Upper Great Lakes Connectors: Boissonneau

Upper Great Lakes Métis settlements, like those in Sault Ste. Marie and Penetanguishene share deep enduring connections, including unbroken kinship, political, economic, and cultural ties—with many Métis families flowing between Upper Great Lakes Métis settlements across generations.

The prominent Métis Boissonneau (Boissoneau or Boissineault) family, most often closely associated with the historic Sault Ste. Marie Métis Community’s traditional Métis River Lots, is one such Upper Great Lakes Métis family with meaningful connections across Upper Great Lakes Métis settlements, including Penetanguishene.

In the 1920s, James Bassingthwaighte of the Sault Ste. Marie Historical Society documented Joseph Boissineault’s and his uncle Emory Boissineault’s memories of their community and important life events, including some of their Métis family’s ties between Sault Ste. Marie and Penetanguishene:

“Joseph’s father moved to Penetanguishene when Joseph was about 12 years old. Joseph’s mother’s home had been in Penetanguishene and she had always wanted to go back there. However, the only work Mr. Boissineault could get there was farm work at 75c a day and dinner”

Joseph Boissineault’s grandmother, Marguerite Guilmond, a Métis woman who had been born in Manitoba, had held similar connections between Sault Ste. Marie and Penetanguishene a generation earlier, ultimately passing away and being buried in Penetanguishene in 1839.

The Boissonneaus are just one of many Métis families that hold and have contributed to the rich enduring connections between Upper Great Lakes Métis settlements, contributing to vibrancy and resiliency of this important historic regional Métis community.

See Our Sources

• “Pioneer Papers” of Sault Ste. Marie by Mr. James Bassingthwaighte, “Joseph Boissineault and Emory Boissineau”

• Boissonneau Family Vignette

Mini Word Search

Have fun with the facts by completing today's mini word search.