A Look at What is Found in the BAnQ’s Quebec Court of General Sessions

They have arrived, my multiple orders from the BAnQ are trickling in. The record set I am focused on is the Inventory of Documents from the Court of General Sessions which I blogged about Index to Court Records on the BAnQ (Quebec Archives) Website Reveals Nefarious Life in Quebec City, so refer to that if you are curious as to what you can find.

And now to the first installment I have received.

1. Hannah (Jeffery) Norton I have received 4 files for Hannah that contain information from the index found on the BAnQ website. The files consist of Deposition and Recognizance for situations Hannah found herself in. The one below documents a charge Hannah made against Ismeniah Walsh and one section states, “within the said district unlawfully assault and strike complainant without ____ or provocation and against the peace” Other documents are along the same lines have Hannah charging Alice Maggin for assault.

2. Elizabeth (Jeffery) Laprise In 1866 Elizabeth Laprise charged George Campbell with Larceny, what did he steal? Her 15lb ham! She notes that the ham ” is the same as that one shown to me in the Police Office in this City”. Elizabeth and her husband Samuel ran the British American Hotel at 16 Cul de Sac Street in Quebec City, the ham could have been for feeding their guests. Something else I noted is that Elizabeth signed the document (below) while her sister Hannah (mentioned above) left her mark on the documents I received for her. Elizabeth was two years younger than Hannah, and maybe was offered more of an education? Interesting discovery.

3. Elizabeth (Tipper) Jeffery In 1839 (I love that I have information on my 3x great grandmother in 1839) Elizabeth Tipper, (mother of the girls Elizabeth & Hannah mentioned above) charged Ann (Anderson) McConky, for “vile and abusive language” and “did threaten” her. I am having a hard time reading some of the hand writing but it goes on to say “Mrs. McConky is in the constant habit of getting drunk and disturbing the peace”

4. Robert Jeffery Again I am having a hard time reading the handwriting (I need to brush up on my paleography skills). In 1833 Robert had some sort of agreement with Antoine Charles Taschereau, this document is in French so that makes it doubly hard. But I can make out that Robert who was a stonemason is referred to as a “master workman” that he was doing work in Nouvelle Beauce and had to pay in pounds 6-3-9 to Charles. On another page it reads in English “Robert Jeffery of the Ste. Marie aforesaid master workman __ Mr. Pozer’s Mill” and then I cannot make out the last couple of words. I know that Robert did build Pozer’s Mill as there is a contract made between the gentlemen. Also Robert Jeffery’s daughter Hannah (mentioned above) was born in 1832 during the time Robert was working for George Pozer and they named her Hannah Pozer Jeffery.

5. William R Jordan And the last document I received was the Coroners Inquest for the death of William Robert Jordan (the Archives had his name spelled JORDON) in 1938. It was only one page and in French. Thanks to my Jordan relatives I know that William died from cancer of the tongue and was seen by Dr. J.M. Elliott, who I am told was the primary Doctor for the English speaking population for many years in Quebec City. The Coroners records index are found on the same database page as the Court Records.

I am looking forward to receiving more records from BAnQ and I will be sharing all my latest finds. I also think it would be an interesting conversation if any of the descendants of the people mentioned in the altercations reached out me. What do you think?