Louis Chevalier, Seignior de Riviere-St Paul

As long as I can remember, I have heard about my gr. gr. gr. gr. grandfather Louis Chevalier. Romanticized as a young dashing Frenchman he settled in Riviere-St Paul, Cote-Nord, Quebec.

Louis's beginnings are a mystery and it seems that there is more than one theory floating around as from where he came. For instance, I was told by my grandmother Poole  that Louis was from Trois Riviere, Quebec. To date, I have no evidence of this. Others believe that he is the illegitimate child of Ann Chevalier, a Huguenot from the Channel Islands who worked for Philip and Nathaniel Lloyd. The Lloyd brothers who had come from Wales, bought the rights to the Riviere-St Paul fishing post. As the story goes, Ann Chevalier and Philip Lloyd had a relationship from which Louis was born. I, like so many other of Louis's descendants, hope one day to find out the truth.

It was Christmas 1799 and the merriment along the coast was evident; residents got together for food, cheer and dance during the festive season. Louis traveled to Brador that year when he came upon a young lady, Mary Ann Vane . She had been staying in the fishing village with one of the residents since she had been shipwrecked several months previous. Much of her time had been spent trying to stave off suitors in the area; young men from up and down the coast were so very interested in her; beautiful young ladies were in short supply. By Christmas time she had been convinced that her family must believe she was dead and her affianced officer had found another love. Surely, she was told, they had given up all hope of ever seeing her again.

A young Englishman from across the Strait to Newfoundland had been up the Labrador and had made arrangements to pay for Mary Ann's maintenance for the winter. His intention was to return in the spring and hopefully marry her. But it was not to be.

Louis, the charismatic and charming Frenchman stole her heart. The young impressionable Mary Ann accepted his hand in marriage and with little haste their nuptials were performed in Brador. They travelled back to Riviere-St Paul to start their new life. Louis the salmon fisherman and the future Seignior of Riviere- St. Paul was returning with his new bride.

Powderham Castle it was not.

Powderham Castle, Devon, east front. The wing projecting forwards at the right contains the second library, built 1766-9. The central tower and flanking single-height bow-windows date from 1710-27. The tower in the corner-angle to the right and the main full-height range behind date from 1390-1450

 Powderham Castle - Music Room

The devastation that Mary Ann must have felt upon seeing her new surroundings was surely immense. The grand room where she had learned to play her violin and the music of the great composers was not to be found, nor was the intricate design and architecture. Everything she had known was gone.

Powderham Castle - Heraldic fireplace in the Dining Hall

It is said that after her three children, Philip David, Mary Sophia and Mary Ann had grown, she became so disenchanted with this pioneer life that she gradually became a recluse. True or not, she ensured that her children were schooled by her in reading, writing and proper speech. As for her precious violin, she spent much time teaching her grandson Louis David the beautiful instrument. She relished this time with him and ensured that he became the well spoken gentleman that he was renowned for being. Louis David continued to play the classics on his grandmother's violin well into his senior years. She would have been pleased.

Louis died in 1848 and Mary Ann between 1847 and 1860. I like to think that she found some purpose to her life and that the sweet sound of her violin helped her find peace in the Canadian Labrador.

Julia Chevalier

As I have mentioned in a previous post, my gr. gr. grandfather Louis David Chevalier was married twice.  His first wife was Catherine Kendell, a British woman who had moved to Canada.  Both her parents had died in England; her father in 1807 and her mother in 1828.  She settled in Quebec as did her siblings but I'm not sure how she arrived here.  She married Louis David in 1848.

Their youngest child Julia was born on July 11, 1867.  It would be only three months later and Catherine would pass away on October 27 at the age of 40.  The only older sister Julia had was Mary Ann but through some illness she too died at the age of 20 in 1870.  This left Louis on his own, trying to raise the boys and Julia as well as fish for salmon on the river.  A gentleman who is known to be on the Labrador and connected to Ferryland named Thomas Wright helped Louis obtain a young woman from Ferryland as a domestic.  As  you know from a previous post, that young woman was Bridget Sisk who he married in 1871.

The only mother Julia knew was Bridget.  It was important to have a female adult figure in her life and Bridget was it.  But for Julia it was not to last.  Bridget died of complications from childbirth.

Julia had been attending the school set up by Miss Jane Brodie in.  Miss Brodie, originally from Scotland, was a missionary who felt the need to ensure that the children of the Lower North Shore of Quebec were well educated.  Because of his upbringing, Louis David felt the same way and Julia, along with many of the area children attended Miss Brodie's school.

After the death of Bridget, Louis sent Julia to stay at the Brodies full time.  While there, Julia's artistic abilities flourished.  She had inherited the fine arts from her gr. grandmother Mary Ann Vane.  Julia was known for her love of painting.  In fact, a piece created on glass was kept by my great aunt Flossie Salter Poole.  Unfortunately it broke and I did not have the opportunity to see it.  But that true ability to paint, draw and create was passed down to her descendants.  Most of us all have been blessed with the ability in one form or another.  Aren't we the lucky ones!

By 1891, Julia had moved to Montreal with the aged Miss Brodie.  She remained there until the teacher's death in 1907.

I am not certain what became of Julia.  I am presently working on a lead that she may have moved to the United States and lived with relatives there.  Of course, I promise to update if any of these leads pan out.

Although Julia did not have any of her own children, her artistic abilities live on.  Right Julia D?

Necessity Breeds Love ........ Sometimes

Louis David Chevalier

My great-great grandfather Louis David Chevalier of Riviere Ste. Paul, Quebec, was twice married.  His second wife was a young woman he employed to look after his children upon the death of his first wife, Catherine Kendall.

The young woman was Bridget Sisk from Ferryland, Newfoundland and I am supposing that she was contracted for the position through a Mr. Thomas Wright.  A Jerseyman, Mr Wright was found to be in both Ferryland and Labrador and may have acted as an intermediary in such matters

It was not long before the young woman and the gentleman 17 years her senior found each other romantically.  It was Quebec's Lower North Shore after all, not the bustling cities of Montreal or London or even St. John's.

Bridget gave birth to their first child, John Joseph, in 1871 but they were not married until August of 1872 on the same date that their child was baptised.  Like most from the Southern Shore, she was a devout Irish Catholic.  Louis recognized how important her religion was to her and although he was a Protestant, Louis made sure she remained true to her faith.  There were many times that he readied his horses and carriage when the weather allowed and brought her to the nearest Roman Catholic church to attend mass  He clearly respected her beliefs and in this case necessity did breed love.

Bridget and Louis spent almost a dozen years together until her death in 1879.  It was on December 3rd of that year that she gave birth to a daughter.  Like so many women of her time, Bridget developed an infection from childbirth and died a couple of weeks later.  Something that a simple antibiotic could cure today cost Bridget her life.  That little girl, my great-grandmother, became her namesake, Bridget Chevalier (m. Salter).

Louis David Chevalier and 

2 unknown women.