USA > Illinois > Kankakee County > Pilot > History of SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Pilot, Illinois : with an historical sketch of Sacred Heart Church, Goodrich, Illinois, and St. James Church, Irwin, Illinois, at one time forming one parish; prefaced by a general local history. > Part 7
USA > Illinois > Kankakee County > Irwin > History of SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Pilot, Illinois : with an historical sketch of Sacred Heart Church, Goodrich, Illinois, and St. James Church, Irwin, Illinois, at one time forming one parish; prefaced by a general local history. > Part 7
USA > Illinois > Kankakee County > Goodrich > History of SS. Peter and Paul's Church, Pilot, Illinois : with an historical sketch of Sacred Heart Church, Goodrich, Illinois, and St. James Church, Irwin, Illinois, at one time forming one parish; prefaced by a general local history. > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
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June 23, 1883
65 years.
George M. son of G. and M. Heimburger
March 27, 1884
7 mo., 4 days.
Caroline Vonalt
1866
1884
Hattie, daughter of P. J. and S. L. Spies
March 25, 1885 1890
1890
Joseph, son of K. and M. Lochner
Jan. 16, 1889
Dec. 16, 1891
Cecilia Clodi, daughter of Joseph and Magdalena Clodi
Dec. 1, 1878
April 17, 1892
George Schosser, born in Steinhilten, Germany
March 14, 1821
Dec. 10, 1895
John Schubert
March 12, 1849
March 24, 1896
Erhard Ruder
Aug. 19, 1835
May 3, 1900
Anna M., wife of Philip Saffer
Feb. 13, 1826
May 12, 1900
Philip Saffer
Oct. 24, 1824
Aug. 15. 1900
Rosa, wife of Chryst Knittel
Jan. 10, 1856
Sept. 29, 1900
Catherine Kral
May
10, 1819
July 8, 1901
George A., son of G. and T. Fritz
Nov.
19, 1901
Nov. 24, 1901
Michael Frueh .
July 4, 1821
Jan. 4, 1903 June 4, 1905
Eleonor, daughter of Michael and Anna Emling
Sept. 1, 1904
July 8, 1905
Lilly, daughter of Ed. and Rosa Fritz
March 12, 1889
March 30, 1906 Oct. 1, 1906
Mary A., daughter of W. and L. Meyer Mary, wife of Adam Fritz .
Aug. 15, 1832
Feb. 26, 1907
George F., son of P. and H. Heck
Aprli 26, 1907
July 22, 1907
Theresia, wife of John Heimburger
Sept. 21, 1826
Jan. 12, 1908
Frank, son of J. and M. Schneider Philip Strohmeier
Sept. 13, 1909
Sept. 16, 1909 Oct. 4, 1909
Michael Saffer
1861
Theresia E., daughter of P. and H. Heck
Dec. 2, 1897
1910 April 22, 1910
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81 years, 8 mo.
Joseph Gersmann
July 11, 1838
June 8, 1891
15 years, 3 mo. 22 days.
4 months.
23 years, 4 mo., 28 days. 26 years, 4 mo. 7 days. 65 years.
Sept. 28, 1881
7 years, 1 day.
A. Mary Heimburger
Nov. 15, 1883 24 years, 2 mo., 22 days.
6 months.
Anna Ruder
NAME
BORN
DIED
AGE
John Heimburger .
April 10, 1826
May 31, 1911
Caroline, wife of Herman Schosser
June 29, 1861
June 2, 1911
Mary Vina Meyer, from Bradley, Illinois
July 31, 1911
11/2 years.
Evelyn Barbara, daughter of George and Catherine Dieffenbach
1912
1912
Leota Patenaude
Oct. 29, 1912
5 years.
Catherine, daughter of F. and C. Schneider
Sept, 30, 1912
Sept, 30, 1912
Xavier Schneider
Feb. 15, 1832
Oct. 28, 1912
Ralph, son of George and Hattie Ruder
1914
1914
Paul, son of Louis and Anna Lochner Beatrice Ruder
Sept. 22, 1911 1914
1915
Kilian Lochner
June 29, 1840
Aug. 26, 1915
Adam Fritz
Oct. 23, 1830
Jan. 6, 1916
Francis, son of Carl and Mary Fritz
Aug. 16, 1916
June 29, 1917
Walter, son of George and Hattie Ruder
1917
1917
Edward Fritz
1918
54 years
William Meyer
1848
1918
Francis Feller
2 years, 2 mo.
Lena Knittel
1884
Sept. 17, 1919
John Clodi
1875
Dec. 28, 1919
Caroline Lyons
June 23, 1841
March 3, 1920
Martin Geiger
1848
March 16, 1920
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1919
April 17, 1915
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1869 1919
THIS TABLET HAS BEEN ERECTED TO COM- MEMORATE THE GOLDEN JUBILEE OF SS. PETER AND PAUL'S CHURCH OCTOBER 7-8, 1919.
AND TO PERPETUATE WITH GRATEFUL RECOGNITION THE MEMORY OF THE PION- EER SETTLERS OF THE PARISH AND ALSO THE NAMES OF THE PRIESTS WHO SERVED THE PEOPLE OF THIS CHURCH, LOCATED IN THE S. E. CORNER OF SECTION 5, TOWNSHIP OF PILOT, KANKAKEE COUNTY, ILLINOIS
MISSIONARY PRIESTS 1860's
REV. HAHN, C. SS. R.
REV. MICHAEL ROSENBAUER, C. SS. R.
REV. CHAS. ROSENBAUER, C. SS. R.
REV. WILLIAM KUCHENBUCH, 1869-1873
PASTORS
REV. BRUNO RIESS, O. S. B. 1873-1874
REV. GELASIUS KUBA 1874-76 REV. H. MEHRING 1883-84
REV. F. ALLGAYER 1876-77 REV. PAUL HALBMAIER 1884-87
REV. CLEMENS DUERR, 1877-82 REV. J. BEINECKE 1887-91
REV. J. H. KRUELL 1882-83 REV. ALBERT EVERS 1891-95
REV. H. BANGEN 1883 REV. FRANCIS SIXT 1895-99
REV. J. MEYER, 1899-1920
IN SAECULUM MEMORIA EORUM IN BENEDICTIONE
(Before the types of this publication were closed, SS. Peter and Paul's Mission Parish was made an independent parish, and transferred to the town of Herscher, July 1920. Above is the inscription of a Memorial Bronze Tablet of the Golden Jubilee in 1919.)
HISTORICAL SKETCH of
SACRED HEART PARISH Goodrich, Illinois
Comprising a Short Historical Survey of
ST. JAMES PARISH
Irwin, Illinois
At One Time Forming One Parish with Sacred Heart Church
Early Days.
In order to acquire a full, comprehensive view of the history of Sacred Heart Parish, we must resort to a short historical survey of two or rather three other neighboring parishes. In fact the mother parish of all the neighboring parishes is the Maternity Parish in Bourbonnais, and in our case to some extent, the St. Rose Parish of Kankakee.
Bourbonnais, at first a trading post, is named after a French adventurer, ("coureur des bois," rover of the woods), Antoine Bourbonnais-the first white settler in the county. The first white land-owner in Kankakee coun- ty was the fur trader-Noel LeVasseur, for some time an agent for John Jacob Astor of New York and afterwards a government land agent, who settled in Bourbonnais in the spring of 1832, coming from Quebec, Canada. He was born Dec. 24, 1798 and died Dec. 15, 1879. Within a radius of many miles there was no priest to minister to the pioneer settlers, only missionaries coming occasionally from Vin- cennes, Indiana and Chicago.
The itinerant priest, Father Lalumire, a typical mis- sionary of the woods, celebrated the very first mass that was ever said in Kankakee county, in the homestead of the Bray family in June 1837. and his arrival marks the real birth of Catholicity in Kankakee county. It is claimed that Father Crevier was also one of the first priests who visited Bourbonnais Grove.
The following missionaries also ministered to the spiritual needs of the first French settlers in Bourbonnais: The saintly priest Maurice de St. Palais (consecrated Bishop of Vincennes, Indiana, January 14, 1849) stopped several times on his missionary journeys in Bourbonnais Grove, making the house of Noel LeVasseur his home and church which was located on the present site of Marsile
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Alumni Hall of St. Viator's College; service was held in the second story. Father Hipolyte Pontavisse (Duponta- vice or DePontavise) who built the first church in Kanka- kee county, a log chapel 20x30 feet on the site between the actual Maternity Church and the pastoral residence. This first house of worship in Kankakee county was opened for service September, 1841. Father Badin, the first ordained priest in the United States by Bishop John Carroll of Balti- more, born in France May 25, 1793, also visited the small colony of Bourbonnais in 1846, which meant the whole Kankakee county. His last visit took place June 13, 1846, at the age of 78 years and of 53 years in the priesthood. In 1848 and 1849 the small French-Canadian colony received large accessions by the arrival of some sixty families from Canada. Rev, Rene Courjault 1847-1852, was appointed as the first resident pastor of Bourbonnais Grove. Rev. L. Wieg (Huick) 1852. Rev. Charles Chiniquy 1852-1853. This apostate priest left Bourbonnais Grove for St. Anne in 1853 after having been accused of several misdemeanors. He was suspended and publically and solemnly excommuni- cated by the Right Rev. Anthony O'Regan, Bishop of Chi- cago at St. Anne 1856 (where he had organized a schis- matic parish) because he refused to transfer the church property to the competent church authorities.
Repeatedly he came or sent his assistant, one Demer, to preach to the French-Canadian families west of Kanka- kee, who through misguidance abandoned the faith of their fathers. Following are the names of some of the families who apostated: Gervais, Bonneau, Regnier, Tremblay, Goudreau, and Patenaude. The meetings took place in a small schoolbuilding in Pilot township, Section 14 being known as the Bertrand School. Chas. Chiniquy was born July 30, 1809 at St. Roch des Aulnaies, P. Q., Canada. His father of Spanish ancestry, was a captain in the French army. Father Chiniquy was ordained a priest in 1833, died at Montreal in 1899.
The very first marriage recorded at the Kankakee Courthouse was performed by the Rev. Chas. Chiniquy, May 29, 1853 between Alexis Darche and Louisa Boisvert.
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Rev. J. Maistre 1853-1854. Rev. Isadore Antoine Lebel 1854-1855.
Pastors of Bourbonnais.
Pastors of Kankakee
Rev. Louis Cartuyvels
from Belgium 1855-1856
Rev. Louis Cartuyvels 1855
Rev. Louis Cartuyvels also had charge of the outmis- sion of Manteno, L'Erable. No records for 15 months.
Rev. Isaac Desaulniers 1856-1857
Rev. Alexis Mailloux (Vicar General of Quebec) 1857-1860
Rev. Jos. Neree Gingras (Came from Canada 1859) 1860-1863
Rev. J. B. Champeau (Attended the parish a few months only, 1857.)
Rev. Epiphane LaPointe Came from Canada, Oct. 1857 1857-1860
Rev. Alexis Mailloux 1860-1862
The Very Rev. Alexis Mailloux called by the people the "Grand Vicaire Mailloux" was born at L'Ile aux Cou- dres, Charlevoix Co., P. Q., and came to Bourbonnais at an advanced age from Quebec, with Rev. J. B. Champeau from Montreal, Canada. His coming was prompted by the per- version caused by Father Chiniquy. Father Mailloux was a great asposle of temperance, a powerful preacher for mis- sions and retreats. During his five years of hard labor, he regained back many sheep, who had gone astray on account of the unfortunate schism. Whole parishes were divided, whole, families rent in twain by fruitless discussions and endless quarrels caused by this religious disturbance. But the saintly priest did not labor in vain. After a few years of trials and great suffering, the majority of the fallen away had come back to the true fold of Christ. In 1862 Father Mailloux returned to Canada, where he had charge of the Parish St. Bonaventure (P. Q.) for about 2 years, when he retired at St. Henri de Lauzon, (P. Q.). He died at L'Ile aux Coudres in the odor of sanctity August 4, 1877.
It can safely be said that he was the organizer of the
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outmision, called "La Belle Meche," or the Barrens to all appearances probably in the later part of the 1850's, where he said mass in the home of Pierre Paul Caron. He attend- ed this outmission once a month until 1859.
Father Cote, his assistant, said mass at Jos. Caron, Sr's. home. Afterward service was also held in the house of Leon Bernier, where a three day's mission was given by two missionaries, one of whom was Father Lagier.
Rev. Ducroux Rev. Jacques Cote 1862-1864
(A missionary from Switz- erland.) 1863-1864.
The Rev. Jacques Cote came to the states in 1859, took charge of his new field in the most trying period of the Civil War. In 1862 or 1863 he built a small church on the present site of old Lehigh, northwest corner of the intersec- tion of the south-north road and the New York Central R. R., Pilot township, Section 1, and said mass about once a month on Mondays. Ten to fifteen burials took place in the small cemetery nearby. This cemetery has long since been abandoned, but we are told that some of the bodies have never yet been taken up.
This congregation, the mother parish of St. James', Church, Irwin, and Sacred Heart Church, Goodrich, was composed of members of three different nationalities, Irish, German, but pre-eminently of French Canadians, who emi- grated from Canada in the later part of the 1840's and the beginning of the 1850's. About 1856 the emigration was discouraged on account of Father Chiniquy's apostasy. The Irish colony came mostly from Utica and LaSalle, Ill., after the canal was built, to replace the French Canadians who began to emigrate to Kansas and Minnesota.
First baptism of St. James (Lehigh) could not be ascer- tained.
First marriage: Fridolin Ruder and Seraphina Studer, April 10, 1864, Father Cote officiating. Witnesses: Wen- dolin Ruder and Caroline Bader.
First burial could not be ascertained.
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Rev. Jacques Cote. 1864-1865
Rev. Jos. M. Langlois 1864-1866
Father Cote was the promotor of St. Viator's College of Bourbonnais. He generously resigned his pastorate for that purpose and became assistant of St. Mary's Church in Chicago, where he organized the French parish of Notre Dame. Afterwards he had charge of Sacred Heart parish in Aurora and finally retired in 1896. He died at Levis, near Quebec, March 1, 1911 at the age of 82.
Rev. A. Marechal (Born at St. Marie-aux-
Rev. Pierre Beaudoin C.S.V. Mines, Alsace, France.) 1865-1900
1866-1871 Rev. P. Paradis 1871-1894
Father Paradis had charge of the outmission west of Kankakee. The little church at Lehigh was moved two and one half miles south on Timothy Fortin's land. Four acres were given for church purposes probably in 1871, al- though deeded only on Jan. 4, 1873. The little church was enlarged to its double capacity, and for some years mass was said once a month, generally on Mondays. Later on a small store was erected nearby, kept by the brother of the first resident pastor. This move was a decided improve- ment, being a more central locality for the people living south, who had agreed to affiliate themselves with St. James' Church, rather than to go to Chebanse. Father Paradis, this zealous, untiring pastor, was born March 16, 1835 in the Parish of Lorette, near Quebec, Canada. He received his classical education at the "Petit Seminaire" of Quebec, and after graduating there, he entered the "Grand Seminaire," where he attended the theological course. He was ordained at Quebec in 1859 and appointed curate at Baie St. Paul the same year. February, 1861 he came to Kankakee county, being appointed pastor of St. George, at- tending at the same time the missions of Momence and Manteno. Here he labored for 10 years with great zeal, when in 1871 he was appointed to the important parish of
LEHIGH
SITE OF FIRST ST. JAMES CHURCH BUILT IN THE EARLY 1860'S (BETWEEN TREES, WHERE SQUARE TWO STORY BUILDING IS SEEN)
LEHIGH-ABANDONED STONE QUARRY CRUSHER AND ELEVATOR
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Kankakee. He was instrumental in placing a first resi- dent pastor at St. James' Mission. Meanwhile he minister- ed to the people west of Kankakee up to 1877.
We now undertake to give a historical sketch of the events and the further evolution and development of the parish with their resident pastors. This task is rendered the more difficult as the parish records were destroyed by the conflagration of St. James' new parochial residence, January 20, 1907.
St. James Pioneer and Subsequent Settlers. French Canadian Colony
PIERRE PAUL CARON-Born at L'Islet P. Q., Can- ada, 1805. Came from Riviere du Loup (Lower Quebec) to the states and settled in Limestone Twp., Sec. 31, 1848 His nearest neighbor was Antoine Lajoie. Married to Marie Adelaide Caron, no relation. Children: Joseph, Cy- rille, Hypolite, Marie Desneiges, Marie, Damase and Theo- phile. Bought 40 acres from soldier's claim in 1853 at $1.00 per acre. Paid the total amount by cutting hay. His son Joseph later purchased 80 acres for $200 from his father in Limestone Twp., Sec. 31. He attended church at Bour- bonnais. Died Oct. 5, 1881. In his days we are told lard sold at one cent per pound, eggs five to six cents per dozen, and beef three to four cents a pound. Theophile, his son, served in the army in 1864, Illinois Infantry, Regiment 8, Company G.
ANTOINE LAJOIE-Born in Montreal, Canada 1842, came to the states with his brother Nazaire and bought 40 acres government land in 1852, located in Limestone Twp. in 1849. Married to Lizzie Tetreault. Children: Pierre (Peter), Henriette and Marie. Died in Kankakee Sept. 22, 1897, buried in Limestone cemetery. He had 50 cents to his name when he settled, built a loghouse about 14x14, earned $10.00 per month, but had to walk six miles every day to earn this amount.
LOUIS REGNIER-Born in Canada. Came to the states with his family, settled at first in Bourbonnais. Bought according to land record 40 acres from I. C. R. R. Co., for $400, Pilot Twp., Sec. 2, in 1865 and again 40 acres from the same company for $360 in Otto Twp., Sec. 30, in 1867. Married to Genevieve Labrecque. Children: Joseph
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Julius, Mose, Hypolite, Mary, Henriette, Rose. Moved to Wamega, Kansas, 1869 where he died at the age of 93 years.
JEAN BAPTISTE TETREAULT, Sr .- Born at Isle- aux-Noix, P. Q., Canada. Located in Bourbonnais and later in Salina Twp. First marriage was with Miss Bunk- er, of Irish descent and a convert to the faith. Children: Philip, Betsy, Jean Baptiste Tetreault Jr., Marie, Susanne, Lizzie. Second marriage was with Amienne Gosselin, widow of Jean Baptiste Gosselin. Bought 40 acres of gov- ernment land. Died in Kankakee and is buried in Bour- bonnais.
JEAN BAPTISTE TETREAULT Jr. (real family name Ducharme)-Born in Canada, 1833 and came to America in 1848. Located in Salina Twp. Married to Eleonore Gosselin. Children: Helen, Edward, David, Flavie, Mose and Louis. In 1850 he bought 80 acres of government land at $1.25 per acre. Later mover to Brad- ley and died there April 24, 1914, and was buried in Kan- kakee.
LEON BERTRAND-Born, as near as could be ascer- tained, at Ste. Julienne, Canada, on August 18, 1824. Came with one of his brothers and another companion to America 1853. His wife arrived several months after with their six children. He stayed five or six years where he had settled at first and where he had built a loghouse afterwards used as a milk, meat and storehouse. Married on July 24, 1844, to Aglae Perrault, who was born in Ontario on July 11, 1824. Children: Aziline, Simeon, Joseph, Aglae, Exirine, Louis, Donalda, Honore, Napoleon, Eliza, Philibert, Moise, Domitille, Julia, Adeline, Eva, Orenie. After the death of his first wife on June 25, 1877, Mr. Bertrand married Celine Chaput in February 1883. Bought 80 acres from railroad company at $8 per acre on ten years' time. Owing to an error he built his log house on some one else's land and had to move, after occupying same five years. Died on August 15, 1893, and is buried in St. Rose cemetery, Kankakee. Leon Bertrand came to Illinois by way of the lakes. From Chicago he was taken with a team of oxen to Bourbonnais.
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In his early farming days he worked for fifty cents a day of 15 hours labor, walking every day six miles to Pilot Grove during threshing and harvesting season. Threshing in those days was done with a flail and the oats and wheat separated from the chaff with a van. He drove many a hun- dred hogs to Chicago, the nearest market, where a year's household supplies were bought. He owned the first team of horses in this district. This same team was traded to Joseph Goudreau for 80 acres. The latter, who moved near Lincoln, Nebraska, traded the same team for a ranch with all the cattle theron in the 1850's. Leon Bertrand was one of these pioneers who accomplished things. At one time he had to borrow money at 40 per cent interest, His broth- er Eusebe Bertrand came to Pilot Twp. in 1852. When the Illinois Centarl railroad was constructed in 1854 he built a shanty in the woods of Kankakee, now Court street, keep- ing a hotel for the workingmen.
LEON BERNIER-Born in or near Quebec, Canada. Came to America with his family in the 1850's when about 55 years old. Bought 40 acres of government land in the Irwin district, where he settled with his wife and seven children. About 1866 he returned to Quebec, where he died. He was a fisher by trade in his younger days and this avocation greatly influenced him to return to his native land. The first land he bought was located in Pilot Twp. section 14, northeast quarter. The house on it was built by Eusebe Bertrand. Afterwards he moved on section 11, southeast quarter. At one time a three days' mission was given in his home, by two missionaries and often mass was celebrated there.
FRANCOIS BEGNOCHE-Born at St. Jean, near Montreal, Canada. Emmigrated to the states in 1847, and settled at first in Bourbonnais and about 1855 in the Lehigh district. Married to Marie Goudreau, daughter of Joseph Goudreau. Children: Francois, Marie ,Caroline, Zenaide, Mathilde and George. Bought 40 acres from Illinois Cen- tral railroad at $10 per acre in 1871. Moved to St. Joseph, Kansas, in 1879, where he died.
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HUBERT BONNEAU-Born in Canada. Came to America in the 1850's. Settled first in Bourbonnais, then in Pilot Twp., section 1. Bought 80 acres of government land at $1.25 per acre and sold same to P. Merillat. Mar- ried to a daughter of Goudreau. Children: Hubert, Ibrou, (married to the oldest daughter of Ambroise Patenaude), Louis, Paul, David, Edward, Mary and Ninnie. Four of the sons were enlisted in the civil war, David, Louis, Paul and Hubert. He died near Pilot Grove in the 1870's.
LABREQUE-Born in Canada. Came to the states with his family, one son, and three daughters in the latter part of the 1850's. He settled for a length of time in Bour- bonnais from where he moved to La Belle Meche. Bought 40 acres of railroad land and cultivated a farm in Lime- stone Twp., section 6. One of his daughters was married to Louis Regnier, a second one to Prudent Souligny and a third to Narcisse Lajoie. He was buried in the old ceme- tery at Lehigh.
AMBROISE PATENAUDE-Born near St. George de Henryville, Canada. He came to America in the 1850's, settled at first in New York state, then in Aurora, Ill., from where he moved to Pilot Twp. Broke 40 acres of land in section 11, which he bought in 1857 for $250. Married to Esther Raymond. Children: Israel, Clovis, Mary (mar- ried to Hubert Bonneau), John, Severin and Basilise. His son Israel, born in New York state, moved to Joliet and afterwards settled in Wamego county, Kansas in 1878. Israel Patenaude was married to Sophie Ugron. Chil- dren: Sophie (married to Joel Menard), Hermine, Lydia, Louis, Israel, Jr. In 1872 he moved to Wamego, Kansas, where he died in 1882.
JOSEPH DUGAS-Born in Canada. For a time he farmed in Pilot Twp., section 12. Married to a daughter of Perrault. Children: Joseph, Agnes, Margarite, Lydia, Gabriel, Eugene, who was drowned in a stone quarry north- west of the dwelling house. Joseph, his son died at Aurora, Kansas. Joseph Dugas lost his life in the woods by an accident about 1863. He was buried in the cemetery at old
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Lehigh and according to all probabilities his body was never removed.
TIMOTHY J. FORTIN, Sr .- Born at St. George de Henryville, P. Q., Canada, 1812. Came to Illinois, Kanka- kee county in 1847 and bought land near Bourbonnais. On his return to Canada he induced some fourteen families to coine westward with him. The trip from Montreal to Chi- cago up the St. Lawrence river and over the lakes took seventeen days. His family was left in Aurora for a few months, when he settled in Bourbonnais. Married to Eliza Cloutier. Children: Timothy, Julien, Alexis, Henriette, Marie, George and Alfred, the only one born in the states. Bought 160 acres one mile north of Tucker from the Legris estate. The records also show 320 acres bought from the government in 1852, Pilot Twp., section 13, also 160 acres bought from Freeman Clough in 1874 for $6,946. Timothy Fortin died in 1864 and was buried in the Bourbonnais cemetery. Afterwards his remains were removed to Mount Calvary cemetery, Kankakee. He was a man of excellent disposition and had the respect and esteem of all who knew him. T. Fortin had three brothers, Charlot (Charles) who settled in Limestone Twp., Sec. 18-Germain, who came to Bourbonnais and later settled in St. Anne, where he died -Luc, called "Le Capitaine," who was conspicuous in the rebellion of the French-Canadians against the English in 1837. Died in Canada. Before leaving for the states T. Fortin adopted a four year old child, Julie Prevost, who afterwards became the wife of Honore Bertrand and after his death the wife of Louis Joron.
TIMOTHY FORTIN, Jr .- Born at St. George de Henryville, P. Q., Canada in 1833. He accompanied his parents on their removal to Kankakee county and was en- gaged in farm work until twenty years of age, when with his brother Alexis he set out for the gold fields in Califor- nia by way of New York and the ocean route in 1853. Thirteen of his fellow passengers died on account of the. Panama (isthmus) fever. In Nevada county they engag- ed in mining, spent three months on Feather river and later operated in New Orleans flat. Timothy Fortin accumulat-
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ed considerable wealth, but lost it through prospecting and returned in the fall of 1859. In the spring of 1860 he farmed in Pilot Twp. on land which he had bought before going to California, being the owner of more than 1000 acres. Moved to Kankakee in 1874, but yet operating his farm. Married to Philomene Anctil, from Quebec, Canada, in Pilot Twp. Children: Rachel, and two died in infancy. Timothy Fortin erected the LaFayette hotel in Kankakee in 1899 and returned to Canada where he died. Few men in Kankakee county have more consistently and faithfully utilized their opportunities for usefulness. Too much can- not be said of his many fine traits of character, his noble aims, his efforts to improve the conditions among which he found himself. He was many-sided and could combine a number of occupations at one and the same time as farm- ing, building, real estate and managing a hotel.
ALEC FORTIN-Born in St. George de Henryville, P. Q., Canada, on September 21, 1836 and came to America in 1847. Located with his parents in Bourbonnais Twp. in 1848 then in Aurora, Ill. In May 1853 he landed with his brother Timothy in San Francisco, California, but returned in 1859 and made his home with his father for a time at Bourbonnais. From 1860 to 1873 he was farming in part- nership with his brother Timothy, raising, buying, feeding, and selling cattle. April 1873 he carried on the business alone and in the fall of 1875 he removed to Kankakee. Married to Elmire Anctil. Children: Armand, Arthur, Laura, Alexis, Marie, Paul, Amelia. Bought 120 acres of land in Limestone Twp., section 18, from the Illinois Cen- tral railroad and Timothy Fortin at $400. Died in 1920, and is buried in Kankakee. Alec Fortin was a splendid type of a self made man, considerate, helpful, tactful, court- eous, of a strict integrity and a strong sense of honor. He was one of the many French-Canadian settlers who bene- fitted the country by undaunted energy and remarkable spirit of enterprse.
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