A few weeks ago I came across this picture on Ancestry searching for my ancestor Etienne Young. I was surprised and very thrilled by this find. Why you ask! For years in my genealogy research I have got little on the whereabouts of Etienne Young, other than some records of the wood he was chopping in some documents kept by the government at that time, there was nothing on this patriarch until the other day. I was planning at the first opportunity to go find where this plaque was erected.
Latitude : 47° 14'
Longitude : 68° 46'
County : Madawaska
Parish : Saint-François
Left Pointe-Verte my home this morning, drove towards Bathurst and headed the Resources Road towards St-Quentin. On the way there my mind is racing thinking about what I will find in that area which is quite far from where John Young and Magdeleine Dedam began their family in the 1700's. I tried to think what could have brought them in that area, was is the search of work, war maybe. John Young according to some books was a wanted man, was he hiding there?
When I got close to Edmundston I saw a sign announcing the Malecite Reservation. The Reservation sits between St-Basile and Edmundston. Something told me to make a stop there and ask at the Band Council if there was a Historian or someone who could shed some light on this enigma. I was introduced to Mario a young man in his maybe late twenties to early thirties at the most. I related the story of this find to Mario, took out my phone to show him this picture of the Oakes and Young family plaque. Mario said to me that he had seen it before that an Elder by the name of Noel Francis had showed that same picture before. Mario said that he could hook me up with Noel Francis who is form the same Malecite Reservation. On my way to Pelletiers Mill I called Noel and made an appointment for the afternoon around 1 PM. I was surprised that my hunch of checking with the Malecite people was a good one. We're getting somewhere I thought.
Driving through Edmundston I saw a road named St-Francois Rd. Humm! on the map it showed that Pelletiers Mill is beside a small town called St-Francois I recalled could it be that that road with the same name leads to that town. It usually works that way. I stopped once to check the G.PS. to see if I was headed the right way and sure enough I was. I had a funny feeling because a few years back I went to Edmundston for a coffee with my wife Suzanne. I thought if I followed the St-John river which serves as a border between the State of Maine and New-Brunswick we would end up in Quebec and then we could come back home from Rimouski. When we passed a town called Baker Brook we stopped for lunch and turned around and didn't go further. Today I'm thinking maybe there was a reason I was attracted to that area but just didn't know it. I am on the same road but this time I'm on a mission I have a picture.
St-Francois du Madawaska is pretty first thing I see is the church and usually cemeteries are near a church. In front but across the street on top of a hill that is a big white cross which looks like it could be overlooking a place where they keep the dead. I later found out that it was but they moved everyone to another location. I drove towards that location but I didn't go far enough. My G.P.S. was telling me that I was a few kilometers away from Pelletiers Mill so I got back on the road and kept an eye for an old graveyard. Opps! I see Pelletier Rd. since its one of the name I have in my mind for a few weeks I decide to drive down that road. I see a white pickup truck, its the first person I see on that road, she pulls up in a driveway and I pull up behind. For sure she looks at me with a surprised face. I proceeded to tell her the reason of my visit and she directs me to her husband who is a local from childhood. I am truly sorry I didn't ask this nice man his name. Mr. chose after I briefed him of my purpose there said that he knew of the grave site I was talking about and that it was an old Indian Cemetery. When he said an old Indian Cemetery it hit me then that it all made a lot of sense since my family are Natives.
Mr. Chose takes off ahead of me and I follow, he drives to a cement plant and drives down a dirt road to a potato field, stops there and points towards the river to a bunch of poplars. This is what you are looking for he tells me. When I was a child he remembers fishing there and there was an old Indian Cemetery. What a story you say, wait there is more. Mr. Chose left and I drove down the potato field to the rive bank to the area he had pointed. All there is is brush, twigs and a few trees, its obvious the vegetation has grown since anyone was last at this place. I searched for a while, found a post where that plaque in the picture could've stood it actually was I later found out. It was little bit of a deception but one clue I had from Mr. Chose was to check with the Oakes family.
I drove down a few blocks, they are not called blocks in a rural area like this, I should say I passed a few fields and stopped at this house, first sign of life I saw in town actually. I asked about the old Indian Cemetery, the young man knows what I'm talking about, his father was plowing the field and was one of the people who petitioned for this site to be considered of importance if not sacred. This young man turns out to be named Oakes, yes the same Oakes as the names on the picture. I asked him if they have a Native background and he says they do. I'm not surprised as it seems to me all the names on the epitaph are Indians. Across the road is Maurice Oakes his uncle who he referred me to. It was an interesting talk with this man who knew of the site but doesn't know the history behind but he directs me to a man named Adrien Bernier and older gentleman in his 80's who enjoys talking about genealogy and history. Mr. Bernier is away his spouse tells me and he is probably got delayed by talking about his favorite subjects she says. Humm! Suzanne my partner in crime would tell you that she knows someone like that giving a look like she was talking about me. wonder why. Anyway Mr. Bernier is not there but he's on my list for a future visit.
I called back Noel since I'm running a little late for out 1 PM appointment. Noel Francis and his spouse are an adorable couple. We shared info about this photograph, he has the same one but his is faded and its hard to read the names on it. I tell him my connection the the Pabineau reserve. I showed him the letter John Young has written referring to his tribe. Noel doesn't know the history behind this old burying ground and is as fascinated as I am. Mr. Francis would like to tag along with me next time I am on the search for my ancestors. Did I find the grave site of John Young, Magdeleine Dedam, their son Etienne Young and his wife Marie Lavigne? I think it could be but I'm not certain but it sure is a nice detective work. I feel I am onto something. The plot thickens...
