French and French-Canadians
In New York on the 11th inst. Isidore Prudent LeClaireq, native of France in the 38th year of his age, formerly of this village.
Lansingburgh Democrat. January 20, 1848: 2 col 6.
The 1850 US Census recorded 140 people born in Canada living in Lansingburgh, and just a few French-born people: William Dehare (b. abt 1824), Francis Beveret (b. abt 1824), George Fixter (b. abt 1800), Mary Fixter (b. abt 1798), George Fixter (b. abt 1826), and Francis Fixter (b. abt 1828). Both Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.com have transcribed some additional birthplaces as “Nova Scotia,” seemingly in error as all that is actually written on the forms in such cases is a scrawled N.Y. or N.J.
At Troy, on the 1st of Jan. Mr. FRANCIS ADANCOURT, aged 85 years. He was born in France, March 7, 1774; came to this country in 1783: settled first in Massachusetts, and served an apprentice as a printer with Isaiah Thomas, in Worcester; worked as a compositor in Thomas’s printed office on the first [illustrated] Bible published in this country. He went from Worcester to Charleston, S. C., and was engaged in mercantile business there for nine years. In 1803 he went to Lansingburgh, where he established the Farmers’ Register, with which, three years afterward he moved to Troy, where he continued the same until 1831.
Commercial Advertiser [NY]. January 6, 1859: 3.
☞ TO THE FRENCH CANADIANS OF TROY AND VICINITY—Brothers and Friends: A mass meeting of the citizens of French origin, of Troy, West Troy, Lansingburgh and Cohoes, will be held at St. Nicholas Hall in this city, Saturday evening, March 10th, at 6 1/2 o’clock, for the purpose of organizing a Society to obtain funds and see to the means to celebrate in this city St. John the Baptist’s Day, the 24th of June next, in a manner worthy of our nationality. We have been ignored in this part of country; we are imperceived; we are even viewed with indifference, because we have been, here, indifferent for our national honor. Canadians, let not this opportunity pass without showing to our adopted countrymen that we have reason to be proud of our name and nationality; that the children of the great French nation are yet ever animated with patriotism. The 24th of June is for us a national day; a day for the commemoration of that day in which we struck for freedom; a day which brings to our memory the noble deeds of our great patriots, who carried their heads to the scaffolds for the liberty of our country.
Come! No delay, no slumber. Arouse friends and come to your duty; and seeing you rise our adopted countrymen will join with us in our festivals. We also respectfully tender an invitation to the American citizens to be present at our meeting. Speeches in French and English will be delivered on the occasion. DR. J. N. CADIEUX,
OLIVER RODIER,
JOHN DEMERS,
MAXIME DESELLE,
MEDORE VANE,
Committee of Appeals.
Troy Daily Times. March 8, 1860: 3 col 2.