HISTORY OF THE LANAUDIÈRE
BRANCH OF JOHNSONS

Jean-Baptiste Jeanson, the eldest son of William Johnson and Isabelle Corporon, was born in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, on January 11 1715, under the name of "Jean-Baptiste Samson". In the same place, he was married to Marie-Josephte Laure on February 11, 1743. They had eight children while living there.

Deported to Connecticut with his family in November 1755, the trip took several weeks. John Knox wrote: "I hear that many of those poor people died on the journey." On August 14, 1763, Jean-Baptiste sent a petition to the Governor of Connecticut, containing the list of the Acadians wishing to go over to France. He signed under the name of "Jeançonne", which proves, although the petition contained spelling errors, that he knew how to read and write. That request was unfruitful.

In 1766, General James Murray, Governor of Canada, granted Acadians permission to settle in the country. Departing from Connecticut, then passing by Boston, Jean-Baptiste and his family arrived in Quebec City in May 1767. He was part of the second contingent of Acadians who established roots in the Lanaudière region, more precisely in the lower part of Ruisseau Vacher (Ste-Marie Salomée). He was the great-great-grandfather of Gabrielle Roy, renowned Manitoban author of "Bonheur d'occasion" and "La détresse et l'enchantement."

He died at St-Jacques-de-l'Achigan on June 15, 1785, at the age of 70. Jean-Baptiste is the sole ancestor of the Lanaudière branch, by the men and by the women.

His brother Thomas's story is very different. He was born on June 13, 1719, in Annapolis Royal, under the name of "Thomas Janson Anglois." On January 18, 1742, in the same locality, he was married to Marie-Josephte Girouard. Seven to nine children were born from that union. Like his brother Jean-Baptiste, he was deported to Connecticut with his family and arrived in Quebec City in May 1767. After the decease of Marie-Josephte, Marie-Josephte Granger became his second wife (with no children born to this couple).

Thomas was the first Acadian to sign a concession contract with the Sulpicians, in July 1773. His only surviving son, Charles, died on July 18, 1773, a few days after he had signed his concession contract. Hence, there are no descendants from him on the masculine side.

From their mother Marie-Josephte Girouard, the descendants of his daughters Marguerite (Alexis Roy), Marie-Osite (Isidore Pellerin) and Isabelle (Joseph Vincent) can claim the right to be part of the longest ascending cognative lineage (by the men or by the women) that an Occidental can retrace, going up to Pharnabaze I, King of Iberia (asian Georgia) in 299. Thomas died in St-Jacques-de-l'Achigan, on May 20th, 1797, at the age of 77.

SOURCES:

• Les Johnson de la Gaspésie by Yves Blondin and Roland Bourneuf, Carleton, 1996.
• Le bas du ruisseau Vacher (Ste-Marie-Solomée) by Thérèse Melançon-Mireault, Joliette, 1986.

© 1997 Ann Johnson Donovan. If you have questions or comments, please send via E-MAIL: [WEBMASTER] arsnova@worldnet.att.net

August 9, 1997.

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