A Canadian Family

1. Jean Baptiste Raientonni Canadien (Big John) & Malvina McComber of Kahnawake | Series: Families of Caughnawaga

A few weeks ago reader Shawlee Canadien came across my vintage postcard of Big John of Kahnawake negotiating the Lachine Rapids and left the following comment:  I just stumbled across your site. Big John is my great, great, great…. grandfather. My name is Shawlee Canadien. I was hoping you might know about my family, and could tell us more. It was such an honour to hear from a descendant of  one of Caughnawaga’s most historically prominent people and since I noticed that you can read alot online about Big John’s achievements but there’s no extended discussion of his family’s genealogical roots, I’ve prepared a series of posts exploring some pre-1920 genealogical information about –

The Canadiens – a Mohawk Family of Caughnawaga/Kahnawake

The First Generation

1.According to his marriage certificate, Jean Baptiste Raientonni (aka Big John) was the son of Ignace Briwakennhen Canadien and Louise Konwanonwehon. Jean Baptiste was born in 1843 in Quebec and died on February 16th, 1919.  He married Malvina McComber on 16 Feb 1863 in St-Francois-Xavier Church in Caughnawaga (Laprairie Quebec, Canada).  Malvina was a member of another well-known Kahnawake family – the McCombers. Her parents were  Gervais McComber and Agathe Pauline/Hyppoline Vincent DeJean. Malvina was born in 1845 in Kahnawake  and died after 1911.

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Children from this marriage included:

+ 2 M i. John Ariwakenha Canadien – born 1866, Quebec(m. Marie Karakwiio French)  + 3 M ii. Joseph Atihentonko Canadien – born 1869 Kahnawake (m. Anne Katsitsioronkas Diaume) + 4 M iii. Alexandre – Louis Tonaokate/Tanahokathe Canadien – born 1871, Kahnawake (m. Celine Guerin) + 5 M iv. George Kasennakeron Canadien, born 1875 , Kahnawake (m.Marie Karonhienhawe Laforce)  6 M v. Thomas Anenharison Canadien born 1880 Kahnawake + 7 F vi. Cecilia/Cecile Tierente Canadien – born 1874, Kahnawake (m. Ignace Skahetatii Jacobs)  + 8 M vii. Jean Baptiste Lindo Tiohatekwen Canadien – born 1884, Kahnawake (Anne Tekonwakennion McComber)  9 M viii. Frank/Francois/Xavier Canadien -  born 1887 Kahnawake. (Note: Birth dates extracted from various census documents are notoriously unreliable, but good indictors of birth order) Read more »

August 23, 2009 Posted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault | . | Amerindian, Caughnawaga, First Peoples, indigenous, Iroquois, Kahnawake, Mohawk, Native American | 5 Comments