otillie-lemieux-aka-tillie-awrey-grave-photo-24aug2014

Lemieux, Ottilie

Birth Name Lemieux, Ottilie

    Her name as given on her birth record, as well as on the birth record of her son (Ernest Thompson), is Ottillie Lemieux.

Nick Name Tillie
Also Known As LaMare, Tild

    Her name on the record of her marriage (to John Thompson, 30 Jun 1879) is Tild Lamare.

Also Known As Awrey, Tillie

    Her name as it appears on her gravestone is Tillie Awrey; her surname (Awrey) appears to be from her marriage to a J.W. Awrey.

Also Known As LaMare, Virginia

    The Bureau of Indian Affairs letter (dated 12 Jun 1974, with land allotment record) to Robert L. Grover (husband of Opal Thompson Grover, the grand-daughter of Ottilie Lemiuex and John Thompson?) regarding the allotment of land in the Lac du Flambeau Reservation, identifies Ottilie Lemieux as called by the following:

    Tillie LaMare
    Virginia LaMare
    Mrs. J.W. Awrey
    Tillie (Virginia) LaMare Thompson

    It further names Ernest Thompson specifically as her son, and Mrs. Mary LaMare (tribal name Ka-bi-ni-bi) as her mother.

Gramps ID I0232
Gender female
Age at Death 70 years, 9 months, 21 days

Events

Event Date Place Description
Sources Notes
Birth 1861-08-01 Easton, Marathon Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
1a 2a
Census 1880 Easton, Marathon Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
3a
Census 1905 Wausau, Marathon Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
4a
Census 1910 Wausau, Marathon Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
5a
Census 1920 Garfield Twp, Mackinac Cty, Michigan, USA  
6a
Death 1932-05-22 Wisconsin, USA  
 
Burial   Shamrock Union Cemetery, Shamrock, Jackson Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
 

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father Lemieux, Joseph [I0553]1828
Mother Shinquock, Marie [I0545]1842
    Sister     Lemieux, Delphina [I3812] 1859-07-04
         Lemieux, Ottilie [I0232] 1861-08-01 1932-05-22
    Sister     Lemieux, Marie J. [I3809] 1867-06-02
    Brother     Lemieux, John [I3807] 1871-05-10 1900
    Sister     Lemieux, Nellie [I3810] 1874-01-18 1904
    Sister     Lemieux, Anna [I3811] 1875-04-22
    Brother     Lemieux, Joseph [I3808] 1877-03-09

Families

    Family of Thompson, John L. and Lemieux, Ottilie [F0112]
Married Husband Thompson, John L. [I0646] ( * 1854-06-25 + ... )
   
Event Date Place Description
Sources Notes
Marriage 1879-06-30 Wausau, Marathon Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
7a
  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
Thompson, Ernest Edward [I0169]1879-11-011964-12-05
    Family of Aikens, George T. and Lemieux, Ottilie [F1216]
Married Husband Aikens, George T. [I3813] ( * + ... )
   
Event Date Place Description
Sources Notes
Marriage 1894-12-25 Appleton, Outagamie Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
8a
    Family of Clemens, Elre S. and Lemieux, Ottilie [F1215]
Married Husband Clemens, Elre S. [I3806] ( * + ... )
   
Event Date Place Description
Sources Notes
Marriage 1906-11-27 Sparta, Monroe Cty, Wisconsin, USA  
8b
    Family of Awrey, John Wesley and Lemieux, Ottilie [F1217]
Married Husband Awrey, John Wesley [I3814] ( * 1864-03-26 + 1925-06-12 )
   
Event Date Place Description
Sources Notes
Marriage 1918-10-22 St. Ignace, Mackinac Cty, Michigan, USA  
9a 10a

Media

otillie-lemieux-aka-tillie-awrey-grave-photo-24aug2014

otillie-lemieux-aka-tillie-awrey-grave-photo-24aug2014

Narrative

Note: "Lemieux" surname

Many spelling iterations for this family line seem to exist, with and without spaces and capitalization between the syllables; it seems to be anglicized French, from Ojibwe peoples located primarily in Ontario: Lamare, Lamere, Lamore, Lemare, Lemere, Lemire, Lemore, and finally Lemieux.

Narrative

Note: Researching Ottilie Lemieux
Family oral history tells that "Grandma Tillie," mother of Ernst Edward Thompson, was a full-blooded Chippewa (properly called Ojibwe). Her identity has been challenging to establish, in part due to multiple marriages and a relatively fluid use of given names and surnames, along with multiple reported birthplaces and slightly shifting birth years (from 1861 to 1866).

Her birth records identify her as Ottilie Lemieux, born in Easton, Marathon Cty, Wisconsin, the daughter of Joseph Lemieux and Marie Shinquock. (The birth record for her son, Ernest Thompson, also names her Ottilie Lemieux.) Her marriage record to John Thompson identifies her as Tild LaMare - and this surname is a known variant of Lemieux as used frequently by the French-Canadians and the tribes (including the Ojibwe) who bore such names. The marriage records for her second (to George T. Aikens) and third (to Elre S. Clemens) name her Tillie Thompson. The land allotment in the Lac du Flambeau reservation, along with her estate probate documents, seem to identify her as using multiple names, including the given name Virginia, the nickname Tillie, and the surnames LaMare and Awrey (from a later-life fourth husband, J.W. Awrey).

Tillie married John Thompson in late June of 1879, early in her pregnancy with her son Ernest (born in November of that year). It's not currently known whether she was widowed or divorced from John, and it is not apparent that the two of them had any further children. The last record of them together is the 1880 US Census for their household in Easton, before son "Ernie" was a year old. (I've not yet found records for John Thompson outside of his birth record and marriage to Tillie; I do not know when he died or where he was buried.)

There's a marriage record for Tillie Thompson (stating that she was born in Montreal, Canada, where her father was from), with parents Joseph Lamere and Mary Pine (note that the Ojibwe name "Shinquock" is often translated as "Pine") to George T. Aikens on 25 Dec 1894, in Appleton, Outagamie Cty, Wisconsin. The next record found for Tillie is the 1905 Wisconsin State Census record for her father's household in Wausau, Marathon Cty, Wisconsin; in that record, she's called Tillie Aiken and both she and her father list their marital status as "widowed." I've not yet found birth, death, or burial information on George Aikens.

She next appears (as Tillie Thompson, born in the apparently-fictitious "Longway, Wis.") in the marriage record to Elre S. Clemens (listed as born in New York state) in Sparta, Monroe Cty, Wisconsin, on 27 Nov 1906. In the 1910 US Census record for her father's household (again in Wausau), she is listed as married (and named "Tillie Clemence," born in Wisconsin); her third husband does not appear in the household, and I've not had any luck locating any further information on him. I do not know whether their marriage ended in divorce or his death.

Her fourth marriage was to Canadian-born John Wesley Awrey in St. Ignace, Mackinac Cty, Michigan on 22 Oct 1918. This record names her the Wisconsin-born Mrs. T. Clemence, and in the 1920 US Census for his household in Garfield, Mackinac Cty, Michigan she's listed with John, two of his sons by his first marriage (to English-born Emma Jane Beer, divorced), and a few boarders - and named Virginia Awrey. John died in nearby Manistique, Schoolcraft Cty, Michigan in mid-June 1925, and is buried there.

There appear to be two 1930 US Census records that may apply to Tillie. The first is a Mrs. J.W. Awrey, listed as head of household and married and living with eight boarders (but no husband) in Flambeau, Vilas Cty, Wisconsin. The second record is a Virginia Awrey, listed as widowed and living alone in Manchester, Jackson Cty, Wisconsin. Both records identify her as Wisconsin-born, age 64. (It should be noted that son Ernie and his family were living in Manchester in 1930.)

Tillie died in May of 1932, and is buried in Shamrock Union Cemetery, Shamrock, Jackson Cty, Wisconsin; her son, Ernest Thompson, his wife Rose (Rudkin) Thompson, and several of their children are buried there as well. I do not know the exact location of her death, though it seems likely that she died in Jackson Cty. As noted above, her son and his family were living in that area, and one of Tillie's living great-grandchildren has memories of a house in that area being described amongst the family as "Grandma Tillie's house."

Her allotment in the Lac du Flambeau reservation strongly indicates that she was born to a Native American lineage; her birth record identifies her as "white," but some of the other records throughout her life identify her race as "Indian."

1880 US Census - "half-blood"
1905 Wisconsin State Census - White
1910 US Census - White
1920 US Census - White
1930 US Census, Manchester, Jackson Cty - White
1930 US Census, Flambeau, Vilas Cty - Indian

Additionally, with her mother bearing a tribal name, it certainly seems true that she was at least half Ojibwe.

I've not yet established how many children she may have had, as living family members don't recall there having been any siblings of Ernie's. She was certainly young enough during at least her first two marriages, but so far I've not found any indication of other children.

Pedigree

  1. Lemieux, Joseph [I0553]
    1. Shinquock, Marie [I0545]
      1. Lemieux, Delphina [I3812]
      2. Lemieux, Ottilie
        1. Thompson, John L. [I0646]
          1. Thompson, Ernest Edward [I0169]
        2. Aikens, George T. [I3813]
        3. Clemens, Elre S. [I3806]
        4. Awrey, John Wesley [I3814]
      3. Lemieux, Marie J. [I3809]
      4. Lemieux, John [I3807]
      5. Lemieux, Nellie [I3810]
      6. Lemieux, Anna [I3811]
      7. Lemieux, Joseph [I3808]

Ancestors

Source References

  1. Wisconsin Division of Health Birth Records [S0067]
      • Date: 1895-12-03
      • Page: Reel 127, Record 2255
      • Confidence: High
      • General:

        Provided by the Wisconsin Historical Society.

  2. Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926 [S0085]
      • Confidence: High
      • Citation:

        "Wisconsin, Births and Christenings, 1826-1926," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XR6N-H3N : accessed 11 December 2014), Marie Shinquock in entry for Ottilie Lemieux, 01 Aug 1861; citing Eau Claire, Town Easton, Marathon, Wisconsin, reference P 652 rn 2476; FHL microfilm 1,305,087.

  3. US Census of 1880 [S0045]
      • Date: 1880
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1880," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MN4Y-1ZQ : accessed 20 Jun 2014), John Thompson, Easton, Marathon, Wisconsin, United States; citing sheet 314C, NARA microfilm publication T9.

        Event Year: 1880
        Event Place: Easton, Marathon, Wisconsin, United States
        John Thompson Self M 25 Wisconsin, United States
        Tillie Thompson Wife F 19 Wisconsin, United States
        Ernest E Thompson Son M 0 Wisconsin, United States

  4. Wisconsin State Census of 1905 [S0087]
      • Date: 1905
      • Citation:

        "Wisconsin, State Census, 1905," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MM32-FNG : accessed 11 December 2014), Joseph Lamere, Wausau city, Marathon, Wisconsin; citing p. 979, line 34, State Historical Society, Madison; FHL microfilm 1,020,455.

        Wisconsin State Census of 1905
        Residence Place: Wausau city, Marathon, Wisconsin
        Joseph Lamere Head M 78y Canada
        Tillie Aiken Daughter F 46y Wisconsin
        Stanley Dodge Grandson M 13y Wisconsin
        Joseph W Gazey Grandson M 7y Wisconsin

  5. US Census of 1910 [S0040]
      • Date: 1910
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MP28-CNV : accessed 11 December 2014), Tillie Clemence, Wausau Ward 9, Marathon, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 111, sheet 15B, family 342, NARA microfilm publication T624, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, D.C.; FHL microfilm 1,375,733.

        Event Year: 1910
        Event Place: Wausau Ward 9, Marathon, Wisconsin, United States
        Tillie Clemence Head F 45 Wisconsin
        Joseph La Mere Father M 81 Canada
        Joseph W Gasey Nephew M 11 Wisconsin

  6. US Census of 1920 [S0041]
      • Date: 1920
      • Citation:

        "United States Census, 1920," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MZQC-Y3B : accessed 11 December 2014), Virginia Awrey in household of John Awrey, Garfield, MacKinac, Michigan, United States; citing sheet 6A, family 120, NARA microfilm publication T625, National Archives and Records Administration, Washington D.C.; FHL microfilm 1,820,783.

        Event Year: 1920
        Event Place: Garfield, MacKinac, Michigan, United States
        John Awrey Head M 56 Canada
        Virginia Awrey Wife F 53 Wisconsin
        Westley Awrey Son M 26 Michigan
        Rogrue Christophersen Boarder M 28 Norway
        Gustin Bents Boarder M 25 South America
        George Awrey Son M 20 Michigan

  7. Marriage Records, Marathon County, Wisconsin [S0073]
      • Page: v1p143
      • Confidence: High
      • General:

        Provided by the Wisconsin Historical Society.

  8. Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930 [S0088]
      • Confidence: High
      • Citation:

        "Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRG8-8QM : accessed 11 December 2014), Joseph Lamere in entry for George T. Aikens and Tillie Thompson, 25 Dec 1894; citing reference 336; FHL microfilm 1,292,404.

      • Confidence: High
      • Citation:

        "Wisconsin, Marriages, 1836-1930," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XRGY-96K : accessed 10 December 2014), Elre S. Clemens and Tillie Thompson, 27 Nov 1906; citing reference 1292397 file 02906; FHL microfilm 1,292,397.

  9. Michigan, Marriages, 1822-1995 [S0202]
      • Confidence: High
      • Citation:

        "Michigan, Marriages, 1822-1995," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/FCN6-R88 : accessed 11 December 2014), John W Aurey and T Clemence, 22 Oct 1918; citing reference ; FHL microfilm 1,007,362.

  10. Michigan, Marriages, 1868-1925 [S0075]
      • Confidence: High
      • Citation:

        "Michigan, Marriages, 1868-1925," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N3TC-ZP8 : accessed 11 December 2014), John W. Awrey and Mrs T. Clomince, 22 Oct 1918; citing Saint Ignace, Mackinac, Michigan, v 3 p 334 rn 3002, Department of Vital Records, Lansing; FHL microfilm 2,342,727.