Eureka!

The childhood of my great-grandfather, Joseph Voisin (1855-1916), remained a stubborn mystery after many years of genealogy research. In other essays I described the known facts and many hypotheses. I explored genetic genealogy and used DNA testing to identify numerous distant cousins. However the lack of traditional genealogical evidence like birth, marriage, and census records did not shed light on Joseph’s birth or who his parents were.

Until now. While analyzing my DNA test results, I noticed several distant matches who did not fit my known family tree. I had to determine their lineages based on scant information. Next I found matches we shared in common and I determined their lineages too. I began to identify more and more distant cousins who descend from one man, Theobald Koebel.¹

I had found no records that connect Joseph Voisin to the Koebel family. Nonetheless the DNA matches showed there was a connection. Then I found Joseph’s long elusive birth record.²

Notice the phrase filius illegitimus, which is Latin for illegitimate son. This is a baptismal record from Saint Joseph Catholic Church at Snyder, Ontario. He was born 10 January 1855 to Joseph Voisin and Catherina Koebel and he was baptized 9 March 1855.

Joseph’s mother Catherina was Theobald Koebel’s daughter, which explains my connection to the Koebel family. His baptismal sponsors were two neighbors, Magdalena (Trendle) Durliat, left, and Joseph Anton Schihl, shown here with his wife Elizabeth Trendle.³

(A PDF version of this essay is available here. Enter user name “Guest” and password “seemore” when prompted.)

New Germany

The Saint Joseph Catholic Church was completed in 1849 near Black Creek, but the hamlet soon became known as New Germany due to the German-speaking immigrants who settled nearby. It is on the border of Willoughby and Bertie townships in Welland County, Ontario⁴ about 9 miles from Niagara Falls. A priest in 1864 wrote, “there are 50 families here and they are scattered in the woods.” New Germany officially became Snyder when a post office opened there in 1886.⁵

The immigrant Koebel family arrived at New York City on 13 August 1832 aboard the Ship Marengo from Le Havre.⁶ They eventually settled four miles west of New Germany in Humberstone Township, but I cannot determine when.⁷ Theobald Koebel died in 1848 and his death was recorded in the parish register. The earliest land purchase I found was not recorded by Theobald, but by his sons Michael in October 1852 and by Martin in September 1853.

By 1855 Catherina may have lived with one of her brothers, Michael or Martin, who were 10 and 6 years older than her. Joseph was likely born in Humberstone Township and baptized at New Germany. There was no resident priest then, but one would visit occasionally. That may be why his baptism was a couple months after his birth.

His Likely Father

The baptismal record indicates Joseph’s father was Joseph Voisin. Henry Joseph “Joseph” Voisin (1801-1884) and Anne Marie (Ditner) Voisin (1804-?) had settled about four miles directly north of New Germany in Willoughby Township in 1832. They had two surviving children, a son Joseph Voisin (1827-1899) and a daughter Marie Anne (Voisin) Brinig (1829-?), who were born in Guewenheim in the Haut-Rhin region of France. All four were members of Saint Joseph’s parish. They are listed in this excerpt of a prayer group membership list from about 1852.⁸

So Many Josephs

Which of the two Joseph Voisins was Joseph’s father? Genetic analysis of several distant cousins suggests the elder Henry Joseph was most likely Joseph’s father, but Henry Joseph’s son Joseph is also a possibility. DNA analysis is a matter of probabilities and both alternatives are possible.

My guess is Henry Joseph’s son Joseph was Joseph’s father. He was 27 and close in age to Catherina Koebel, who was 24 when Joseph was born. Henry Joseph was 53, and since he was older and had standing in the community I doubt it was him. His son Joseph on the other hand was a bachelor and may even have courted Catherina.

Furthermore the younger Joseph Voisin left the area about when Joseph was born, and sometime before 1861. He married another woman, Catherine Argus, on 1 January 1862 in Buffalo. He spent the remainder of his life as a carpenter there just across the Niagara River. He came back to Willoughby Township at least once to sell his father’s farm in 1882.

He had a son with Catherine Argus named Joseph Argus Voisin (1869-1936). It is interesting he would name his legitimate son Joseph when his illegitimate son was also named Joseph. But if Henry Joseph were Joseph’s father, he already had a son Joseph as well. Catherina may have named her baby without regard to the father. It was common to name a child after one of the baptismal sponsors, in this case her neighbor Joseph Anton Schihl.

Catherina Marries

Catherina Koebel went on to marry another man, John Guitar (1818-1894), between 1855 and 1857. That was within two years of Joseph’s birth.⁹ Alternate spellings of his name are Gittar and Guitard. They had three children together, John (1857-?),¹⁰ Michael (1859-?)¹¹ and Nicholas (1860-?).¹² Their baptisms were recorded as legitimate children at St. Joseph Church.

Curiously, I have a DNA match with the surname Guitar. His lineage is unknown, but he may descend from a son of John and Catherina Guitar, making him a distant half-cousin.

The following chart summarizes the names and relationships of those involved.

The Guitar family was listed in the 1861 Canadian census (below), although the ages of John and Catherina are inaccurate.¹³ In this excerpt, notice Joseph Guitar was listed along with their three legitimate children. I found no birth record for a Joseph Guitar. He was to be age 7 at his next birthday, meaning he was born in 1855. Therefore Joseph Guitar was actually Joseph Voisin, living with his mother Catherina. It is unclear whether Catherina’s husband John officially adopted Joseph, or Joseph simply assumed the Guitar surname because that’s where he lived.

A Dangerous Situation

The Battle of Ridgeway happened in 1866 near Joseph’s home when he was just 11 years old. As one of the Fenian Raids, about 1,300 Irish-Americans left Buffalo by boat and landed across the Niagara River to attack Fort Erie. They were Irish nationalists fighting against British control of Ireland.

An encampment of British soldiers was at New Germany only four miles from Joseph on 2 June 1866.¹⁴ A chaplain attached to that regiment used St. Joseph church to hear confessions from the soldiers. The battle ensued just four miles south of New Germany that same day.

During the few days it lasted the raiders stole food and horses from farmers throughout the area. Some farmers hid their horses in the wooded areas of their properties. It is likely the Guitar and Koebel families were fearful for their lives and property.

The following map shows Colonel Peacocke’s camp at New Germany.¹⁵ The location of the battle is denoted by crossed swords south of Stevensville and north of Ridgeway in Bertie Township.

Catherina Dies

Sadly Joseph’s mother Catherina died 8 September 1867 at age 37. Joseph was only 12 years old.

I have not determined what became of John Guitar and Joseph’s three half-brothers. John died in 1894 in Humberstone Township. It is unclear if he lived in the township during the intervening years. A Michael Koabel was the informant for his death certificate. He was probably a son of one of the original Koebel brothers.

After his mother died, Joseph probably did not live with his Guitar half-brothers. At least by 1871 he was living with his aunt Barbara (Trendle) Koebel (1828-1902), widow of Martin Koebel (1824-1871). He was listed in the 1871 census in her household as Joseph Guitard, age 15, but he was actually 16.¹⁶ Again he was shown as Guitar and not Voisin.

On 19 June 1871 Joseph received the Sacrament of Confirmation at Saint Joseph’s. In this excerpt, he was listed as Joseph Gittar, along with his younger half-brother John.¹⁷

Joseph’s godfather was Mathias Kaufmann, who was a neighbor. He is shown here with his wife Anna Schihl and children.¹⁸

It seems Joseph was known as Joseph Guitar from infancy, perhaps until age 16. In 1871 he may have written his name in his journal.¹⁹ I had thought he wrote it when he was much younger. The year 1871 seems more refined, and written in ink. The missing letter h, the malformed V and misspelled Voisin seem more childlike. However, he may have simply been doodling his “new” name.

By 13 June 1875 though he apparently had taken the surname of his father. In this excerpt he was listed as joining the Gebetsapostolat at St. Joseph’s.²⁰ This was an apostolate of veneration started by French Jesuits. It was a charitable prayer group.

Joseph was finally listed as Joseph Voisin, Jr. Note junior was generally used to distinguish older from younger individuals. Henry Joseph was probably the senior Joseph Voisin in the parish. Joseph’s father, Joseph, had already moved to Buffalo well before 1875.

“In das Gebetsapostolat, errichtet in New Germany an St. Joseph’s Kirche am 30 Mai 1875, wurden aufgenommen” translates to “These individuals were incorporated into the Apostolate of Prayer established in New Germany at St. Joseph’s Church 30 May 1875.”

Joseph also wrote a whimsical poem in his journal later that same year on 19 November 1875.

He was 20 then, and this poem could be more significant than just a play on rhyming words.

Joseph Voisin is my name and my pen wriets [writes] the same
the grass is green and the rose is red
and that is my name if I am dead Amen
* *
Joseph Voisin
Township of Humberstone
Netherby PO Ont 1875, 19 November

Was he making a declarative point his name was Joseph Voisin, and no longer Joseph Guitar? He writes Joseph Voisin, asserts that’s his name even if he is dead, reemphasizes with an Amen, and adds two stars. He then “signs” Joseph Voisin and adds the location and date as if to “make it official.”

Childhood Home

I next determined where Joseph lived as a child and teenager.

The following map is an excerpt of an 1862 map of Welland County, Ontario, showing portions of Crowland, Willoughby, Humberstone and Bertie townships.²¹ Upper right in Willoughby Township is the farm of Henry Joseph Voisin, denoted J. Wesaw. Here Voisin was spelled more like it sounded in French. The spelling was corrected in later land transfer records.

The red star on the right is the hamlet of New Germany, today known as Synder, Ontario. That is the location of Saint Joseph Catholic Church. The red star on the left is the hamlet of Netherby, Ontario, where Joseph indicated in his journal he was on 19 November 1875.

On the left are properties owned by Martin Koebel, denoted M. Kable and Martin Cable. On the bottom is the farm of Michael Koebel, denoted Mich. Kable. Martin and Michael were brothers and were also Joseph’s uncles.

The 1861 Canadian census includes an agricultural schedule that pinpoints the location of family farms. The entry for John Guitar shows his farm was in Concession IV, Lot 6.²² The farm marked J. Gidaugh near Martin Koebel must be a misspelling of John Guitar. Thus Joseph lived at this farm from infancy probably until his mother died in 1867. The map inset shows the immediate vicinity of Netherby and the John Guitar and Martin Koebel properties in more detail.

An excerpt (below) from an 1876 map shows the same area.²³ This is a composite of four separate township maps. I adjusted the scale and loosely positioned them relative to one another. Henry Joseph Voisin is again denoted Joseph Wesaw upper right. The red stars are Netherby, left, and New Germany, right. The property denoted John Koabel could by that time be John Joseph Koebel, a son of Michael Koebel.

Michael Koebel then had three parcels, denoted Michael Koabel, including the property shown on the 1862 map as owned by John Guitar. However, property records indicate Michael Koebel purchased that parcel in Concession IV, Lot 6 in 1852.²⁴ I did not find a record of John Guitar purchasing or selling it. I suspect Michael Koebel had owned it all along, and by some arrangement with his sister Catherina, she and her husband John Guitar lived there. After Catherina’s death in 1867, it was shown as Michael Koebel’s property again. (Note Michael apparently changed the spelling of his name to Koabel with an a. His descendants still use that spelling.)

Kodbel Heirs is the Martin Koebel property. He died in 1871 and his wife Barbara (Trendle) Koebel and their children still lived there in 1876. Barbara was Joseph’s aunt and as indicated in the 1871 census, Joseph also lived there as a teenager. He may have stayed there shortly after his mother died in 1867, until he left the area altogether in 1877.

Aunt Barbara is shown here with one of her daughters, Frances, who was Joseph’s first cousin.²⁵ On Frances’ grave marker is written, “May her soul rest in peace. She looked after this church for over 40 yrs.” She must have been the caretaker of St. Joseph’s.

On the map below, the inset on the left shows the immediate vicinity of Netherby and the Koebel properties. The inset on the right is a detail of New Germany. Saint Joseph’s is denoted by a church icon below the words New Germany on the Willoughby Township map (upper). The same icon is repeated on the Bertie Township map (lower), although the church is actually across the road in Willoughby Township.

On His Own

Joseph left home about 1877 at age 22. He made his way to Waterloo County, Ontario where two of his uncles lived. Adam Koebel and Philip Koebel were half-brothers, and sons of Theobald Koebel. Philip was the brother of Joseph’s mother Catherina. Adam was her half-brother.

Incidentally Joseph’s granduncle Peter Joseph “Joseph” Voisin (1807-1892) lived near the Koebel brothers. Peter Joseph was Henry Joseph’s brother, and Joseph’s granduncle. Both Voisin brothers went by the name Joseph later in life.

Wellesley Township in Waterloo County is 90 miles from Netherby. In another journal entry, Joseph wrote he began working for H. Otterbein near Hawksville, Ontario on 4 April 1877, for perhaps $12 per month.

There was at least one Otterbein family in the area, but it is unclear where Joseph worked. He may have worked on a nearby farm or in the village of Hawkesville.

Joseph emigrated to America a year or so later in early 1878 and settled in Isabella County, Michigan. He likely accompanied Clements and Elizabeth (Fate) Starr. Clements’ father Ambrose Starr also lived nearby. Joseph would later marry Mary Ann Yuncker (1866-1943) in 1885 and raise a large family.

The following 1861 map excerpt shows friends and relatives, sixteen years before Joseph’s 1877 journal entry.²⁶ Peter Joseph’s farm is denoted Joseph Voisin, center, between the villages of St. Clements and Heidelburgh. Hawksville is shown upper center. (Village names are slightly offset on the map.)

• Joseph Voisin denotes the farm of Joseph’s granduncle and grandaunt, Peter Joseph Voisin and his wife Catherine (Meyer) Voisin.
• Valentine Otterbein could be related to Joseph’s employer. The H. Otterbein mentioned in his journal sixteen years later could be a son, or even Herr Otterbein, German for mister.
• Adam Koebel was Joseph’s uncle and aunt, Adam Koebel and his wife Barbara (Kolosky) Koebel. Adam was the son of Theobald Koebel and his first wife Catherine (Koehl) Koebel, half-brother of Michael, Martin, and Catherina Koebel of Humberstone Township, and half-brother to his neighbor Philippe Koebel.
• Philip Koebel was Joseph’s uncle and aunt, Philippe Koebel and his wife Rebecca (Zolfer) Koebel. Philippe was a son of Theobald Koebel and his second wife Marie Anne (Philipps) Koebel, brother of Michael, Martin, and Catherina Koebel of Humberstone Township, and half-brother to his neighbor Adam Koebel.
• Ambrose Starr denotes the farm of Ambrose Starr, the father of Clements Starr, who accompanied Joseph when he emigrated to Isabella County, Michigan in early 1878.

More About Joseph’s Mother

Theobald Koebel (1779-1848) and Marie Anne (Philipps) Koebel (1785-1848) had a daughter Catherina, who was born 23 December 1830 in Oberseebach in the Bas-Rhin region of France.²⁷ There is a discrepancy however. The Marengo ship manifest lists the family’s children Michael, Phillipe, Martin, and Adam. Catherina would have been 2, but she is not listed. I found no death record for her from 1830 until they emigrated in 1832. I suspect she was not included on the manifest by mistake.

Unfortunately the 1842 and 1851 Canadian censuses for Humberstone Township did not survive. I cannot verify Catherina with certainty during this period. However I cannot find another Catherina Koebel with such close connections to this family. Her 1867 death record indicates she was 37, and therefore born in 1830. She and her husband John Guitar lived on land owned by Michael Koebel, and her son Joseph stayed with Martin Koebel after her death. These facts are consistent with her being a sibling of Michael and Martin.

A Catherina Koebel does appear in other parish records, but without mention of her parents. For instance three different baptisms in 1849 list Joseph Voisin, Catherina Kable, and Maria Anna Voisin as sponsors.²⁸ Joseph Voisin could be Henry Joseph Voisin or his son Joseph. Marie Anne Voisin was a daughter of Henry Joseph Voisin. Catherina was likely Joseph’s future mother.

And, there were at least 57 people who received the Sacrament of Confirmation on 27 October 1853.²⁹ Among them was Catharina Köbel as shown in this excerpt. She would have been 23, which is rather old to receive the sacrament. However the individuals listed range widely in age. It seems it was the first confirmation ceremony held in the four years since the church had been established.

By rules today a baptismal sponsor must have received the Sacrament of Confirmation. It seems Catherina was a sponsor in 1849 before she was confirmed in 1853. This was a pioneer settlement though, with a new parish and infrequent visits by a priest. Such a large group implies it was the first opportunity any parishioners had to be confirmed, younger and older alike.

Joseph In Retrospect

Age in retrospect: Most sources indicate Joseph was born 10 January 1858, but his baptismal record shows it was actually three years earlier on 10 January 1855. Joseph’s wife Mary’s needlework wedding sampler apparently indicates 1858, as does his obituary and grave marker. I had long suspected he was older. He was 24, not 21, when he bought 80 acres of land in Isabella County, Michigan. A 21-year-old likely wouldn’t have the money or acumen to buy land.

The progression of aging in photographs of him makes more sense now.

It is unclear why he used 1858 as his birth year. Perhaps it was the turmoil of his childhood. His father had left him as an infant, he lived in the Guitar household, his mother died when he was 12, and he lived with his aunt. The wrong year may have been perpetuated by different family members. Perhaps he simply downplayed the age difference when he courted his wife. Mary Ann was 18 when they married. Joseph indicated he was 27, but he was actually 30.

Journal in retrospect: I had thought Joseph’s journal entries that indicated where he was in Ontario were associated with his Voisin relatives. That is partly true, but it’s now clear he was more closely associated with his Koebel relatives in both Welland and Waterloo counties. After all, the Koebel family helped raise him.

When he wrote his name and the poem in his journal, I believe it was more significant than we realize. He had lived as Joseph Guitar through most of his childhood. I think he was claiming his true name and identity. Perhaps it was even the first time he learned who his father was.

Ballad in retrospect: By 1877 he wrote two verses in his journal from Take This Letter to My Mother, a popular ballad composed by William Shakespeare Hays (1837-1907) and first published in 1873.³⁰³¹ We now know the ballad was probably very poignant to him since his mother died so young.

Genetic Analysis

Finally, I compared my DNA test results with those of my distant cousins to see how closely they come to their expected average amounts of shared DNA.³² I divided them into two groups, my distant Koebel cousins and my distant Voisin cousins. The first set is the descendants of Theobald Koebel. He was married twice and I have cousins who descend from each branch. The following table summarizes these DNA matches.

The Generation From Root column is that cousin’s number of generations from Theobald Koebel. The Relationship to me is abbreviated. For example, 4C1R means fourth cousin, once removed. The number in parentheses is the degree of consanguinity. Shared DNA is expressed in centimorgans (cM), a unit of genetic linkage. Some testing companies provide weighted and unweighted amounts. The weighted amount factors out certain variables to make it more meaningful for small amounts. In those cases I include the unweighted amount in parentheses. The unweighted larger amount is more consistent with that given by other DNA testing companies.

Match Number	Generation From Root	Match Name	Relationship	Shared DNA	Full-Relation Range
1	05	Bonnie [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	10cM (11cM)	0-35-139
2	05	Cheryl [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	16cM (19cM)	0-35-139
3	05	K. [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	11cM	0-35-139
4	05	Kim [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	35cM (41cM)	0-35-139
5	05	Lynne [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	14cM (16cM)	0-35-139
6	05	Margaret [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	26cM (35cM)	0-35-139
7	05	Max Grove (1942-2020)	4C (10)	30cM (34cM)	0-35-139
8	05	Patricia [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	23cM	0-35-139
9	05	Sheryn [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	10cM (11cM)	0-35-139
10	05	Susan [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	50.0cM	0-35-139
11	05	Unknown [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	23cM (24cM)	0-35-139
12	06	Brad [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	13cM (18cM)	0-28-126
13	06	Darlene [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	25cM (28cM)	0-28-126
14	06	Elliott [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	9cM (10cM)	0-28-126
15	06	Jason [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	22cM (25cM)	0-28-126
16	06	Jay [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	14cM	0-28-126
17	06	Karen [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	11cM (13cM)	0-28-126
18	06	Marlene [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	18cM (21cM)	0-28-126
19	06	Melissa [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	9cM	0-28-126
20	06	Michelle [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	14.2cM	0-28-126

I plotted the amount of shared DNA for each numbered match.³³ Based on their relationship to me, the expected range of shared DNA is denoted by a vertical line that spans several centimorgans (cM). For example with match #10, the expected range is a low of 0 to a high of 139cM. The average shared DNA is denoted by a left-tick mark on that vertical line. The average is 35cM for match #10. The actual amount of DNA I share is denoted by a right-tick mark, or 50.0cM in this example.

Note in most cases the actual shared DNA is less than the corresponding expected average. The matches are not distributed above and below the averages as I would hope. I attribute this to the randomness of DNA inheritance. But it also allows for other possibilities, like if Henry Joseph Voisin were his father.

I have more confidence in the estimated relationship when multiple matches come closer to the expected averages. I plotted the difference (delta) between the average and actual amounts. The closer the difference is to zero, the better, but all results are still relatively close.

The second set of cousins is the descendants of Vincent Voisin (1766-1818) and Anne Eve (Denier) Voisin (1773-1814). They were the parents of Henry Joseph Voisin. This group includes cousins who descend from both Henry Joseph in Welland County, and his brother Peter Joseph in Waterloo County, Ontario. Some cousins used more than one DNA testing company. They may appear more than once with slightly different values.

Match Number	Generation From Root	Match Name	Relationship	Shared DNA	Full-Relation Range
1	05	Herman Charles Weber (1911-?)	3C1R (9)	37.4cM	0-48-192
2	04	Dorothy Mary Voisin (1921-2019)	3C2R (10)	27cM (32cM)	0-36-166
3	06	Cheryl [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	45cM (47cM)	0-35-139
4	06	Frederick Bernard [Private] (~1948-)	4C (10)	8cM	0-35-139
5	06	Jean [Private] (?-)	4C (10)	25cM (32cM)	0-35-139
6	06	Martin Eugene Hanhauser (1950-2021)	4C (10)	11cM	0-35-139
7	06	Thomas Eugene Ruland (1945-2021)	4C (10)	31.6cM	0-35-139
8	05	Barbara Mary [Private] (1960-)	4C1R (11)	23cM (29cM)	0-28-126
9	05	David or Robert [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	21cM (30cM)	0-28-126
10	07	Daniel F. [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	8cM	0-28-126
11	07	Frederick Bernard [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	8cM	0-28-126
12	07	Gregory C. [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	14cM (17cM)	0-28-126
13	07	Mary [Private] (?-)	4C1R (11)	25cM (33cM)	0-28-126
14	06	Carmen [Private] (?-)	5C (12)	10.9cM	0-25-117
15	06	Carmen [Private] (?-)	5C (12)	9cM (11cM)	0-25-117
16	06	Cheryl [Private] (?-)	5C (12)	11cM (13cM)	0-25-117
17	06	Cynthia [Private] (?-)	5C (12)	28cM (35cM)	0-25-117
18	06	John [Private] (~1989-)	5C (12)	39cM (50cM)	0-25-117
19	06	John [Private] (~1989-)	5C (12)	44.4cM	0-25-117
20	06	Rebecca Lynn [Private] (~1992-)	5C (12)	0cM	0-25-117

On the Voisin side, a few more matches are above their expected averages.

The difference (delta) of average to actual shared DNA is comparable to my Koebel cousins.

Conclusion

After thirty years of research to determine where and when my great-grandfather Joseph Voisin was born, and who his parents were, I finally found him in traditional genealogical records! My finding is bolstered by several recently-identified, but non-obvious distant cousins who are descendants of Theobald Koebel. They are in addition to several distant cousins who descend from Henry Joseph Voisin and his brother Peter Joseph Voisin.

I had long suspected Joseph was an illegitimate child. There is one remaining ambiguity, whether Henry Joseph “Joseph” Voisin or his son Joseph Voisin was Joseph’s father. The younger Joseph Voisin seems the most likely father, both in age, and the fact he left the area soon after Joseph was born. There is no record Joseph ever stayed with Henry Joseph Voisin if he were his father, even after Joseph’s mother died. Instead Joseph lived with his uncle Martin and aunt Barbara Koebel. The low levels of DNA I share with my distant cousins is inconclusive, but consistent with both alternatives.

His childhood was rather chaotic. He lived with his “step-father” John Guitar and three half-brothers. His mother Catherina died young in 1867, when Joseph was only 12. His journal entry with the ballad, Take This Letter to My Mother, shows he missed her very much. After her death he moved in with his uncle Martin Koebel, only for him to die in 1871. He continued to live with his aunt Barbara Koebel probaby until he set off on his own at age 22 in 1877.

Joseph was active in his Catholic faith while growing up, from membership in a prayer group to the Sacrament of Confirmation. That continued all his life. He was a pioneer who helped establish the Catholic parish at Beal City, Michigan. He helped build three churches there. The first two were destroyed by fire. He was the first and long-time organist for his church. He helped install the stations of the cross, which was perhaps an honor because it was only done with permission from the Bishop.

I am glad to finally solve the mystery of my great-grandfather’s childhood. As new evidence comes to light, the story can be further expanded and refined, hopefully with the help of future generations.

Timeline

This is a summary of key dates in the early life of my great-grandfather Joseph Voisin.

Date	Age	Event
5 May 1827		Joseph’s father, Joseph Voisin, is born to Henry Joseph Voisin and Anne Marie (Ditner) Voisin at Guewenheim, Haut-Rhin, France.
23 Dec 1830		Joseph’s mother, Catherina Koebel, is born to Theobald Koebel and Marie Anne (Philipps) Koebel at Oberseebach, Bas-Rhin, France.
13 Aug 1832		Theobald Koebel, his wife Marie Anne (Philipps) Koebel, their children Michael, Philippe, Martin, and Adam arrive at New York City aboard Ship Marengo from Le Havre, France.
20 Aug 1832		Henry Joseph Voisin, his wife Anne Marie (Ditner) Voisin, their children Joseph and Marie Anne, and Henry Joseph’s brother Peter Joseph Voisin arrive at New York City aboard Ship Groton from Le Havre, France.
22 Sep 1832		Henry Joseph Voisin purchases land four miles north of New Germany in Willoughby Township.
13 Jun 1848		Theobald Koebel dies and is buried at New Germany.
24 Jun 1849		The St. Joseph Catholic Church building is completed in New Germany.
~1852		The family of Henry Joseph Voisin, including Joseph’s future father, Joseph Voisin, are listed as members of St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Germany.
20 Oct 1852		Michael Koebel purchases land four miles west of New Germany in Humberstone Township.
10 Jan 1855	0	Joseph is born out of wedlock to Joseph Voisin and Catherina Koebel in Humberstone Township.
9 Mar 1855	2m	Joseph is baptized at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Germany.
~1857	2	Joseph’s mother, Catherina Koebel, marries John Guitar, but no record of their marriage was found.
8 Dec 1857	2	Joseph’s half-brother, John Guitar, is born.
22 Apr 1859	4	Joseph’s half-brother, Michael Guitar, is born.
1 Jun 1860	5	Joseph’s half-brother, Nicholas Guitar, is born.
1861	6	Joseph is listed as Joseph Guitar in the census with John Guitar and Joseph’s mother, Catherina (Koebel) Guitar. This was at the property purchased 20 Oct 1852 by Michael Koebel.
1 Jan 1862	6	Joseph’s father, Joseph Voisin, marries Catherine Argus at Buffalo, New York.
2 Jun 1866	11	The Battle of Ridgeway is fought a few miles from Joseph’s home. British soldiers occupy St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Germany.
8 Sep 1867	12	Joseph’s mother, Catherina (Koebel) Guitar, dies at age 37.
1869	14	A steeple is added to St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Germany.
Aug 1869	14	Joseph’s half-brother, Joseph Argus Voisin, is born to Joseph Voisin and Catherine (Argus) Voisin at Buffalo, New York. He later becomes a Captain in the 74th Regiment, New York National Guard.
1871	16	Joseph is listed as Joseph Guitard in the census with his aunt, Barbara (Trendel) Koebel, widow of Martin Koebel.
19 Jun 1871	16	Joseph receives the Sacrament of Confirmation at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Germany. He is listed as Joseph Gittar.
1871	16	Joseph doodles the name Josep Voicin in his journal.
5 Jan 1875	19	Nottawa Township is established in Isabella County, Michigan.
13 Jun 1875	20	Joseph joins the Gebetsapostolat, or Apostolate of Prayer, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Germany. He is listed as Joseph Voisin, Jr.
19 Nov 1875	20	Joseph writes a whimsical poem in his journal claiming his name is Joseph Voisin and he is at Netherby, Ontario.
4 Apr 1877	22	Joseph works for H. Otterbein at Hawksville, Waterloo County, Ontario.
5 Nov 1877	22	Emelia Ernestine Starr is born to Clements and Elizabeth (Fate) Starr at Saint Clements, Ontario.
~1878	23	Joseph emigrates from Saint Clements, Ontario to Nottawa Township, Isabella County, Michigan. He is accompanied by Clements and Elizabeth (Fate) Starr and their children.
Aug 1879	24	Louis Albert Starr dies at Nottawa Township, Isabella County, Michigan. His father Clements Starr states he has lived in the county for two years.
3 Oct 1879	24	Joseph purchases 80 acres of land near what would become Beal City, Michigan.
21 Oct 1879	24	Edison perfects the electric light bulb.
15 Dec 1879	24	First railroad opens at Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
18 Dec 1880	25	Joseph sells 40 acres of land to Clements Starr.
23 Mar 1884	29	Joseph writes a love letter to his future wife, Mary Ann Yuncker, and vows to sell his land and follow her to Oregon if her father moves there.
16 Feb 1885	30	Joseph marries Mary Ann Yuncker at Mount Pleasant, Michigan and starts a family of eleven children at Beal City, Michigan.
24 May 1899	44	Joseph’s father, Joseph Voisin, dies at Buffalo, New York at age 72.
2 Jun 1916	61	Joseph dies at Beal City, Michigan.

This scene at Snyder was taken about the turn of the twentieth century.³⁴ Some people here may be descendants of those I mentioned above. The steeple of St. Joseph’s is in the background.

Here is Saint Joseph Catholic Church and cemetery today.³⁵ This is one of the oldest churches in the area. The building was finished in 1849 and the bell tower and steeple were added in 1869. It would be a familiar sight to my great-grandfather Joseph Voisin.

Here is the intersection of Koabel Road with Forkes Road near Netherby, showing where Joseph lived as a teenager with his aunt Barbara (Trendle) Koebel. As a child, he lived with his mother Catharina and John Guitar a short walk to the left, and behind the camera.

Footnotes

1. Archives Départementles du Bas-Rhin (https://archives.bas-rhin.fr/) Oberseebach – Etat civil – Registre de naissances 1830 – 4 E 351/3, Catherine Koebel, # 1663, Image 18 of 23, (https://archives.bas-rhin.fr/detail-document/ETAT-CIVIL-C595-P1-R208956#visio/page:ETAT-CIVIL-C595-P1-R208956-2284439 : downloaded 25 May 2023). Signature of Theobald Koebel from his daughter Catherine’s birth record.
2. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Baptisms, 1849-1983, Film 1404210, Baptism of Joseph Voisin, 1855, Image 18 of 206, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-P77S-S?i=17&cat=392159 : downloaded 23 May 2023).
3. Photos posted by Pauline Durliat under their respective persons in the FamilySearch Family Tree (https://www.familysearch.org/tree/overview : downloaded 4 June 2023).
4. The area was known as Upper Canada prior to 1841, Canada West from 1841 to 1867, and Ontario after 1867.
5. New Germany (now Snyder) in Welland County, Ontario should not be confused with New Germany (now Maryhill) in Waterloo County, Ontario.
6. “New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1891,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939V-5BDD-R?cc=1849782&wc=MX62-238%3A165725401 : 12 August 2022), 017 – 13 Jun 1832-29 Sep 1832 > image 451 of 852; citing NARA microfilm publication M237 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. A 1967 newspaper article about a Koebel family reunion in Waterloo County mentions the pioneers initially lived in Black Rock, today a neighborhood of Buffalo, New York. It seems there could have been Koebels in that area according to an 1854 map. More research is needed.
8. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Confirmations, 1853-1899 Burials, 1853-1889 Confirmations, 1959-1982 Deaths, 1946-1983 Burials, 1853-1889, 1890-1911 First communions, 1946-1983 Sacred Heart League, 1875-1892, Film 1404212, Confraternitas filialis, Image 96 of 100, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5H-M9YS-V?i=95&cat=392159 : downloaded 23 May 2023).
   
   This is probably a group of parishioners devoted to prayer associated with the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Basilica in Paris, France. Henry Joseph Voisin’s daugther Marie Anne (Voisin) Brinig married in 1853, so the original portion of this list was probably written before 1853. An addendum of more names was made 18 December 1858.
9. I have not yet found the marriage record for Catherina and John Guitar. It doesn’t seem to be listed at St. Joseph’s, but parish records were scattered between Fort Erie, Falls View and Toronto. The records at all these locations are incomplete.
10. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Baptisms, 1849-1983, Jo. Guittar, 1858, Image 20 of 206, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-P777-C?i=19&cat=392159 : downloaded 24 May 2023).
11. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Baptisms, 1849-1983, Michael Guittar, 1859, Image 21 of 206, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-P77S-M?i=20&cat=392159 : downloaded 24 May 2023).
12. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Baptisms, 1849-1983, Nicolaus Guitar, 1860, Image 23 of 206, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-P77Q-S?i=22&cat=392159 : downloaded 24 May 2023).
13. Census of 1861, Canada West, Humberstone Township, Welland County, Ontario, Library and Archives Canada John Guitar, (http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=census&id=45180231&lang=eng : downloaded 23 May 2023). Canadian census schedules are available at the Library and Archives Canada (https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census2/index : viewed May 2023).

    To more easily view pages before or after a given page, use their print icon. That displays just the page image. Then in your browser’s address box, modify the sequential image number to be one more (or one less) than the number shown and submit that entire address again to get the next page image.

    Some censuses have a few different agricultural-related schedules which usually appear before or after the population schedules for a township. To see them, use the method just described to view related pages and look several pages ahead or behind. Be sure to remain within the same township however.

14. The Fenian raid at Fort Erie, June the first and second, 1866 : with a map of the Niagara Peninsula, shewing the route of the troops, and a plan of the Lime Ridge battle ground. Toronto : W.C. Chewett & Co., 1866. Harvard College Library (http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:FHCL:902302 : Downloaded 15 December 2017), image 103.
15. Library of Congress Catalog: http://lccn.loc.gov/2004669162 Image download: https://cdn.loc.gov/service/pnp/cph/3a30000/3a38000/3a38900/3a38957r.jpg; Original url: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pga.01485; Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=65970067.
16. Census of 1871, Humberstone Township, Welland County, Ontario, Library and Archives Canada Barbara Koable, (https://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?app=Census1871&op=img&id=4396746_00326 : downloaded 23 May 2023).
17. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Confirmations, 1853-1899 Burials, 1853-1889 Confirmations, 1959-1982 Deaths, 1946-1983 Burials, 1853-1889, 1890-1911 First communions, 1946-1983 Sacred Heart League, 1875-1892, Film 1404212, Confirmations, 1871, Image 7 of 100, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5H-M9YW-M?i=6&cat=392159 : downloaded 23 May 2023).
18. Photo posted by Pauline Durliat under the respective person in the FamilySearch Family Tree (https://www.familysearch.org/tree/overview : downloaded 4 June 2023).
19. Edwards, A. Wayne, II, Images from the personal journal of Joseph Voisin, E-Mails to Mike Voisin, 2000. All journal entries here were provided by Wayne.
20. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Confirmations, 1853-1899 Burials, 1853-1889 Confirmations, 1959-1982 Deaths, 1946-1983 Burials, 1853-1889, 1890-1911 First communions, 1946-1983 Sacred Heart League, 1875-1892, Film 1404212, Gebetsapostolat, 1875, Image 90 of 100, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS5H-M9Y3-P?i=89&cat=392159 : downloaded 23 May 2023).
21. Tremaines’ Map of the Counties of Lincoln and Welland, Canada West, (Toronto: Geo. R. & G. M. Tremaine, 1862).
22. Canadian townships use a coordinate system to identify land parcels. A township is subdivided into Concessions, which are large consecutively numbered strips of land. Each Concession is divided into Lots, which are also consecutively numbered, identically in each Concession. Property owners with smaller farms often owned only part of a Lot.
23. Illustrated Historical Atlas of the Counties of Lincoln and Welland, [Ontario], (Toronto: H. R. Page, 1876).
24. Land records of Welland County [Ontario], 1796-1922, Humberstone Township, v. A-B (22-3790, 12-10410) 1847-1862, Michael Kabel deed #545, Images 120-121 of 552, (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C3HX-49KT-Y?i=119&cat=274454 : downloaded 31 May 2023).
25. Photo posted by Pauline Durliat under the respective persons in the FamilySearch Family Tree (https://www.familysearch.org/tree/overview : downloaded 4 June 2023).
26. Tremaine’s Map of the County of Waterloo, Canada West, (Toronto: Geo. R. & G. M. Tremaine, 1861). Ontario Historical County Maps Project, Historical Land Occupancy Information in 19th Century Ontario. Waterloo County (https://utoronto.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=8cc6be34f6b54992b27da17467492d2f : downloaded May 2023).
27. Archives Départementles du Bas-Rhin (https://archives.bas-rhin.fr/) Oberseebach – Etat civil – Registre de naissances 1830 – 4 E 351/3, Catherine Koebel, # 1663, Image 18 of 23, (https://archives.bas-rhin.fr/detail-document/ETAT-CIVIL-C595-P1-R208956#visio/page:ETAT-CIVIL-C595-P1-R208956-2284439 : downloaded 25 May 2023).
28. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Baptisms, 1849-1983, Baptism of Catharina Keatting, 22 March 1849, Image 11 of 206 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-P77S-6?i=10&cat=392159 : downloaded 25 May 2023). Catharina Koebel as baptismal sponsor.
29. Saint Joseph Catholic Church, of Black Creek, of New Germany, of Snyder, Ontario Baptisms, 1849-1983, Confirmation, 27 October 1853, Image 17 of 206 (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS54-P77Q-W?i=16&cat=392159 : downloaded 25 May 2023).
30. Take This Letter to My Mother. Digital Scriptorium Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University (http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/sheetmusic/ : viewed 6 May 2005).
31. University of California Santa Barbara Library, “Preservation and Digitization Project,” recording, Donald C. Davidson Library, University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Special Collections (http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/index.php : downloaded 3 April 2007), “Take This Letter to My Mother,” Edison Amberol #1078, by Will Oakland and chorus, 1912.
32. Data are courtesy of the Shared cM Project, Blaine T. Bettinger (https://www.TheGeneticGenealogist.com), March 2020 revision. The expected shared DNA amounts and averages are based on an empirical study that collects actual values between people with known relationships.
33. This was done with software written by Mike Voisin to analyze a genealogy data file (GEDCOM), extract data from DNA matches, and plot it in graph form.
34. “Main Street, Snyder, Ontario,” Fort Erie Local History, (http://www.fepl.ca/localhistory/items/show/1541 : downloaded 11 June 2023).
35. Google Street View.