Zéphirin Bernier (1852 - 1926)

Born 29 Mar 1852 in Cap-Saint-Ignace, L'Islet, Canada-Est, Amérique coloniale britannique

Ancestors

Husband of Virginie (Pitre) Bernier — married 25 Jan 1876 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Husband of Rose de Lima (Pitre) Bernier — married 26 Jun 1889 in Montréal, Québec, Canada

Died 30 Jul 1926 at age 74 in Montréal, Québec, Canada

Biography

Zéphirin Bernier was born in Québec, Canada.

Zéphirin Bernier was born on the 29 March 1852 in Cap-Saint-Ignace, a small town upriver from Quebec city, to his parents Firmin Bernier, a 39 year old farmer, and Marie Salomée Caouët, age 37. ^[1]

He can first be found in the 1861 Canadian Census, age 8, living with his family in a single story wooden house in Cap-Saint-Ignace. Others in his household include his father Firmin (49), mother Marie (47) and his siblings Thiophile (15), Charles (12), Joseph (10), Sériphine (6), and Williamine (4). There was also a second family living in the household alongside them. ^[2]

His mother Marie Solomé passed away on the 21 December 1865 when Zéphirin was 15 years old.

Marriage to Virginie Pitre

He first married Virginie Pitre on the 25 January 1876 in the Notre Dame Cathedral in Montreal. At the time of their marriage he was 23, working as a day labourer, and she was 18. His brother Onsième and his father Firmin were both present. He signed the marriage record, indicating that he had received some education during his childhood. ^[3] They had at least three children together:

1. Virginie (1878–?)
2. Joseph Zéphirin (1880–1882)
3. Hedwige (1883–1885)

Their first daughter Virginie Bernier (baptized as Rose De Lima Virginie Marie) was born on the 20 January 1878 in Montreal and was baptized the same day. ^[4]

Their second child, a son named Joseph Zéphirin, was born in about 1880.

He is again found in the 1881 Canadian Census, living in Cap-Saint-Ignace, age 30, working as a day labourer. He is living his wife Virginie (27), and their daughter Virginie (3) and son Joseph (1). ^[5]

Joseph Zéphirin passed away on the 8 June 1882 in Cap-Saint-Ignace at the age of two and was buried the same day. ^[6]

Their third and possibly last child Hedwige was born in about November 1883. She passed away 20 months later on the 23 July 1885 in Cap-Saint-Ignace. ^[7]

His wife Virginie still appears to be alive at the time of Hedwige's death in 1885. Tragically, she must of died only a few years later, because in 1889 a widowed Zéphirin was getting remarried. No death registration has been found for her yet.

Sometime possibly before or immediately after his marriage to Rose, Zéphirin and his daughter Virginie moved to Montreal and he took up work as a machinist.

Marriage to Rose De Lima Pitre

Zéphirin married Rose De Lima Pitre, the younger sister of his first wife, on the 26 Jun 1889 in the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Montreal. At the time of their marriage he was 37 and she was 32. Their marriage was witnessed by her father. Both Zéphirin and Rose were able to sign their names on the marriage registration. ^[8] It does not appear that they had any children together.

He is named in the 1891 Canadian census living in the Mile-End neighborhood of Montreal along with his new wife Delima (34) and his daughter Virginie (13). According to this census he is 39 years old, and working as a machinist. ^[9]

He can again be found in the 1901 Census living in Saint-Jean-Baptiste area of Montreal, now age 49 and still working as a machinist, alongside his wife Delima (44) and daughter Virginie (23). He was apparently working in a factory and had earned $600 in 1900. He could read, write, and speak both French and English. ^[10]

He is again found in the 1911 Census still in Montreal, now age 59, with his wife Delima (54) and his daughter Virginie (32), and a Felipe Pitre (45) and his sister Virginia (34), possibly relatives of his wife. ^[11]

He can last be found in the 1921 Census still living in a 6-bedroom townhouse in the Saint-Jean-Baptiste district in Montreal, age 68 and still working as a machinist, alongside his wife and daughter.^[12]

Death

Zéphirin passed away on the 30 July 1926 at the age of 74, and was buried on the 2 August 1926 in Saint-Jean-de-Baptiste cemetery in Montreal. He was survived by his second wife and daughter. ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ Baptism: "Canada, Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-899W-6D5M?cc=1321742&wc=HCQ6-T38%3A13629401%2C13629402%2C15351103 : 16 July 2014), Cap-Saint-Ignace > Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1823-1855 > image 641 of 753; Archives Nationales du Quebec (National Archives of Quebec), Montreal.
2. ↑ "Census of Canada, 1861," online database with images. Entry for Sephirin Bernier; Province: Canada East, District Name: Montmagny, Sub-District Name: Cap-St. Ignace, Page Number: 140, Microfilm: C1298-1299, Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada, Item Number: 543104. Library and Archives Canada: Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1861/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=543104 : accessed 8 January 2022).
3. ↑ Marriage to Virginie Pitre: Canada, Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979, database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JDT2-NN2 : 23 February 2021), Zéphirin Bernier and Virginie Pitre, 25 Jan 1876, MARRIAGE; citing Notre-Dame, Montréal, Quebec, Canada, nos paroisses de Église Catholique, Quebec (Catholic Church parishes, Quebec); FHL microfilm 1,031,677.
4. ↑ Virginie Bernier baptism: "Canada, Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9MB-FJM3?cc=1321742&wc=HZRM-L29%3A16470801%2C41220201%2C22789601 : 16 July 2014), Montréal > Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Montréal > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1877-1881 > image 73 of 450; Archives Nationales du Quebec (National Archives of Quebec), Montreal.
5. ↑ "Census of Canada, 1881," online database with images. Entry for Thephirin Bernier; Province: Quebec, District Name: Montmagny, District Number: 44, Sub-District Name: Cap-St. Ignace, Sub-District Number: G, Division Number: 2, Family Number: 314, Page Number: 73, Microfilm: C-13191, Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada, Item Number: 5207696. Library and Archives Canada: Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1881/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=5207696 : accessed 9 January 2022).
6. ↑ Joseph Zéphirin burial: "Canada, Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L99M-5HN?cc=1321742&wc=HC3H-SP8%3A13629401%2C13629402%2C13626703 : 16 July 2014), Cap-Saint-Ignace > Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1877-1900 > image 312 of 1331; Archives Nationales du Quebec (National Archives of Quebec), Montreal.
7. ↑ Hedwige Bernier burial: "Canada, Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G99M-57C?cc=1321742&wc=HC3H-SP8%3A13629401%2C13629402%2C13626703 : 16 July 2014), Cap-Saint-Ignace > Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1877-1900 > image 467 of 1331; Archives Nationales du Quebec (National Archives of Quebec), Montreal.
8. ↑ Marriage to Rose de Lima Pitre: "Canada, Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L999-1QTH?cc=1321742&wc=HZD2-7M9%3A16470801%2C41220201%2C41236001 : 16 July 2014), Montréal > Saint-Jean-Baptiste-de-Montréal > Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1882-1897 > image 961 of 2824; Archives Nationales du Quebec (National Archives of Quebec), Montreal.
9. ↑ "Census of Canada, 1891," online database with images. Entry for Zephirin Bernier; Province: Quebec, District Name: Hochelaga, District Number: 154, Sub-District Name: Mile-End (Village), Sub-District Number: J, Division Number: 2, Family Number: 47, Page Number: 8, Microfilm: T-6396, Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada, Item Number: 3660440. Library and Archives Canada: Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1891/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=3660440 : accessed 9 January 2022).
10. ↑ "Census of Canada, 1901," online database with images. Entry for Zéphirin Bernier; Province: Quebec, District Name: Maisonneuve, District Number: 167, Sub-District Name: St. Jean-Baptiste Ward, Sub-District Number: F, Division Number: 13, Family Number: 60, Page Number: 6, Microfilm: T-6529, Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada, Item Number: 5473763. Library and Archives Canada: Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1901/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=5473763 : accessed 9 January 2022).
11. ↑ "Recensement du Canada de 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVB4-TVXQ : 16 March 2018), Sefirain Bernier, 1911; citing Census, Maisonneuve Sub-Districts 15-68, Quebec, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,418,555.
12. ↑ "Census of Canada, 1921," online database with images. Entry for Zéphirin Bernier; Province: Quebec, District Name: Georges-Étienne Cartier, District Number: 166, Sub-District Name: St. Jean Baptiste Ward, Montreal, Sub-District Number: 35, Family Number: 20, Page Number: 2, Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada, Item Number: 7314568. Library and Archives Canada: Censuses (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1921/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=7314568 : accessed 9 January 2022).
13. ↑ Death/Burial: “Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.ca/sharing/26993771?h=2d2199&utm_campaign=bandido-webparts&utm_source=post-share-modal&utm_medium=copy-url : accessed 8 January 2022) > Montréal > Basilique Notre-Dame > 1926 > image 573, Zéphirin Bernier, died Montréal, 30 July 1926; citing “Institut Généalogique Drouin; Montreal, Quebec, Canada.”