Métis Marriages: Boissonneau & Corbiere

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-established and respected member. His commitment to collective Métis interests is evident in his role as a signatory to the 1850 Petition of Sault Ste. Marie Métis, demonstrating long-standing engagement in community advocacy.

Marie was Francois’s second wife, having been previously married to Charlotte Larose in 1856. Together, they raised three children. His second marriage to Marie further strengthened existing family and community ties that connected Métis households across the region.

Census records from 1871 document Marie’s work in “bark work”, highlighting her economic contributions alongside her care for their growing family. Francois and Marie had six children together, raising their family in the Sault Ste. Marie area, where Métis cultural knowledge, shared responsibility, and close kinship ties remained central to daily life.

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• Boissonneau VMFL

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