JEAN (JOHN) LEOPOLD ISERHOFF (1786-1820) (Last Updated: January 30, 2016)
On Oct 17, 1786 Jean (John) Leopold ISERHOFF was born in Berthier, Quebec, the only surviving son of Marie Genevieve PEPIN and Gustave ISERHOFF (1751-1838), a German soldier and surgeon who came to Canada during the American War of Independence. ** MORE ABOUT GUSTAVE ISERHOFF
Sheila Macauley: He was baptized as Jean Leopold ISERHOFF and only infrequently is he found listed as Jean Baptiste Leopold ISERHOFF. In all of the English records, he is called John ISERHOFF.
It seems that Jean (John) was the forefather of all of the early ISERHOFF families of Quebec.
William McGILLIVRAY becomes Head of the North West Company
In 1804 William McGILLIVRAY (1764-1825) became the Head of the North West Company (NWC). Sheila Macauley: Around 1805 Jean Leopold ISERHOFF began to serve as a clerk in the North West Fur Company. ** Note: Sheila Macauley has been researching the ISERHOFF genealogy for over 20 years and is regarded as a primary authority on the subject. ** See her comments on the Forum Topic for this family at the link shown below.
By 1810 the scarcity of beaver, which had become general, began to be a serious problem, and according to McGILLIVRAY it heightened the rivalry between the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) and the NWC. The HBC had already been forced to break with its traditional practice of waiting for the Indians to come to the Bay and was seeking to establish posts wherever the Nor’Westers were located. It was the beginning of a very bitter conflict between the two companies.
Jean and SHABOWQUA
It was around 1810 that Jean Leopold ISERHOFF took a ‘country wife’ named SHABOWQUA or SHABOOKWHY, a Cree Indian in Pays d’en Haut, Quebec. Daughter Elizabeth was born there around 1811. Pays d’en Haut is a regional county located to the northwest of Montreal.
The War of 1812
On May 16, 1812 Jean’s father, Gustave ISERHOFF, was commissioned as a medical officer and surgeon with the Lower Canada Militia. He was attached to the 1st Battalion, County of Warwick (Berthier). On June 18, 1812, the Americans stunned the world by declaring War on Great Britain. In response to this threat, the NWC raised the Corps of Canadian Voyageurs from among its seasonal employees. ** Note: We are unable to determine whether our Jean Baptiste became involved.
On Oct 13, 1812, the Battle of Queenston Heights took place near Queenston (Niagara Falls), in present-day province of Ontario. It was the result of an American attempt to establish a foothold on the Canadian side of the Niagara River. It was the first major battle in the War of 1812.
On Feb 20, 1813 the British attacked and defeated the Americans at Ogdensburg, NY. On Apr 27, 1813 the Americans attacked Fort York (Toronto). The British were forced to abandon the fort, and the Americans occupied it until May 18, 1813, when they abandoned it, after burning the Parliament Buildings to the ground.
On Dec 24, 1814 the Treaty of Ghent (Belgium) was signed to end the War of 1812. On Feb 16, 1815 the Treaty was approved by the U.S. Senate and President MADISON ratified it officially ending the war.
Waswanipi
Jean’s last children were both born in Waswanipi; Joseph about 1815 and John about 1820.
Sheila Macauley:No one has found the exact date of Jean Leopold ISERHOFF's death, even me! I do know that he was alive on 26 Aug 1820 as I have a document that he signed on that day. I do know that he was dead by January 1821 because I have papers from his notary that say on that date, "the Estate of the late Mr. John ISERHOFF." I know that it is quite probable that he died shortly before 30 Nov 1820 because his account with the NWC is listed as complete on that date. So, we can say that he died sometime between Aug 1820 and Nov 1820. It also is not known that he died at Grand Lake. According to my research, he died somewhere in the area of Grand Lake, but there is no record I have found that says he died at Grand Lake.
The North West Company merges into the Hudson’s Bay Company
In 1821 the union of the North West Company (NWC) and the Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) occurred, ending the years of bitter rivalry for dominance of the fur trade in Western Canada. After the merger, almost 1,300 employees lost their jobs since the single HBC organization that emerged had no need for most of the voyageurs and fur traders.
In 1831 eldest daughter Elizabeth married Charles GRAVELLE in Berthierville, son of Marie GRENIER and Charles GRAVELLE (1763-1847).
On Sep 5, 1838 Jean Leopold ISERHOFF’s father, Gustave ISERHOFF died, and On Sep 22, 1839 his mother, Genevieve (nee PEPIN) ISERHOFF died, both in Berthierville, PQ.
In 1847 son Joseph married Caroline CHILTON, said to be a daughter of Robert CHILTON of uncertain origins.
Around 1848 son John married Mary Ann MOORE, daughter of Nancy THOMAS and John MOORE (1803-1898), an HBC voyageur in the Rupert River District. ** MORE ABOUT JOHN MOORE
Comments and queries at this link: FORUM DISCUSSING DESCENDANTS of JEAN LEOPOLD ISERHOFF
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