Re: Marguerite Forest and Francois Lafaille
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In reply to:
Re: Marguerite Forest and Francois Lafaille
Mark Rabideau 8/06/11
Mark,
I have been able to quickly review your information in regards to Francois Lafay & Marguerite Laforest. As you well know information on this couple is not easy to find. I'm not in a position to defend my earlier research effectively (my home was severly damaged in the June 1st tornado here in Massachusetts) but will make a couple of comments...
There are a couple of sources that connect Marguerite Laforest/Forest to Connecticut. But there is nothing concrete. Two solid acadian researchers Prof. White and Father Hebert. Father Hebert's research I believe is the basis for White's conclusion. I tend to lean towards Marguerite born 16 Jan 1748 in Port Royal, Acadie. Daughter of Jacques Forest and Marie Josephe Leprince. The family of Jacques Forest is known to have been in Connecticut according to the research of Father Hebert.
Francois Lafay well, I agree with you we can only guess. But I have found several Francois Lafaille's that would fit our ancestor age wise. I have been able to discount all of them including the son of Francois Faille and Marguerite Brosseau. A marriage & death record for that Francois exists. I'm unable to cite those records at this moment but should be able if given time.
Francois Lafay, I've tried every angle with no luck. I corresponded with a Bernard Doray who had written an article for an Acadian Journal. He too had more questions than answers in regards to Francois but he had found the book which I cited "Diary of Madame Feller", that lists Francois daughter as converting to the religion of her youth, protestantism and mentioning Francois being a French sailor in Boston.
If the Lafay's had lived in New England it was illegal to be catholic. As for the marriages, if you were catholic in New England you could not marry as a catholic. The large number of Acadians in New England had to marry in front of a Justice of the Peace. Sometimes marriages were performed in secret by an Elder. Thus when they eventually returned to Quebec, the marriages were not recognized by the catholic church in Quebec, as the marriages were not performed by a catholic priest. The marriages needed to be rehabilitated and the children baptized.
When Francois Lafay returned to Quebec with his family, interestingly after the American Revolution. He leased a farm, and in fact did become a laborer. This contract for the farm was discovered by M. Bernard Doray in his research. Mr. Doray also mentioned that Francois was a witness for a marriage that occurred in Massachusetts, but I have not been able to locate his source.
It is interesting that you mention Maryland. Maryland was a little more open to those of the Catholic faith than was the environment in New England so if they had been in Maryland some records may exist. As for the Territory of Louisiana, it was at the time of the deportation under the authority of Spain, which was Catholic. I believe (not certain) that the Catholic records in Louisiana fell under the diocese of Havanna.
I have also found another mention of a Francois Lafay in this time period, 1790's. In a collection called the "Jeremie Papers" in a collection held by the University of Florida. This record simply lists a Francois Lafay in the Notary records. These records are notary records from Haiti.
Francois Lafay is a brickwall if I have ever seen one. There are so many different angles that are entirely possible and no concrete information...
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Re: Marguerite Forest and Francois Lafaille
Mark Rabideau 8/12/11