French Canadians in the Revolutionary War? OUI!

I have been a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution a.k.a. The D.A.R. for years now through my father’s side. All the interesting lineage is on that side; Mayflower, D.A.R., Salem Witch Trials, Magna Carta, Jamestown Society, Charlemagne, etc. So imagine my surprise when I came across a D.A.R. Patriot on my mother’s French Canadian side!!! I happened to read a blog post about a number of French Canadian’s that helped the American cause and are approved Patriots. C’EST PAS VRAI!? I have TONS of French Canadian’s on my mom’s side. Heck, her whole lineage is French Canadian other than one Irish line. 

British and Canadian forces attackingArnold's column in the Sault-au-Matelotpainting by C. W. Jefferys

I printed out the 13-page list from the list that Deb Duay has put together on her website Index to French Canadian Revolutionary War Patriots and started going through the list comparing it to my own tree. I have to admit that I’ve neglected some of these lines on my mom’s side. Let’s face it, would you rather research a Salem Witch Trials lines or more Fille du Roi lines? Btw, Fille du Roi are “The Daughters of the King” which were the 800+ women that King Louis XIV sent over to “New France” in the 1600s to help populate the area. Salem Witch Trials, Mayflower, and D.A.R. are oh so exciting to me! But this new discovery has put me in my place. How dare I think that one line is more exciting than another?! See what I have been missing this whole time?! Honte a moi! 

After going through a number of lines I find ONE from the list. Just one. But one is all my mom will need to join the D.A.R. His name is Michel Brouillette. His service is credited through Virginia although he wasn’t IN Virginia, he was in Northwest Territory in present-day Knox County, Indiana. I have to find out more about this fact and why his service is through Virginia. According to the Col. George Rogers Clark papers he was a signer of the Oath of Allegiance in 1778. 

It looks like Michel Brouillette is buried in Vincennes, Knox County, Indiana and the D.A.R. has marked his grave. Michel Brouillette's Grave. If I’m ever close by I will go and visit his grave. I’ll get to order my one and only Virginia pin too after I send in my supplement for Michel Brouillette. My D.A.R. Cohorts will totally understand what I mean.

So for those of you that are thinking that you don’t have any Revolutionary war ties because your family is French Canadian, think again! You might have one on that list. C’EST MAGNIFIQUE!