Flavien Croteau was born 1845 in St. Jean Deschaillons, Quebec, the son of Joseph Croteau and Eleonore Meunier dite Lagasse. His parents were married in St-Pierre-les-Becquets, Québec along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. 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.
Minnesota Historical SocietyFlavien 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.
In 1872 Flavien married Zelia Filteau, the daughter of Antoine Filteau and Marie Cecile Pandelet dite Plaissance, who was also from Canada. They were married by Father P.F. Glenn at the St. Peter's Church in Mendota, MN. The witnesses to the marriage were Thomas Besnier and Zelia’s sister Zeniade Filteau.
Northern Pacific RailroadFlavien 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 United States government.
Flavien and Zelia’s first child Josephine Croteau was born in 1873. She was baptized at St. Peter’s Church. Lucina was born on 1875 and then the next year, on 1876 twin boys, Anthime and Emile were born. The two boys were baptized together at St. Peter’s Church. Joseph was born 1879 followed by Albert on 1880 and three years later their daughter Octavie was born in 1883. Adele Croteau, Flavien’s sister was living with them helping with housework.
Homestead Application - 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 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.
Catholic Church of St. John, NDReligion 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.
Delia Croteau was born in St. John 1886 and in 1887 Zelia gave birth to her son Alfred. Anna was born on 1888 and as a result of a childhood accident she was deaf and could not speak. Alice Croteau was born 1890 and sadly died 5 months later 4 days after her brother Alfred passed away.
Flavien’s sister, Adele Croteau, an unmarried woman, had already fulfilled the requirements under the Homestead Act and was awarded the Patent for her land, the SE ¼ of Section 22 in the Baxter Township in 1895. One of the three schools in the Baxter Township was in a building on Adele’s land and became known in the Clerk's Records of St. John School as the "Croteau School" - serving District No. 3 of sections 19 through 36. In April of 1889 a meeting of the school board resulted in the purchase of this land from Adele.
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.
In June 1891 he received the patent for 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 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 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 1899.
Zelia Croteau 1940In 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.
See the on-line indexes of the State Historical Society of North Dakota for Census and Naturization Records. Minnesota Historical Information can be found in Park Genealogical Books and also the Minnesota Historical Society. The information here was gathered with the assistance of Wilma Gulstad and volunteers of the Bottineau County Historical Society of Bottineau ND and from Mr. Davis of the State Historical Society of North Dakota.
Copies of Flavien's original homestead application were purchased from National Archives and Records Administration in assistance with The Bureau of Land Management. Before you contact either of them - be sure you know the exact legal description of the land and the correct name of the person who applied for the homestead. It helps make their job easier!