Applications for free grants of land to families with 12 living children under the 1890 law : Missisquoi families

In 1890, the Honoré Mercier government, observing that it was "advisable, following the example of past centuries, to give marks of consideration for fruitfulness in the sacred bonds of matrimony", passed a law entitled An Act to confer a privilege upon fathers or mothers of families who have twelve children living (53 Vict., c. 26). The Act granted 100 acres of public lands free of charge to parents of 12 living children born in lawful wedlock. The measure harkens back the 17th century, when Louis XIV took measures to encourage births in Canada.

 In that era, inhabitants who managed to have 10 children living, born in lawful wedlock, excluding priests, monks and nuns, could receive an annual pension of 300 pounds. The pension was increased to 400 pounds if the number of children reached 12. To have the benefit of the law of 1890, an eligible father or mother had to present a petition to the Provincial Secretary, accompanied by his or her certificate of marriage, a certificate of birth of each of his or her children and a certificate sworn before a justice of the peace giving the number and names of the children. After examining the petition and certificates, the Provincial Secretary reported to the Lieutenant-Governor in Council. If the latter granted the petition, an order was passed to that effect and a copy was sent to the Commissioner of Crown Lands, who had the duty of granting the petitioner the 100 acres he had selected.

Hébert	Joseph	Goyette	Julienne		Dunham
Thibault	Israël	Moquin	Solomée (Salomée)		Notre-Dame-des-Anges
Crandall	George William	Quebeck	Margaret Emeline		Dunham
Richard	Paschal	Goyette	Rosalie		Saint-Romuald-de-Farnham
Gaudreau	Dosithée	Gamache	Marie		Stanbridge
Comeau	Jean-Baptiste	Lambert	Ernestine		West Farnham
Stevenson	William Henry	Young	Melinda Elizabeth		Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville
Daudelin	Abraham	Tremblay	Sophie		Saint-Ignace-de-Stanbridge
Meunier	Pierre	Loisel	Esther		Saint-Romuald-de-Farnham
Déry	Narcisse	Hébert	Marie		Saint-Damien-de-Bedford
Stanley	Eleazer	Kraus	Sarah Catherine		Saint-Armand-Ouest
Guertin	Jules	Nolin	Delvina		North Stanbridge
Guillotte	Octave	Smith	Marie-Edwidge		North Stanbridge
Leduc	Damase	Denault	Eliza		Saint-Georges-de-Clarenceville
Marchand	David	Mitchell	Virginie		Saint-Pierre-de-Vérone (Pike River)
Quintal	Albert	Paré	Marie		Bedford
Rocheleau	Louis	Molleur	Zénaïde		Saint-Pierre-de-Vérone (Pike River)
Lamothe	Jean	Tremblay	Mathilde		Saint-Pierre-de-Vérone (Pike River)
Trottier	Louis-Philippe	Bourassa	Marie-Edwidge		Bedford
Boucher	Jean-Baptiste	Roy	Marie-Louise		Sainte-Croix-de-Dunham
Duchesneau	Jean-Baptiste	Tremblay	Sophronie		Saint-Pierre
Brault	Alexis	Boucher	Sophie		Sainte-Croix-de-Dunham
Davignon	Solyme	Duquette	Malvina		Sainte-Sabine
Chevalier	Solyme	Bedford	Joséphine		Saint-Armand
Belisle	Edouard	Daigneau	Eudoxie		Saint-Armand
Hébert	Moïse (Fils)	Dubois	Delphine		Farnham
Renaud alias Reno	Michel	Ouimet	Marie		Saint-Armand (Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes)
Crandall	George William	Quebeck	Margaret Emeline		Dunham
Duval	Louis	Viens	Marie		Dunham
Baraby	Siméon	Geoffrion dit St-Jean	Virginie		Saint-Romuald-de-Farnham
Messier	Edouard	Julière	Delphine		Saint-Armand
Messier	Louis	Chevalier	Onésime		Saint-Armand
Piédalue	Damase	Quentin	Denise		Clarenceville (Saint-Jacques-de)
Fortin	Dosithée	Lécuyer	Marie		Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes
Fortin	François-Xavier	Bisaillon	Aurélie		Saint-Armand

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