Josephte (Marion) Genthon (1836 - 1904)

Born 10 May 1836 in St Boniface Parish, Red River Settlement, Canada

Ancestors

Wife of Joseph Genthon — married about Apr 1853 (to 22 Jun 1877) in Red River Settlement

Wife of Francois Gingras — married 19 Apr 1882 in St. Boniface, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Descendants

Died 20 May 1904 at age 68 in St. Boniface, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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Biography

https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/G935-GX8

Narcisse Maurice (Xavier) Marion.

(1806-1877) Narcisse was born on December 7, 1806, the son of François Marion (b.c. 1781)

and Lisette Martel. In 1830, possibly at York Factory or Norway House he married Marie Rosalie Bouchard dit Richard dit Grandbois

(b. 1811) and they had 12 children Marie Rosalie Bouchard dit Richard was one of the Metis “First Ladies” of the Red River Settlement as were several of her daughters who were married to powerful Red River merchants. Marie Rosalie Bouchard dit Richard was born on May 11, 1811, at Lac Lapine near York Factory, the Metis daughter of Francois Bouchard dit Richard and an unknown Creewoman.. A number of their children married into the Turtle Mountain Band at Belcourt, North Dakota. According to church records they baptized two infants born in 1831 and 1834 at either York Factory or Norway House. Their son Maxime Marion was a guide for the Boundary Commission in 1872-73, for the boundary east of the Red River. Their son Roger Marion was a politician. He was the Conservative M.P. for Carillon in 1886 and 1888, he was defeated in 1892 and re-elected in 1896. He was the mayor of St. Boniface from 1887 to 1889. In 1891, he was elected president of the Union Métisse Saint-Joseph. Narcisse was a HBC blacksmith. In 1849, he was designated to serve on the Council of Assiniboia, but Governor Simpson refused to accept his nomination. This Winnipeg Metis blacksmith was an opponent of Riel and, although he worked to support the Provisional Government, the Compensation Commission awarded him $100 for hardship.In the early 1840s, Marion built a windmill south of the St. Boniface Mission Church. Up until the 1850s this was the only windmill on the east side of the Red River (except the one much further north at St. Peters).Children of Marie Rosalie Richard (Bouchard) and Marion: Elise Marion was born on December 18, 1831 at York Factory. Elise married Norman Wolfred William Kittson (b: 1814) in 1847 in St Boniface Parish Church. Elise was 14 and Kittson was 33. He was the son of William Kittson and Helene McDonald.Commodore Norman W. Kittson, was the millionaire head of the Red River Navigation Company’s fleet of stern wheel steamers which served Winnipeg in the early days. Kittson, a fur trader, helped end the Hudson Bay Company’s fur trading monopoly. In 1849; he became a member of the Minnesota Territorial Councils 7th District, from 1852 to 1855 he was mayor of St. Paul Minnesota. From 1858 to 1859; he operated steamboats on the Red River from Minnesota north into Winnipeg in the 1870. He then worked with James J. Hill to build the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Railway in 1879-81.Commodore Kittson was 33 when he came seeking a bride at the house of Narcisse Marion. Elise Marion was just fourteen. Bridegrooms of pioneer days were often older; but Kittson, who had made a fortune in the fur trade and another fortune in the steamboat business, had since he was a young man carried a weight of responsibility which, had brought early wrinkles and the aspect of age. Edouard Marion was born of February 24, 1834 in St. Boniface. Edouard married Eliza McDougall (b. 1833) circa 1833 at Red River. She was the daughter of John“George” McDougall and Genevieve “Jennie Jasper (Gaspard). Their son, Jules Marion (b. 1867) appeared in the 1889 Exposition Universelle (Paris World’s Fair) with Buffalo Bill Cody. The other Metis from Manitoba in this show were, Maxime goulet, Maxime Lepine and Michel Dumas. These men were presented as French-Canadian trappers with teams of Eskimo sled dogs.

Josephte (Josette) Marion was born on May 10 1836 in St. Boniface. She first married Joseph Genthon (b. 1830) and then married Francois Gingras, the son of Metis trader Antoine Blanc Gingras and Scholastique Trottier

Compiled by Lawrence Barkwell Coordinator of Metis Heritage and History Research Louis Riel Institute

Additional Notes, Josephte Marion's husband Joseph Genthon was a Justice of the Peace, he died young, no pictures seem to have survived but many pics of his children do. There are 3 photos of Josephte at various ages as an adult.

Sources

• Scrip affidavit for Genton, Josette, wife of Joseph Genton; born: May 10, 1836; father: Narcisse Marion (French Canadian); mother: Moise Bouchard (Métis); claim no: 690; date of issue: June 22, 1876 = Demande de certificat pour Genton, Josette, épouse de Joseph Genton; né(e): le 10 mai, 1836; père: Narcisse Marion (Canadien(ne) français(e)); mère: Moise Bouchard (Métis(se)); no de réclamation: 690; date d'émission: 22 juin, 1876. 19uu. File.

RG15-D-II-8-a. Volume/box number: 1321. Copied container number: C-14928. Textual material. [Access: Open]. Government.