Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS

Born

7 October 1717 , Saint-François-du-Lac, Canada, New France

Died

25 January 1785 , Saint-François-du-Lac, Province of Québec, Canada

Parents & Family of Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS

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Parents

Pierre ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS Marie-Josephe JOYAL

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Born: 7 October 1717 in Saint-François-du-Lac, Canada, New France

Father: Pierre ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS

Mother: Marie-Josephe JOYAL

Paternal grandparents: René ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS , Marguerite GIRARD

Maternal grandparents: Jacques-Louis JOYAL dit BERGERAT (JOUIEL) , Marie-Gertrude MORAL

Spouse(s)/Partner(s) and Child(ren):

Joseph married Geneviève JOLLIET dite ANTICOSTI 12 June 1747 in Saint-François-du-Lac, Canada, New France . The couple had (at least) 2 children.
Geneviève JOLLIET dite ANTICOSTI was born 31 August 1725 in Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans, Québec, Canada. Geneviève died 24 March 1757 in Yamaska, Québec, Canada (Saint-Michel-d'Yamaska). Geneviève was the child of Charles JOLLIET and Jeanne LEMELIN.

Joseph married (2) Louise-Marie COURVILLE dite ABRAHAM 6 February 1758 in Saint-François-du-Lac, Canada, New France . The couple had (at least) 2 children.
Louise-Marie COURVILLE dite ABRAHAM was born abt. 1735 in Saint-François-du-Lac, Québec, Canada. Louise-Marie died 5 October 1765 in Sainte-Rose, Laval, Québec, Canada (Sainte-Rose-de-Lima).

Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS died 25 January 1785 in Saint-François-du-Lac, Province of Québec, Canada.
Details of the family tree of Joseph appear below.

Québec Généalogie - Over time, Québec has gone through a series of name changes
From its inception in the early 1600s until 1760, it was called Canada, New France.
1760 to 1763, it was simply Canada
1763 to 1791 - Province of Québec
1791 to 1867 - Lower Canada
1867 to present - Québec, Canada.

Thanks to Micheline Gadbois MacDonald for providing this information.

Québec Généalogie - What is a 'dit/dite' name? When the first settlers came to Québec from France it was a custom to add a 'dit' nickname to the surname. The English translation of 'dit' is 'said'. The Colonists of Nouvelle France added 'dit' names as distinguishers. A settler might have wanted to differentiate their family from their siblings by taking a 'dit' name that described the locale to which they had relocated. The acquiring of a 'dit' name might also be the result of a casual adoption, whereby the person wanted to honor the family who had raised them. Another reason was also to distinguish themselves by taking as a 'dit' name the town or village in France from which they originated. This custom ended around 1900 when people began using only one name, either the 'dit' nickname or their original surname.

Source: American-French Genealogical Society, Woonsocket, Rhode Island (www.afgs.org/ditnames/index1.html)

A Glimpse into Everyday Life: The Average Man in 18th Century Quebec

The Definitive Guide for Researching Your French-Canadian Ancestors in 2025

Spouse & Children of Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS

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Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS married

Geneviève JOLLIET dite ANTICOSTI
Marriage date: 12 June 1747
Marriage place: Saint-François-du-Lac, Canada, New France
Source: Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique - Univeriste de Montreal

Geneviève JOLLIET dite ANTICOSTI was the child of Charles JOLLIET and Jeanne LEMELIN

Marriage notes:

Children:

LOUIS ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. August 29, 1749.

JOSEPH ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. April 03, 1748.

IGNACE ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. July 16, 1751, St. Francois du Lac, Yamaska; d. November 02, 1751, St. Francois du Lac, Yamaska.

GENEVIEVE ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. March 10, 1754.

CHARLOTTE ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. February 27, 1757, St. Francois du Lac, Yamaska; d. March 09, 1757, St. Francois du Lac, Yamaska.

MARIE ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. February 27, 1757, St. Francois du Lac, Yamaska; d. August 03, 1757, St. Francois du Lac, Yamaska.

Children of Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS and Geneviève JOLLIET dite ANTICOSTI

Louis ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS

Born: 29 August 1749, Yamaska, Canada, New France
Died: 12 January 1800, Saint-François-du-Lac, Lower Canada

Married: Marie-Anne LAVALLEE 12 July 1779 Place: Sorel, Québec, Canada (Saint-Pierre)

Genevieve DESMARAIS dite ABRAHAM

Born: 10 March 1754, Yamaska, Canada, New France
Died: 9 March 1795, Yamaska, Lower Canada

Married: Jean-Baptiste LAPLANTE dit BADAYAC 10 January 1785 Place: Yamaska, Québec, Canada (Saint-Michel-d'Yamaska)

Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS married

Louise-Marie COURVILLE dite ABRAHAM
Marriage date: 6 February 1758
Marriage place: Saint-François-du-Lac, Canada, New France

Marriage notes:

Louis was the adopted daughter of Joseph's biological parents

Children:

MARIE-LOUISE ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. December 27, 1758.

MICHEL ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. May 21, 1762, St. Francois du Lac, Yamaska; d. June 30, 1762, St. Francois du Lac, Yamaska.

PIERRE ABRAHAM-DESMARAIS, b. September 21, 1760, Yamaska, St. Michel.

Children of Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS and Louise-Marie COURVILLE dite ABRAHAM

Marie-Anne DESMARAIS

Born: 18 July 1764, Saint-François-du-Lac, Province of Québec, Canada
Died: ,

Married: Jean-Baptiste FREMONT (FREMEAUX) 18 August 1786 Place: Saint-François-du-Lac, Québec, Canada

Married: Jean Baptiste BENOIT 25 February 1805 Place: Sorel, Québec, Canada (Saint-Pierre)

Ignace DESMARAIS dit ABRAHAM

Born: abt. 1765, , Québec Province, Canada
Died: ,

Married: Claire FORCIER 24 October 1785 Place: Saint-François-du-Lac, Québec, Canada

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Birth — 1717
7 October 1717
Saint-François-du-Lac, Canada, New France

1720 - June 10 - Mrs Clements of England markets first paste-style mustard

1747 Marriage / Partner
Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS and Geneviève JOLLIET dite ANTICOSTI 12 June 1747, Saint-François-du-Lac, Québec, Canada

He was 29 years old.

1749 Birth of Child
Louis ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS was born 29 August 1749, Yamaska, Québec, Canada (Saint-Michel-d'Yamaska)

Joseph was 31 years old.

1753 - The lightning rod is invented (Benjamin Franklin, United States)

1754 Birth of Child
Genevieve DESMARAIS dite ABRAHAM was born 10 March 1754, Yamaska, Québec, Canada (Saint-Michel-d'Yamaska)

Joseph was 36 years old.

1757 Death of Spouse/Partner
Geneviève JOLLIET dite ANTICOSTI died 24 March 1757 , Yamaska, Québec, Canada (Saint-Michel-d'Yamaska)

1758 Marriage / Partner
Joseph ABRAHAM dit DESMARAIS and Louise-Marie COURVILLE dite ABRAHAM 6 February 1758, Saint-François-du-Lac, Québec, Canada

He was 40 years old.

1763 - France cedes its North American posessions to Britain by the Treaty of Paris, ending the Seven Years War (French and Indian War). Quebec City French-speaking Catholics were now under the rule of Protestant Britain under King George III.

1764 Birth of Child
Marie-Anne DESMARAIS was born 18 July 1764, Saint-François-du-Lac, Québec, Canada

Joseph was 46 years old.

1765 Death of Spouse/Partner
Louise-Marie COURVILLE dite ABRAHAM died 5 October 1765, Sainte-Rose, Laval, Québec, Canada (Sainte-Rose-de-Lima)

1775 - The Battle of Québec was fought on December 31 between the American Continental Army and British defenders of Québec City. It was the first major defeat for the Americans in the Revolutionary War.