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From: Sue Martinson <>
Subject: [Q-R] Indian
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:48:12 -0700 (PDT)


Hello Everyone
 
My O'Connor family has a legend that great grandmother, Marie St. Martin, was an Indian.  In the family home of my grandmother in Lowell, MA., there was a picture of a dark skinned man with long hair who looked Indian.  He was supposed to be my g-g-grandfather, Joseph St. Martin of Chichester, Pontiac County, QC.  This matter was not to be discussed in their home, according to the children.
 
Joseph St. Martin ,born about 1808 married Marie Louise Belanger in St. Ours about 1825..   I do have the baptismal, marriage, or death information to support my line back to 1642 and they look solidly French.  Is it possible that Catholic church records just did not mention an Indian bloodline ?  Since all the names in that line are French, I assumed that meant they were descendants of French people and white Caucasions.  Could a baptismal certificate just not mention the fact of the Indian blood ?  Could a couple adopt a child of Indian blood and simply list themselves as the parents on the baptismal certificate ?
 
The idea of Indian blood is interesting and romantic.  But I have a grandfather on another line who my father said "was dark as a Mexican."  Well, my grandfather was a farmer out in the sun in Texas all his life and I think he was just dark from the sun.  His line is English.  So I am not jumping on the romantic Indian princess bandwagon without some proof. 
 
Any comments on this situation will be appreciated.
 
Sue in Florida

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