Mathurin Williams (1751 - 1827)

Born 1751 in Bristol, England

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Jun 1827 at about age 76 in Memramcook, Nouveau Brunswick, Canada

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Biography

Mathurin was born about 1751 and is the adopted son of Joseph Goguen and Anne Arsenault.

It is said that the first Williams dit Bristol who came to New Brunswick was a young boy - perhaps a cabin boy - who jumped ship when it anchored at Cocagne, New Brunswick. The story is that this boy hid in a hayloft owned by Joseph Goguen, one of the founders of Cocagne.^[1]

When Joseph Goguen found this little boy and asked him what his name was, the boy could not speak French and could say Bill from Bristol. So Joseph Goguen took him in as his own, taught him to speak French and learn the Catholic catechism. When the missionary came to his home Joseph had him baptized and gave him the name Mathurin (after the missionary Mathurin Bourg) Guilliaume (the French version of William) and Bristol (for where he came from).^[1]

Mathurin's marriage date is unknown, but he and his wife Marie Gauthier had 5 known children:

1. Elie (c1792-c1849) m1. Adelaide Lirette m2. Henriette Fournier
2. Jean Baptiste (c1795-1881) m. Madeleine Helene Bellefontaine
3. Agnes (1798-1878) m. Hubert Lirette
4. Thomas (1798-____) m. Marie Surette
5. Joseph (1802-1864) m. Madeleine Boucher

Mathurin passed away on June 20, 1827 in Memramcook and was buried two days later.^[2][3] The parish record indicates he was 76 years old.

Research Notes

His descendants used various surnames: Bristol, Williams, Bill, Williams dit Bristol, Bristol dit Williams

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Cormier, Lizzie-Anne. Williams Family Book. Compiled by Lizzie-Anne Cormier. Edited & Published by Joanne Cormier Theriault.
2. ↑ Burial: "Acadia, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1757-1946", Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Image; citing M > Memramcook > 1822-1828, Maturin Bristoll burial on 22 Jun 1827.
3. ↑ Burial (typed transcription) - "Parish registers: New Brunswick : C-3016, " database with images, Canadian Heritage, (https://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_reel_c3018/1025?r=0&s=2 : accessed 29 May 2021). Maturin Bristoll, registre de la paroisse St-Thomas de Memramcook, catholique, 1806-1870, Image 1025 of 1337. Library and Archives Canada.