Marc Abel Surette (1844 - 1937)

Born 8 Jan 1844 in Eel Brook, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia

Ancestors

Husband of Angélique Surette — married 18 Jan 1870 in Tusket, Argyle, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada

Died 16 Feb 1937 at age 93 in Morris Island, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia, Canada

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Biography

Marc married Angélique Surette in 1870^[1].

The following article appeared in Le Petit Courrier on February 24, 1937^[2]:

La Mission de L'Île Surette vient de perdre son plus vieux paroissien dans la personne de Marc Surette, décédé mardi le 16 février, age de 93 ans et un mois, étant ne le 8 janvier, 1844. Marc Surette, très jeune encore, comme la majorité des jeunes de son temps, prit le métier de la mer qu'il continua jusqu'au commencement du 19 siècle. A partir de ce moment il devint fermier et poursuivit cette occupation jusqu'au décès de son épouse, Angélique Surette, le 28 mars 1929, morte à l'âge de 85 ans et 3 mois. C'est alors qu'il se retira chez son fils Romain Surette a l'Ile Morris, où il a succombé la semaine dernière.

Son caractère aimable et joyeux le rendait un vieillard agreable a rencontrer. Il était aimé par les jeunes comme par les vieux. Pendant les dernières années de sa vie il se plaisait a jouer aux cartes et aux Dames avec ses petits-fils et ses petites-filles et a leur raconter des histoires "d'en premier".

Doué d'une très forte sante Marc ne fut jamais malade. Sure son lit de mort, ou la grippe et la vieillesse l'avait placé, il se vantait, à l'âge de 93 ans, de n'avoir jamais eu besoin de consulter un médecin, et déclarait qu'il etait maintenant trop tard pour le fair.

Il laisse pour le pleurer, quatre fils et deux filles qui sont: Romain de l'Ile Morris, Arthur de l'Ile Surette, Albert de Yarmouth, Ludger de Gloucester, Mass., Mme Agnes Surette de l'Ile Surette, et Mme Leander Surette de Malden, Mass. Lui survivent aussi: 30 petit-fils et filles et 15 arrieres-fetit-fils et filles.

Les funérailles ont eu lieu vendredi, le 19 fevriere a 9 heures du matin en l'église St. Joseph. L'abbé L. Surette, cure, chanta la messe d'enterrement et fit le service funèbre. Lui servaient de porteurs, quatre de ses petits-fils: Alvenie Surette, Pierre Arthur Surette, Marc Alfred Surette et Marc Albert Surette.

Avec la mort de ce vénérable vieillard se termine la troisième génération depuis la Déportation des Acadiens de 1755, en ce village. Marc Surette etait le fils de Jean Surette et de Marie Saulnier, fille de Joseph Saulnier de Clare. Jean Surette a son tour etait le fils aîné de Charles Barome Surette et de Marie Babin. Ce dernier, avec son frère Frédéric, furent les deux premiers a s'établir f'une façon permanent a l'Ile Surette et c'est d'eux que descendent aujourd'hui la majorité de la population de ce village.

Marie Babin avait été victime de la Déportation des Acadiens de 1755, comme en témoigne cette pierre bien rustique en apparence, mais destinée a conserver pour la postérité une episode de notre histoire bien intéressante et qui se trouve à côté de l'église St. Joseph de l'Ile Surette.

Marie Surette (nee Marie Babin) est nee à Pisiquid, aujourd'hui Windsor, en 1752. Elle fut déportée à Boston avec ses parents en 1755. Pendard son vivant elle a, a mainte fois, rappelle qu'elle se souvenait qu'à leur arrivée à Boston elle fut portée à terre par le capitaine du vaisseau qui les avait transporté en exil. Revenue de l'exil, elle demeura à Chezzetcook, près d'Halifax, jusqu'à l'âge de 28 ans, d'où elle vint s'établir dans le comté de Yarmouth, avec son mari, Charles Barome Surette.

En 1898, Marc Surette, sur la demande du Rév. Pere Jean-Baptiste Dupuis, alors curé de l'Ile-Surette, grava sur la pierre les lettres qui vont toujours perpétuer le souvenir de sa grand'mère. Cette fameuse pierre porte l'inscription suivante: "Ci-git Marie Babin, épouse de Charles B. Surette, decedee le 20 déc., 1862, âgée de 110 ans. Dernière survivante des déportés de 1755. R. I. P."

Rien d'étonnant, alors, si la population toute entière de l'Île Surette et de l'Ile Morris sentent vivement le départ pour son repos éternel de ce vénérable et digne vieillard, qui nous associait de si près au Grand Dérangement.

Nous avons voulu nous servir de Petit Courrier pour signaler cette chose remarquable, et nous lui souhaitons longue vie et le succès qu'il mérite au milieu des Acadiens de Clare at d'Argyle.

Un Correspondant

Translation:

The community of Surette's Island lost its oldest resident when Mark Surette died Tuesday, February 16, at age 93. Born January 8, 1844, Marc Surette, like many of his generation, took to the sea, work he continued until the beginning of the century. At that time, he became a farmer, an occupation he continued until the death of his wife, Angelique Surette, March 28, 1929 at age 85. He then lived with his son Romain Surette at Morris Island where he died last week.

His happy and amiable character made him a pleasure to meet. He was beloved by both young and old alike. In his later years, he loved to play cards and checkers with his grandchildren and tell them tales of olden days.

He was blessed with a very strong constitution and was never sick. On his deathbed, where old age had landed him, at age 93 he told of never needing to see a doctor but that it was now too late.

He leaves to mourn, four sons and two daughters. Romain of Morris Island, Arthur,Surette Island, Albert of Yarmouth, Ludger, Gloucester, Mass., Mrs Agnes Surette, Surette Island , et Mrs Leander Surette, Malden, Mass. Also, he leaves 30 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

The funeral service was held Friday, February 19 at St Joseph's Church. Four of his grandsons served as pallbearers: Alvenie Surette, Pierre Arthur Surette, Marc Alfred Surette et Marc Albert Surette.

The passing of this venerable senior sees the end of the third generation since the Acadian Deportation of 1755 in this village. Marc Surette was the son of jean Surette and Marie Saulnier, daughter of Joseph Saulnier of Clare. Jean Surette was the oldest son of Charles Barome Surette and Marie Babin. Charles Surette along with his brother Frederic, was the first to establish a permanent presence on Surette's Island and these two brothers are the ancestors of most of the current population.

A rustic headstone in St. Josephs's cemetery bears witness to Marie Babin's interesting addition to the story of the Acadian Deportation.

Marie Surette (nee Marie Babin) was born at Pisiquid, today's Windsor,in 1752. She was deported to Boston with her parents in 1755. She vividly remembered being set down on the wharf by the captain of the ship that transported her family to Boston. When the family returned from exile, they lived first at Chezzetcook, near Halifax, until she was 28, when she moved to Yarmouth co, with her husband Charles Barome Surette.

In 1898, Marc Surette, at the request of Rév. Pere Jean-Baptiste Dupuis, the priest of l'Ile-Surette, had engraved a headstone as a memorial to his grandmother. This stone bears the inscription: "Ci-git Marie Babin, épouse de Charles B. Surette, decedee le 20 déc., 1862, âgée de 110 ans. Dernière survivante des déportés de 1755. R. I. P."

Here lies Marie Babin, wife of Charles B. Surette, died 20 Dec. 1862, aged 110 years. Last survivor of the deported of 1755.

It is no surprise, then, if the population of Surette's Island and Morris Island feels the loss of of this venerable and dignified senior who is so closely connected to the Great Deportation.

We wanted to note this remarkable event in the centre of the Acadians of Clare and Argyle. in Petit Courrier.

Census Data
1871 Canadian Census:
John Surette, age 68, occupation-fisherman
Maria Surette, age 64
Luke Surette, age 36, occupation-laborer
Catherine Surette, age 33
Levi Surette, age 31, occupation-fisherman
Ann Surette, age 29
Elizabeth Surette, age 27
Mark Surette, age 24, occupation-fisherman
Alexander Surette, age 21, occupation-fisherman^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ "Nova Scotia Marriages, 1711-1909," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XL53-KMW : 5 December 2014), Marc Surette and Angelique Surette, 1870; citing , Yarmouth, Nova Scotia; FHL microfilm 1,298,878.
2. ↑ Le Petit Courrier du Sud-ouest de la Nouvelle-Écosse 24 February 1937 Vol. 1 No. 2, p. 3 http://novascotia.ca/archives/newspapers/archives.asp?ID=3502&Page=201561812&Language=
3. ↑ Library and Archives Canada: Censuses: 1871 Canadian Census: Province-Nova Scotia: District-Yarmouth #192: Subdistrict-#J Polling District No 7: Page 40: Lines 19 and 20 & Page 41: Lines 1 thru 7: Last accessed online February 11, 2021 at: 1871 Census

"Canada Marriages, 1661-1949", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F2KZ-WZX : 1 February 2020), Mark Surette, 1870.

"Nova Scotia Vital Records, 1763-1957," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMG6-81K : 8 December 2014), Mark Abel Surette and Angelique Surette, 1870, Marriage; citing p. 40, volume 1839, , Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada; Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax.

"Nova Scotia Births and Baptisms, 1702-1896", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLJ5-DRV : 7 February 2020), Marc Surette in entry for John A. Surette, 1874.

"Nova Scotia Marriages, 1907-1932," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBK-Q8N3 : 8 November 2017), Marc Surette in entry for Jean-Albert Surette and Anne Madeline Moulaison, 04 Jun 1922; citing Surettes Island, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, p. , Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

"Nova Scotia Deaths, 1956-1957," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK99-4PP4 : 8 November 2017), Mark Surette in entry for John Albert Surette, 22 Jul 1957; citing Yarmouth, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, certificate 5450, Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax.

"Nova Scotia Deaths, 1890-1955," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QK99-BY9K : 8 November 2017), Marc Surette in entry for Ludger Surette, 13 Dec 1950; citing Surettes Island, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, certificate 6782, Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax.

"Nova Scotia Births and Baptisms, 1702-1896", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FLJ3-FGX : 7 February 2020), Marc Surette in entry for Emily Surette, 1876.

"Nova Scotia Marriages, 1907-1932," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBK-9JJ3 : 8 November 2017), Marc Surette in entry for Romain Surette and Marie Helene Leblanc, 03 Nov 1909; citing Surettes Island, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, p. , Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

"Nova Scotia Marriages, 1907-1932," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBK-3CLZ : 8 November 2017), Marc Surette in entry for Jean Urbain Moulaison and Marie Jeanne Surette, 28 Jul 1913; citing Ile Surette, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, p. , Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

"Nova Scotia Marriages, 1907-1932," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVBK-S9WL : 8 November 2017), Marc Surette in entry for Levi-Arthur Surette and Marie-Délima Frontain, 20 Sep 1926; citing Surette Island, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada, p. , Nova Scotia Archives, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

See also:

"Canada Census, 1901," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KH2Q-FTK : 16 December 2019), Mare Surette in household of Emileane Surette, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada; citing p. 1, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa.

"Recensement du Canada de 1911," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV9R-VNXF : 16 March 2018), Mark Surette, 1911; citing Census, Yarmouth Sub-Districts 1-25, Nova Scotia, Canada, Library and Archives of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario; FHL microfilm 2,417,689.

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