Levasseur, Vasseur | Metis, Ojibway, Saulteaux | 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 | LEVASSEUR, VASSEUR

Regions:
- Manitoba, Michigan, Ontario, Western Canada
Ethnicity:
- Metis, Ojibway, Saulteaux
Associated surnames:
- Beaulieu, Belanger, Berger, Brabant, DeCresnes, English, Gendron, Gignac / Gignas, Jeffrey, Lalonde, Longlade / Langlade, Legris / Prisque, Marchildon, Richard, Solomon, Spence, Vallee.
Misc.: –
- 1. Charles Vasseur and Marguerite Longlade / Langlade are recognized as a Root Ancestor Couple by the Metis Nation of Ontario. They had descendants through their offspring: Catherine Vasseur (m. Joseph Legris Prisque). Charles Vasseur (m. Marie Vallee), Louis Vasseur (m. Harriet Boveniss), Paul Vasseur (m. Marie Legris Prisque).
- 2. Andre and Charles Vasseur 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]
- 3. When searching through records for this surname include: Levasseur, Le Vasseur, Lavasseur, Vasseur and Vassaire.
- 4. (excerpt) Charles Vasseur, “the grantee of Park lot No. 6, Tiny, in 1834. He was born at St. Maurice, Quebec, served with the “Voltigeurs,” then went west with the Hudson’s Bay Company. He joined the British forces and was at the capture of Mackinaw in 1812. There were six brothers and all went to Mackinaw and followed the British to Drummond Island, thence to Penetanguishene.
  - While at Mackinaw Charles married a young h********* woman, named Marguerite Langlade, a near relative of the famous Captain Langlade and cousin of the Langlades of Tiny. Charles and several others, under Captain James Darling, walked all the way to Toronto and back during the Rebellion of 1837.
  - He brought the first cow and the first yoke of oxen ever used in Penetanguishene from Georgina, around by Point Mara, the Narrows (Orillia) and Coldwater, thence home; the latter portion of the way being only an Indian trail so narrow and bad that he often had to carry the yoke on his shoulders and drive the animals ahead in single file.
  - His mother visited Penetanguishene twice while living at Mackinaw, after which she moved to Green Bay, Wis., where she died. Charles was drowned near Manitoulin Island, where his remains are buried. His wife died at Ontonagon, Mich., where his son Louis still lives. He had a family of fifteen chudren, only the two eldest having been born on Drummond Island. I gleaned these reminiscences from his son, Paul, living in Penetanguishene, who claims that his father had a medal won fighting for the British, but that it has been lost. [Source: Drummond Island Voyageurs, Ontario Historical Society]
4. Scroll down for External Links to further information.