Red River Ancestry

New Family Page: ABSALOM LAROCQUE alias SPENCE (1861-?)

Please post comments and queries about the family of Absalom LAROCQUE alias SPENCE here.

Hey Gary

I was reading your SPENCE James page http://www.redriverancestry.ca/SPENCE-JAMES-1778.php

His Daughter Harriet SPENCE would have been Jean Baptiste DESMARAIS Brother in Law as in your page reads

'In 1837 daughter Harriet died, after having married Francois DESMARAIS, son of Marie Suzette (a Salteaux Indian) and Francois DESMARAIS SR (1770-1849) from Quebec.'

Do you think this could be some part of the relation?

Thanks Cassandra

I haven’t investigated those relationships yet. I’m still reviewing some other possibilities.

In any case, when trying to trace your ancestors it is always best to start from one of your closest relatives and work your way back. I was hoping you would have more information on how Absalom SPENCE connects with your maternal great-great grandparents, Maria CAMPBELL and Henry Thomas DESMARAIS (1861-1942).

My point is that I really think we’re barking up the wrong Family ‘Tree” here. In your first posting under the Topic for Jean Baptiste DESMARAIS you stated that Thomas DESMARAIS was the son of Absalom LAROCQUE born 1838. Obviously the Absalom LAROCQUE alias SPENCE born 1861 who was the child of Eliza DESMARAIS is a different person altogether.

Absalom is a younger brother of Eliza SCHEER née Desmarais. The Michael Sch? who signed his scrip application is Michael Scheer, Absalom's brother in law. Eliza was born probably at Westbourne 22 Jun 1861. The Scheers arrived in Macleod in 1884 so it is probable that Absalom arrived with them.

At this point it is unclear as to the identification of Eliza's (1861) father. We know her mother was Eliza born 1844, and her daughter Eliza (1861) states on her scrip application and on those of her infant children that her maiden name Eliza Desmarais or "Seni" or "Cini." The latter is the spelling given by the Roman Catholic priest in Macleod confirming the baptism of one of her children. A possible father is Francois St. Denis, but definitive evidence has not been found.

Eliza Scheer's mother, Eliza (1844) Desmarais may also have been married to or gave birth to children of Louis Bellegarde and a Thomas Francis Richard as well as Joseph Laroque and whoever was the father of Eliza Scheer (1861).