The marriage of George Norman Allan and Margaret Belleau on February 20, 1919, reflects the enduring kinship networks that connected Métis families from the Upper Great Lakes and Northwestern Ontario.  Their union was witnessed by fellow Métis community members Laura Cecilia Allan, George’s sister, and Richard Charles Lyons, the great-grandson of Nicholas Chatelaine, underscoring the continued role of family and community presence in Métis marriages. Margaret Belleau was born

On September 23, 1908, John B. Boissonneau and Elisabeth Finlayson were married in Thunder Bay, a union that brought together Métis families with ties to Sault Ste. Marie, Fort William, and Northwestern Ontario. These Métis marriages were more than personal unions; they served as community bridges, strengthening shared identity across generations by extending kinship ties. John B. was born to Francois Boissonneau and Marie Corbiere in 1888 in the Sault Ste. Marie region and r

The marriage of Charles Roussain and Elizabeth Turner reflects the deep traditions of kinship, leadership, and community responsibility that have long defined Métis family life. Their union brought together two families with enduring legacies of defending Métis rights, sovereignty, and identity across the Métis Homeland. Charles Roussain was born around 1820 and raised along the shores of Sault Ste. Marie. The Roussain family was known for its long-standing role as Métis advo

Francois Boissonneau’s marriage to Marie Corbiere, the daughter of John Corbiere and Marie Madeleine Nolin, united two Métis families deeply rooted in their community of Sault Ste. Marie. Their marriage reflected the enduring kinship networks that sustained the collective identity of the Upper Great Lakes Métis throughout the nineteenth century. Born in 1836 to Joseph Boissonneau and Marguerite Gilmont, Francois was raised within the local Métis community and grew into a well

In 1842, John Corberiere and Marie Madeline Nolin of Sault Ste. Marie were married at Ste. Croix, a church located at Wikwemikong to the southwest of Killarney. Their wedding was witnessed by Charles Lamorandiere, whose family had established the “little Métis village” at Killarney. Because of the scarcity of churches in the Upper Great Lakes region in the early 1800s, Métis people often traveled long distances for these important life events and to witness them alongside fam

The June 3, 1845, marriage of Michel (Michael) Labatte and Archange Berger (Bergé) at St. Ann’s Church in Penetanguishene illustrates the important role of endogamy in sustaining generational connections for the Upper Great Lakes Métis. At a time when the distinct identity of the Métis was only a generation or two, marrying within the community was essential for sustaining Métis cultural life, particularly given the pressures of colonial policies and forced displacement.  Bor