Showing posts with label France. Show all posts
Showing posts with label France. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Edward Frances Brisson










Edward was born 22 Dec 1922 to Omer J Brisson and Julia Anne Plante. While he was their 2nd son, he already had 5 sisters born before him. As both his parents were born in Canada, all their children were first generation Americans.

By the 1930 US Census there were 11 children in this large family that was still growing. His father is listed as a clerk in a market while 3 of his older sisters were working in the mills to help support the family. By the 1940 census 3 more children were born to this family and Eddie was also working along with the older children, the census states he was a road builder, from an early age, a solid work ethic was part of this family and most families during this time period. This work ethic was carried over in my own family as Eddie's brother, Omer, is my dad, and we all had jobs early in our lives, mine being a paper route at 11 along with my brother Paul who was 10. As we grew the paper route was handed down to other members of the family instilling in us a solid work ethic that has sustained us thus far throughout our lives.

When WWII came along, Eddie did his part and joined the Army, he was a WWII veteran and a member of the American Legion Post as it states in his obituary. He married in 1958 to Helen A Gannon and together they raised a house full of boys and lived in West Warwick, RI. He enjoyed sports and played minor league baseball when younger and was an avid Yankee fan. He was the owner of the Brisson Claim service but worked for various other claim services as well as being part of the RI State Jury Commissioners Office.

Family was very important to Eddie and he was always interested in all the genealogical information I would share with him over time and would attend as many family functions as physically possible. He enjoyed all the information gleaned over the years on the Brisson family and how they had come from LaRochelle, Aunis, France in the 1600s with the first one being Rene Brisson.

He was always welcoming to all who visited his home and enjoyed lots of company. He would reminisce about times gone by when his sisters and family were there and did his best to look on the positive side whenever possible to most situations.

On August 30th, 2013, he passed away and surely was greeted by his wife, Helen who passed away in 2001 and his son Kevin who passed away in 1997 along with many other family members who have passed on. He will be missed but be remembered for the happiness he brought to all wherever and whenever possible.

Edward Francis Brisson: 1922-2013

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Rene Brisson


This part of the memorial to the first French Colonists who settled around  L'Ange-Gardien, Quebec, Canada which is located 10 miles northeast of Quebec City on the north side of the St. Lawrence Seaway. (Courtesy of Roussin.org)

Rene Brisson was born about 1635 in St. Xainte, La Rochelle, Aunis, France. Records from this time period are scarce and it is thought his parents were Pierre Brisson and Marie Navarre, others say that his father was Jacques Brisson. Not much else is known about the family he left behind to settle in Quebec, Canada by this author at this time.

It is known that Rene Brisson sailed in the spring of 1664 on the ship "Le Noir d'Amsterdam" under Captian Pierre Filly who was from Dieppe. The ship was a fishing vessel and to improve the return on investments they added 51 passengers. Rene was among 50 young men hired to work in New France as it was a time of recruiting individuals to help build 'New France'. There was also one female, Jeanne Benart. Besides Rene Brisson there were others who helped to settle the area; Nicolas Fournier, Andre Gautron dit Larochelle, Mathais and Pierre Champagne and Jean Beaudet. From the passenger list only 42 are identified (1). On May 25, 1664, the 100 ton ship docked at Quebec. You'll note most of these names along with many others were some of the "First Colonists" who helped to settle Quebec.

Rene was a butcher and did very well in Quebec. He married Anne Vezina in 1664 in L'Ange-Gardien, Montmorency, Quebec, Canada after signing a marriage contract on September 6, 1663 in front of Mr. Paul Vachon dit Pomerleau.

Together they had  ten children but three died very young. They lived off the coast of Beaupre, Montmorency, Quebec, Canada and had four boys who helped to carry on the Brisson name. He died in 1698. The number of descendants this couple has had since their marriage in 1664 is truely amazing, there is no field this family has not entered into and been successful. Their descendants live in many places all over the world.

Rene Brisson is my 8th grandfather and my pioneer ancestor!

1635-1698

Reference:
(1) Author: Debrien, Gabriel "Engages pour le Canada au XVIIe siecle, vus de la Rochelle." In Revue d'Histoire de L'Amerique Francaise, Vol. 6:2 (Sept 1952), pp. 177-233; vol. 6:3 (Dec. 1952), pp. 374-407. Page 393 / http://ancestry.com/