Jean Flavien Croteau^[1]

1845 - 1926  (81 years)    Has 88 ancestors and 21 descendants in this family tree.

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• Name	Jean Flavien Croteau
  Gender	Male
  Born	28 Jan 1845	S. Jean, Deschaillons, Lotbinière, QC   [2]
  Census	1861	Lotbiniere, Lotbiniere, QC   [3]
  Links	More detailed information about the Croteau family can be found at the website managed by Michael F D Croteau: https://sites.google.com/site/mycroteaugenealogy/Home/lineage
  _FSFTID	L8BV-71H
  Died	16 Apr 1926	Rolla, Rolette, North Dakota. United States   [4]
  Notes	In the 1861 Census of Lower Canada, Flavien is listed as working on a farm in Lotbiniere, Quebec, alongside Antoine Filteau, his wife Marie Cecile and their three daughters. Flavien emigrated to the United States in 1870 through the Port of Detroit, Michigan. The declaration of the U.S. Homestead Act in 1861 opened up new farmlands in the west and was attracting many French Canadians. Missionaries traveled ahead of the early fur traders and explorers to secure a place for the Catholic worship. Flavien settled in the area around Mendota Village in Dakota County, Minnesota, working as a laborer. All evidence suggests that he travelled to Minnesota with the Filteau and Plaissance families. On February 14, 1872, Flavien married Zelia Filteau ...they were married by Father P. F. Glenn ... the witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Besnier and Zelia's sister Zeniade. Flavien worked as a laborer for several years in and around Mendota and then found a new job with the Northern Pacific Railway as it expanded westward from Minneapolis into the Dakota Territory. He declared his intention to become a Citizen of the United States on November 6, 1876, in the neighboring Ramsey County Court. Flavien could not write, so the Court Recorder penned in the name "John Croteau," just below the X which Flavien had marked. The name "John" appears in all of his dealings with the US Government. The couple decided to move to the Dakota Territory and try to secure a homestead. They arrived in the small community of St. John, North Dakota around 1883 to a small patch of land in Section 12 of the Baxter Township. Soon they built a log home of poplar and oak. In December of 1883 their daughter Octavie was born. Later 3 additions were made as well as a log stable and grainery. Hard work planting crops yielded a harvest in 1884 of potatoes, turnips, and other vegetables from one acre of land. Religion was an integral part of the children's upbringing and was very important to Zelia, who taught all of her sons their Catechism. At the St. Claude Chapel her twin sons Anthime and Emile were the first alter boys. Zelia’s sister, a nun in an Order of St. Joseph of Carondelet in St. Paul, MN, often came out to the Dakotas to teach and would visit Zelia’s children bringing them gifts of religious medallions. Flavien was well associated with the schools of the Baxter township. At first his involvement was limited to providing material and labor for various building projects. He supplied the schools with firewood for heating and also arrived early in times of cold to light fires to keep the students warm. The Clerks "Record of Warrants Drawn" on the account of the St. John School listed many payments to "John" Croteau. Flavien worked hard to ensure his children an education. In the 1892 School Officers Election he was elected Director of the school board for a term of 3 years. On June 29, 1891 he received the patent for his land meaning he now owned the land with exception to any mineral and forestry rights. For $14 Flavien and Zelia had secured their claim to their 2 quarters of land. Their 7th daughter Angeline was born January 3, 1892. They mortgaged their property on October 10, 1892 for $450 worth of promissory notes from the Middlesex Banking Company of Minnesota. This allowed them to buy much needed farm equipment to bolster their farm. Two years later, on May 27, 1893, they lost the title to their land. Having defaulted on their mortgage the County Sheriff seized the land for a public auction in front of the Rolla Post Office. The couple then moved onto land in Section 22 which was owned by Adele, Flavien’s sister. Her farm was located just south of the present location of the Holy Cross Cemetery outside the Village of St. John, ND. January 24, 1894 marked the birth of another daughter, Evelyn. On October 29, 1894 Flavien received his US Citizenship in the Dakota's after completing the 2nd stage at the District Court of County of Rolette, the name on his certificate was John Croteau. Leonie Croteau was born October 23, 1895 and she would later grow up and marry local lawman, Sherrif Frank Fitzharris. A son, Henri, was born two years later on April 8, 1897 and was followed by the last child of Flavien and Zelia, Marie who was born on April 20, 1899. In 1911 Flavien's son Albert acquired his Aunt Adele Croteau’s land in Section 22 and later sold it to his parents. Zelia and Flavien adopted a daughter, Saraphine Gagnon, whose parents had died. Saraphine’s mother and Zelia’s mother were relatives. Zelia was her Godmother. Flavien and Zelia moved to Thorne, just outside Rolla and soon after on April 16, 1926 Flavien died at the age of 80 from complications related to his asthma. Zelia moved back to Rolla and lived with a daughter until her death in 1946. The couple is buried in a family plot in the Holy Cross Cemetery near St. John that includes the graves of their children Alice and Alfred Croteau, Josephine Jalbert, and Angeline St. Louis, Henry and Ernestine Croteau and also Flavien's mother Eleonore Meunier dit Lagasse. [M Croteau]
  Person ID	I7902	Filteau - Fecteau - Facteau families
  Last Modified	2 Sep 2013

  
  

  Father	Joseph Croteau,   b. 28 May 1805, S. Pierre Apotre, Les Becquets, Nicolet, QC ,   d. 1 Mar 1847, S. Jean, Deschaillons, Lotbinière, QC  (Age 41 years)
  Mother	Eleanore Meunier, dite Lagasée,   b. 1810,   d. 14 Mar 1901, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States  (Age 91 years)
  Married	20 Jan 1829	S. Pierre Apotre, Les Becquets, Nicolet, QC   [2]
  Family ID	F4890	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Marie Emelie Zelia Filteau,   b. 16 Aug 1855, S. Louis, Lotbiniere, Lotbiniere, QC ,   d. 12 Jan 1946, Rolla, Rolette, North Dakota. United States  (Age 90 years)
  Married	14 Feb 1872	St. Peter's Church, Mendota, Minnesota, United States   [1]
  Children	+ 1. Josephine Croteau,   b. Nov 1873, Mendota, Dakota, Minnesota, United States ,   d. 1916, Le Fleche, Saskatchewan, Canada  (Age ~ 42 years) 2. Lucina Croteau,   b. 2 Feb 1875, Mendota, Dakota, Minnesota, United States ,   d. 14 Sep 1958, Seattle, King, Washington. United States  (Age 83 years) + 3. Anthime Stephen Croteau, «twin»,   b. 25 Dec 1876, Mendota, Dakota, Minnesota, United States ,   d. 12 Aug 1966, Debden, Saskatchewan, Canada  (Age 89 years) 4. Emile Novell - Emilion Croteau, «twin»,   b. 25 Dec 1876, Mendota, Dakota, Minnesota, United States ,   d. 1938, Peesane, Saskatchewan, Canada  (Age 61 years) 5. Joseph Croteau,   b. 17 Oct 1879, Mendota, Dakota, Minnesota, United States ,   d. 1957, Warner, Alberta, Canada  (Age 77 years) 6. Albert Croteau,   b. 7 Aug 1880, Grafton, Dakota Territory ,   d. 1967, Montreal, Montreal, QC  (Age 86 years) 7. Octavie Croteau,   b. 11 Dec 1883, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 1978, Novato, Marin, California, United States  (Age 94 years) 8. Delia Croteau,   b. 30 Jul 1886, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 1971, Lynwood, Los Angeles, California, United States  (Age 84 years)   9. Alfred Croteau,   b. 1 May 1887, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 23 Jan 1891, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States  (Age 3 years)   10. Anna Croteau,   b. 12 Nov 1888, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 1974, Camarillo, Ventura, California, United States  (Age 85 years)   11. Alice Croteau,   b. 30 Aug 1890, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 27 Jan 1891, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States  (Age 0 years) 12. Angeline Croteau,   b. 3 Jan 1892, St. John, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 1918, Thorne, Rolette, North Dakota. United States  (Age 25 years) 13. Evelyn Croteau,   b. 24 Jan 1894, Baxter Township, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 1992, Seattle, King, Washington. United States  (Age 97 years) 14. Leonie Croteau,   b. 23 Oct 1895, Baxter Township, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 24 Jul 1967, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, United States  (Age 71 years) 15. Henri Eli Croteau,   b. 8 Apr 1897, Baxter Township, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 1977, Rolla, Rolette, North Dakota. United States  (Age 79 years) 16. Marie Bernadette Croteau,   b. 20 Apr 1899, Baxter Township, Rolette, North Dakota. United States ,   d. 5 Feb 1978, Oxnard, Ventura, California, United States  (Age 78 years)
  Family ID	F3309	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map	Click to display
  	Load the map	Born - 28 Jan 1845 - S. Jean, Deschaillons, Lotbinière, QC Census - 1861 - Lotbiniere, Lotbiniere, QC Married - 14 Feb 1872 - St. Peter's Church, Mendota, Minnesota, United States Died - 16 Apr 1926 - Rolla, Rolette, North Dakota. United States  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S161] Croteau M. [S287] Pinette. [S1385] census 1861 - Canada, QC, Lotbiniere (1), Lotbiniere; image 30 of 1018, p 15, lines 9 - 20. [S163] Zelia.