His descendants

Lets talk now of his sons and descendants:

Alexis: Born at Québec 26 August 1767, of Thomas Handfield's first marriage. Alexis was married at Beloeil 23 July 1787 to Brigitte Remy Bellefleur, daughter of Léopold Bellefleur, Captain of Militia. The couple had but one daughter born at Beloeil 02 July 1788 and baptized Marie-Louise. I have not found the death date of Alexis, but his widow remarried at Beloeil, on 23 November 1795.

Thomas: Born at Verchères 05 November 1781, married at Varennes 18 June 1804 to Françoise Fontaine dit Bienvenue. They had seven children of which two continued the line. Established on the farm of the "Beauce of Verchères", he is the ancestor of the entire line of the Handfields of Contrecoeur, Sorel, St-Antoine and St. Hyacinthe. One of his descendants, Louis-Napoléon, is the father of a large family whose grand children live in Canada from Montréal to Vancouver. The descendants of Thomas are numerous in Montréal, Cartierville and Rosemont. He died in Verchères on the 21st and buried the 22nd of September 1834 at the age of 54 years. One of his grandson, Richard, was Mayor of Contrecoeur for 14 years.

Joseph: Born at Verchères 15 April 1783, married at Verchères to Françoise Desmarais 10 November 1806. He inherited the farm at Saint Marc which was purchased in 1801. Even though he had only two sons to continue his descent, this descendancy line is impressive. He is the ancestor of all the Handfields of St. Marc. (the location of the well-known dining facility known as l'Auberge Handfield" and its proprietor, Conrad Handfield) Beloeil and St. Hilaire, but the majority live in Montréal and Lachine.

In this line of descent is the family having the most children (twenty-two), the family of Hormisdas Handfield, buttermaker of St. Marc, and Josephine Chicoine. He was my grandfather.

Our oral history, in all the branches of Joseph's descendants, was that he was bitten by a wolf suffering of rabies, and that was the cause of his death at St. Marc 03 October 1820 at the age of 37 years.

June 18, 1971, I went to see Mrs. Alexandre Hébert (née Flore Emma Handfield) aged 78 1/2 years. Her great grandfather, who died 24 June 1907, was Thomas Handfield who married Catherine Tanguay. He was ten years old when his father, Joseph, died. Mrs. Hébert who has a phenomenal memory in spite of her advanced age, told me what her great grandfather told her of this story:

"For several days, my father's sheep were being killed, so, one morning he got up earlier and took his gun with him to the field. When he saw the killer, he fired his gun and stepped aside to look above the smoke of his shot. He had hit, but only wounded a loup-cervier that jumped and bite him seriously on the face".

Another reliable lady, Mrs. Émile Gendron, née Alma Handfield, born August 15th 1889, descendant of Joseph, the other son of Joseph who was bitten, told me exactly the same story, except for the "loup-cervier", and even added that when Joseph Handfield became sick he had to be tied in his bed and cared for by only his brother Jean-Baptiste. His wife left the home with her children to protect them from the disease.

The testimony of these two people, with their sources of reference so close to the time of that drama, verifies the story.

A few years later, my sister Lucie, librarian at the University of Montréal, discovered in the magazine "Nos Racines"#76 a text relating this unfortunate event. See a summary of the text, translated, published in "Le Spectateur Canadien" (French gazette of Montréal) on Saturday October 21st 1820.

See Appendix 8 for notes concerning the descendants of Joseph.

Jean-Baptiste: Born in Verchères 30 October 1784, married at Verchères 11 February 1805 to Catherine Fontaine Bienvenue, sister-in-law of his brother Thomas. They had 13 children, of which three sons married. The farm and the stone house that he had received from his father's inheritance passed into the hands of strangers after two generations.

After farming in the parish of Verchères for several years, many of the descendants moved to Montréal. Others settled at the Présentation, Ste-Rosalie and St. Damasse before moving to Montréal. Edward, one of the sons of Jean-Baptiste, was a blacksmith at Verchères and, later, at Beloeil where most of his children were born. He later moved to Richelieu and St. Mathias where one of his sons drowned accidentally at the age of 10 years.

Finally, the family went looking for a place in Montréal. Jean-Baptiste died in Verchères, on August 15, 1864, at the age of 80 years.

Francois-Xavier: Thomas' youngest son, was born in Verchères December 7th 1789. He married in Verchères, on January the 14th 1811, Marguerite Lalus Lamontagne and had 14 children, of which 5 sons married and had descendants.

SISTER SERVULE, SISTER OF THE PROVIDENCE Born Valéda Handfield the 13th of March 1860 at Verchères, daughter of Augustin Handfield (son of François-Xavier) and of Angèle Tétreault. Member of the Sisters of Providence the 22nd of November 1880. She died at St-André Avelin, Québec the 8th of September 1918 and was buried in the Sister's cemetery of Longue-Pointe, Montréal Québec. The education was the main purpose of the thirty seven years with the Community. She specialized in the education of the deaf and dumb girls. She visited the best schools in Europe to bring the newest methods of teaching to her students. In 1897, the General Counsel of the Sisters of the Providence gave her the responsability of the classes Director, until 1914, except for a period of eighteen months when she visited the sicks and the poors of the St. Eusebe's parish of Montreal. In 1915, she did the same but in St. Catherine's parish of Montreal, Québec Her love for the poors and the sicks was equal to her attractiveness for the studies and the teaching. ( Providence Archives. In Memoriam)

After having lived in Verchères a very short time, all of them moved away. One line came to St. Marc before they moved to Montréal. This is the line of the Handfield doctors and lawyers of the years 1901 to 1940. Those who did not move to Montréal right away, settled at St. Damasse and St. Hyacinthe, and from there they disappeared completely.

The Handfields now living in St. Hyacinthe are descendants of Thomas, (son of Thomas the first). After St. Hyacinthe, some of Francois-Xavier's descendants went to St. Jean-Baptiste of Rouville and Rougemont and then they moved away. Some of them were still living in St. Paul d'Abbotsford, Granby, Iberville, St. Alexandre and St. Jean in 1971.

Four sons of Rémi (one of Francois-Xavier's sons) emigrated to the Detroit, U.S.A., area. Two married in St. Joseph's Bay parish church, but the four of them returned to Montréal. Their descendants live in Cartierville and Laval.

Francois-Xavier died in Verchères, on 04 September 1872, at the age of 84.

In the descent of each one of these lines, numerous families emigrated to the U.S.A. Some of them returned to Canada, but the majority of them live in New England, Nebraska, Iowa and as far as California.

Father Thomas Handfield  Born at Ste-Théodosie, Québec, July 19th 1888, son of Louis-Napoléon and Olympe Bussière. He received the Minor Ordres at the Montréal Cathedral from Mgr Paul Bruchési le 25 avril 1916 and sacred Priest at the St-François-Xavier Parish Church of Verchères July 2nd 1916 also by Mgr Paul Bruchési. Nominations: -1916: Teacher at St-Jean College, Québec -August 29th 1917: Vicar at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, Montréal, Québec -August 12th 1918: Vicar at St-Agnès -June 15th 1920: Vicar at St-Rédemteur. -September 4th 1926: Chaplain of Sacré-Coeur Sisters and from 1934, also in charge of the St.Rita Chapel. -September 5th 1936: Chaplain at Villa Maria until his death, September 21st 1938.

Our centenarians

FRANÇOIS (FRANK) HANDFIELD, born in Montréal novembre 30th 1895, lived longer than Mrs Josette Handfield, but by only six days. He lived 1 century, plus 1 year, plus 2 months et 24 days. He was son of Euclide Handfield and Lydia Hébert. He married in Montréal, May 24th 1920, Berthe Beaulieu. They had no descendants. François died in Montréal February 24th 1997.

 Ursula Keyes

In 1976, while conducting reasearch at the Bureau of Archives in Maidstone, a prominent town in the county of Kent in England, I was informed by an archivist that a lady from Chester by the name of Ursula Keyes had recently written for information about her ancestor Lieutenant-Colonel William Handfield. She possessed objects that had belonged to him, a miniature painting, and wondered if he could have come from this region since it was the birthplace of several persons with that surname. See informations

 Handfield in Australia

One of my clients came across the Handfield surname in Australia, and as a result, I communicated with the Australian Bureau of Affairs in Canada. Since they possessed telephone directories of the major cities in Australia, I was able to obtain the address of M. Reginald Handfield of Melbourne.(Grandson of Frederick Oliver, we will see him later in the text). I wasted no time writing to him, and in his reply, I learned that his sister was the "expert" in Australia on the history of the Handfields. I was about to gain a whole lot. Mary's first communication with me included no less than a packet of photocopies, copies of letters, newspaper clippings, etc, plus an eight page letter which began with "Dear very very distant cousin..." (Photo of Reginald and Mary, 1958)

All of the Handfields in Australia are descendants of Colonel Charles Handfield of Dublin through his son, Commander Edward Handfield of the Royal Navy, and his family. Edward is the father of Lieutenant Frederic Oliver Handfield of the Royal Navy, who joined the Australian navy in 1859. He is the grandfather of Mary Handfield and her brother Reginald, also of two cousins, John and Peter Paul, the latter the one who came to Montréal during the 1939-45 war. The other families descended from John Charles and George Johnson , two brothers of Frederic Oliver.

 The children of Charles and Margaret

The eldest, John, was born in Rhode Island 21 March 1779, Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers, 09 October 1794, Captain -- 11 October 1801, and Lieutenant-Colonel -- 21 July 1813, came to Québec. The Gazette of Québec of 13 August 1817 announced the arrival, after a crossing of 87 days, coming from London, of the ship "William" having aboard Lieutenant-Colonel John Handfield and his family. Having found no further trace of this family in Canada, I believe that they returned to England at the time his service terminated. He had no descendance with his wife Eliza Mackelcan who was sister of General John Mackelcan. This latter was the natural son of the King George III and his mistress Hannah Lightfoot, he was brought up by a Mackelcan family which also brought up Eliza. The General was also member of the "Royal Engineers"

The second, Phillip Cosby, born in New York 5 May 1781. This one was killed at sea off Regio, Italy, 30 January 1808, when, as Captain of the sloop "Delight", he participated in the war against the French of Napoleon. He was 26 years old. All this information about Charles and his children, come from the papers of the Monckton family of England. Among these archives, there is a letter that Lord Collingwood, chief of the fleet who fought in the Mediterranean, addressed from Messine in Sicily, to Vice Admiral Whitehead, in which he praises the merits of his young Captain, killed in action.

The third son was born 24 August 1783 in New York also, and was baptised Charles.

The fourth child, a daughter named Catherine, was born in Windsor, England, 28 December 1784.

Then, on 29 July 1786, in Plymouth, England, was born Anne Margaret, who married Captain John Jones of the Royal Navy forming the line of the Handfield-Jones.

Two other girls followed: Eliza, born in Deal on 25 February 1789 and Isabella, born at Dublin 18 December 1790.

After 1789, all his children were born in Dublin. Isabella was followed by Edward on February 16th 1792. He had eight children, all boys, whose descendants established a family in Australia. Edward was in the Royal Navy and fought for several years during the blockade of New Orleans.

Mary was born on June 28th 1793, George, on September 12, 1795, and Julia Lucy, on August 9th 1797. Isabella, Mary and Julia Lucy lived together and all died at South Brent in Somerset.

The last one of that family, Sarah, was born on December 16th, 1800. She married Joseph Robinson on August 5th, 1835 in the St.Michael the Archangel Church of Dublin. Joseph Robinson was an engineer and a surveyor, and the brother of William Robinson, a famous Irish gardener. For this marriage, Sarah was banned from the rest of the family.

Someone to remember

A member of the Reverend family of the Wyatt, Edward, born Boxley, Kent, England, in 1621, migrated to U.S.A and died at Anne Arundel, Maryland.

One of his descendants, Rev. James Wyatt, born 1748, married Mary Winslow, born 1750, sister of Margaret Ashford Winslow, born 1753, who married Charles Handfield son of John. Rev. James Wyatt and Mary Winslow had a son, Rev. William Edward Wyatt, born 1789, who married Frances (Fanny) Billop.

This last couple had a keen sense of remembrance. To a son, born 1827, they give the name Edward Winslow Wyatt, probably for his grand-mother. Another son, born 1836, was baptized Charles Handfield Wyatt I. He died 1904. He had married Lisa Kneeland and had a son baptized on October 11th. 1865, Charles Handfield Wyatt II. who died Feb. 5th. 1930. With his wife, Meta Hutton, that Charles Handfield Wyatt II was the father of Charles Handfield Wyatt III. Mrs Julia Wyatt, is the daughter of Charles Handfield Wyatt IV. She is the wife of Commissionner Bill James of N.C., U.S.A. who sent us part of those informations.

The Children of Edward, Commander "Royal Navy"

Edward married, probably in Ireland, Louisa Sarah Coakley. Together they had eight sons and no daughter. Louisa Sarah died at Dundalk on May 4th 1834. Edward remarried and his second wife, Lydia Gilligan, raised the large family with all maternal love according to the testimony of the descendants. She died at Cheltenham April 20th, 1887 at 81 years. Edward died at Bellbroughton, in Worcester, on March 20th, 1839. Statement of service (photos of Lydia Gilligan and Edward)

The first son, John Charles was born in Dublin in 1814 and died in London on November 1st 1887. He joined the military and served in India. He was the last of our family branch to live and die in England. The descendants of his five children live today in Australia.

The second son, Edward, was born in Ireland and died, single, at a young age.

The third son, CAREY, born in Dublin August 20th 1820, was Ensign in the 64th Regiment December 14th 1838. Lieutenant in the 29th Regiment April 8th 1842. He became Lieutenant in the 29th, Regt, April 8th 1842 the year the Regiment was dispatch to garrison the Island of Mauritius in the Indian ocean. From 1845 to 1846 the 29th, Regt, fought in the first Anglo-Sikh War, named Sutlej Campain. CAREY participated at the Ferozehah battle and on February, 10th, 1846 to the Sobraon's. Battles for which he received a medal. The year after, CAREY and probably all the 29th Regt, was in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia where he married on September 22nd 1847 Frances Robinson, daughter of George Augustus Robinson and of Augusta Isabella Henkel. Ceremony held by Rev. Edwin Gilpin in presence of witnesses Francis A. Forbes and George Robinson. From 1848 to 1859, the 29th Regt was in service in India and Burma. April 30th, 1849, CAREY was promoted Captain. He died at Meerut, India, March, 2nd, 1850. For the cause of his death, I refer to some notes written by Rawlings Alfred Robinson, a nephew of Frances Robinson who also lived in Annapolis Royal and probably knew her personnaly because he was born 1869.

Note " FRANCES, born November 28th, 1819 married Carey Handfield a native of Ireland. Officer Handfield died of smallpox in India, soon after. Frances had the disease there at the same time but recovered and lived at Annapolis Royal till her death in 1898." This last information, as to the death of CAREY, was sent to us by Mr Bill Robinson, grand-son of Mr Rawlings Alfred Robinson.

The fourth and fifth sons chose the Church as a career. George Johnson, born October 17th 1822 completed a bachelor degree in 1845 and a master degree in 1861 at St.John College in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. He married Maria Clementina Arnold on January 17th 1850 in Kingston, Jamaica. She died on July 30th 1863 of malaria, followed by her husband the following year.(See picture and descendants) Their four living children were sent first to their Aunt, Lady Galway, in England and later, in 1870, to their Uncle in Australia, Henry Hewitt Paulet Handfield who was childless. The latter was born in Dublin on December 12th 1828 and sailed from England to Australia in October 1847 with Lordship Perry on the yacht Stag. They arrived at Yarra on January 23rd 1848. Henry Hewitt Paulet was ordained in 1852. From 1854 to 1900, he was the Rector at St.Peter's Church in Melbourne, and from 1879 to 1900, he was also a Canon of St.Paul Cathedral also in Melbourne. He married Mary Leigh Tripp on November 10th 1853 at St.Peter's Church. He died in Melbourne on August 8th 1900. See documents

The sixth son, Frederic Oliver, was born on April 15th 1830. He joined the Royal Navy in 1844. His apprenticeship was on the Victory, under Nelson. In 1857, he left the Royal Navy to join the first Australian Navy ship, the Fox, under the order of Captain McClintock. Frederic Oliver married Mary Ellen Tatham, christened in 1833 in Leeds, England, in St.Peter's Church on May 14th 1862.

One son of Frederick Oliver Handfield, CHARLES REGINALD Handfield born August 26th 1878 at Melbourne Australia was Corporal in the Natal Light Horse Regiment. He was killed in action while fighting the Germans near Gibeon in the South West Africa on April 27th 1915. His body was buried in the Gibeon Station Cemetery, five kilometres from the Village of Gibeon, May 6th 1915.

Two grandsons of Frederick Oliver Handfield did participate in the 1939-1945 World War.

The first, PETER PAUL Handfield, born Hampton Australia March 31st 1916, joined the "Royal Australian Air Force" June 24th 1940. He came to Canada, for his training, at the St. Hubert Airport near Montreal, arriving November 20th 1940. He flew to England where he arrived June 7th 1941. Sent to the Middle East, based at Malta October 23rd 1941. On February 15th 1942, he was part of a mission with the Flight Squadron 203 of the Royal Air Force from which he never returned. He was only 25 years old.

The second, REGINALD JOSEPH Handfield born Nagambie Australia, July 11th 1916, also joined the "RAAF" May 23rd 1941. He became "Flight Lieutenant" General Duty Pilot. He was employed in Australia and discharged October 4th 1945.

The seventh son of EDWARD, William Hopton, born July 3rd 1831, did not have a military career but join the civil service. He married Isabelle Tatham, sister of his brother's wife and became Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Education of his country.

The second son, William Hopton Anderson born Kew Australia, December 30th 1891, was a permanent soldier. He joined, as Lieutenant, the RAGA on December 10th 1910. Promoted Flying Officer, August 23rd 1916, he went to France August 21st 1917 and was promoted Major January 28th 1918. He received the "Distinguished Flying Cross", the " Belgium Croix de Guerre" and many Service Medals. He became "Air Vice Marshall". October 1st 1941 and the 1st November 1945 he was promoted "Air Commodore".Though he participated to two World wars, he died peacefully in his bed in Melbourne Australia on December 30th 1976.   Photo 1911

See a letter I received from him almost exactly 1 year before he died.

The last son of EDWARD, Phillips, was born December 3rd 1833. He disappeared in South Africa.

Handfields from 3 continents meet

From left to right: Christopher Andrew from England, Ginette from Canada and Michael Keith from Australia. The meeting took place in Australia in 2003.

 The "Haindfield"

The name Haindfield was taken by a Mr Handfield who moved from Canada to Salix in Iowa U.S.A. That is why the name is found only in that state and the surrounding ones. Moïse born 1849 in Contrecoeur Québec was the son of Olivier Handfield and of Sophie Lamoureux. He was baptized " Hintfill". This is the way most french speaking people pronounce our name even today, but Moïse learned his name as "Haind.."

In 1867, Mr Richard Lacroix, a Canadian worker, back to Canada for a rest after many years of work, offered MoÏse to come with him to work for Mr. Théophile Brughier a Canadian contractor living in U.S.A.. They went to Chicago to take a train, that in those days, used to make the trip to Iowa once a month.

After few years of work in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota, Moïse bought a farm and came back to Canada to marry the lady who was waiting for him. The marriage toke place in Contrecoeur Québec, February 13th 1878. Moïse married Miss Malvina Hubert born 1858 and together they took the train for Salix.

A short time later, they bought near Salix, Iowa, a farm of 160 acres, where they lived the rest of their life, raising a family of seven children. Malvina died 1932 aged 75 years and Moïse in 1941 aged 92. Both buried in Salix, Iowa, U.S.A. One of their daughter, Allia Justine Haindfield wife of Philip Edward Trudeau sent me a souvenir made by her, a large painting showing a winter scene of her country. She died September 2nd 1985.

(Info by Joe Haindfield grand-son of Moïse.)

From left, first row: Moïse Haindfield and Malvina Hubert Second row: Allia Justine Haindfield and Philip Edward Trudeau.

Handfield in TURKS & CAICOS ISLANDS

 In these islands live many families, of the black race, who bear the name Handfield. That was told to me by my cousin Martial Handfield who's daughter spent a vacation time at the Island Princess Hotel in the Providenciales Island. She met there a nice man and was surprised when he told her that his name was also Handfield. I sent a letter to the owner of the Hotel asking to give it to someone who would accept to answer. I did receive the following letter:

 During the summer 1992, I spent a week in these islands meeting many families. Most of them did not know any thing about their History. Only two women told me their ancestors were "slaves" but did not know anything else.

	Judy, A.Yvon, Grace, Earl with the son of Judy

One day I found out in London an old Will that may help to solve the enigma but absolutely nothing sure. Here is the copy of the said Will.

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN

The Second and twentieth day of July Anno Domine 1647 And in the three and twentieth yeare of the raigne of our Soveraigne Lord Charles, by the grace of God, King of England, Scotland, FFrance and Ireland defender of the faith etc, I HENRY HENFEILD of the parish of St. Buttolph without Algate London, Cooper being bound forth upon a voyage to Guinney and the West Indies in the parte of beyond the seas in the good shipp called the Lionesse of London whereof Benjamine Gostin is Master, doe make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and forme ffollowinge ( that is to say ) ffirst and principally I committ and comend my Soule which is imortall and dyeth not, into the hands of Allmightie God my Creator and my bodie into the earth or Seas to be decently buried wheresoever or howsoever it shall please the Lord to dispose thereof Steadfestly belevinge the free remission of all my sins only by and through the precious death and bloodshed of Jesus Christ my alone Savier Redeemer. And as concerning all such wordly goods and substance as it shall please God to bestowe upon me at the time of my decease I doe dispose thereof as followeth. Inprimis I give and bequeath unto my brother Robert one shilling sterling and likewise to my sister Margarett one shilling of like money And likewise I give unto Joseph Wells the sonne of Robert Wells the some of tenn shillings of like money. All the rest and residue of my Estate, goods, chattells, ready money, debts and all such wages as shall grow due unto me for this present intended voyage, I doe fully and wholly give and bequeath the same and every part thereof unto my dearly beloved sister Elizabeth Infeild of London Spinster whome I make and ordayne the full and sole Executrix of this my last Will and Testament And I doe hereby renounce and make void all former or other wills by mee either made or spoken, willing and determining by these pr.tes and none other shall stand and be taken to and for my last Will and Testament In Wittnes whereof I have hereonto sett my hand and Seale the day and year abovewritten./

The mark of Henry Infeild/ Signed sealed published and declared as the last Will and Testament of the said Henry Infeild in the presence of / the marke of Humphry Hooper, Robert Wells, John Rylands. Sir./

PROBATUM London December 17, 1648.

Because the Ship was sailing to Guinney before to sail to West Indies I think someone wanted to buy "slaves" and take them along to the Islands. And how an english name came to them ???? That is another mystery to solve.

THE NAME HANDFIELD IN SOUTH AFRICA

After I have known that one section of the town of Port Elizabeth in South Africa was given the name of Handfield Valley, I sent a letter, to the Mayor of the said town, asking for some informations on the subject. Here is a photocopy of the answer I did received from overseas.

Complementary informations 

Ann Handfield was born in Ulcombe, England, in the year 1798. She married Lt. Richard Daniell in Port Elizabeth  July 5th. 1820. In 1834 she gave birth to a  son named Richard Handfield Jackson Daniell who in 1864 married in Port Elizabeth, Charlotte Lake. Ann Handfield died February 19th 1837.

Richard Daniell remarried on May 16 1839, with Harriet Mary Dunsterville, born in England in 1816. She died 1858. Richard Daniell remarried again, in 1860, with Ann Ubsdell born in Port Elizabeth, February 8th 1821, daughter of George Ubsdell and of  Elizabeth George. This Ann Ubsdell died in 1892.

Thomas Handfield, was born in Ulcombe, also in the year 1798. He married in Africa on June 12th 1832, Hester Marshall. He died in 1875.