Quebec Official Gazette volume XII number 44 page 55
When all else fails, use Teh Googles. Which I did this morning, during my work break. And look what I found! I’m not completely sure what it means, but it’s kind of interesting nonetheless. Philomene is, for some reason, suing Louis Charles for separation of property. This was often done at or right after marriage, to ensure the wife had property of her own (though that could work against her, too, in the event of a divorce). In this case, they’d been married for 19 years and had 16 (SIXTEEN!) children. The marriage was no spring chicken. Separation of property could also occur at the time of divorce. But that doesn’t seem to have been the case, either, as the couple–together and with their minor children–upped stakes and headed to Minnesota just a few years after this notice was published.
Did Philomene intend to file for divorce, but then changed her mind? Was she trying to protect the couple’s assets (or at least, her share of them)? Was she trying to put the fear of God into Louis Charles? Was the move to Minnesota somehow tied up with all of this?
Interestingly, the couple were living together at the time of the 1885 Minnesota census, but Philomene is not in the home during the 1895 Minnesota census. I have no idea where she was between 1885 and her death in 1904. Maybe the 1895 census is a fluke, and she was living with the family but was off visiting someone on the day the census was enumerated?
And for good measure, the most recent family group screen shot. If you look closely, you’ll see that not all the children fit on the screen. That may be the definition of TOO MANY KIDS.
red paper boat 