Métis Marriages: Roussain & Turner

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 advocates and organizers, with connections extending from the Upper Great Lakes to Red River. 

Elizabeth Turner was born in 1818 and grew up in the Métis world of the fur trade posts along James Bay, such as Moose Factory. Her father, Joseph Turner Sr., was employed by the Hudson’s Bay Company, situating the family within the economic and kinship networks that connected Métis communities over vast distances. Emma, Elizabeth's mother, was a highly capable Métis woman known for her skills in fishing, hunting, making snowshoes, and managing household duties, all while raising her Métis children. 

Members of the Turner family defended their Métis identity for generations, petitioning for and receiving Métis scrip across the Homeland. 

Charles and Elizabeth settled in Sault Ste. Marie, where fishing was a vital part of their livelihood, as it was for many Métis families in the area. They later moved to Roussainville, a fishing village named after Charles' family, situated south of the little Métis village that would eventually grow at Agawa Bay in the early 1900s. At Roussainville, the Roussain-Turner family's descendants maintained the fishing station at Mamainse Harbour and served as lighthouse keepers for several generations.

See Our Sources

• Roussain-Turner VMFL

• Roussain-Turner Family Vignette

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