Gagné Family Reunion
by Christine Racine – October 2023
More than 60 members of the Gagné family gathered at Hemmingford Sunday August 27th 2023 to celebrate and honor Gilles Gagné, JeanClaude Gagné, the late Guy Gagné, represented by his wife, Jacqueline, and Roma Gagné. All four are direct descendants of Louis Gagné and his wife Marie Michel.
The reunion was held at the Verger Philion on Rte 202. It included a huge display of family photos, a collection of family memorabilia, and corn on the cob for all the guests who enjoyed a picnic lunch under the large pavilion and tents set up for the occasion.
Louis Gagné and his wife, Marie Michel arrived in Québec in 1644. His older brother, Pierre, and his wife, Marguerite Rosée arrived in New France eight years later. Over the years, the Gagné names has had several spelling variations. The form Gasnier, which is still found in France, is the spelling variation from the Old French. The name Gagné dit Bellavance was changed by Pierre as a way of distinguishing himself as a successful businessman. He and his descendants were known as Gagné dit Bellavance.
In 1653, Louis Gagné built a house on a concession of land granted to him in 1650 at Ste. Anne de Beaupré. The house on the property there today was built on the original 1653 foundation.
A special presentation reported that the four guests of honor enjoyed illustrious ancestors. The Gagnés 9th great grandfather, Louis Gaston Hébert, was a personal friend to Samuel de Champlain, the famous French explorer. Hébert was a physician and a surgeon. He was recognized for his work by none other than King Louis XIV. Louis Hébert’s wife, Marie Rollet, is often referred to as “la mère de la Nouvelle France”.
Another ancestor of the Gagné family of Hemmingford was Hélène Desportes, the 8th great grandmother to the four guests of honor. She is believed to be the first white woman born in Québec in 1620 and goddaughter to Samuel de Champlain. Hélène Desportes was famous for her life as a mother, midwife, and patron of many of Québec’s first families.
The four guests of honor were presented with a colorful pictorial description of their ancestry tree going back to the 1600s. They were also presented with official certificates from the Societé des Filles du roi and Carignan soldats in honor of their 6th great grandmother, Louise Faure dite Planchette. Louise was a Fille du roi who arrived in Québec in 1668. She married the 6th great grandfather of the four special guests, Pierre Gagné. Pierre and Louise were married in 1668. She was one of the 768 women who arrived in the colony of New France between 1663 and 1673, under the sponsorship of King Louis XIV of France.
The three siblings, Gilles, Jean-Claude, and the late Guy Gagné, are the children of Ernest Gagné and Rose Alma Ménard. Roma Gagné is the son of Armand Gagné and Alice Céré. Those in attendance were related to Ernest and Armand by blood or a marriage. The first Gagné to settle in the Hemmingford area were Olivier Magloire Gagné and his wife Adelaide Métivier. They were the parents of Ernest and Armand Gagné. Olivier Gagné was a blacksmith by trade. They initially resided in St. Chrysostôme and later moved to Backbush road. The house, now over 120 years old, remains standing to this day and is located at 402 Backbush Road. There were 10 children born from this marriage – Arthur, Désiré, Marie Rose, Wilfred, Ernest, Florian, Alice, Albertin, Aline, and Armand. When Armand and his wife, Alice Céré married, they lived with his parents. In 1920 or thereabouts, Armand Gagné purchased the farm oat 655 Fisher Street (now James-Fisher) in Hemmingford. Olivier and Adélaide spent their last days living on that farm on Fisher Street. Armand Gagné and Alice Céré are the parents of one of our guests of honor, Roma Gagné. This farm house was just across the road from his brother Ernest at 650 Fisher Street. In 1916, Ernest married Mary May Dunnigan. The Dunnigan family lived in the stone house on Fisher Street. When Ernest and May married, they lived with her parents. May passed away in 1917 and two years later, Ernest married Rose Alma Ménard. They are the parents of our three guests of honor, Gilles, Jean Claude, and the late Guy Gagné.
Many of the participants expressed their hope that similar gatherings would occur in the future. Clearly, the Gagné family is proud of their illustrious ancestry and are more than justified if they chose to celebrate their rich ancestry again in the future.