Re: Alphonse Bernier Family Portage Twp, Houghton, MI
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In reply to:
Re: Alphonse Bernier Family Portage Twp, Houghton, MI
Andree Routledge 2/08/07
Hi Mike, saw you post some time back, not able then to make a definite connection, however this time you provide THE clue to solve this. Celanise Talon is NOT an easy name for anglophones in MI - so like many many other french names it changed in pronunciation/translation.
The clue this time is TALON which translates to HEEL in English. It jumped up at me, the English version of her name became Healer!! (Heal/Healer) Celasine was totally foreign to the English tongue, could easily become Phyllis. I am now convinced that indeed Alphonse was Pierre and Celanise's son. All other details such as siblings, location, census data match.
Regards,
Andree with two maternal Bernier lines
Hi Andree...... I tried to contact you through your email address, but can't make out the letters....Thank you for the information, I had one other person on the Forum,
send me the Talon - Healer connection. Which I did not know. She asked me to send
her what info I had on Alphonse, which I did, but is very confusing at best.....;0) I've
been working on this for over 30 years, and have never been able to pin him to this family
for sure. I believe her name was changed to Philonese, as a granddaughter was named that,
at a later date. Celanise may have sounded something like that with a heavy French accent,
or by someone else taking info for other records, and later shortened to Phyllis to be more American sounding.
I believe the original Alphonse, born 1880, was not my grandfather, and died at birth or
shortly there after. Two years later a son was born, and named Joseph Alphonse Bernier.
There was also a son named Joseph born in 1862, which I believe died at a young age,
and that's why they named the son born in 1882, Joseph Alphonse Bernier. This would
honor both dead sons. My grandfather left home at about 14 years old, because he did not
get along with his mother. I believe he took the identity of his older brother, Alphonse,
who had died before he was born. This would make him 2 years older than he actually
was, and make it easier for him to find work. He just dropped the Joseph as his first name.
He went to work in the lumber business as a Sawyer, which I have proof of.
I really appreciate you sending me the information that you sent. It helps me in placing
him with this family. There were no other Pierre or Peter Berniers in that area at that
time, I've always knew he belonged to this family, but have never been able to find
the connection.........or an explanation for the Healer name on his SSecurity application.
My Best........ Mike in Reno, Nevada
More Replies:
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Re: Alphonse Bernier Family Portage Twp, Houghton, MI
Andree Routledge 2/17/07