Famous Distant Cousins and Ancestors
The Desjardins like many other families from French Canadian ancestry have some famous relatives. Though there are many, some of the better known are Alphonse Desjardins, founder of the 'Caisses Populaires" or Credit Unions that are now reknown throughout the world. However, since our ancestors double for every generation up, then the possibility of being related to famous relatives increases with every generation, though the relationship is more distant. Besides, Alphonse Desjardins, there are other more figures still living and having gained world popularity and recognition. Among those are the world popular singers Madonna as well as Céline Dion. Besides those famous distant cousins, when we go far up the ladder, then individuals famous in history are among those ancestors, including royalty from France and other European countries. Not least among these is Charles the First, better known as Charlemagne. Though we may have these as ancestors more than once, that is from different ancestors, since distant cousins often married, the proved line of famous ancestors to date that is known to the writer of this family history is aware of is the ancestry of Leocadie Gagnon, the mother of Pierre Roy dit Desjardins, who is our Manitoba ancestor who moved to St. Pierre Jolys in Manitoba. Both Madonna and Céline Dion are related through Leocadie Gagnon, and the connection will be made here on this web page. Alphonse Desjardins, the founder of the "Caisses Populaires" is related through the Desjarsins side of Pierre Roy dit Desjardins' ancestors, though there seems no doubt that Alphonse Desjardins was related to Leocadie Gagnon as well, through the Mivilles Deschênes ancestry.
As for the writer of this family history, he discovered that he is seventh cousin to both Céline Dion and Madonna and fifth cousin three times removed to Alphonse Desjardins. Here's how it goes:Alphonse Desjardins:
Alphonse Desjardins was the fifth cousin of Pierre Roy dit Desjardins. The common fifth ancestors were Pierre Roy dit Desjardins, born in 1669 at Batiscan, Quebec, who was married to Marie-Anne Martin. The Pierre Roy dit Desjardins who moved to Manitoba is descendant of the son of Pierre Roy dit Desjardins, also known as Pierre, who was married to Marie Bouchard, while Alphonse is descendant of Jean Baptiste Roy dit Desjardins, Pierre's brother, who was married to Marie Madeleine Michaud
Madonna
Madonna is related to the Desjardins, through Leocadie Gagnon, from her mother's side of the family. Madonna's real name is Veronica Louise Ciccone, the daughter of Silvio Ciccone, who is Italian and Louise Fortin. Louise Fortin was also known as Madonna and Veronica adopted that name from her mother. Madonna' common ancestor with Leocadie Gagnon is through Leocadie's great great grandparents through her mother's side, on the Fortin- Thibault line. That is Leocadie's great great grandparents Jacques Thibault and Marie Proulx (Prou) where also ancestors of Madonna. The Fortin's ancestors on the male line right up to Magloire Augustin Fortin who married Judith Thibault, the great granddaughter of Jacques Thibault and Marie Proulx.
Céline Dion