The Children of Jean Edward Goodreau

Jean Edouard Godreau immigrated to America with his wife, Clara, and children, Amelia and Joseph  in about 1880.

More of the Godreau family here : Goodreau Family
The children of Jean Edouard and Clara:

Emilie Goodreau was born in Quebec Canada on November 7, 1871. She is listed as Amelia in family histories, as Emily on her first son's marriage record, and as Annie after her marriage. She would have been about nine when her family immigrated to Michigan. No records had been found for her for many years except for the birth records of her son Eli.

Her name recorded at baptism was Marie Emilie Euginie Gaudreau.

Her first son Eli was born in 1889 in Houghton, Michigan. It is said that she was taken advantage of by the man she was working for, and that she went to Canada to live with one of her Mother's sisters after Eli's birth. Eli's father listed at his baptism was Eli Gagnon. I haven't found any records of her with family near L'Islet, but I did find a marriage record in Montreal. She married Adelard Bourgeois in 1899.

Later that year their first child was born. I have not found his Canadian birth record yet.
I think they moved to Rhode Island not long after Arthur was born. Emilie is listed as Annie.

They have four children listed, and they have three boarders. She is listed as being 4 years younger than she really was. Not shown in the image above is Adelard's occupation. He is listed as a polisher at a Jewler, as was rumored.

Annie died later in 1910.

I have not researched the family after her death, and I do not know if the child survived. I have not found record of her burial in the noted cemetery.

Joseph Pierre Edward Godreau was born in L'Islet, Quebec, Canada on October 21 1873, and would have been about 7 when he came to America. He married Mary Miron in 1896. They had four children together before she died in 1911. The male children went to live with their grandparents in Chassell, and his daughter Auora lived in a convent where her aunt was a Sister. Joseph moved to Cleveland for better job opportunities, and the children and their Aunt Annie to help joined him in 1914. Joseph married Margaret Miller in 1918. He died on April 2, 1928 in Cleveland.

Douglas Goodreau isn't well known. He could have been born in Quebec or Michigan, and no birth date or death date is known. The story goes that he died after getting into the cupboard containing wash powder at the age of two. I have gone through the church records of L'Islet from 1874-1880, and I didn't find any records of Douglas.

Jenny (Jeneanne, Genevieve, Eugina, Evangaline) Goodreau was born in Chassell, Michigan in January 1881. She married Deno St Amour in Chassell in 1902. Their children are Ralph, Genevieve, Cecile, and Robert. Jenny was well loved among her nieces and nephews. She died in Detroit, MI in May 1957.

William Joseph Goodreau was born in Chassell, Michigan on April 13, 1883. He married Emma Trudel on May 21, 1907 in Chassell Michigan. They had seven children there. William worked in the saw mill in Chassell until it closed in 1930. He and his family moved to Wells, Michigan for work in a different mill. He died on December 25, 1950. More on William and Emma's children on the Goodreau Family page.

George Edward Goodreau was born in Chassell, Michigan on December 23, 1885. He married Laura LaRochelle on June 20, 1914. She was from Calumet. Laura and George moved to Detroit, and we worked at Timkin Axle. He had a cancer on the tongue that was a result of smoking that caused a speech impediment. They had two sons, George Edward Goodreau Jr., and Robert Charles Goodreau. George died in Detroit on November 10, 1965.

Annie (Anna) Goodreau was born in Chassell, Michigan on December 25, 1888. She married Charles Hill and lived in Sonoma, California. Charles died young, and they had no children. I have no information on Charles Hill other than his name. Annie died in Sonoma on January 20, 1984.

Napoleon (Nap) Wilfred Goodreau was born in Chassell Michigan on November 19, 1892. He was missing the middle finger of his right hand, which was likely from a hunting accident. He was the first in the family to achieve higher education. He attended the Grand Rapids Institute. He married Gertrude Girard on August 4, 1925 in Houghton. They had three children, Paul, and twins Barbara and Joan. Napoleon died on March 9, 1957.

Much of this information came from a family biography written by Carole Swartz