Descendants of ‘first families’ coming from Canada for reunion

It’s all in the family, or at least it will be when a contingent of 21 people with roots in Lake Leelanau makes a trip to "Provemont" from Canada next week.

They are the descendants of a group of people of French origin who settled in Leelanau in the late 1880s, and later emigrated to emigrate to Alberta, Canada in 1913. They were a second wave of Frenchmen; the first went west in 1908.

“There wasn’t enough room for all of them to farm,” said Bill Belanger, a descendant of Alexis Belanger, who made the trip led by Joseph Plamondon. “They heard that there was property available in Alberta — 160 acres for a $10 fee — and decided to make the trip.”

Making the trip were names still familiar in Leelanau today: the Thomas Plamondon family, the John Lamies, Gauthiers, St. Johns, Joseph Harps, Francis Duperons, Richards, LaCross, LaBonte, Anthonys and Jacob Schaub.

“Joe Plamondon was the leader who got everyone interested in going,” Belanger said. “None of them could speak English except Jacob Schaub, who spoke English, French and German.”

The families sold their possessions and left the county for Alberta. They departed Provemont on May 7, 1908 and traveled by rail to Morinville, where they arrived six days later. But that would be the shortest and easiest part of the venture. It would be two months before the families had gathered the horses, wagons and other provisions to take with them to the area they would settle, which became known as “Plamondon.”

The story of their hardships and loneliness of the journey is described in a book, Lake LaBiche:

The route taken was north from Morinville. It was slow going in the covered wagons; there were eight teams of horses and four oxen …

The pioneers would make camp wherever and whenever possible at areas provided by Indian inhabitants along the route. The food they ate was usually canned tomatoes and bread with a little black tea. Knowing they would need to save on their provisions until they could make the return trip to Morinville they ate as little as possible. The trail they used was called the Victoria Trail.”

On July 28, 1908, the community of Plamondon was founded, about 140 miles north of Edmonton. The pioneers built shelter and were able to dig a well by hand before the long, cold winter arrived.

“One family survived on bread and browned flour gravy all winter,” Belanger said. “It was pretty rough.”

The family ties were maintained over the years with periodic visits by the descendants of the first families. Belanger visited Alberta with his parents in 1995.

“When they find out you’re from Provemont (Lake Leelanau’s original name), you’re treated like royalty,” he said.

The most recent visit by a contingent from Plamondon was 1984. Two people who made the trip 20 years ago are returning with more descendants of the first families.

“It’s funny. Even though it’s been almost 100 years, they have the same dishes the old folks had here,” said Belanger, identifying them as head cheese and tourtierre, meat pies cooked traditionally during the holidays here. “They’re made of the same mold up there that we are down here.”

Belanger will be the tour guide for group, scheduled to arrive by bus June 6. He and his wife, Sandy, are hosting a reception in honor of the guests Wednesday night. Belanger plans to travel by motor coach June 7 and 8 with the group, with stops planned at the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and, of course, Provemont.

A family reunion/open house will be held Saturday, June 9 from noon to 5 p.m. in the lower level of St. Mary Church. Descendants of all the “first families” who emigrated to Canada are invited to attend and bring a dish to pass. Drinks and table service will be provided.

Further information is available by calling Belanger at 256-9283 or 883-4394.