Késsinnimek - Roots - RacinesDeciphering a page from a Québec Parish Register
by
Norm Léveillée
by
Norm Léveillée
Please note: The following transcription is not from a particular page of a specific Register. I have used examples from several of the pages that are on my website.
This is a reduced copy of what the parish register would look like:
There are several items that will appear in a Primary Resource or a copy of a page from the Parish Register, as the example above. I have outlined the entry for my ancestors: Cyrille Bélanger & Victoire Fournier.
The first will be the DATE:
En français: Le sept juin mil huit cent cinquante-neuf,In English: On seventh June one thousand eight hundred fifty-nine,
The second would most likely be the PUBLIC NOTICE OF THE MARRIAGE BANS and where these were announced:
En français: après la publication des trois bans de marriage faite au prône de nos messes paroissiales...In English: after the publication of three bans of marriage carried out during the sermon of our parish masses...
There may circumstances by which a DISPENSATION of the reading of the three bans has been granted by the vicar general of the bishop of the area:
En français: reçu la dispense de deux bans de mariage accordés par Monsieur Demers Vicaire Générale de Monseigneur l'Évêque de St-Hyacinthe en date de vingt-deux avril mil huit cent soixante...In English: having received the dispensation of two of the marriage bans given by Mr. Demers, Vicar General of His Excellency the Bishop of St-Hyacinthe on the date of the twenty-second April one thousand eight hundred sixty ...
The next entry would consist of THE COUPLE AND THEIR PARENTS involved:
En français: entre Cyrille Bélanger, fils mineur du feu François Xavier Bélanger et de Marguerite Drouin, ses père et mère d'une part, et Victoire Fournier, fille mineur de Jean-Baptiste Fournier et de Geneviève Gagnon, ses père et mère d'autre part,...In English: between Cyrille Bélanger, minor son of the deceased François Xavier Bélanger and Marguerite Drouin, his father and mother on the one part, and Victoire Fournier, minor daughter of Jean-Baptiste Fournier and Geneviève Gagnon, her father and mother on the other part,...
There would be the officiating PRIEST'S AFFIRMATION regarding having found NO IMPEDIMENT to this marriage, receiving their MUTUAL CONSENT:
En français: ne s'étant découvert aucun empêchement, nous, prêtre sousigné, curé de Saint Bernard, avons reçu leur mutuel consentement de mariage ...In English: having discovered no impediment, we, the undersigned priest, pastor of Saint Bernard, received their mutual consent of marriage ...
The priest BLESSES THE MARRIAGE:
En français: et leur avons donné la bénédiction nuptiale...In English: and imparted upon them the nuptial blessing...
In some of the entries, there may be a statement regarding the CHURCH CEREMONY:
En français: selon la forme prescrite par notre mère la Ste-Église...In English: according to the formula prescribed by our mother the Holy Church...
Then there would be a LISTING OF THE WITNESSES AND OTHERS PRESENT at the ceremony:
En français: en présence de François Xavier Bélanger et George Bélanger, frères du marié, et Norbert Gagnon, oncle de la mariée et plusieurs autres dont quelqu'uns signent avec nous...In English: in the presence of François Xavier Bélanger and George Bélanger, brothers of the groom, and Norbert Gagnon, uncle of the bride and many others of which some were able to sign with us ...
In some of the entries, there is a STATEMENT REGARDING THOSE NOT BEING ABLE TO AFFIX THEIR SIGNATURES, oftentimes the bride and groom and their witnesses:
En français: plusieurs autres parents et amis lorsqu'ils ont déclaré ne savoir signer,...In English: many other relatives and friends who declared not being able to sign (the register)
For those who COULD SIGN:
Signatures:Julie Fournier, niece, Antoine Paradis --Js. Bourassa, prêtre (priest)
When first reading these pages, especially when the handwriting or the graphic copy of the page is not very clear, it is very difficult to transcribe. However, after experiencing several attempts, one notices that the language used by the officiating priest is fairly standard from parish to parish.
To review the main parts of the entry in a Parish Register:
DATE
PUBLIC NOTICE of the MARRIAGE BANS
DISPENSATION of some sort
THE COUPLE and THEIR PARENTS
PRIEST'S AFFIRMATION of NO IMPEDIMENT and their MUTUAL CONSENT
BLESSING the MARRIAGE by the officiating priest
CHURCH CEREMONY
WITNESSES AND OTHERS PRESENT
SIGNATURES of those who can write. Always the Officiating Priest's signature
If you wish to see the various transcriptions of my ancestors, click on this link
As of this writing, I have transcribed thirty-six pages. I plan now to search for the baptism and burial records of these thirty-six ancestors.
My article of the February 2006 issue compared Primary Sources with Secondary Sources. Click on the link below:
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Késsinnimek - Roots - Racines
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Created 1 Feb 2003