| Census Data |
|
1 June 1850: Illinois, Will
County, Bourbonnais (1850 census roll 133, stamped page 156, written page 312, line 12; spelled "Antonie Alpain"; age 50; farmer) |
|
1 June 1860: Illinois, Kankakee
County, Bourbonnais (1860 census roll 192, pages 347, line 34; spelled "Antoin Arpine"; age 67; farmer) |
|
1 June 1870: Illinois, Kankakee
County, Bourbonnais (Census roll 238, written page 38, line 19; spelled "Antoine Arpin"; age 77; Farmer) |
| Antoine [A] married Clemencie [C] (b. Jul 1807 in Boucherville, Canada). According to the census of June 1850, they had 11 children in the household: | |
| AC.1 | Adolphe (b. in Canada c. 1831) |
| AC.2 | Mary (b. in Canada c. 1831) |
| AC.3 | Florait (male, b. in Canada c. 1835) |
| AC.4 | Eustace (female, b. in Canada c. 1836) |
| AC.5 | Floren (male, b. in Canada c. 1837) |
| AC.6 | Emma (b. in Canada c. 1840) |
| AC.7 | Xavier (b. in Canada 4 Oct 1841/2, d. 19 Oct 1911) |
| AC.8 | Edmond (b. in October 1845 at St. Ignace, Canada) |
| AC.9 | Godfrey (b. in Canada c. 1847) |
| AC.10 | Philomene (female, b. in Illinois c. 1848) |
| AC.11 |
Joseph (b. 27 May 1852 in Bourbonnais;
d. 1 Jul 1894 in Chicago at Mercy Hospital) |
| Although the names of children listed above were obtained from census records, it was common for cousins and orphans to move around to adjust to the work load. For example, the name of Edmond is missing from the family of Antoine Arpin in 1860 even though Edmond, at age 14, had probably not left home permanently. It was not until 1880 that relationships were recorded in the census. | |
| Many French-speaking people coming to Illinois in the mid-19th century settled in or near the towns of St. Ann, Momence, Kankakee, and Bourbonnais. Antoine and Clemencie probably chose Bourbonnais because of the availability of good farm land at a good price. Considering the birthplaces of their children, I presume that Antoine [A] and Clemencie [C] came to the United States from Quebec in 1847 or 1848. |