they contain together a little over 1/2 an acre. Lot No. 26
20) The burial ground claimed by the Roman Catholic Church it has been in use for over 50 years and
has many graves in it some old timber perpared ages ago for building a church still lies on
the ground. it has an area of over 3/5 of an acre. Lot No.__
21) An enclosure contains aver 3/4 of acre fenced in and this acreage clamied by Bossard of No. 10.
Lot No. 25
22) Enclosure and building occupied by Joseph Wilson Esquire. The dwelling house is of stone, two
stories high and the other large buildings of wood. they were erected and the land fenced in
and cultivated by Mr. Ermatinger 30 years ago. I cannot ascertain who is in the present
claimant but on information that the Bishop of Torono was supposed to have purchased it many
years since and that it was occupied by missionaries for 9 years. Mr. Wilson has been
residing on it for 3 years. the buildings and fences are much out of repair. 36 acres were
formly enclosed but only 14 remain ____ ______ _____ ____ ______ ______ it has a frontage of
12 chains. Lot No. 24
23) Enclosures and houses of J.B. Contain who has been in possession 19 years, the last half of
this lot is said to belong to Marguerite LaFontaine, Madame Contain's daughter by a former
husband:- Contain claims a frontage o 6 chains he has 6 acres fenced in and a feild of 4
1/2 acres of which the fence is down.
24) House and enclosure of Madame Perrault in whose family it has been for 30 years, the frontage
is 1.5 and the area of the enclosure 1 1/2 acres.
25) House and enclosure of Raymond Mastat who purchused it from Bell whose family it had been in
possession for 30 years: he claims a frontage of 1.80 and hs 2 1/2 acres fenced in.
26) House and enclosure of Henry Seyer who has been in possession 28 years; has a frontage of 2.80
and nearly 2 1/2 acres enclosed.
27) House and enclosure of Joseph Seyer Ne-be-naw-co-jing, son of an Indain Chief, he bought the
right of possession from the former occupant 12 years ago, claims a frontage of 3 chains and
2 1/2 acres enclosed.
28) House, barn and enclosure of Ambrois Surette who has been in possession 26 years; he has a
frontage of 1.80 and has enclosed 3 acres.
29) House, barn and enclosure of J.B. Lesage who bought it from the previous occupant 28 years ago,
he has a frontage of 3.60 and has 5 1/2 acres enclosed.
30) House, barn and enclosure of Xavier Perrault who has occupied it for 26 years; has a frontage
of 4 chains and has nearly 3 acres enclosed.
31) House, barn and enclosure of J.B. Crachier who has been in possession 11 year; he has a frontage
of 4.30 and has nearly 6 acres enclosed.
32) Occupied by Joseph Bossanneau, who owns the building and the east part of the lot; he claims a
frontage of 3 arpens under a written authority frm Major Wenniett when Commanding at Drummond
Island, and has been in possession 30 years. The west part belongs to a Mademoiselle St. George
now resident in Montreal, who also holds it under authority from Major Wenniett and has left it
in charge of Boisenneau; her claim is 3.35 frontage as near as I can ascertain, but Boisenneau
has all with one fence: the extent of the enclosure is 9 1\2 acres.
33) The house and enclosure of Joseph Boisenneau Junr. he claims a part in his fathers right -
mentioned above (No. 32) and the rest mostly by possession his frontage is 5.50 and he has 2 1/2
acres enclosed.
34) House and enclosure of______ Lisk who purchased from the previous occupant 4 years ago, he has 5.20
frontage and 2 1/2 acres enclosed.
35) Houses and enclosure of J.B. Denomme who has beenin possession 12 years he has a frontage of 6 chains,
and has 3 1/2 acres enclosed.
36) House and enclosure of St. Marc Martin who took possession 5 years ago but has been absent 2 years,
he is expected to return this year, he has a frontage of 10 chains and has 4 3/4 acres enclosed.
37) House and enclosure of a Rev. W. Cammeron who purchased from the previous occupant a few years ago,
he left the place few months ago and now resides in the United States, the frontage of the lot is 6
chains and there are 5 1/4 acres enclosed.
38) An enclosure of uncleard land which Mr. Cammeron (_____) took possession, it contains 9 1/4 acres and
has a frontage of 10.80.
39) House and enclosure of John Driver who purchased from Brissette the previous occupant, he has a
frontage of 11 chains and has 10 acres enclosed.
40) An enclosure fenced in with brush wood by Joshua Trott (No.19) on which he has cleared a little, the
greater part remains unimproved; the enclosure has a frontage of about 12 chains and contains about
10 acres.
41) An enclosure of about 10 acres on which a church has been erected, and within which are a few graves;
it is in possession of the Church of England though never used now, no minister having resided here
three or four years.
42) See the next to No. __.
43) A house occupied by a sister of Henry Seyers (of No. 26) who has premission to resid there; she is a
widow with a small family______________________________________________________________
______________________.
As found on last page:
____________of the boats on No. 22 which is of stone; all the __________a very _______ description
beening constructed of logs_____ let wit_________ work; and in a few instances covered with clapboards.
___ _________ of back and the interior without plaster ___ fine tra___ _____ ____________ store being
________ __________.
Source: The above was transcribed from: _A. Videl at Sault Ste. Marie_ Ermatinger, Papers, Referance Number
901.25.1 EX 1.2, Sault Ste. Marie Public Museum, Sault Ste. Marie, ON
NOTE: Regarding No. 22:- Charles Oakes Ermatinger obtained his orginal deed 14 Nov. 1821, provided for three
acres of frontage and land "on a prolonged perpendicular from that front as may suit his purpose". In 1827
Ermatinger became concerned that the military certificate granted by Major Wenniet might not constitute a
legal or proper deed and set out to obtain a patetent deed.
His petition to Sir Pergrine Maitland was never acted upon. In 1833 his son Charles Oakes was bequeathed the
land. Charles Jr. repetitioned to Sir John Colbourne, lieutenant governor of Upper. Canada. In a petition
dated Montreal, 20 Oct. 1835 he requested a deed for a lot eigthy-four acres by three acres (i.e. 252 square
acres. The petition was read 2 June 1836 in council and and order-in-council was issued. The order stated
that, provided the petitioner would bear the cost, a provincial land surveyor would be sent to servey the
property and prepare a proper map. It also stated that the opinion of the attorney general would would be
soughht regarding the issuing of a patent deed. Nothing further transpired. Perhaps the cost involved
deterred Charles from procedding. It is likely the attorney general decreed the land still belonged to the
Indians and could not legally issue a patent deed for the property that did not belong to the crown. It was not
until 1846 that a provincal land surveyor was sent to lay out a plot for the town of Sault Ste. Marie and St.
Mary's Township.
In addition a number of Metis families lived on the Hudson's Bay Company's 30 acre farm to the west of the village and directly north of the rapids in an area which became known as "Frenchtown". These families included:
Daveaux
Mousseau
McKay
Brissett
Quadrant or Cadran
Savard
Belleau
Whalen
Thebault or Thebo
Bourassa
Neveau
Boyer
Quebec
Riel
Jourdains
Dubois
[ Home ]
|