The Berthier Family

My name is Rosemary M^cLean and my search for our Berthier ancestors and other relations began with my mother, Mary Violet M^acDonald (Dawe, Burgey [Berthier]) saying to me, "We have relatives in L’Ardoise. My grandfather was from there." She told me this when my husband and I married and had moved to D’Escousse, Cape Breton in 1970.

Five children and a decade later we sold one of our cows to a Mr. Arthur Samson in L’Ardoise. I told Arthur what my mother had said. He told me to go and see an Alice Burke. Alice lived a short distance away in Lower L'Ardoise and if anyone knew anything about who was related to who, she would. So my husband, Don and our five children went knocking at her door. Alice's response to our knock was, "Of course, dear. Come in and we’ll talk over tea." Our family as it turned out, shared many cups of tea at her kitchen table over the years, in fact up until her death in 1986.

Speaking to Aunt Alice was like opening the floodgates to my mother’s family history. Her father, Aimé (Amos) Landry, was married first to Martine Boucher. They had seven children, one of whom was Charlotte Caroline Landry, my great grandmother. Martine died giving birth to a son, Firman in September of 1876. Aimé remarried in February of 1877 to Elizabeth Cogswell. They had 11 children, one of whom was Alice Sophia Landry, our dear Aunt Alice.

George Damase Berthier
Photo courtesy of Rosemary M^cLean

Charlotte Caroline Landry married George Damase Berthier in Halifax in January 1886. George was the son of Marie Cècile Berthier of L’Ardoise, whose mother was Agnes Petitpas of D’Escousse. The rest is a wonderful story that includes mystery, Prussia, the Halifax Club on Hollis Street, Halifax, the Louis Riel Rebellion, coal boats at Whitney Pier, and a wonderful grandfather to my mother who knew the proper way to set and serve a table.

The first Berthier’s to come to L’Ardoise were François and Pierre Berthier. They came from Paris, France via Miquelon, and arrived in L’Ardoise about 1800. François was listed as a mariner on the 1811 Census, L’Ardoise No 7.

He had in his household one male and one female between 14 and 60; 2 unmarried; 1 male and 1 female under 14; also one cattle and four sheep. In 1813, at age 41, he is listed on the militia roll for Cape Breton. Later he is listed as being a fisherman at Burkey’s Cove and Rockdale.

We are not sure of what became of Pierre Berthier, although some records indicate he married and had four children, two boys and two girls. François (1772 - 1850) married Cécile Pâté (1785 - 1831) daughter of Jean Marie Paté and Louise Samson. They had the following children all born in L’Ardoise:

1) Emilie Margaret, b. about 1808, whose godparents were Vincent MacPhee and Martine Petitpas. On November 7, 1831 Emilie married Pierre Longuepee, born 1804, son of Jean-Pierre Longuepee and Marie Doirion of Prince Edward Island.

2) Lucie, b. About 1809. She married Thomas Longuepee, a brother of her sister Emilie’s husband.

3) Françcois, b. 1810, d. September 8, 1905, married Virginia Poirier on January 15, 1849. She was the daughter of Charles Poirier and Marguerite Samson of D’Escousse.

4) Susanne, b. About 1825, married Dominique Petitpas on January 12, 1846. He was born in 1815, the son of Abraham Petitpas and Marguerite Yvon of D’Escousse. In 1871 he was listed as being a fisherman in D’Escousse.

François and Cécile also adopted:

5) Pierre Berthier, (b. 1801, d. September 1, 1867 of "consumption") In L’Ardoise, on November 9, 1829, Pierre married Agnés Petitpas, (1803 - May 28, 1876) daughter of Barnabé Petitpas and Agnés Clory of D’Escousse.

Following is a reproduction of their marriage notes.

On the 9 November, 1829 after publication of 3 bans of marriage made at the time of this place between Pierre named Berthier domiciled in this parish on the one part and Agnés Petitpas domiciled in this parish, younger daughter of the late Barnabé Petitpas and the late Agnés Clorey of the parish of Arichat on the other part not having discovered any impediments we the pastor of this parish and the undersigned below we have received a mutual consent of marriage in the presence of Athanase Berit and Rémé Biret and Cyprian Pâté who were not able to sign, also the bride and groom.
J N Trudel, pastor

Cècile Berthier
Photo courtesy of Rosemary M^cLean

So then we now have the beginnings of the Berthier family of L'Ardoise. Of note is that one George Damase Berthier was born to Marie Cécile Berthier on August 14, 1863. We do not know at this time who his father was. He was baptized at Holy Guardian Angels Church on December 11, 1863. The baptismal record states:

Le onze Décembre, mil huit cent soixante trois nous pretre sousigne avons baptise sous condition. George Damase ne le quartoeze aout de parrente inconnus dont la mere est Cécile Berthier. Parrain: Marcel Laurent; Marraine: Marie Berthier
J Courteau, pretre

George’s middle name is an interesting one. December 11 was the feast day of St Damasus, a fourth century pope in Rome. In all likelihood, Father Courteau gave this middle name to George. When his grandmother died, George moved to Halifax where his mother and William Cox, his stepfather, were living. He resided with them at the Halifax Club where William Cox was the Head Porter. He eventually was porter at this historic club himself.

It was during this time that George changed his name from Berthier to Burgey. I suggest because it would sound more like an English name. His stepfather and his stepbrother William both belonged to the Halifax Provisional Army. George on March 31, 1885, at the age 22, joined the Halifax Provisional Army and went to the North West Rebellion as a private.

On January 13, 1886, at St. Mary’s Basilica, in Halifax, George married Charlotte Caroline Landry (b. October 12, 1865, L’Ardoise, d. April 15, 1942, in Sydney, Nova Scotia) from L’Ardoise, daughter of Aimé "Amos" Landry and Martine "Martha" Boucher. Their children as well as all members of the Berthier family as we know it today can be found at the following link.

Many thanks to Rosemary McLean for sharing her research on the Berthier Family. She is always interested in updates to this family, so please feel free to contact me for her email address.

Descendants of Francois Berthier