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| Throughout the years we have herd of the contribution of the Canadian immigrants to the settlement and development of Kankakee County Illinois referred to sometimes to the “Petit Canada Project”. Prior to 1853 Kankakee County did not exist. It was created from parts of Iroquois and Will Counties. I would like to add a little insight to the contribution of the French Canadians and the Iroquois County early settlement, especially to the northern section of Iroquois County. I am not an expert by no means. But over the past 30 years of working on my family`s history and genealogy I have had to deal with some confusing situations also. Many genealogist who are working on French Canadian lines find themselves back to Iroquois County records, and get confused as where to look. Hence a small reference to a break down to dates, places and other information may be helpful in their research. Since most of the French Canadian settlers were Roman Catholic, Church records can play an important part in establishing whereabouts of these early settlers. And by being able to pinpoint the dates which Church Records to write for. There is available now the Iroquois County History so well done by Ralph D. Moore. Through his hard work it is possible to be able to find dates and history needed to be able to track Canadian migration to Iroquois County Illinois. It allows us to show both dates and places in reference to the county`s history. I would like to also touch on the subject of the reasons behind this mass migration, and the events leading up to it if possible. The early political townships in 1856 of Iroquois County Illinois that were main sites for Canadian Immigrants to settle in were: Chebanse, Wygant or sometimes referred to Weygandt, and Beaver townships. Viewing the 1860 census of Iroquois County it shows a heavy concentration of places of birth as Canada for many of those listed there. And small sections of northern of Concord, Middleport and Onarga Townships also had Canada as the place of birth for some of those listed.By far the Canadian immigrants were of the Roman Catholic Faith. Bourbonnais and Momence were settled in 1836. Bourbonnais was a mission parish and part of the diocese of Vincennes, Indiana, (and a part of Iroquois County until 1853). July 9, 1846 Bourbonnais became part of the Chicago dioceses. Roman Catholic mission settlements were the main reason for these settlements. By 1838 the last of the Native American Indians had left and some say they were forced, and tricked to leave this area. As late as 1840 many parts of northern Iroquois County was not settled by any Canadian Immigrants. Father Chiniquy was delegated by his bishop in Canada to find land somewhere in the Kankakee River country and establish a mission or missions. In November 1851 Father Chiniquy decided to build his mission at this location then called Beaver Mission, now St. Anne. ( Then still a part of Wygant or sometimes referred to Weygandt, Township Iroquois County Illinois.) On April 17, 1852 the new two story building, 40 by 40 feet was dedicated, with the chapel upstairs and the parsonage downstairs. A few month later an additional 40 foot extension was added to the rear, making it one of the largest buildings in northern Iroquois County. With the coming of the French Canadians in 1850`s, Wygant or sometimes referred to Weygandt, township in the center of the northern boundary of Iroquois County was changed to the name of Papineau. To honor the general in Canada who had let the patriot army in the fight for freedom in from the British in 1837 and 1838. In 1855 cholera spread rapidly, killing nearly half of the inhabitants of Papineau Township. In 1872 due to the unrest within the Catholic Church and Father Chiniquy a small new Catholic Church was built in Papineau. It was called St. Joseph`s, the church is now gone, but the cemetery still remains active just east of Papineau. My great grandmother Euphemie (Mailloux) (Lord) Renaud now Reno was one of five people who led a crusade to raise funds to build the new Roman Catholic Church in Papineau. The parish is now part of St. Mary`s in Beaverville. St. John The Baptist Roman Catholic Church in L`Erable was built in 1853, at one time it also contained a parochial school called St. Anthony`s , and a large cemetery still is used even to this day there. It was at first a mission of Maternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary located in Bourbonnais. Father Theodore VandePoel a native of Holland came to L`Erable in about 1859, his difficulty with French names and noting everything in Latin, combined with failing health led to almost a complete scrawl. In 1864 Father Pierre Pernin came to L`Erable from France, his delicate handwriting and habit of writing words incompletely made his work hard to interpret, said Norma Merier when she translated early church records into a wonderful book called “ St. John the Baptist” Catholic Church L`Erable Illinois Record Book One 1856-1879 Baptisms, Marriages, Burials, and Confirmations. Translated, Abstracted and Compile by Norma Meier C. G. R. S. It was during this period that missions were added at Chebanse, Clifton, Loda , Middleport (Watseka), Paxton (Ford County), Prairie Green, St. Marie (Beaverville), and Spring Creek. Ashkum and Buckley and Onarga were also mentioned in several entries. There was an early Roman Catholic Church in Milks grove called St. John`s Roman Catholic Church, but the parish no longer exists. St. Marie, now called Beaverville since 1905, was another early Roman Catholic Church mission settlement about 1844. Although the parish limped along, twenty five pastors came and went in the first twelve years, it persevered. In 1856 construction begin on the first Roman Catholic Church at St. Marie`s which was 40 by sixty frame church. On August 29, 1909 the construction for the present beautiful church, now fondly referred to as “ The Cathedral in the Cornfield”. The twenty five stained glass windows are a striking feature which represent a rare hybrid style of both Munich style and Tiffany art glass. Two Americans experimenting independently with glass Louis Comfort Tiffany of New York, and John LaFarge of Kokomo Indiana Glass Works employed the technique to create opalescent glass. St. Mary`s windows today a combination of the two styles are a rarity. All but one tell the story of Mary`s life. The large rose window on the west façade of the church, features red roses in the center. The parish today is doing an on-going restoration project. It is really worth seeing. |
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