Roy Ancestry – France to Canada (Part 7)

New France (Canada) circa 1697

Canada A Country by Consent: New France

The land that is now known as Canada was first home to many different nations of native peoples with distinctly different languages and social organizations. What they shared was a great ability to live with the land and it was only by copying native ideas like the snowshoe, birch bark canoes and pemmican: dried lean meat that the Europeans were able to survive the harsh winters and develop a vast fur trade that eventually spread European influence across the country.

Canada is not a country based on ethnic uniformity like many countries. It is not a country forged by the fires of civil war or wars of unification. It is a country which has evolved and been held together by the agreement and will of the various groups who have helped build it over the years. Canada is a Country by Consent. (View the content of this online project which is organized into 27 chapters, many with an audiovisual introduction. The text is enhanced with additional film clips, interviews, essays by guest historians, hundreds of archival images, satellite maps and definitions.)

Etienne Roy (1690-1749) and Marie LaCasse (1692-1764)

 

Etienne (Stephen) Roy was the first male child in our Roy lineage to be born in Canada (New France). When he was born on April 20, 1690, in Lauzon, Quebec, his father Nicolas Roy (1661-1727) was 29 and his mother, Marie-Madeleine LeBlond (1665-1722) was 24. Etienne was fortunate to have his extended family welcome his birth, including his grandparents, Nicolas LeRoy (1639-1690) and Jeanne Lelièvre (1640-1728), and his great-grandmother, Anne LeMaitre (1617-1718). The joy was short-lived, however, when his grandfather Nicolas LeRoy died a few days later on April 27, 1690 at the age of 50 years.

Etienne Roy Profile

Etienne married Marie LaCasse on November 18, 1709, in Beaumont, Quebec when he was 19 years old and was 17 years old. (Source: Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1967 Record for Etienne LeRoy. Beaumont (St-Étienne) > 1692-1796, 67. 2nd entry.)

Etienne Roy and Marie LaCasse church marriage record 1709

Marie LaCasse was born on June 19, 1692, in Lauzon, Quebec to Marie-Francoise Bazin, age 19, and Joseph LaCasse, age 22. The LaCasse family records (shown below) indicates that she was the oldest of 15 children – 11 girls and 4 boys. From an ancestry lineage perspective, it is noteworthy that three of the LaCasse girls (Marie, Marie-Francoise and Marie-Angelique) married Roy boys (Etienne, Louis and Jean-Baptiste, respectively).

As the following ancestry tree shows, Etienne and Marie had 10 children in 22 years from 1711 to 1733. This included 6 girls and four boys to carry on the Roy family name. Their third son, Pierre Roy (1725-1764), continues our family heritage.

Etienne Roy and Marie LaCasse Family

Ancestry records show that Etienne Roy died on December 3, 1749, in St. Vallier, Quebec, when he was 59 years old and was buried there. At that time, Etienne and Marie had been married 40 years. Marie LaCasse died on January 5, 1764, in St. Vallier, Quebec, when she was 71 years old. For reference purposes, the vital records for Etienne and Marie are available online and include guidance on how to read French documents.

Father’s Day Reflections – Touching Shoulders with Emile Roy

Every year, on the third Sunday of June, families across the country join in a common tradition: honouring our dads. Although Father’s Day is celebrated in many countries around the globe in one form or another, it is almost universally credited as having originated in the United States, although it didn’t even become an official US holiday until 1972. Below is a timeline prepared by Ancestry on how the holiday got started in America.

The following excerpts are drawn from the 1994 book Nootsie, The Life of Ernest Emile Roy (1914-1992) written by his son J. Paul-Emile Roy, CA. Additional excerpts are provided in One Man's Journey – Emile Roy (1914-1992), Part One and One Man's Journey – Emile Roy (1914-1992), Part Two.

Locked away in the recesses of the mind are our fondest memories. They may be triggered by an emotional feeling, the sight of a cherished object, a familiar sound, a unique scent or taste, and even a sensuous touch. It’s been said that “each man's life touches many others.” This book is about Emile Roy who not only touched the lives of others but enriched them as well. He was adept at “Touching Shoulders” with all those around him.

The Nootsie book contains 25 stories of times when Emile “touched shoulders” with others. The stories are presented as one-on-one experiences. They are told from the individual perspective of his wife, Angeline, and each of his eight children, as well as by several long-time friends and associates. These stories speak of friendship and fellowship, faith and courage. They recount both teaching and learning experiences. Some are happy, others are sad. Some talk of good fortune while others recall misfortune. But, there are two things they all have in common. First, they are all about life. Second, they cover special times. Because of this, they are worth sharing. After reading the stories, one can only conclude that, for Emile, it was truly a wonderful life! And, each in our own ways, we all gained from “touching shoulders” with him.

Here are some memories of Emile Roy, as told by his oldest son John Roy (1941-2015).

Emile Roy with his son, John, in 1987

Feeling Proud

As the oldest boy in the family, there were many times when I felt that I had to make Pop proud of me. For example, I served as an altar boy from the age of 9 to 23. Actually, I was the only one to serve Mass when St. Dominic’s Parish started in Bronte in the late 1950s. There were also many times when Pop made me feel proud of myself. I think he knew this and when the time was right, he left me alone to learn or to do my own thing. For example, he introduced me to the trucking business and later left me in charge when he worked on a contract out-of-town.

When we worked up North, he once said he was proud to drive my truck and complimented me on the fact that it was the only truck to survive the winter without a breakdown. In Cedar Springs around 1980, I helped him build his house by installing the electrical wiring. He was amazed that I could do the job and, satisfied that it was being done properly, he lay down with his dog, Suzie, on the bundles of insulation that were on the floor and had a siesta. I knew that he depended on me and trusted me. I was proud to help out.

The Times of Life

There are three events in my life that stand out as emotional, one-on-one times with Dad. First, I remember the look on his face when I told him it was time. He asked, “Time for what?” I said, “I found my girl. Can I get married?” He replied, “If you feel you’re ready. It’s up to you.” I felt good about it and said, “Thanks Dad!” Second, I remember the day in June 1965 that Mark [John’s first child] was born. Dad was grinning from ear to ear. He was as proud as I was. I had a son and he had a grandson to carry on his name. It’s too bad he wasn’t here for the birth of his great-grandson, Kyle, late in 1992. Third, I remember one particularly sad time when he looked at me and said, “Gee, it’s a bugger to grow old!” I will never forget him or the positive influence he had on me over his lifetime.