M. 19 Oct 1812 in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec2
Wife: Marie-Charlotte Dubois
D. 15 Jul 1846 in St-Norbert, Quebec3
In a story common to many 19th-century French-Canadians, Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie’s ancestors had farmed in Quebec for generations. But he was the end of the line, as none of his six sons carried on that tradition when they came of age.
Joseph was born to François-Joseph Mignault dit LaBrie and Marguerite Chouinard, on June 9, 1785 in L’Islet, Quebec.1 His parents would have a total of 13 children, but only 3 survived childhood. Joseph was 27-years-old when he got married. His bride, Marie-Charlotte Dubois was only 15, and the wedding took place on October 19, 1812 in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy.2
For a few years, Joseph had a farm in the same community where he was married. By 1822, the family moved to Arthabaska,4 but in 1825, the census showed them back in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, living next to the households of Charlotte’s brother and uncle.5 The couple had a total of 12 children born between 1813 and 1838; only the first-born and the last-born children died young.
1825 census showing Joseph fourth from the bottom on the page.
French-Canadians along the south shore of the St. Lawrence had made a living in agriculture for generations, in spite of the harsh climate. It was a hard life with practically no opportunity for upward mobility, not to mention the fact that the physical labor took a toll on people. Many began to seek new land, perhaps because the coast was being over-farmed. In about 1830, Joseph moved his family to a place near where he was born, in St-Jean, Dorchester County. The 1831 census indicated that he was the proprietor of a 60-acre farm, and he paid rent for it amounting to 3/8 of his earnings.6 His farm was under an antiquated tenant system where farmers leased their land from seigneurs (or landlords); within a generation, the system would be abolished.
On 24 acres of his farm, Joseph produced 100 bushels of potatoes that year. While many of his neighbors grew wheat, oats and peas, potatoes were Joseph’s only crop. The farm also had 8 head of cattle, 2 horses and 4 pigs. Charlotte’s brother and uncle were living close to them just as they were in St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy. Joseph and his family are missing from the 1842 census, likely because the original records have been lost for many communities in Quebec.
Growing potatoes in Quebec. (AI-generated image)
Joseph died in St-Norbert on July 15, 1846 and was buried at the church cemetery there.3 His wife Charlotte passed away sometime before 1864.7 None of Joseph’s surviving sons remained in Quebec, with most of them ending up in the United States; if they became farmers, their land was far away from the fields their father had planted.
Children:
1. Joseph LaBrie — B. 19 Sep 1813, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;8 D. 19 Dec 1820, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec9
2. Genevieve LaBrie — B. 5 Feb 1815, Quebec;10 D. 15 Mar 1881, West St. Paul, Minnesota;11 M. Flavien Roberge (1813-1894), 8 Nov 1834, St-Jean Chrysostome, Quebec12
3. Louis LaBrie — B. Nov 1818, Quebec;13 D. 22 Feb 1903, Minneapolis, Minnesota;14 M. Julie Fortier (1821-1904), 14 Sep 1841, Sylvestre, Quebec15
4. Henriette LaBrie — B. 9 Sep 1822, Arthabaska, Quebec;4 M. Jean-Baptiste Boucher dit Morency (1819-1873), 27 Apr 1841, Sylvestre, Quebec16
5. Jean-Baptiste LaBrie — B. 9 Sep 1822, Arthabaska, Quebec;17 D. 13 Jun 1905, Barron County, Wisconsin;18 M. Perpetue Demers (1827-1899), 27 Feb 1843, Blandford, Quebec19
6. Marie-Marguerite LaBrie — B. about 8 Mar 1826, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;20 M. Olivier Demers (~1822-?), 12 Jan 1847, Arthabaska, Quebec21
7. Francis LaBree — B. 15 Jan 1828, St-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-Lévy, Quebec;22 D. 27 Dec 1909, Minneapolis, Minnesota;23 M. Eliza Furlong (1830-1912), 23 Jan 1854, St. Paul, Minnesota24
8. Benjamin LaBrie — B. (possibly) 1831, Quebec;25 D. (possibly) 19 Feb 1907, Arthabaska, Quebec;26 M. Marie Vachon (~1833-~1896), 3 Nov 1864, Tlingwick, Quebec7
10. Edouard LaBrie — B. about 18 Jul 1834, St-Jean Chrysostome, Quebec;30 M. (1) Catherine Couture, 24 Sep 1860, Tlingwick, Quebec;31 (2) Josephine _________32
11. Marie-Heloise LaBrie — B. about 16 Oct 1838, St-Jean Chrysostome, Quebec33
Sources:
1 Baptismal record of Joseph Mignaultt dit LaBrie, Quebec Catholic Parish Registers, 1621-1979, FamilySearch.org
2 Marriage record of Joseph Mignaultt dit LaBrie and Marie-Charlotte Dubois, Q., C. P. R.
3 Burial record of Joseph Mignaultt dit LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
4 Baptismal record of Henriette LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
5 1825 Canada census
6 1831 Canada census
7 Marriage record of Benjamin LaBrie and Marie Vachon, Q., C. P. R.
8 Baptismal record of Joseph LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
9 Burial record of Joseph LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
10 Baptismal record of Genevieve LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
11 Find-a-Grave listing of Genevieve (LaBrie) Roberge
12 Marriage record of Flavien Roberge and Genevieve LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
13 1900 U.S. Census, Minneapolis, Minnesota
14 Death record of Louis LaBrie, Minnesota Birth and Death Records, 1866-1916, FamilySearch.org
15 Marriage record of Louis LaBrie and Julie Fortier, Q., C. P. R.
16 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste Boucher dit Morency and Henriette LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
17 Baptismal record of Jean-Baptiste LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
18 Find-a-Grave listing of Jean-Baptiste “John” LaBrie
19 Marriage record of Jean-Baptiste LaBrie and Perpetue Demers, Q., C. P. R.
20 Baptismal record of Marie-Marguerite LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
21 Marriage record of Olivier Demers and Marie-Marguerite LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
22 Baptismal record of François LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
23 Marriage record of François LaBrie and Eliza Furlong, Minnesota, Marriages, 1849-1950, FamilySearch.org
24 Death record of Francis Labree, Minnesota Death Index, 1908-2002, FamilySearch.org
25 1871 Canada Census, Arthabaska, Quebec
26 Burial record of Benjamin Mignot dit LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
27 Baptismal record of Marie-Adelaide LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
28 Find-A-Grave listing of Ida Adeline (Mignot dit LeBrie) LeMay
29 Marriage record of Francis Lemay and Adelaide LaBrie, M., M.
30 Baptismal record of Edouard LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
31 Marriage record of Edouard LaBrie and Catherine Couture, Q., C. P. R.
32 1891 Canada Census, Alberta
33 Baptismal record of Marie-Heloise LaBrie, Q., C. P. R.
