The Livingston Family History - Alive and Well

Births and Deaths at the Parish of ST. LEON, MANITOBA 1878-1880 B-1 POIRIER, Edouard, son of Fabien Poirier and Elise Dumontier, remain at T.4 R.8; born on July 7, 1878 and baptized August 23, 1878. Godfather and godmother: Edouard Pinet and Caroline Boutin.                                                A. Gladu, o.m.i. B-2 CHARBONNEAU, Joseph Leon Olivier, son of Joseph Charbonneau and Henriette Cote, remain at T.4 R.9; born on November 28, 1877 and baptized August 25, 1878. Godfather and godmother: Olivier Lafreniere* and spouse Olive Maurice .                                                                                  ...

Saint Leon Le Montagnard St. Leon December 23, 1879 To His Greatness Mgr. Alexander Tache Archeveque of St. Boniface Monsignor! Your Greatness will find an exact map of the current state of the Mission of St. Leon. She will see that the choice we made of the point a between the two lakes for the placement of the church is not only the most beautiful and pleasant for the resident priest, but also the most advantageous for the faithful. Point B, southeast of the small lake; for which one petitions, is quite unsuitable, because from the coast is there is a marsh and flows of almost a mile or one only wants to make a path to the sacrifice of great works that are at the moment above our strength, in a way that must pass , to get there to point F which is equal distance from A and B. This place of real advantages for Joseph Charbonneau, Joseph Landreville, and especially Olivier Lafreniere. The priest will be the completely at the mercy of the latter. In all this hi...

Saint Leon First parish priest of St. Leon, MB  Theobald Bitsche from 1879 -1892 From Odile Martel's book Pionniers de la Montagne Pembina - a rough translation p. H-30 Father Theobald's observation of the area as recorded in Le Manitoba , August 10, 1882: Of the twelve miles between Archibald and Calf Mountain, in 1879 there was only one tent; Archibald itself was then only a hut built of peat. From Archibald to Saint-Leon, eight miles ago; already 1879 there were numerous farms scattered between the two places. Saint-Léon is on the second low line, where the corners of sections two and three of canton five, rank nine, and sections thirty-four and thirty-five, of canton four, rank nine, touch each other. A small, almost round lake, about 120 acres shaped the center. On three sides the ground slowly lowers towards the lakes, and on the fourth, the ground is high enough and firm enough to allow the largest buildings to be raised. Everyone who visits Saint-Leon is struck ...

St. Leon, Le Montagnard   December 23, 1879 In His Greatness Bishop Tache Archdiocese of St. Boniface Monsignor! After my return to St. Leon, I immediately announced to the population the choice that Your Greatness has done for the locations of the mission buildings. Everyone seemed satisfied to me when after a fortnight Joseph Charbonneau showed up at my house with a deputation to tell me that he does not want the chosen location, that one must build on his pre-emption, etc. I replied that I did not have the power to make the decisions of Your Greatness, and that if they have any claims, they must address with her.   I was told that since that time a certain Lady; who has only been here for four months, and that I have only seen the office written a long letter to Your Greatness, sign for her in the name of the husband and for other ladies and some men. I do not know what this lady wrote, but I know that Mr. Joseph Charbonneau is the instigator of th...

Saint Leon Le Montagnard December 15, 1879 Monsignor, Today we do not agree with our cure, in the regard of our church that we want it to be built in the center. Mr. Cure does not want it with some of the citizens, but the majority absolutely wants it to be in the heart. This is the most suitable place, since the cemetery is there and then there are some bodies that are buried there and at the same time will be more consoling for the parents to see out of the cemetery. Monsignor also when The Cure has arrived in the midst of us he has seen the place himself and then to tell us that you even The Monsignor you told him, and at the same time predicted that she would fight in the place that we would like today but everything is change. The majority Monsignor, wanted to speak to her so that she could get along; he told us that he was at home, that he was not coming to trouble us. We want to make a parish assembly, he doesn't want it. He also said Monsignor that he will fi...

Saint Leon Le Montagnard October 2, 1879 Two new post offices just prepared on the west coast of the Red River, one at Pointe Coupee, Mr. Louis Lacerte, master of the post office; and the other at St-Pie, Mr. F. Gentes, postmaster. Mr. Dewe, a post inspector, also established several of them at the Pembina Mountain, one of which was in St-Leon; the post manager is Mr. (Olivier) Lafreniere. He has also set up one on the Riviere-aux-Rats, currently entrusts Mr. Martin Jerome, (THE MÉTIS) Saint-Leon, 9 October 1879 - St Leon of Township 4 row 9 west   has become an important place. The post office is established there, and a missionary zeal, Rev. M. Bitsche is currently organizing his parish and building his presbyterian church, etc..   M. Lafreniere, is an energetic man, intelligent and active postmaster. St-Leon is the nucleus of one of the most successful French-Canadian establishments. We already see a shop, a blacksmith's shop, etc., and before long the...

Saint Leon Le Montagnard - 3rd posting  September 30, 1879 Monseigneur! As the post arrives today for the first time in Saint Leon I take advantage of it to give my news to your greatness. I arrived in Saint Leon on September 11th and asked for hospitality of Olivier Lafreneire. There are now about 50 families reunited in Saint Leon; others arrive every week so that by a year ago there will be at least a hundred families. In addition, there are many Catholic families scattered the westernmost are 12, 20, 30 and more miles from here. Given the distance and difficulty of the roads, it is impossible for me to serve this mission without at least one horse. But how do I get it? I have no money and neither do my people. So it will be a service to this poor nascent mission if someone did me, I say not the altar of an old horse, but gave at least one a credit until I find a way to pay it. I can't build anything this autumn and that's because for now it's g...

S aint Leon  Le Montagnard  - 2nd posting (please thank my son Thom for this interpretation made in 2014).  SPECIAL NOTE: Please note that Olivier Lafreniere, who wrote many letters, is the brother of Ovide Benjamin Lafreniere.    Pembina Mountain (Montagne de Pembina) January 17, 1878 To His Grace Monsignor Taché, St. Boniface. Monsignor     I have promised to find you a lot (place) of wood for the church, but these last few days I have not had the time to search for it.   It's been 2 days since we started looking, M. Lapierre and I, and it is difficult to finder a section all in wood, but in section 14 township 5 place (rang) 9 we found the SW quarter well-wooded. We have talked among ourselves, and all the inhabitants here would like me to ask of you permission to commence to build a small chapel.   We will give, M. Charbonneau and myself, 1.5 acres each in section 35 township 4 place (rang) 9.   T...

This is an English translation of the Saint Leon Le Montagnard newsletter collection. This describes how our ancestors, especially Olivier and Ovide Benjamin Lafreniere, were founders of the Manitoba community of St. Leon. Saint Leon Le Montagnard                        JANUARY 1979 After a good rest during the holidays we return to the publication of La Montagnard. With this release, we begin publishing new topics that we hope will be of interest to our readers. The history of Saint Leon through the documents . During their research, the team of historians discovered a lot of correspondence, newspaper articles, and other interesting documents of great importance to the history of our parish and village. This documentation has been cataloged annually and we begin this month with the year 1879. The history of the families of Saint-Leon. The history of Saint Leon is largely reconfirmed by the history of the famil...