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​AMABLE (JEAN-BAPTISTE) BOISSONNEAULT
(1792 1875)
BRITISH INFANTRY UNIFORMS 1912
Occupation: farmer, soldier​
​
Amable (Jean-Baptiste) was born October 17 1792, at the homestead in Saint-Jean, Isle d’Orleans, second oldest son of Joseph and Marie-Magdelaine (Blouin).
​ He was from a family of eight children of four boys and four girls, among them his eldest brother Joseph-Charles, who would have contributed considerably to his life. ​​
​ Amable followed his older brother to Sault Ste-Marie at the onset of the War of 1812. His brother Joseph would have been twenty-four when he went to fight in the war and Amable twenty. He served in the war in the 4th battalion as a private. ​​​
​ After the war he returned to Isle d’Orleans, however Joseph remained in the Sault, married and, according to a researcher in his family, became the progenitor of all the Boissonneau’s and Bussineau’s in the Sault Ste. Marie area. He had nine children, three with his first wife and six with his second. ​​​
​ BOISSONNEAULT Amable 84 1875
Statement showing Militiamen of 1812-1815 who have applied to take part in the gratuity voted by Parliament in 1875 National Library of Canada: Parliamentary Sessional Papers, 1876, No. 7 page 11 Militiaman (1812-1815)
​ On his return, Amable married Ursule Pichet(te) the 27th of November 1821, at age twenty-nine. She was half his age. They would have a family of fourteen children: Ursule, François, Jean-Baptiste, Luce, Amable. Magloire, Judith, Anna, Napoléon Joseph, Philéas, Julie, Philomène, Edouard and Joseph Napoléon​​​​​.
​ By 1825, Amable had left Isle d’Orleans to settle in Saint-Croix, Compté Lotbinière. His first two children were born on the Island but the others were born and raised in Saint-Croix. ​​​​.
​ Amable died in Saint-Croix May 29, 1875, at eight-two outliving his much younger wife by two years.
LA CAPTURE DU FORT MACKINAC
​ The Canadian voyageurs still preferring to follow the fortunes of the British flag, with one of two exceptions, removed with the forces to Drummond Island. On the completion of the treaty surveys, Drummond Island proved to be in the United States’ territory. There upon the British forces, under Lieut. Carson, commanding a detachment of the 68th Regiment, withdrew to the naval station at Penetanguishene, which event occurred on the 4th of November, 1828.​​​.
​​ ​​​The British military post at Michilimackinac was transferred to the United States in 1796 by mutual agreement, and the forces stationed there retired to St. Joseph Island. Here they erected a fort and blockhouse. From this latter post, at a subsequent period, issued that famous volunteer contingent of one hundred and sixty Canadian voyageurs, accompanied by a few (30) British regulars with two field pieces, under Captain Roberts, *who effected the recapture of Mackinaw for the British. This occurred on the 16th of July, 1812, the first year of the war.
​ ​​​In a subsequent attack by the Americans to recover the post, the Canadian voyageurs assisted in its defense. The United States, according to treaty stipulations in 1815, regained Mackinaw when the British garrison found refuge on Drummond Island, in proximity to the former post of St. Joseph.
​​​Joseph Charles Boissonneau, older brother of Amable, lived in the Sault Ste Marie area most of his life. His first wife was of mixed blood and the second was a Native American Ojibwa.
​ ​​​From an old handwritten record, the family gleaned information. Once the treaties signed, Joseph’s family became “status Indians” in order to gain land rights. This time was short-lived and soon, all those who had lived in the Sault were forced from their farms as the treaty did not acknowledge back farms in land ownership. Because of this, the family went where they could secure the free land they felt they deserved — this being the reserve.
​ ​​​Joseph Charles was active in establishment and building of the first Catholic Church in Sault Ste. Marie. His name appears on a petition letter to the Bishop of Upper Canada dated September 24, 1834.
Citations
(1) B. 1792 Boissonneau Amable Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968 Ile-d´Orléans St-Jean 1792-1793
(2) M. 1821 Boissonneau/Pichet, Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968 for Ursule Pichet Ile-d´Orléans St-Laurent 1821
(3) D. 1875 Boissonneau Amable Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968