Children of Jean-Baptiste Morin and Julie L. Lareau

When it was first founded, the parish of Sainte-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie, one of the oldest parishes of the Haut-Richelieu, served the population of today’s L’Acadie sector. Throughout the years, this sector would bear many names ... among them Petite Cadie, Blairfindie and finally L’Acadie.

As early as the second half of the 18th century, settlers came to the banks of the “Petite-rivière-de-Montréal”, the L’Acadie River. The clearing of the valley’s fertile lands was well underway in 1763 when successive waves of exiled Acadians arrived in the area, seeking refuge after years of wandering.Their coming spurred the sector’s settlement, demographics, and development. The Acadian settlers made their mark in the community which would eventually be named after them. But the geographical situation of L’Acadie, away from the main roads, and especially from the new railroad linking La Prairie to Saint-Jean, would lead its population to migrate to the more urbanized Saint-Jean which, even in those days, was already the region’s capital.

Jean-Baptiste, son of Jean-Baptiste Morin-Valcourt and Julie Goyette, was born 18 May 1841 in L'Acadie, St. Jean d'Iberville. He married Julie L. Lareau, daughter of Flavien Lareau and Julie Gauthier, in the Sainte-Marguerite-de-Blairfindie Church on 4 November 1862. Julie was born 20 August 1844 in Chambly, Quebec. She is shown on the 1851 census for Canada as living at St. Joseph de Chambly.

In December 1871, the couple immigrated from Canada to Lee, Berkshire, MA where Jean-Baptiste found work as a wheelwright in one of its paper mills.

Lee is the location the country’s tallest wooden church steeple and Joe’s Diner, recognized by many to be the locale of Norman Rockwell’s famous painting, “The Runaway". It lies in the valley of the Housatonic River between the Taconic Range and the southernmost extent of the Green Mountains. It was first settled in 1760, relying on agriculture and lumbering, and grew quickly enough to be incorporated by 1777. The town took its name from General Charles Lee, second in command to George Washington.

The following is excerpted from a 1939 Berkshire guide book produced by the Federal Writer's Project: “Lee, compared to Berkshire’s orchid towns next door, Stockbridge and Lenox, is quiet and unostentatious. There isn’t anything stylish about the town; the streets are narrow, the trim houses modest, and the people occupied with the everyday job of making a living in the paper mills and the marble quarry.”

Julie died in Lee on 2 March 1897. On 21 Sep 1899, Jean-Baptiste [by this time known as John] was naturalized in Pittsfield, MA [as witnessed by Andrew J. Morin of Lee, MA]. He was at the home of his daughter Amelia when he died in Springfield, Hampden, MA on 13 December 1925.

Their children:

LENA MORIN was born in Canada about 1865. On US Census records she states she immigrated to the US in 1877, but it is more likely she arrived in 1871. She married Eugene J. Brissette about 1891 and died in the U.S. after June 1941

Their children: Rhea Brissette, Laura M. Brissette and Vinate Brissette.

ALMANDA (EMMA) MORIN was born in Canada about 1865. While not confirmed, it is likely that she immigrated to the US in 1871. She married (Unknown) Scarbo and died in the US after 1930.

AMELIA (MILLIE) MORIN was born about 1868 in Canada and died aft. 1944. US Census records indicate Amelia immigrated to the US in 1871. She married Ovilla J. Saulnier 11 September 1893 in Lee, Berkshire, MA and died after 1925.

Their children: Alfred Saulnier, Eugene Albert Saulnier, Bertha L. Saulnier, Dereba (sp?) Saulnier and William R. Saulnier.

JOHN BAPTISTE MORIN, JR. was born in Canada 1870 and died 1945 in New London, CT. US Census records indicate John immigrated to the US in 1871. He married Mary Elizabeth Bliven (pictured left) 22 September 1892 in Lee, Berkshire, MA. She was born 1870 and died 1931 in Quaker Hill, CT.

Their children: John Bliven Morin, Mary L. Morin and Howard F. Morin.

ELLA MORIN was born in Canada 17 January 1871 and died aft. 1944. US Census records indicate Ella immigrated to the US in 1871. She married William C. Chase around 1893 in Huntington, MA and died in Middletown, CT 14 August 1959.

Their children: Wilfred Chase, George Chase, Madeline Chase and Clifford (or John) Chase.

JOSEPH EDWARD MORIN was born 6 October 1874 in Lee, Berkshire, MA and died after 1925 in Springfield, Hampden, MA. He married Mary E. Doyle about 1904.

Their children: Joseph Morin, Edward Morin, Gertrude D. Morin and Florence M. Morin.

WILFRED J. MORIN (our ancestor) was born 6 October 1874 in Lee, Berkshire, MA and died 9 June 1941 in Berlin, Hartford, CT. He married JENNIE A. HOLMES, the daughter of Charles Robert Holmes and Alice E. Lemley, 10 December 1895 in Lee. Jennie was born 15 August 1876 in Otis, Berkshire, MA. She died 15 November 1940 in Berlin, Hartford, CT.

Their children: Wilfred A. Morin, Leo E. Morin, Paul Roswell Morin, Beatrice Belle Morin, Charles J. Morin, Claude Raymond Morin, Oliver C. Morin, Viola E. Morin and William S. Morin.

ARCHIBALD (ARCHIE) JOSEPH MORIN was born 31 March 1876 in Lee, Berkshire, MA and died after 1944. He married Mary E. Finnegan 27 June 1898 in Lee.

Their children: John F. Morin, Gladys C. Morin, Archie F. Morin and Francis Morin.

ADOLPHUS FRANCIS MORIN was born 15 September 1882 in Lee, Berkshire, MA and died in Middletown, Middlesex, CT 21 Nov 1957. He married Helen/Nellie (Unknown) about 1905. Sometime after the 1930 census and before his military registration of 27 Apr 1942 he married Edna (Unknown). At the time of his death, he and Edna lived in Bristol, CT

Children with Helen/Nellie: Donald F. Morin and Earl Roger Morin.

LILLIAN M. MORIN was born 27 July 1883 in Lee Berkshire, MA an died there 16 August 1888.

WILLIAM PATRICK MORIN was born 17 March 1885 in Lee, Berkshire, MA and died around 1942 in New Britain, Hartford, CT. He married Mary M. Shea between 1909-1910.

Their children: Lillian (Lillie) J. Morin, Franklin L. Morin, William M. Morin and Albert J. Morin.
MARY AMANDA MORIN was born about 1890 in Lee, Berkshire, MA and died there 2 November 1896.