The Abitakijikokwe Discovery

Research Strategy & Documentation Process

Initial Research Phase

Starting Point

• Subject: Gabriel Guilbault, d. 1833, St-Benoit, Quebec

• Initial Problem: First wife listed only as "unknown Indigenous woman" or "Sauvagesse"

• Available Data: Gabriel's death record, second marriage to Josette Closier (1815)

Reverse Chronological Search

1. Located Gabriel's death record (April 8, 1833) - confirmed age 70

2. Found 1815 marriage identifying him as "widower of Josette Sauvagesse"

3. Calculated first wife's death between 1813-1814

4. Identified Gabriel's birthplace: L'Assomption (1762)

Geographic Clustering Strategy

Mapped potential parishes based on:

• Fur trade routes (Ottawa River corridor)

• Known Métis communities (Oka, Deux-Montagnes)

• Gabriel's origin (L'Assomption)

• Death location (St-Benoit)

Breakthrough Discovery Phase

The 1798 Mass Baptism

Search Parameters: St-Paul-de-Joliette, 1795-1800, surname variations
Finding: October 10, 1798 - three children baptized together

Critical details extracted:

• Mother: "Josephte Sauvagesse, Sauteuse"

• Children's ages indicated births from 1790-1797

• Tribal identification: Sauteuse = Ojibwe/Saulteaux

Pattern Recognition Applied

Identified search terms:

• "Sauvagesse" (generic Indigenous woman)

• "Sauteuse/Sauteux" (specific: Ojibwe)

• "de nation" (tribal member)

• Spelling variants: Guilbault/Guilbeau/Guilbeault

This format maintains focus on the methodology without unnecessary time references, leading with the research challenge as you prefer.Initial Research Phase

Documentation Expansion Phase

Systematic Parish Review

Parishes Searched:

1. St-Paul-de-Joliette (1795-1805)

2. L'Annonciation, Oka (1799-1803)

3. Ste-Madeleine-de-Rigaud (1810-1820)

4. St-Benoit (1830-1835)

Record Types Examined:

• Baptisms (B)

• Marriages (M)

• Burials (S)

• Notarial indices

The Marriage Record Discovery

January 27, 1801 - L'Annonciation, Oka

• Full Indigenous name preserved: "M. Josephte Abitakijkok8e"

• Four children legitimized

• Witnesses with Indigenous names