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Stephen Lafricain b. 09 Jun 1843 Rigolet d.30 Apr 1936 Matachewan

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Stephen Lafricain b. 09 Jun 1843 Rigolet d.30 Apr 1936 Matachewan

Posted: 10 Mar 2015 4:15PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Lafricain Lafrican
Hi all,

Maybe you can help me if you have the Surname “Lafricain” and if you believe or know if you are related to Stephen Lafricain. Maybe we can help each other find out more about him. To get the ball rolling I provide the following in hopes the information contained herein helps me further my research so here is what I know.
Stephen’s father Stephen senior worked as a cooper for the Hudson’s Bay Company Bet. 01 Jun 1838–31 May 1844 and is referenced in their records as being at Rigolet Labrador.
Because Stephen and his family were still in Rigolet Labrador. As a former colony and dominion of the United Kingdom, Newfoundland and Labrador only became the tenth province to enter the Canadian Confederation on March 31, 1949 hence it was not part of the Canadian 1841 census.
Records show that after Stephen senior retired he took to salmon fishing and the Rigolet post records him there from time to time in 1850 referenced in senior posts journals.
Then on the 18 September 1850 Stephen Senior took the whole family on the HBC ship Marten making way for Montreal where Stephen Junior would begin his schooling. On the way there HBC records show that the HBC Ship Marten wrecked and the family made its way via Newfoundland to Montreal Quebec.
Stephen junior was born at Rigolet June 9, 1843 (my person of interest in my genealogy). He went to school in Montreal but I have no other supporting documentation. Next we hear of him he went to the United States, fought in the US Civil War this was documented in the HBC magazine The Beaver, May 1924, p. 291.
On the 17 December 1864 he signed up with 112th New York Infantry and on January 3rd, 1865 was assigned to Hart’s Island which was a civil war stockade for southern soldiers. Then on June 13th, 1865 he was transferred to the 3rd New York Volunteers. On the 28th of August 1865 he mustered out at Raleigh North Carolina and returns to Canada.
Shortly after the US civil war the Finian brotherhood wanted to get Irish recruits to invade Canada to get back at Britain for being in Ireland. Consequently when Stephen junior returned to Canada he took part in quelling the first Fenian raids The Beaver, May 1924, p. 291.
Bet. 18 Oct 1866–31 May 1867 he worked at Fort Temiscamingue as a Labourer.
Bet. 01 Jun 1867–31 May 1868 he was at Hunter’s Lodge, Lake Keppawayin.
Bet. 01 Jun 1868–31 May 1869 he worked at Fort Temiscamingue as a Labourer.
Bet. 1869–1889 he was a Tripper, not under contract.
1871 he is in the 1871 Census; Census Place: Timiskaming, Pontiac North, Quebec; Roll: C-10025; Page: 9; Family No: 34
14 Mar 1888 his Pension Filing with US Government class invalid application 644802 certificate number 1161838
Bet. 01 Jun 1889–31 May 1896 he is the Bay Lake Post Master. Bay lake is on that portion of the river just north of Latchford, Ontario, Canada.
In 1890 a post report submitted to HBC about fur trade and the costs versus return on investment to keep Fort Matachewan going due to reduced number of furs coming into the post document Stephen being at Matachewan.
1891 Census Stephen is documented in this census Year: 1891; Census Place: Unorganized Territory, Nipissing, Ontario; Roll: T-6355; Family No: 24
Bet. 01 Jun 1896–31 May 1920 this report was submitted to the Hudson Bay Company on Matachewan.

“Function: Matachewan was an outpost and an independent fur trade post. Matachewan was established as an outpost of Temiscamingue in the autumn of 1865 to oppose an independent trader named Ducas (also known as Duckies, Duckas, Dukis, Duckus and Duchas). The post was located on the narrows of Lake Matachewan, 60 miles from Matawagamingue, and 90 miles down the Montreal River from Temiscamingue. Chief Trader Robert Hamilton, having enough competition in the Temiscamingue District, passed on the responsibility of checking the competition imposed by Ducas to Thomas Richard who had charge of the Kenogamissi District. Between 1866 and 1870 Matachewan was an outpost of Matawagamingue. It is not known which servants were in charge of Matachewan for the first two years, but in the summer of 1867 William Stuart was managing the post. He was replaced by James Vincent in 1868 who remained in charge until the autumn of 1873. Thomas C. Rae replaced Vincent and remained at Matachewan for only one year. Michael Tobin was appointed in charge of the post in 1874. A seasonal outpost named Peescoojaggammee was opened in the winter of 1875 and was managed by Christopher Jobson. In the following season, Jobson replaced Tobin at Matachewan.

At the end of the 1879-1880 outfit Jobson left Matachewan and there was difficulty finding a replacement. James Mowat, a servant from Matawagamingue took Jobson's place for the winter of 1882-1883. By 1890 Mowat had been promoted as a clerk and remained in charge of the post. In the same year, there was a small outpost at Grassy River to the west where a man named Wabi was trading in opposition to the HBC. The outpost at Peescoojaggammee (Paspachagamie Lake) was closed during the winter of 1889-1890. This outpost may have been open for the winter of 1890-1891 since a servant was sent there from Temiscamingue to trade.

By outfit 1892-1893 Matachewan was transferred to the Temiscamingue District. On April 30, 1896 the dwelling house caught on fire. The building and nearly all contained within it were destroyed. An old dwelling house near the store replaced the burnt house. In the same year Colin Rankin, the officer in charge of Temiscamingue District, reported that Matachewan was not worth maintaining. During the 1897-1898 outfit, the HBC did not trade at Matachewan. Instead, James Mowat seems to have traded on his own account. For outfit 1898-1899 Stephen Lafricain was in charge of Matachewan. In the 1901-1902 outfit Matachewan was transferred to the Lake Huron District. HBC continued to struggle with competitors, particularly those trading whiskey for furs. Between 1910 and 1912 the importance of the trading post diminished due to the dispersion of Aboriginal people along the railway. Matachewan closed in the summer of 1920.”

1901 census Stephen and his family are documented Year: 1901; Census Place: Montreal River and Temagami Lake, Nipissing, Ontario; Page: 3; Family No: 24
06 Feb 1907 Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards Act of February 6, 1907 Pension certificate Number 1161838 Stephen Lafricain
11 Jan 1910 Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards; Pension; Original date of commencement of Pension date of certificate August 16, 1910 rate $12/month
1911 Census Stephen is documented at Fort Matachewan
11 May 1912 Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards Act of May 11, 1912 Pension certificate Number 1161838 Stephen Lafricain
15 Sep 1916 Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards; Pension reissue; Reissue date of commencement of Pension date of certificate August 8, 1917 rate $19/month
16 Jul 1917 Notre Dame du Rosaire, Ville-Marie, Quebec, Canada Catholic registry documents Paul Stéphen Alexandre MACLEOD's Godfather as Stephane L'Africain Godmother Anny Batisse
10 June 1918 Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards; Pension; Pension fee $32
19 June 1919 Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards; Pension; date of commencement of Pension rate $22.50/month
1 May 1920 Veterans Administration Pension Payment Cards; Pension; date of commencement of Pension rate $50/month
Aug 1920 The Beaver May 1924, p. 291 documents Stephen’s retirement
01 Jun 1921 Census Stephen is documented at Fort Matachewan
29 Dec 1927 Porcupine Advance Article on Stephen Lafricain
30 Apr 1936 Stephen Lafricain dies and is buried at Fort Matachewan in May. Fort Matachewan; Thursday, May 14, 1936 documented in The Temiskaming Speaker and Northern News May 12, 1936
7 July 1936 Headstone ordered by A. Leveque Elk Lake Indian Agent from War Department in USA
22 Aug 1936, Lee, Berkshire, Massachusetts, USA Stephen’s Headstone ordered by A. Leveque Elk Lake Indian Agent from War Department in USA and his stone came from Lee, Massachusetts.
19 Oct 1936 Headtone for Stephen Lafricain shipped to Matachewan.
I have very little except from the censuses with regards to his wives. His daughter Margaret Maggie LAFRICAIN married a Tonnise BATISSE and they had children Kathleen b. 24 Mar 1915; Frederic b. 1920; Alexander b. 17 Mar 1925; Evelyn b. 17 Nov 1927; Wilfred b. about 1931; Alfred b. 25 Mar 1936; and Jeannie birthdate not known as of yet.
Hopefully on some level you might provide me with other information so that I may take my research further. Hopefully I can find more information this way on his immediate family.
As for my association to Stephen, I have been documenting my family and Stephen was always a historical figure since I had heard stories from my father in Matachewan and I have a 10th cousin who is married to a lady I went to school with and she is Stephen’s grandniece. Through my uncle Jack, my dad’s brother’s wife’s 1st cousin is married to another grandniece of Stephen’s.
Since these grandnieces were already part of my family tree I did not think much of it until I found a baptismal record for Paul Stéphen Alexandre MACLEOD in searching for some other baptismal records. Paul was someone I knew growing up and he was a friend of my father’s and we went hunting and fishing with him frequently when I was young. So curiosity and the historical stuff I knew about Stephen made me look into his relations in Matachewan. Consequently I found out more about Stephen and it piqued my interest and the above information I share with you. Hopefully some of you will come back with something new, another avenue for me to research on Stephen Lafricain.
Regards….Robert campbell
SubjectAuthorDate Posted
campbrd1 10 Mar 2015 10:15PM GMT 
sstanger1 27 Mar 2015 1:39AM GMT 
highridgemini 28 Mar 2015 11:16AM GMT 
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