Descendants of Alphonse Morin-Valcourt & Angelique Destroismaisson-Picard

Alphonse was the only child of Noel Morin and Helen Desportes to pass on the family name. In all, they had 15 children. We are descended from their son, Louis Morin-Valcourt.

The two small lakes now known as Lac Lavoie in the Temiscouata region of Quebec, near the Quebec-New Bruswick-Maine border, were at one time both called Lac Valcourt because they were on land owned by families named "Valcourt." This is also the case for the mountain called Montagne Valcourt farther down the Gaspe' Peninsula east of the Humqui River, and the neighboring Petit lac des Valcourt which was apparently originlly named for the family of one Alphee [Alphonse] Valcourt. No one has yet been able to determine with certainty the origin of the "dit" name "Valcourt," but since the locality is situated in a short valley, a "val court," the name may be descriptive.

"Dit" names were used extensively in Quebec as a way of distinguishing one family from another [see The Dit Name]. Morin dit Valcourt translates to "The Morins of the short valley" which would have distinguished Alphonse from his brothers. Information in Rene Jette's book states that Noel Morin parceled out his land to the benefit of his sons. Thus, it is likely that Alphonse was given property in the region which now bears his "dit" name.

Alphonse Morin-Valcourt, son of Noel Morin-Valcourt and Helene Desportes, was born 12 December 1650 in Quebec and died 29 August 1711 in Montmagny [St. Thomas of Montmagny pictured here]. He first married to Marie Madeleine Normand who died, possibly due to complications of childbirth, the same day their last son Charles was born. Charles died two months later [in May], followed by his brother Louis [in June] and then his sister Marie Madeleine [in September]. The cause of all these deaths, within five months of each other, is not yet known.

Alphonse then married our ancestress, Angelique Destroismaison-Picard, 24 November 1692 in Cap-St-Ignace, Maurice. Angelique was born 26 October 1670 in Chateau-Richer, Montmorency to Philippe Destroismaisons-Picard and Marie Crosnier. She died in Montmagny 27 February 1744.

We are descended from them in the following order:

(1) LOUIS MORIN-VALCOURT was born 20 May 1698 in Montmagny and died there about 1760. Present at his birth was a nun named Catherine Maufait Desthyacinthe, possibly Angelique's sister. It is probably safe to assume Louis was named after her as she was his godmother. He married MARIE ELISABETH BILODEAU 14 October 1721 in St. Francois, Montmagny. Marie Elisabeth was born 5 December 1694 in St. Francois, Montmagny to Jean Amable Bilodeau and Marie Jahan-Laviolette. She died in Montmagny 11 August 1757.

(2) LOUIS MARIE MORIN-VALCOURT was born 21 October 1732 in Montmagny. He married MARIE GENEVIEVE COUILLARD-DESPRES 31 January 1752 at St. Thomas in Montmagny. Marie Genevieve was born 30 October 1735 in Montmagny to Jacques Couillard-Despre and Veronique Belanger. She died there 11 December 1763.

(3) MICHEL MORIN-VALCOURT was born 6 January 1759 in Montmagny and died 22 November 1791 in L'Acadie, St. Jean. He married CATHERINE DUQUET-DUROCHERS there 27 February 1786. Catherine was born about 1765 to Joseph Marie Duquet-Durochers and Marie Genevieve Suprenant-Lafontaine.

(4) PAUL MORIN-VALCOURT was born between 1786-1790 in L'Acadie, St. Jean d'Iberville. He married MARGUERITE GENDREAU there 21 January 1811. Marguerite was born 2 February 1790 in Notre Dame to Louis Gendreau and Marie Louise Pepin-Lachance.

(5) JEAN-BAPTISTE MORIN-VALCOURT was born in L'Acadie, St. Jean d'Iberville 13 July 1816. He married JULIE GOYETTE 4 November 1862 in St. Athanese, d'Iberville. Julie was born 23 May 1815 in St. Mathias to Louis Goyette and Genevieve Vigeant-Taupier. She died about 1895.

(6) Our ancestor JEAN-BAPTISTE MORIN was born in L'Acadie, St. Jean on 18 May 1841 and died in Springfield, Hampden, MA 13 December 1925. When he married JULIE L. LAREAU in Canada on 4 November 1862, he was at the age of majority (gorcon majeur) and not in need of his parents permission. Julie was born 20 August 1844 in Chambly to Flavien Lareau and Julie Gauthier. She died in Lee, Berkshire, MA 22 March 1897.

(7) Their children: Lena Morin, Almanda (Emma) Morin, Amelia (Millie) Morin, John B. Morin, Jr., Ella Morin, Joseph Edward Morin, Wilfred J. Morin, Archibald (Archie) Joseph Morin, Adolphus Francis Morin, Lillian M. Morin, William Patrick Morin and Mary Amanda Morin.

(7) Our ancestor WILFRED J. MORIN was born in Lee, Berkshire, MA 6 September 1875 and died in Berlin, Hartford, CT 9 June 1941. He married JENNIE A. HOLMES 10 December 1895 in Lee. Jennie was born 15 August 1876 in Otis, Berkshire, MA to Charles Robert Holmes and Alice E. Lemley. She died in Berlin, Hartford, CT 15 November 1940.

(8) 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.