Labatte | Metis, Mixed-heritage: French | Surname Anchor Post

Index: Indigenous, Metis & Mixed-Heritage Surname Anchor Posts

Each of these posts is dedicated to one surname that is carried by someone connected to indigenous, Metis or mixed-heritage people in Canada. Please be aware that it’s a synthesis of the information I’ve collected in my personal research throughout the years and is by no means complete!

SURNAME NOTES | LABATTE

Surname lists: Surname Anchor Posts, Metis (ON)
Regions: British Columbia, Ontario
Ethnicity: Metis, Mixed-heritage: French
Associated surnames: Arbour, Berger, Biron, Bonhomme, Boucher, Chevrette, Chretien, Comtois/Contois, Dubeau, Dupuis, Duquette, Dusome, Enright, Fournier, Gaudet, Gendron, Gorvitte/Grouette, Hanasse/Janasse, Houle, Lafreniere, Lamoureux, Marcille, Messier, Newton, Plouffe, Proulx, Teague, Therien, Vallee, Wilson
Misc.:
1. (excerpt) “Michael Labatte, a typical French-Canadian voyageur, lives on an island in Victoria Harbor (Hogg Bay). His family history and descent is an interesting one. He claims over one quarter Indian blood, but the aboriginal element in his nature is most unmistakably marked. His father went up to the North-West in the closing years of the last century, and probably accompanied the British army in their first move to “Sault Ste. Marie” and St. Joseph Island, on the first transfer of Mackinaw to the Americans in 1796. He also formed one of the contingent of one hundred and sixty French-Canadian voyageurs accompanying Mr. Pothier, under Captain Roberts, at the capture of Mackinaw by the British in July, 1812, and three years later he moved to Drummond Island with the British forces on the second transfer of Mackinaw to the Americans, and finally to Penetanguishene. For a man of his years (over 85) Michael is vigorous and alert, and his memory is apparently intact.” [Source: Drummond Island Voyageurs, Ontario Historical Society]
2. (Excerpt ) “Antoine Labatte’s Narrative. I was born on Drummond Island, 16th September, 1824. We left the Island in 1827. My father’s name was Louis George Labatte, a soldier in the British Army, and a blacksmith by trade. He was at the capture of Mackinaw, and fought in the war of 1812. He was born in Lower Canada, and went up with the North-West Company, and after three years in the British service at Mackinaw, returned to Drummond Island with the soldiers and stayed there eleven years. He then moved to Holland Landing, stayed there two years, then to Penetanguishene, and lastly to Thunder Bay (Tiny), where he died in 1872. My mother died in 1863, and both are buried at Lafontaine. Her maiden name was Julia Frances Grouette, a h*********. I am three-quarters French and one-quarter Indian blood. We left Drummond Island in August, in a bateau, towed by the schooner Alice, Captain Hackett commander. The vessel was subsequently wrecked on Horse Island. We came by the outer channel, past Tobermory, and landed at Cedar Point in Tiny the same month. Eighteen persons came in the bateau, besides provisions and household effects. There were six of the Labatte family, four of the Grouette family, Antoine Recollet and child, Francois Recollet and child, Jessie Solomon, and an Indian named Jacobe. Captain Hackett had suffered shipwreck on the sea. His vessel was burned and he saved his life by clinging to a small piece of the burning wreck till he was rescued. Captain Hackett was badly burned on one side of his face and neck, so that the cords were drawn down, causing a peculiar twitching of the muscles and a continual turning of his face to one side … ” [Source: Drummond Island Voyageurs, Ontario Historical Society]
2. One formally recognized line of Labatte Metis lineage begins with Louis George Labatte and his second wife Julia Frances Grouette, through their offspring: Ambroise Labatte (m. Emilie Chevrette & Elmire Ladouceur), Antoine Labatte (m. Marie Cote & Mary Elizabeth Chretien), Dominique Labatte (m. Armine Janasse), Michel Labatte (m. Archange Berger), Catherine Labatte (m. Eusebe Duquette), Louise Labatte (m. Pierre Blette).
3. Louis Labatte and Michel Labatte were signatories to the Penetanguishene Metis Petition of 1840, a historic moment in which the Metis declared themselves to be a distinct group of people and claimed rights based on that as well as the fact that they had proven their loyalty as part of the Militia [Source: Louis Riel Institute, Lawrence Barkwell]