My Fortin Family

by Patricia (Fortin) Wilson

This is the beginning of the Fortin Family History. Many of our French Canadian ancestors came from a small province called Perche in France. It was bordered on the North by Normandy, and on the South and East by Beauce.

We find our ancestor first mentioned in Memoires de la Societe Genealogique. Julien Fortin dit Bellefontaine was baptized at St Cosme de Vair, found at the border of the perche on the 9 February 1621. In 1650, 29 years old Julien embarked for New France, he was at sea for about 3 months. On the 11 November 1652, Julien married Genevieve Gamache at Cape Tourmente. They had eight sons and four daughters.

The second child of Julien and Genevieve, Charles Fortin was born in 1656 and married Xainte Cloutier on 11 November 1681 at Chateau Richer, Quebec, Canada. Charles and Xainte Cloutier had 10 children. Jean Baptiste Fortin, son of Charles and Xainte Cloutier, was born 25 September 1701 at L'Islet.

On 25 October 1723, he married Francoise Belanger. They were the parents of eleven children. Charles Francois Fortin born 13 January 1737, was the son of Jean Baptiste Fortin and Francoise Belanger. He was married on the 20 September 1761 to Louise Madeleine Pain, daughter of Jean Pain and Marie Josephte Brisson. They were the parents of 12 children. The second child of the Charles Francois Family, Charles Fortin was born 29 April 1763. He married Josephete Pelletier 5 July 1785 at L'Islet. Charles and Josephte had 6 children. Charles Fortin, son of Charles and Josephte Pelletier, was married the 5 March 1810 to Marie Louise Bernier. They were the parents of 6 children. The last child of Charles and Marie Louise Bernier, Majorique Fortin was married on 9 February 1847 at St Henri to Theotiste Bussieres. Among their nine children, Philias Fortin was born on 24 August 1853. On the 28^th of June 1875, Philias married Arthemise Charbonneau, minor daughter of Moise Charbonneau and Aurelie Audet.

Philias Fortin and family came to Minnesota from Canada about 1885. They went to Stillwater, Minnesota. Philias was a carpenter, and helped build the prison. Later they moved to Duluth, Minnesota and settled on Park Point. Four children were born in Canada: Rosanna 1876, Amanda (Maude) 1878, Domina (Damon) 1880, and Hormidas (Medous)1881. The other children were born in Minnesota: Albert Joseph 1886, Clara 1887, Belle 1890, Virginia 1892, Agnes 1893, and Eugene 1895.

A short history of Duluth

Little did Daniel Greysolon, Sieur du Lhut, know that when he landed on Minnesota Point on June 27, 1696, that he marked the spot where almost 200 years later the canal would be dug through the point to allow ships to enter the harbor of St Louis Bay and open up the future world port of Duluth. Permanent settlers first came in 1850's. Indian villages dotted the area. The Sioux and Chippewa Indians lived along the wooden shores of Minnesota Point. In 1853 the land was still owned by the Indians, then in 1854 the Indians signed a treaty at La Pointe, giving up their tribal rights to the land. There came a steady migration of hardy pioneers to what is now called Duluth.

This is the place where our Ancestor Philias Fortin and family settled. Philias began to build rowboats and then set up a boatworks on 10 Street, there the family lived, one house on the property contained the boatworks. Arthemise Charbonneau deceased in Duluth, Minnesota, the 28 March 1907 at 48 years of age. Philias Fortin, 87 years old, of 1018 Minnesota Avenue, a resident here for 55 years, died in a local hospital.

Albert Joseph Fortin, son of Philias and Arthemise Charbonneau was married 7 February 1907 to Susan Belle Shearer, daughter of Samuel Shearer and Elizabeth Irvine. Their children were: Roy Archibald 1907, Milton Paul 1911, Helen Margaret 1913, Mary Elizabeth 1915, Catherine Jane 1917, and Virginia Agnes 1922.

The Fortin's set up a boatworks, and the Shearer's established a grocery store. Most supplies were obtained by rowing across the bay to the general store. At that time you could row across the bay or ride the “basket bridge”, which carried cars, horses, wagons, and pedestrians across the canal. A bridge was built in 1904 to 1929, the Aerial Bridge, carried all traffic across the canal. In 1929 the Aerial Ferry Bridge was remodeled to become the Aerial Lift Bridge. The Duluth Ship Canal, with its unique bridge, is the landmark for the Head of the Lakes. It salutes every ship entering and leaving the harbor. Duluth's historic Aerial Bridge, the famous landmark of the largest fresh water harbor in the world, has been honored by the National Register of Historic Places.

Newspaper article: Duluth Traffic Victim is Dead

Mrs. Albert J. Fortin, 57 years old of 728 Lake Ave. So., died in a Duluth hospital from injuries received when she was struck by an automobile a month ago. The mishap occurred at 11:30 p.m. On March 30, accounted for the fourth traffic death of the year. Coroner J.W. Ekblad said that death was due to the accident.

Mrs. Fortin had been a resident of Duluth for 54 years. She came from hamilton, Ontario, Canada when she was 3 years old. Surviving are her husband Albert, two sons, Roy and Milton, four daughters, Mrs, Oliver Mann (Mary), Helen, Catherine and Virginia. A sister, Miss Jessie shearer, two brothers, William Shearer and Samuel Shearer, and five grandchildren. Died 1 May 1940.

Albert joseph Fortin 81, died Sunday 26 May 1968 in a Duluth Hospital. He was born in Stillwater and a Duluth resident 75 years. He retired from Duluth, Missabe and Iron Range Railway Co. Ore Docks, after 50 years. He is survived by two sons Roy and Milton, and four daughters, Helen M. Fortin, Catherine J. Fortin, Mrs Oliver Mann (Mary) and Mrs Arthur Lauth (Virginia). A sister Mrs. Wm. Plotnicky (Belle), seven grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.

Roy Archibald Fortin, son of Albert Joseph and Susan Belle Shearer, was born 23 May 1907. When growing up on Park Point his close friends were the Indians. When he was a young man he was nearly blinded by a gun shot in the face. Some occupations he had were, seaman, ore dock worker, sang and danced at theatre and later drove trucks. He met his wife Helen Gertrude Smith when he was 17 years old, they went together for 7 years and were engaged on 25 December 1931. They married 25 April 1932. They had one child: Patricia Yvonne Fortin.

4 generations - Albert, Roy, Patricia, Michael

Roy Archibald Fortin and Helen Gertrude Smith were divorced and both remarried at a later date. Helen Gertrude Smith Fortin Mahan, age 63, died Monday 22 January 1968 in a Phoenix, Arizona hospital. She had resided on Park Point for 35 years. Before moving to Arizona, she had resided in Chicago. Surviving are her husband Harry Mahan, a daughter, Mrs. Norman Wilson (Patricia), a brother David Smith, Rochester, Minnesota, and a sister, Mrs. William Watts (Ida), and four grandchildren.

Roy Archibald Fortin, age 84, died Thursday 19 September 1991, in the Surf and Sand Health Center. He was born in Duluth and worked in the trucking business for 30 years. He owned his own truck. His trucking company eventually merged with Centry Trucking Company. His first wife, Helen Smith Fortin, his second wife, Jean Murley Fortin, and his third wife, Mary Betty Fortin, all died previously. He is survived by a daughter Patricia Fortin Wilson, of Springville, Utah, a brother, Milton, of Seattle, Washington, and four sisters, Mary Mann of Greenville, California, Virginia Lauth of Bremerton, Washington, and Helen and Catherine Fortin of Duluth, Minnesota, four grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.