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Avila Messier and Clara Provost Family

great-grandparents of Mark Messier, hockey player

5-  Alphonse born on May 1, 1896 and died on August 17, 1896 in Mont St. Hilaire;

 

6-  Alda born on December 13, 1897 in Mont St. Hilaire;

 

7-  Edmond born on December 23, 1898 in Mont St-Hilaire. He married Elsie Margaret Smith on 1927 in Wainwright, AB. Elsie born on Mars 13, 1908 in Kronau, SK;

 

8-  Eugénie born on August 12, 1890 in Beloeil;

 

9-  Angeline born on April 16, 1902 and died on February 22, 1904 in Beloeil;

 

10- Bernadette born on May 23, 1903 and died on June 11, 1903 in Beloeil;

 

11- Eglantine Marie Jeanne  born on April 25, 1905 in Beloeil;

 

12- Roméo born on May 7, 1907 and died on Mars 21, 1908 in St. Liboire;

 

13- Léo born on Septembre 5, 1908 in St. Liboire.

 

When the 11 first children have been baptised, Avila declared to be a farmer. At the last two, he was innkeeper.

 

At that time, it was very unusual to sign the register of batisms. It is what Avila did. It is an indication that he was educated.

 

When Alfreda Messier, the oldest of the family, married Hermenegilde Messier in St. Madeleine, QC on January 31, 1912, she was from Mission of Sacred Heart, Wainwright, AB. The marriage certificate indicated that his father was absent and he was a farmer of Health, AB.

 

The conclusion is that family went to Alberta around 1910, after the birth of Leo, on September 5, 1908 and before the marriage of Alfreda, on January 1912.

 

Why that family went to the West? Is there any relationship with the foundation of the Municipality of Provost, AB? At that time, were there any other members in Alberta? We never know. In the future, it is a question to settle.

 

The 1916 West Census indicates that many Messiers live in Alberta and in Saskatchewan. We find two brothers families: Avila and Clara Provost and Jean Baptiste and Delphine Casavant.

 

Since 1998, I communicate by Email with Lorraine and Raymond Messier, children of Edmond and Elsie Margaret Smith living in Edmonton, AB, the Mark Messier aunt and uncle, hockey player.

 

The family of Lorraine grandmother, Clara Provost, would be moved in Health, AB after Avila died. Lorraine told me that she has known her grandmother who lived with her daughter, Alfreda but her grandfather, not very much.

 

On February 18, 2010, was the birthday of Lorraine Messier (80). She gave me a lot of informations about her grandparents descendants.

 

Thanks Lorraine for the informations and the annexed photos.

 

Réal Messier (85)

Avila Messier is the 12th of 14 children of Amable and Leonide Racicot. He married Clara Provost, minor daughter of Pierre and Adele Provost, on October 4, 1886 in St. Mathieu of Beloeil.

 

13 children born in Beloeil, Mont St. Hilaire and St. Liboire.

 

1- Alfreda born on April 29, 1888 in Beloeil. She married Hermenegilde Messier, son of Adelard and Rose de Lima Richard and widow of Rose Anna Tetreau, on January 1912, in St. Madeleine;

 

2-  Antoinette born on Mars 10, 1891 in Beloeil;

 

3-  Eugenie born on Mars 18, 1892 and died on September 24, 1892 in Beloeil;

 

4-  Avila born on October 8, 1894 in Mont St. Hilaire;

 

Edmond Messier

and Elsie Margaret Smith descendants

Edmond Messier married Elsie Margaret Smith on 1927, in Wainwright, AB where they have 4 children and the 2 last one, in Vermillon, AB. 

 

1-    Leonard Edmond born on May 25, 1928 and died on January 3, 2006;

 

2-    Lorraine born on February 18, 1930;

 

3-    Raymond born on January 9, 1934;

 

4-    Douglas born on September 5, 1936;

 

5-    Lawrence born on November 2, 1938 and died on August 8, 1989;

 

6-    Victor born on July 12, 1940.

Leonard Messier

 

From a first union - Evangeline known as Vangie born on April 23, 1950.

 

After that, Leonard married Penny Marlene Stady. The have six children:

 

1-    Sheryl born on Septembre 10, 1954;

2-    Sheila born on July 1, 1956;

3-    Michele born on November 11, 1958;

4-    Janine born on November 19, 1961;

5-    Carla born on Mars 15, 1963;

6-    Leonard Jr born on June 15, 1964.

 

Lorraine Messier

 

Lorraine married Gilbert Bellavance. They have 3 children:

 

1-    Judy Anne born on February 1, 1951. She married Gordon Chang. They have 3 children:

 

            1-  Wallace born on 1975;

            2-  Gregory born on 1979 married Jaclyn Hildred on August 3, 2003;

            3-  Jennifer born on 1980 married Daniel Samilski on May 21, 2005.

                 2nd marriage of Judy Anne with Len Yates. No children.

      

2-    Phyllis, born on April 29, 1952, married Gerry Footz. They have 4 children:

 

                 1-  Jessica born on 1977;

                 2-  Jericho born on 1979;

                 3-  Adriana born on 1981 married Andrew Harrison on August 5, 2007;

                 4-  Katerri born on 1986.

 

3-    Sandra Lea born on August 11, 1953, married Hideki Matsushita. They have a daughter:

       Kimiko born on 1975 and married Jay Lasychuk on June 7, 2003.

           2nd marriage of Sandra Lee with William Veldhoen. They have 2 children:

                  Richard on 1985 and

                  Evan on 1990.

 

Raymond Messier

 

Raymond married Mary Rose Fleck. They have 4 children:

     1-  Dawn Marie, born on December 4, 1959;

     2-  Heather

     3-  Teresa and

     4-  Thomas. 

                               

Douglas Messier

 

Douglas married Mary Jean Dea. They have 4 children:

 

     1-  Paul Edmond born on January 27, 1958 in Nottingham, England;

     2-  Jennifer born on November 28, 1959 in Edmonton, AB;

     3-  Mark born on January 18, 1961 in Edmonton, AB;

            With Leslie Young, he has a son, Lyon on 1988.

            With Kim Clark, he has 2 children: Paul Douglas born on July 15, 2003

                                                                       and Jacqueline Jane born on August 2005.

     4-  Mary Kay born in Edmonton, AB.

 

Lawrence Messier

 

Lawrence married Colette Letourneau. They have 3 children: Randy, Todd and Tamara.

  

Victor Messier

 

Victor married Anne Marie Connelly on 1963.  No children.

After divorce, he married Wendy on 1975.  No children.

After his 2nd divorce, Victor married Wendy Kim on August 23, 1984.

 

Wendy has a daughter Lea Mei.

       Lea Mei (Mike Watanabe). They have 2 children: Ian and Benjamin.  The Lea father lives in Hawaï. Victor considers Ian and Benjamin like his grandsons. 

The story of Edmond Messier and Elsie Margaret Smith's family

 

On May 16, 2010, I asked Lorraine Messier, from Edmonton, AB, to tell me what she known about the members of her family including uncles and aunts. On fallowing May 22, I received an answer from her brother Raymond:

 

« My father Edmond, has been a farmer up to 1929. After that, he went to work in the oil patch up to his retirement at the age of 65, around 1963.

 

I don't know much about my father's brothers and sisters. One of them has been a business man as a garage keeper, sell properties, etc. My aunts were very busy to keep their house clean in raising their children as it was usual at that time.

 

My oldest brother, Leonard has occupied many fonctions for the oil entreprises, especially in Alberta and in United States. At the end of his career, he moved to Vancouver where he worked in the real estate up to his retirement. He has 6 children.

 

My sister Lorraine had three children with Gilbert Bellavance. She is a very active lady giving many hours of volunteer work for local organizations.

 

Douglas is the father of 4 children including Mark, the famous hockey player, was very involved in the hockey area. After completing his secondary education, he went to the Notre Dame University for a year. After that, he played hockey with the Edmonton, Oil Kings. He got married and went to play hockey to Nottingham, England, where he lived a year. His oldest son, Paul born there. He came back to Edmonton to complete his education at the Alberta University. During his three years of training, he played for Lacombe Rockets for the Alberta senior league. Fallowing graduation, he played for the Edmonton Flyers of the West professionnal ligue. At that time, Flyers belonged to the Detroit Red Wings. During a few years, he played for a professionnal club of Portland and he became Chair of the Player's Association. He terminated his career like player. Again, after a few years, he came back to Edmonton to teach. As you can see, Doug has always been close to the hockey at several levels. After his participation like a player, he enjoys to make training and he has a lot of success. Later, he moved to Hilton Head, SC, where he remains today. Regularly, we can see Douglas run a Pee Wee hockey team at Quebec city. This year, his assistant coach was Mark, the famous hockey player.

 

After finishing his studies, Lawrence has held several positions before going to the real estate where he had a lot of success. Sadly, he died to young in 1989 at the age of 50. He has 3 children.

 

After completing his education, the youngest of my brothers, Victor, received a Diploma in Physical Education from the Alberta University. He travelled in Europe during 2 years before attending to the Pennsylvania University where he earned a doctorate in Psychology. After that, he teached at the New Hampshire University until his retirement. Now, he lives in Honolulu.

 

As for me, Raymond, Diplomas from Alberta University and Portland University allowed me to teach at the Edmonton school board. Later, I became principal of schools until my retirement. I have 4 children. »

 

In July, Lorraine completed some informations about her family.

 

« My father, Edmond Messier is born on December 23, 1898 in St. Hilaire, QC, and he died on July 23, 1966 in Edmonton, AB.

 

My mother, Elsie Margaret Smith, is born on March 1908 in Kronau, SK, and died on October 11, 1995 in Edmonton, AB. They are buried with Lawrence in the family land at the Edmonton, Holy Cross of St. Albert cemetery.

 

Members of my family have always been attracted by the sport. My father and my mother played curling as skip. Hockey took much space in our life. I remember, a certain day among others, after a game where Leonard my brother was involved, my father came back home unable to talk having encouraged to much his son's team. Raymond curl as a skip since many years. In addition, him et his wife play golf.

 

I have also played curling, baseball, basketball, golf, bowling, bridge and  practiced tap dancing. I have given volunteer work for the "Jeannette" where my girls have been members. During many years, I was involved in the Catholic Women Ligue (CWL), indeed I am still a member. I occupied the post of Secretary and in charge of the membership. I was the Secretary and President of the South West Outreach Society where I am member since 1998. Now, I am a part of the executive and of the choir. At the beginning of '80, I joined the St. Ignace spiritual exercices. Now, this Association of shearing faith is extraordinary vibrant.

 

After finishing school, I took a course to improve my administration knowledge and corporate accounting, etc., which promptly brought me in the business community. I worked for an auditor firm. This allowed me to acquire much experience in various areas. Finally, for 17 years, I have worked for a steel corporation up to my retirement on August 13, 1996. I saw a small company that simply started with a trailer and a pickup to become a large business. This fact was due to his president and owner, John, who has always treated his employes well. »

 

This document follows what has already appeared in « La Moisson » Vol. 19 no 4, Winter 2010 and Vol. 20 no 1, Spring 2010.

 

Réal Messier (85)

 

GENEALOGICAL LINE OF MARK MESSIER

MARRIAGES

PARTNERS

St.Denis le Thiboult

Normandie, France

 

02 Jehan Le Messier

Cardine Acoulons

Perrier on Andelle ?

Normandie, France

around 1603

01 Jehan Le Messier

Unknown

St-Denis le Thiboult ?

Normandie, France

around 1639

00 David Le Messier

Marguerite Barc

Montréal

February 25, 1658

01 Michel Messier

     Sieur de St. Michel

     (around 1640-1725)

Anne LeMoyne

Pierre & Judith Duchesne

 

Varennes

February 10, 1706

02 François Michel Messier

     Seigneur of the Cap St. Michel

     (1679-1751)

Marie Anne Amyot said Villeneuve

Jean Baptiste & Geneviève Guyon

 

Varennes

November 7 1740

03 Augustin Messier

      (1714-1784)

Marie Charlotte Mongeau

Christophe & Charlotte Provost

Madeleine Victoire Bussière

Jean Baptiste & M. Josephte Malboeuf

Varennes

February 8, 1796

04 Amable Messier

     (1765-1830)

Louise Quintin said Dubois

Michel & Geneviève Geoffrion

Varennes

October 16, 1821

05 Amable Messier

     (1798-1874)

Léonide Racicot

François & Marie Josephte Lacoste

Varennes

February 2, 1841

06 Amable Messier

     (1822-1893)

Clara Provost

Pierre & Adèle Provost

Beloeil, St. Mathieu

October 4, 1886

07 Avila Messier

     (1861-    )

Elsie Margaret Smith

Hubert Hewitt & Margaret Dickinson

Wainwright, AB

1927

08 Edmond Messier

     (1898-    )

Mary Jane Dea

Jack & Alice Dood Styles

Edmonton, AB

around 1956

09 Douglas Messier

     (1936-    )

Leslie Young

Born on St. Albert, AB

January 18, 1961

10 Mark John Douglas Messier *

     (1961-    )

Kim Clark

2nd union

* A child from the first union : Lyon (born on August 16, 1987) and

two children with a second union : Douglas Paul (born on July 15, 2003 and Jacqueline Jean (born August 2005)

Last update: July 14, 2014

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