Generation No. 3 aka my Great-Grandparents
Edras Belanger and Melinda Schaub

Esdras

Melinda

My Great-Grandparents were Edras and Melinda Belanger.  Esdras J. Belanger was born December 14, 1893 in Provemont (Lake Leelanau), Michigan, USA.  Melinda M. Schaub was born March 11, 1898 (birth record) in Lake Leelanau, Michigan, USA. 

Esdras left Provemont, Michigan in 1908 (history book article), and eventually ended up in Plamondon, Alberta.

Esdras is listed in the 1911 Canada Census with the following details: age 18, single.

Esdras is listed in the 1916 Canada Census at the address 67, 16, W4m, Plamondon with the following details: age 23, single, Roman Catholic, and a farmer.

"Although Melinda & Esdras attended the same school in Lake Leelanau they didn’t meet until their families moved to Plamondon, which was a journey of over 2500 kilometers."¹  "Melinda & Esdras met at a house party.  At the party Esdras was playing the fiddle, which caught Melinda’s attention. The two of them courted for a short period of time and were married on August 16, 1916, having a bigger wedding then any in Plamondon at the time."¹

Their daughter Yvonne said her mother “was very gentle and worked so very hard; but always had a smile for anyone”¹, and that her father "was a jack of all trades"¹.

Esdras and Melinda had nine children.

Melinda died on January 4, 1955 in Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada.

Esdras married Della Roy in 1959.

Edras died on January 1, 1970 in Lac La Biche, Alberta, Canada.    Both Esdras and Melinda are buried in Plamondon Community Cemetery, Plamondon, Alberta, Canada.

Generation No. 4
Gregory Belanger and Pauline St. Jean

Gregory

Pauline

Gregory was born in 1864, and Pauline was born in 1874.

Gregory is listed in the 1870 United States Census (census record), see Generation 5 for details.

Gregory is listed in the 1880 United States Federal Census, see Generation 5 for details.  Pauline is listed in the 1880 United States Federal Census (census record) at age 7 and living in Bingham, Leelanau, Michigan with her parents Oliver (age 36, farmer) and Angeline (age 30) St John; brothers and sisters: Joseph (age 11), Mary (age 7), Amelia (age 6), Antonie (age 2), Melinda (age 8 months); and grandfather Antoine (age 74).

Gregory & Pauline were married on February 1, 1892 (marriage record).

Gregory & Pauline had a son Esdras in 1893, a daughter Florence in 1897 (birth record), a daughter Dellamen in 1898 (birth record), and a son Felix in 1900 (birth record).

Pauline died on November 6, 1902 (death record) in Solon Township, Leelanau, Michigan.

Gregory is listed in the 1911 Census of Canada as Gregorie (age 46 - widow) with his sons Esdras (age 18) and Felix (age 11).

Gregory is listed in the 1916 Canada Census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta as Gregorie (age 51 - widow) at the address 67, 16, W4m, Plamondon with his sons Esdras (age 23) and Felix (age 16).

Gregory died in 1932.


Generation No. 5
Alexis Belanger and Adelina Champagne

Alexis was born in 1839, and Adelina was born in 1835.

Alexis is listed in the 1861 Census of Canada, see Generation 6 for details.

Alexis & Adeline are listed in the 1870 United States Census (census record) as living in Michigan; Alexis (age 31) and Belinda (age 34) with their children: Eugene (age 9), Alexander (age 8), Gregory (age 5), Joseph (age 3), Gideon (age 2), and Samuel (age 3 months).

Alexis & Adelina are listed in the 1880 United States Federal Census as Alexander (age 41 - Farmer) and Adlina (age 44) with their children: Eugene (age 19), Alexander (age 17), Gregory (age 15), Joseph (age 13), Gideon (age 12), Samuel (age 10), Liduvine (age 8), Severin (age 7), Theodule (age 6), Auguste (age 5), and John (age 3).

Adelina died (death record) in 1905.

Alexis is listed in the 1920 US Census as an age 82 widow living with his son John in Centerville, Leelanau, Michigan.

Alexis died in 1929.

Alexis & Adelina are buried in Saint Marys Cemetery Lake Leelanau, details can be found by searching for them in the Leelanau Cemetery Listing.

Generation No. 6
Jean Baptiste Belanger & Angele Gagnon

Jean (age 80) & Angele (age 51) are listed in the 1861 Census of Canada with their children Alexis (age 22) and Vitaline (age 10) with their home listed as Mégantic, Canada East.

1861 Census of Canada - Census Place: Mégantic, Canada East; Roll: C-1295; Page: 111~ Jean, Angele, Alexis, and Vitaline Belanger
1880 United States Federal Census - Census Place: Centreville, Leelanau, Michigan; Roll  T9_589; Family History Film: 1254589; Page: 454.3000; Enumeration District: 158; Image: 0914.
1916 Census of Canada - Census Place: Alberta, Edmonton East, 18; Roll: T -21950; Page: 9; Family No: 87
1988 From spruce trees to wheatfields : Plamondon; Pages 407 to 409 ~ Esdras & Melinda Belanger
Alberta Homestead Index for: Esdras Belanger, Gregorie Belanger (Accession # 1970.313 at Provincial Archives of Alberta)
Lac La Biche : Yesterday and Today: Esdras Belanger
Leelanau Cemetery Listing
Plamondon: From Spruce Trees to Wheatfields: Esdras Belanger, Felix Belanger
Western Land Grants for: Esdras Belanger

Pictures

Esdras & Melinda Tombstone

References:

1. "The Life Of Yvonne Marie Mellott ~ Even A Beautiful Garden Has A Few Rocks ~" by Farah Y. Ali; November 1999

If you have any information on the people listed on this page or know of any historical documents or pictures of the family members listed on this page please contact me.

Thanks,
Denny
denny@mymellott.com

Links:

If you are interested in more information on the Belanger family please visit Jim Belanger's site at: http://www.belangers.us/, Jim has done a massive amount of research on the Belanger family and is an invaluable resource!