The Livingston Family History - Alive and Well

St. Léon  established 1877-1878 Odile Marten's book Pionniers de la Montagne Pembina: Saint-léon  Manitoba 1877-2000 describes Saint-Leon (this is a loose translation of pages H-2 to H-6). The village of Saint-Leon at the heart and top of Pembina Mountains has a singular history. It is the oldest in the region; it was always modest in population and yet it was the mother parish of no less than seven parishes. It had two births and awakening that can be described as a rebirth. the very promising beginning that lasted less than ten years (1887-1885) took the name of the old Saint-Léon located south of Lac Rond. Two misfortunes led to its disappearance. a great fire that destroyed the mills of the industrial spring and the mass removal of the villagers to Somerset and its railway station, which the people of Saint-Léon had so much lust for their village reported the disappearance of the latter. These calamities would have been enough to erase any trace of collect...

The Lafreniere Settlers of the Pembina Mountains This picture entitled "the Other Settlers of Pembina Mountains" taken from Marie Le Roy's book and the same picture is found in Odile Martel's book, is significant because it contains several grandchildren of Antoine Lafreniere and his wife Magdeleine dit Letard dit St. Onge dit McTavish. Antoine and Magdeleine had many children, including Olivier, Charles, Henri, Joseph, Marie, Ovide-Benjamin, Zoe, Julie, Theophile, Louise, Victoire, Virginie, and Auguste. Please note some translation of the picture's description: Back row:  Antoine Lafreniere, the first gentleman standing in the back row, is the son of Charles Lafreniere (born on May 16, 1843 and wed to Marie-Lucie Brasseur) and grandson of Antoine Lafreniere and Magdeleine. Emilie Lafreniere, daughter of Olivier Lafreniere and half-sister of Frederic Lafreniere. Frederic Lafreniere, son of Olivier Lafreniere. Rose Moreau, sister of Zoe Lafreniere...

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...