Descendants of Jean Aubuchon

b. 1591 in Ste. Rémi de Dieppe, Normandy, France

The Migration to Florissant, Missouri

The village called "Fleurissant" by its French settlers and "St. Ferdinand" by its Spanish rulers was a typical French village with its commons and common fields.¹  In 1772, it is alluded to in a decree issued by El Baron de Carondelet as a new settlement in the "district of Ylinoa by the name of St. Ferdinando," and was known for many years as the City of St. Ferdinand.²

The date the first settlers came to the rich, fertile Valley of St. Ferdinand is unknown, but it is one of the oldest settlements in the state of Missouri. Some historians believe it was settled about the same time as St. Louis. The first civil government was formed in 1786 by Francois Dunegant who served as the civil and military commandant. Spanish archives in Havana reveal that there were 40 people and 7 plantations in Florissant at the time of the 1787 census.³

Florissant was first incorporated as a town in 1829, but the charter was allowed to lapse.  In 1843, it was again incorporated which lasted until 1857, when it was made a city by legislative enactment.  The town records, written during the first incorporation (1829-1832) and the second (1843-1857) have been lost.⁴

Florissant's famous parish, "St. Ferdinand de Florissant", was established in 1789 and soon became the community center at what is now the Spanish Land Grant Park.  The present church was constructed in 1821 and is believed to be the oldest Catholic church in the upper Louisiana territory as well as the oldest standing church of any denomination west of the Mississippi including all of the Louisiana Purchase Territory.  St. Ferdinand Shrine was an active parish until 1955.⁵

The earliest Aubuchons to settle in the area, were the sons of Gabriel Aubuchon--the father of the Florissant Aubuchons⁶--and Angelique dit "LaSonde" Pilet and grandchildren of Joseph Aubuchon and Marie Paniouensa.  Joseph was one of the first settlers of Kaskaskia, Illinois (see Kaskaskia, Illinois to the left).  Gabriel had two sons--Gabriel and Joseph--which migrated to Florissant.  The Aubuchons would later become one of the most fruitful families in the area.  In fact according to William L. Thomas', "History of St. Louis County, Missouri", there were two main families in Florissant, Patterson and Aubuchon. 

Referring to the Pattersons, it used be said that there was only one other family in the township that exhibited equal fecundity and that was the Aubuchon family.  It "stood" in the paper, thirty-six years ago, that a traveler, in passing along a certain road leading out of Florissant would, for miles, see nothing but Aubuchons on one side and Pattersons on the other.  If he met a man driving a yoke of steers and saluted him as Mr. Patterson, he was apt to hit it; and if he met a boy on a bob-tailed pony, all he had to do was to call him Aubuchon.⁷

The Aubuchons would also become one of the most influential families, producing the first official Mayor of the city, Gregoire Aubuchon in 1857⁸.  The Aubuchon legacy continues in Florissant today with notable landmarks such as "Aubuchon Park" and "Aubuchon Street".

Gabriel Aubuchon b. 25 June 1765 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois

Gabriel was the eldest of about five children. He was the son of Gabriel Aubuchon and Angelique dit "LaSonde" Pilet and was born in Kaskaskia, Illinois.  In 1793 he married Marie Angelique Thibault and had about nine or ten children.  I have found only nine so far, but there are others that have listed ten.

According to "Researching the Aubuchons in Missouri"--an the article published in the "St. Louis Genealogical Society Quarterly", by Jeananne Beuer--their first two children, Therese and Gabriel,  were born in Kaskaskia, Illinois.⁹  Therese is the child for which I have found no records. The remaining eight children--Jean Baptiste, Jerome, Marie Louise, Natelie, Joseph, Emilie, Angelique and Francois--were born in Missouri.  Jerome was the first of his children baptized in Florissant in September, 1800¹⁰.

Joseph Aubuchon b. 18 October 1767 in Kaskaskia, Randolph Co., Illinois

Joseph was the second born and a twin to Marie Therese Aubuchon¹¹.  He was married to Marie Kiercereau on March 3, 1794, in St. Louis, St. Louis Co., MO¹².  This probably means they migrated to Florissant prior to that date.  Although I have no physical proof, I think Joseph migrated to the area prior to Gabriel.

Their first child Joseph was baptized March 9, 1795, in the Old Cathedral in St. Louis, St. Louis Co., MO.  Their first children baptized in Florissant were twins, Pierre and Antoine on October 13, 1799.  Joseph and Marie produced 18 children and combine that with Gabriel and Angelique's nine or ten, explains the high concentration of Aubuchons in the area.

More to Come...