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Tacey or Eustace

Tacey or Eustace

Ken Tacey (View posts)
Posted: 13 Jan 2000 10:59AM GMT
While visiting Florida in November I was told by a guy at Historic Families that the surname Tacey is a deritive of the Irish name Eustace. I thought I was of French heritage. Can anyone set me straight on this? I cant' find much on either name, but I am just beginning my search I have alot to learn

En France, est Tessier

Jan Nearing (View posts)
Posted: 13 Jan 2000 1:35PM GMT
Never fear, while Tacey may be a derivative of Eustache, it is also more commonly a derivative of Tessier. In the US and Canada, virtually every Tacey derives from either Mathurin or Urbain Tessier...both early settlers of Canada, though unrelated to each other. Fill us in on the details you do know. If you trace back to eastern Michigan, I can probably fill in most of the info. Others can help with the rest of the country. We're one of the largest documented families in North America, and extremely diversified throughout the continent. Bientot!

eustace

Jan Neering (View posts)
Posted: 13 Jan 2000 5:01PM GMT
Hello Jan. Thank you for responding. I am indeed in eastern Michigan.Pinconnong to be exact,but born raised in Essexville.I am totally confused about this heritage thing. My grandfather was Arthur Tacey. How do I find out if I'm Irish or French? Ken

eustace

Jan Neering (View posts)
Posted: 13 Jan 2000 5:04PM GMT
Hello Jan. Thank you for responding. I am indeed in eastern Michigan.Pinconning to be exact,but born raised in Essexville.I am totally confused about this heritage thing. My grandfather was Arthur Tacey. How do I find out if I'm Irish or French? Ken

You are quite French!

Jan Nearing (View posts)
Posted: 14 Jan 2000 8:41AM GMT
Bingo! I know Pinconning quite well, in fact my brother lives there. We are indeed talking about the same family.

While there were a couple of Art Tacey's from Essexville, they're all part of the Prosper Tessier/Henriette Ducharme family. If your dad had a sister named Hattie Hugo, you would be my grandpa's first cousin. Let me know what your dad's dob was and, if you know it, what his parents' names were (I ask for both because, as I'm sure you're aware, there seemed to be a small pool of names shared by everyone and his cousin in this family. Sometimes it's easier to figure out who their spouses were than who they themselves were.)

There's a lot research done in this family, and TW Denomme has us well documented in "Our Huron County Ancestors" (though with a few notable errors...such as listing the family as being from Essexville Ontario.)

I'm reentering my tree after I goofed it up this summer. But I'll be glad to send you the rough-in. In short, we trace back through Ignace Tessier dit Lavigne, to his father Urbain, one of the original settlers of Montreal. On another side, we trace back through Prosper's wife, Henriette Charron dite Ducharme to such notables as Catherine de Baillon (there's a whole society devoted to her and her genealogy back to Charlemagne was just completed and published by three notable genealogists.) Both lines are early settlers of Canada.

If you're related to the Hugo's or Richard's at all, I can also help.

Send me your email address, and I'll be glad to pass along what I have.

Jan Nearing
jnearing@netscape.net
Chicago

Bay City Times

Jan Nearing (View posts)
Posted: 14 Jan 2000 11:08PM GMT
I forget to tell you, there is also a great article written in the mid-60s on the Tacey family. I've filed my copy away, but as I remember it, there was a large photo of one of Prosper's grandsons who owned the service station on Center Ave, along with two of his sons. There was background on the Urbain Tessier dit Lavigne lawsuit in Montreal (a hoax pure and simple). If I remember, the article was probably around 1966 and was a half trunk...above the fold...but don't hold me to it. But the archivist at the Times may be able to pull the article and make a color copy for you (it was a four-color spread...copying from microfiche wouldn't do it justice.) There's quite a bit of history in there that you might enjoy.

Art Theresa Tacey

Ken Tacey (View posts)
Posted: 16 Jan 2000 5:03PM GMT
Hi Jan. It sounds as if you have done all of my research for me.That would be nice.I still dont' know how this guy in Fla. figured we were Irish. He said he went back beyond the canadian days could trace our roots to Ireland.He claims we are decendants of Sir Richard Eustace of the county Kildare, Ireland. Have you looked back as far as the 12th century because this is where he said our name originated. It is totally possible I' ve been taken. I have what he says is the family coat of arms also, a stag with a crucifix between it horns on a blue(azure) background. Do you have any information on any of these type things.If I'm asking too many questions just say so I'll quit bugging you. I will look for the times article when I get a chance. Thank you for that info. I think I remember something about that article. It may have coincided with Essexvilles centennial. I was 13 for that. It was mainly at the old K.C. on woodside.I dont' remember much about it, just kid stuff. Thanks again, Ken

Uncle Art

Jan (View posts)
Posted: 16 Jan 2000 11:11PM GMT
So funny! It sounds like that guy had a package to sell and he didn't care if it fit or not.

Nope, Irish isn't in the line. There is some English back in the 13/1400s on the Ducharme side (that's Henrietta's father's family links to the Jacques family, which was James in Britain.) Roger James, son of Thomas, went to Utrecht with his wife Sara Morskin. His son Jacob married Sara van Haestrecht and also had a son named Jacob, who adopted the French version of James...Jacques...when he moved to Artois France.

Most of the lines terminate in the 14/1500s from a research point, because the records in France were destroyed during the wars. In the direct Tessier line, the earliest known members are Artus Tessier and Jeanne Mein.

Then came Urbain Tessier dit Lavigne b. 1624 at Chateau, Anjou, Angers, France. He was one of the earliest settlers of what is now Montreál. He married Marie Archambault in 1648 at Montreál.

Urbain's son Ignace (b. 11 Mar 1677 at Trois Riviéres) married Marguerite Lussier.

Their son Jacques (b. 29 Noc 1717) married Marie Anne Sauliquin.

They begot Jean-Baptiste (b.11 Oct 1758 at Berthier), who married Therese Huppe dit LaGroix.

Their son Simon (b. 25 May 1794 at Ste-Genevieve) married Marie-Charlotte Jacques.

From there we have Prosper (b.14 May 1816 Ste-Elizabethe, Joliette) m. to Henriette Charron dite Ducharme. Prosper was a very colorful character. They lived well in Quebec, but decided to move to Goderich, ON (north of Sarnia). Though a self-proclaimed fisherman, it turns out he actually made a happy living for a few years by picking up run away slaves in Port Huron (the end of the Underground Railroad) and taking them across the lake to Canada...for a price of course. When slavery was banned and there were no more slaves to carry, they suffered a "reversal of fortune". From one story I heard, he stole a horse (the cousin who told me speculated he wanted to eat it.) He had to get away, so sailed across the lake until he found a place so isolated that the law couldn't find him. He landed on Plum Island (near Quanicassee...it's now under water off the shore by the county line). He built a cabin and then went back for the family (kids were Catherine (Badour), Marie/Mary (Nevens), Henriette (Bawker), Edwidge (Delorge), Chris, Prosper, Henry. We know the entire family was in Michigan by 1867 when daughter Marie was married.

Prosper died on a train (exact location unknown.) Best we know is that the body was returned to Bay City for burial, with the ceremony held at St. Jos. (So as far as I know, no one's ever found a death certificate.)

Henriette remarried in Jan 1881 to Pascale Charret. She had lived briefly with son Chris.

Don't know if you've ever heard the stories about us having "indian blood". But most of us have, though no one ever pinpointed such a maiden in the family. Well, having found pictures of the clan, we've kind of figured it out. Prosper and Henriette were teeny tiny people, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Most of their babies in Quebec died (Catherine being the exception.) They had sunken eyes and slightly beeked noses. Most of the children "born" to them in Ontario (including daughters) were well over 6' tall, long Aquiline noses, hearty physiques...and very dark eyes. The human genetics class I had at UofM tells me this is impossible. Namely, two people with blue eyes may only give birth to a baby with blue eyes (two identical recessive genes become absolute positives...all other genes are blocked from exerting themselves.) So either Prosper or Henriette had liasons, or they "adopted" native babies as their own. Usually the parish records would note this, which they don't. But there aren't many other possibilities.

I'll send a copy of the PAF once I get it complete (don't ask...but I'm in pain about recreating it...I'm up to about 2300 and have almost 9000 to go. It'll take me a while, but I can get the Tessier line recreated in a week or two.) In the meantime, feel free to email Art's line and I'll incorporate it for you. I don't have Theresa's maiden name and their wedding date, and if you could send it along I'd appreciate it.

Hope this helps...and tell the guy in Florida how goofy he is.

Tessier dit Lavigne, Native Heritage

Sheryl Ellis-Gentray (View posts)
Posted: 20 Jan 2000 8:50PM GMT
I saw the comment about Native Heritage and just thought I would let you know, it's true! My grandfather is John Cunningham. According to what I have researched. Sophie daughter of Urbaine and Marie married George Dean (not sure on spelling of surname here) He was in the indian army. Their daughter Emily Dean married John Hawkins Cunningham in late 1800's. At this time is where the native comes in and I've been doing research for a very long time to get the exact name. Cunningham, Lavigne and Tessier are all known as Metis Surnames. I am currently the President of the Metis Association where I live. All my life I never felt like I belonged in the world till I found out about my heritage and now I now my place. I would be very interested in obtaining a copy of whatever you have and I will be happy to forward whatever I have. My email is musicwords@telus.net
Posted: 22 May 2000 7:31PM GMT
Edited: 20 Jan 2005 4:03AM GMT
Jan, I recently read you reply to Art that virtually all Taceys in the U. S. and Canada are descended from two French-Canadian Taceys. My ancestor was Frank Tacey, b. abt 1817 in Canada or England. He married Catherine Jennings, b. 1824,MI or Canada. They married in 1850 in Sault Ste. Marie, MI.
Do you have any info on this family? I'd love to hear from you re: any of the Taceys. Thanks so much! Lynn
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