A bottle in the water???

[serpent1953]

Hello everyone!

I'm a new poster here on your board writing from South Korea where I teach English.

I wonder if you could help me find some broken links in my family tree? I made a ton of research on the net but I'm almost at the end of the rope.

1- Does anybody know the where abouts of Amelia Menard Rouleau, the wife of Charles Rouleau who founded the town of Rulo, Nebraska? My research ends with a court case in 1870 between the Rouleau family and the Bedard family in the town of Rulo. I know that after Charles Rouleau died, she married 2 more times and took the names of Amelia Spider and Missouri Timber.

2- Does anyone know what happened to her sister Sophia Menard Bedard, the wife Eli Bedard and partner of Charles Rouleau? My research also ends about the same time Eli Bedard died 3 years after Charles Rouleau.

3- Sophia and Eli had 2 sons, Eli jr. and Emanuel that were both sent to Quebec city, Canada for their education. I know for a fact that Eli jr. died a year or two after his arrival in Quebec. Emanuel got educated and left back for Nebraska around 1874-1875. After that, he disappears and is traced in Chicago in 1927 when he met my grandfather and my father.

My grandmother told me that Emanuel Bedard had a printing office in Chicago but could not recall what year exactly. In 1927, Emanuel Bedard leaves Chicago for Grandin, Missouri, Carter county where he dies in 1940. Everyone in my grandfather's family though he had left for Rulo not for Grandin.

4- In the 1860 census of Rulo, there is a girl named Isabel Robidoux living in the household of Eli Bedard and Sophia Menard. Others are Emanuel Bedard, Louis Menard and his 2 sons, William and Louis jr. I just wonder who she was and why she was living there.

On another topic, I read another post about Louis Menard and his wife Klanhaywin. I made some research about that and came up with this:

"Louis Menard b. 1792 St. Louis, MO. wed Rosalie Moitie and had a daughter Amelia Menard 1832-1929 in South Dakota.
His father was Louis Amable Menard b. 1757 Lavatrie, Berthier, Quebec, Canada, died 1819 St. Louis, Mo. His mother was Theotiste Loisel b.1765 Contrecoeur, Vercheres, Quebec, Canada d.1814 St. Louis, MO. Louis Amable Menard's parents were Pierre Jean Menard and Genevieve Cherby."

Being of french origin myself, I jumped on the word "Moitie" that literally means "Half" or could also mean "half breed" in the french language. I think Klanhaywin and Rosalie Moitie are the same person.

I would appreciate if anyone as more information to the mystery.

Very kind regards.

Rock

[helen]

Amelia Menard-Rulo died age 91 on the 16th of Oct 1924 in Wagner, Charles Mix Co SD. Death certf# 93946. The informant was Mrs Pretty Bull and it states she was buried 17 Oct 1924 Wagner Cemetery. She is listed as the widow of Mr Woods, cause of death senility. Parents are listed as Louis Menard and mother "don't know".
==========
Sioux City Sunday Journal 1929 (she was 96 years old when this article appeared)

Aged Visitor Saw the First Murder That Was Committed in Sioux City

Mrs. Amelia Rulo Was Here When White Settler Came.

By Gertrude Henderson. (Photo by Kozy Studio)

Mrs Amelia Rulo who is visiting in Sioux City with her daughter Mrs Zella Drips, 1207 Eleventh Street, is perhaps the only person now living who saw this county before the arrival of the first white settlers. Mrs Rulo is the daughter of the noted voyageur and trader, Louis Menard, and his Indian wife, Flies By. She was born in 1833 at a place halfway between the mouth of the Big White River and the Black Hills. In 1850 her father had an establishment near Fort Pierre. Here Amelia became the wife of Charles Rulo and her sister Rosalie the wife of Joseph Lionnais. In company with Jo Lionnais, the Menards, Rulos, and Eli Bedard came to settle in this territory in the early 50's. Mrs Rulo who was then in her teens, remembers distinctly the events during the settlement of Sioux City and the coming of the first white pioneers. She remembers War Eagle whom she says the Indians called Little Eagle. She remembers the excitement caused by the arrival of Mrs Sangster, the sister of Jo Lionnais, and the first white woman to make her home in Sioux City.

She knew Dr Cook, describing him as a pleasant, friendly man

Asked if she had known Reverend Father DeSmet (sp) the famous missionary, she signified an enthusiastic affirmative. She had known him when she was a little girl. He had lodged with her father many times. The Indians called him “Black Robe” and held him in great esteem.

Mrs Rulo was present at the dance where the trouble started the night Thompson killed Norwood, the first murder committed in Woodbury County. In fact her sister Sophia, was the woman in the case. Rulo entered a claim near the stockyards, which he sold about 1854 and moved with his family to Rulo, Nebraska which was named for him. Mrs Rulo has made her home there for a number of years. After visiting in Sioux City she expects to visit a son in Wagner SD.

[helen]

Per SD Historical Collections Eli Bedard died Jun 1865 and is buried in the N.W. section of the Rulo Cemetery, Rulo, Richardson Co NE

Sophie & Eli had a son Joseph Elee Bedard born 7 Feb 1855 and died 22 Nov 1857 age 2y9m16d and is buried in the Rulo Cemetery, Rulo, Richardson Co NE
If you go to findagrave.com you will find a picture of his tombstone

Sophie Menard was born 5 Jul 1838 on Medicine Creek SD per an affidavit by her father Louis Menard.
She was baptized 13 Jun 1840 age 1-1/2 years at Yankton Little Missouri River by C. Hoecken and the sponsor was: Baptiste Desant or Defunt from: The Tepee and the Church

Sophie is reported to have died in Jan 1867 and is buried in the Rulo Cemetery in the N.W. Section. There is no stone for Eli or Sophie.

This is the only census I have, have not been able to locate him in Chicago or Missouri.
1880 Jun 18 Rulo, Richardson Co NE Ed 358 Pg 22
Bedard, Emanuel 23 boarder NE Canada Dacota works on farm (b ca 1857)
in home of J.M. Jandrwo 39 farmer Cdn Cdn Cdn
NOTE: Ancestry has him indexed as BEDRED

I do not know who Isabel Roubidoux is living with Eli & Sophie in the 1860 census.

[dean]

Hello Serpent1953 ~
Is Emanuel a Bedard or a Buler?
In 1860 there's a court case - Scott v Twiss in Richardson County, Nebraska.
A dispute over land title. It states that Eli Bedard is guardian of a half breed Indian child, named Emanuel Buler. Who at the time is around seven years old.
It states Emanuel was granted half-breed land from the Prairie DuChein Treaty and took patent in 1860. It states Eli Bedard sold this land to another.
Did Emanuel receive any money? It sounds pretty "shady"!
You wrote that Emanuel went to Canada and then returned to Nebraska later. In this court case it states Emanuel Buler did the same. It sounds like these two are the same person. There is about a three year age difference between the two. Emanuel was listed at three years of age in the 1860 census. Age mistakes on the census was common by at least three to five years.
To read the full court case, Google "Eli Bedard - Scot v Twiss" it will come up under Nebraska Reports.
I checked the Roll of Sioux Mixed Bloods 1855-56 and found no Buler's.
I checked the Nemaha Half Breed list and found no Buler's. Emanuel Bedard is listed.
It appears Eli gave Emanuel the Bedard name.
Of course this is speculation but coincidental. I'll let you draw your own conclusions!
That's all for now,
Dean

[dean]

Correction to Serpent1953 from Dean...

It's Scott v Twiss

I left out a "t" on Scott.