FRANCOIS XAVIER LECLERC aka LECLAIR (1851-1932) (Last Updated: August 05, 2015)
Xavier LECLERC/LECLAIR was born May 3, 1851, probably in St Boniface, son of Therese HUPPE and Joseph LECLAIR (1796-1875) from Quebec. ** MORE ABOUT JOSEPH LECLAIR
Canadian Confederation
On July 1, 1867 the British colonies in North America were united under the British North American Act to become the Dominion of Canada. Sir John A MACDONALD (1815-1891) was appointed as Canada’s first Prime Minister. William McDOUGALL (1822-1905) became the Minister of Public Works, and he began negotiations to acquire Rupert’s Land from the HBC; surveyors were sent to Red River to prepare the way for an expected influx of settlers.
On Oct 11, 1869, Louis RIEL (1844-1885) placed his foot on the surveyors’ chain to tell them their work was finished! This marked the beginning of the historic Red River Métis Rebellion.
On July 15, 1870 the Rebellion ended when RIEL’s Provisional Government accepted the terms of the Manitoba Act and Manitoba became the fifth province of Canada.
Census of 1870: Xavier LECLAIRE, age 23, enumerated in St Boniface.
Marriage to Marguerite MERCREDI
Around 1874 Xavier married Marguerite MERCREDI at Grand Rapids,daughter of Genevieve LAMIRANDE & Francois MERCREDI (1832-1900). Son Frank was born there in 1875. ** MORE ABOUT FRANCOIS MERCREDI
In 1881 Marguerite (nee MERCREDI) of St Norbert claimed Half-breed Scrip as the wife of Xavier LECLERC. On Jul 17, 1885 at Winnipeg Xavier wrote “- - will it be possible for my wife to participate in the allotment and distribution of the 1, 400, 000 acres of land set aside for the Half-breeds. The name of my wife is Marguerite, she was married to me in 1874. She is 27 years of age and was living with her father at Grand Rapids, NWT at the time of the Transfer. Her father was engaged to the HBC in 1865, at the time he was living at St Vital, MB, so when he engaged he left the farm and went to the NWT with his family. He worked for the HBC about 10 years and in 1874 I married Marguerite at Grand Rapids and came down and resided at Rat River since. Her father was living in the NWT at the time of the Transfer but his home was St Vital. - - My Post office is Jolys P.O., MB.
Census of 1891 in RM of DeSalaberry: Xavier LECLERC, age 46; wife Marguerite, age 31. Children: Francois (age 14), Henriette (12), Joseph (10), Maxime (7), Xavier (5) and Albert (age 1). St Pierre Jolys and the RM of DeSalaberry are located to the southeast of Ste Agathe as shown on the above map.
In 1898 son Frank married Marie CHARBONNEAU in St Boniface, daughter of Eulalie NOLIN and Lucien CHARBONNEAU (1848-1895). Marie died in 1900 and in 1901 Frank re-married to Marie MORIN in St Boniface, daughter of Margaret MILLER and Alexander MORIN (1860-1939). ** MORE ABOUT ALEXANDER MORIN
In 1899 son Joseph married Donalda LEONARD in St Boniface, daughter of Virginie JOHNSON and Stanislas LEONARD (born 1856 in Quebec).
In 1901 daughter Henriette married Joseph PLANTE in St Boniface, son of Marie HENRY & Louis PLANTE(b-1824).
Census of 1901 in St Boniface: Xavier LECLERC, age 50; wife Marguerite, age 39. Children: Francois (age 24), Maxime (18), Xavier (14), Albert (10), Charles (7), Napoleon (5) and Edouard (age 2).
Census of 1906 in St Boniface: Xavier LECLAIR, age 65; wife Marguerite, age 48. Children: Maxime (age 21), Xavier (19), Albert (17), Charles (11), Napoleon (8), Edouard (5) and Marie J (age 3).
Census of 1911 in St Boniface: Xavier LECLAIR, age 66; wife Marguerite, age 54. Children: Maxime (age 26), Xavier Jr. (24), Albert (20), Charles (16), Napoleon (15) and Marie Jeanne (age 8).
Francois Xavier Leclair (From Denis Leclair)
Around 1914 son Maxime married Adele NADON, daughter of Emelie DUMAS and Joseph Octave NADON (b-1878).
World War I
On Aug 4, 1914 Great Britain (Canada on Aug 5) declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary to uphold treaties with France and Belgium which were under German attack. This marked the beginning of World War I.
Census of 1916 in St Boniface (438 Langevin): Xavier LECLERC, age 72; wife Marguerite, age 59. Children: Xavier (age 28), Charles (23), Napoleon (21), Marie Jeanne (13) and Alexandrina (age 12).
In 1916 sons Frank and Albert enlisted in St Boniface.
In 1917 son Charles married Clara BRUNEAU in St Boniface, the daughter of Eva Markie POULIN and Louis BRUNEAU (1867-1939). ** MORE ABOUT LOUIS BRUNEAU
In 1917 son Xavier Jr. married Vitaline DELORME in the RM of Ellice, daughter of Marie DESJARLAIS and Urbain DELORME (b-1875). In 1918 Xavier Jr. enlisted in Winnipeg, but appears to have been discharges a month later as ‘medically unfit’.
In 1918 son Napoleon enlisted in St Boniface, and later that year he married Alexandrine PAGE in St Boniface, daughter of Catherine HACKLAND & Alfred PAGE (b-1869).
November 11,1918, Armistice Day (Remembrance Day) marked the end of the First World War.
In 1920 daughter Marie Jeanne married William GLADU in St Boniface.
Census of 1921 in St Boniface: Xavier LECLERE, age 76; wife Margaret, age 64. Children: Xavier (age 35), Charles (28) Napoleon (25), Mary (18). William GLADU, age 23 (b-1898) and grandson Charles GLADU, age 1 month. Daughter-in-law Clara LECLERC, age 25 and grandchildren: Leonard LECLERC (age 3) and Irene LECLERC (age 2). Daughter-in-law Kathleen LECLERC, age 23 and twin grandsons: Arthur and Napoleon LECLERC, both 12 days old.
On May 27, 1932 Francois Xavier LELCAIR died in St Boniface.
On Mar 15, 1936 Margaret (nee MERCREDI) LECLAIR died in Selkirk.
Comments and queries at this link: FORUM DISCUSSING THE XAVIER LECLAIR FAMILY
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