MAURICE BLONDEAU: The Blondeau name first arrived
in North America before 1650, from Sumur, France. Maurice Blondeau I, a
descendent of the first Blondeau, was a Montreal trader who strengthen
his ties to the trade, when his daughters Madeleine married Capt.Pierre-Joseph
Celoron, sieur de Blainville (1742-51 French commander of Detroit)
and Catherine married Louis-Rene Godfroy, sieur
de Linctot (son of Rene, who 1731-36 was the French commander of Fort
Trempeauleau).
Maurice Blondeau II (whose grandfather was the brother
of Maurice I) was born in Montreal in 1734. Between 1757-90 he was involved
in the western fur trade, sending canoes to La mer de L'Ouest, Pays d'en
Haut, Michilimackinac, Red Deer River, Saskatchewan River & Grand Portage.
His partnerships included men like Jean Bte. Adhemar, James McGill, Issac
Todd, Benj. Frobisher, John Grant & Gabriel Cotte(bro-in-law). Another
brother-in-law of Maurice's was Joseph Lamothe, who during the Revolutionary
War, was a courrier for the British & later made a name for himself
with the British Indian Dept. at Mackinac Is. (Joseph's son was an X,Y
Co. clerk & Capt. of Indian warrior Regt. during the War of 1812).
1785-1802 Maurice's attention turn to politics & the Montreal militia.
Maurice Blondeau III turns up in the 1820's
trading with the Fox/Sac
tribes (a portion of the Blondeau family had moved accross the Mississippi
and had received Spanish grants). By 1824 he has established year round
residence, "high up" the waters of the Des Moines R. trading with the Fox/Sac.
Another family name that had close family
ties to the Blondeau's, were the Laframboise's.
BACK TO MAIN PAGE