COUREUR DES BOIS
Why I am including this 17th century explorer Des Groseilliers to this website!
WHY? HE IS OUR ANCESTOR .
Due to stories our grandfather Fredrick Louis Grozelle told us about Des Groseilliers, being our ancestor I did a genealogical search. This research determined that Des Groseillier was indeed our ancestor.
These pictures are of Menard Chouart Des Groseilliers, King Charles II and Radisson his brother-in -law and travel companion.
THE RESULTS OF MY GENEALOGICAL RESEARCH CONFIRMS THAT WE ARE DESCENDANTS OF DES GROSEILLIERS
A SUMMARY OF OUR FAMILY TREE.
OURS IS A FAMILY LINE ROOTED IN EARLY CANADIAN HISTORY
The tree ends with our great great grandfather Antoine Alfred Groseilliers.
The Desgroseilliers lived in Chateauguay, Quebec (New France). Some of that family moved to Callander, Ontario, where a name change to Grozell occurred. At a later date an “e” was added and the name became Grozelle.
This story started with a brave French explorer named Médard Chouart des Groseilliers. This happened more that four hundred years ago.
He was an explorer. His explorations took him through forests, and paddling huge lakes.He explored places in Canada and all around the world. No Europeans, had ever seen these places. He helped start the Hudson’s Bay Company, which became one of the oldest companies in the world.
Médard had a daughter named Marie‑Antoinette, and she grew up in the early days of New France. She married and had children of her own. She named one of the children Jean‑Baptiste. As the years passed, the family grew and spread out across Quebec.
By the late 1700s, our ancestors were living in the Châteauguay area. One of them was François Desgroseilliers, who married Catherine Reid. They had a son named Joachim, who married Geneviève Rochon. Their children carried the family name into the 1800s.
In 1842, a baby boy was born in Châteauguay. He waswas named Antoine Alfred des Groseilliers. When he moved to Ontario, English-speaking clerks had trouble spelling his French name. They changed his name slowly over time. Desgroseilliers was changed into Grozelle the name we know today.
Alfred grew up, married, raised children, and helped build the communities of early Ontario. His descendants continued the family story—generation after generation—until it reached you.
📖 Family‑Friendly Narrative (Short Version for Kids & Grandkids) can be found in the list of bullets below in orange.
As you can see our family’s story reaches back to one of the most influential figures in the early history of Canada: Médard Chouart des Groseilliers (1618–1695), explorer, coureur des bois, and co‑founder of the Hudson’s Bay Company.
His courage and determination helped open the interior of North America to exploration and trade, shaping the course of Canadian History. He was Knighted of the Garter by King Charles II for his contributions to England.
Click here to read about this achievement. This article is found in The Canadian Museum of History. Look under Heading Hudson Bay Company.
MEDARD DES GROSEILLIERS AND RADISSON
Significance. Chouart des Groseilliers and Radisson were the first Europeans to explore the western and northern shores of Lake Superior, the first Europeans to enter Minnesota, the first Frenchmen to see the Mississippi River, and the first Europeans to travel on Lake Superior.
During a year of exploring Lake Superior Des Groseillier and Radisson spent time in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
HERE IS A CHANCE TO READ FOR YOURSELF THE LIFE OF Des GROSEILLIERS
DOCUMENTS
The button link below (Documents in French and English) will take you to a number of old French and English documents.
Below is one button that will take you to Google. There are a number of articles relating to Des Groseilliers there.
Learn more about Medard and his involvement in the creation of the Hudson Bay Company, by clicking the buttons below.
Each button below will take you to one of the articles in Google Search.
EVEN TODAY THE EXPLORERS ARE REMEMBERED WITH COMMEMORATIVE COINS
SILVER DOLLAR 1995- HONOURING DESGROSEILLIERS AND RADISSON
The 1995 Canadian silver dollar showing Médard and Radisson, we are looking at history and our own family’s story. A story of explorers, settlers, and generations who carried their name and courage forward.
And now, you are the one keeping that story alive.
Below you will find 3 different Family Trees that copilot helped put together.
NOTE: MyHeritage and Ancestry have family trees for you to browse the following familie:. The Browns, Farrells, Armstrong and Grozelle families.
🌿 Visual Timelines of Our Ancestry
Timeline one
🧭 1618 — Médard Chouart des Groseilliers
Explorer, coureur des bois, and co‑founder of the Hudson’s Bay Company.
His journeys opened the interior of Canada to trade and exploration.
👶 1661 — Marie‑Antoinette Chouart
Daughter of Médard.
Her marriage carries the Des Groseilliers bloodline into the Bouchard family.
👨👩👧 1698 — Jean‑Baptiste Bouchard
Grandson of Médard.
Born in Montréal. Hw marries Marie‑Josephte De Chavigny.
Their children continue the family line in New France.
🌾 1774 — François Desgroseilliers
Born in the Châteauguay region of Quebec.
Marries Catherine Reid.
This generation anchors the family in the parishes of Châteauguay, Sainte‑Martine, and Beauharnois.
🏡 Early 1800s — Joachim Desgroseillers
Son of François and Catherine.
Marries Geneviève Rochon.
As they move to english speaking regions,their children stop using Desgroseilliers and start using the anglicized Grozelle name.
👶 1842 — Antoine Alfred des Groseilliers (Grozelle)
Born in Châteauguay, Quebec.Antoine moves to Callander, Ontario.
Antoine marries Geneviève Rochon. He has a second marriage to Elenore Laroche.
He is your great‑great‑grandfather and the bridge between the Quebec and Ontario branches.
🌲 Late 1800s–1900s — The Grozelle Family in Ontario
The name becomes firmly established in Northern Ontario communities. These cities were Callander, Nipissing and now Sault Ste. Marie. Where Faye Smedley (Grozelle) is living.
As you can see we Grozelle’s are direct descendants of Médard Chouart des Groseilliers.
This website is attempting to preserve and share a family story that spans four centuries.
TIMELINE TWO
1. Médard Chouart des Groseilliers (1618–1695)
Explorer, fur trader, and one of the founders of the Hudson’s Bay Company. His expeditions with Pierre‑Esprit Radisson opened the route to Hudson Bay and changed the course of North American commerce.
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2. Marie‑Antoinette Chouart (1661–1731)
Daughter of Médard. She married into the Bouchard family, helping carry the Des Groseilliers legacy into the next generations.
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3. Jean‑Baptiste Bouchard (1698–1755)
Born in Montréal. His marriage to Marie‑Josephte De Chavigny continued the family line. The Bouchard name changed to the Desgroseilliers surname..
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4. François Desgroseilliers (1774–1871)
Married Catherine Reid (1774–1875).
This couple lived in the Châteauguay region, where many descendants of Médard settled in the 1700s and 1800s.
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5. Joachim Desgroseillers
Married Geneviève Rochon.
Joachim and Genevieve’s children moved to English speaking Ontario. Payroll clerks changed the name Desgroseillier to the english form Grozelle, Both names remain today.
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6. Antoine Alfred des Groseilliers / Grozelle (1842–1916)
Antoine was born in Châteauguay, Quebec. He moved to Callander Ontario in his youth.
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Antoine married twice his first marriage was to Geneviève Rochon. He had a second marriage to Elenore Laroche.
Alfred is my great‑great‑grandfather.
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7. The Grozelle / Grozelle‑Smedley Family
From Alfred’s generation onward, the surname appears as Grozelle, reflecting the common practice of English clerks simplifying French names. The Grozelle branch leads to our families today.
Why This Story Matters
This lineage is not just a list of names. It is a story of:
- Exploration and resilience
- The Culture blending between the French, the Indigenous, and the English people.
- Migration from Quebec to Ontario
- The Desgroseilliers family name change to Grozelle maintains its roots.
It is a reminder that our ancestors’ journeys shape who we are today.
🕰️TIMELINE OF OUR ANCESTRY (A SHORTER VERSION)
TIMELINE THREE – shorter
From Explorer to Present Day: The Des Groseilliers – Grozelle Line
1618 — Médard Chouart des Groseilliers is born
Explorer, coureur des bois, co‑founder of the Hudson’s Bay Company.
1661 — Birth of Marie‑Antoinette Chouart
Daughter of Médard; she carries the family line into the next generation.
1698 — Birth of Jean‑Baptiste Bouchard
Grandson of Médard through Marie‑Antoinette. Marries Marie‑Josephte De Chavigny.
1774 — Birth of François Desgroseilliers
Lives in the Châteauguay region of Quebec. Marries Catherine Reid.
Early 1800s — Birth of Joachim Desgroseilliers
Son of François. Joachim marries Geneviève Rochon. Francois’s and Genevieve’s children move to Ontario. The payroll clerks changed the name Desgroseilliers to Grozelle. The names “Desgroseilliers” and“ Grozelle both exist today.
1842 — Birth of Antoine Alfred des Groseilliers (Grozelle)
Born in Châteauguay, Quebec. Antoine moves toto Callander, Ontario. He is Marries Geneviève Rochon.He marries a second time to Elenore Laroche.
Late 1800s–1900s — The Grozelle family grows in Ontario
The name becomes firmly established in English‑speaking communities.
Present Day — Faye Smedley
A direct descendant of Médard Chouart des Groseilliers, preserving and sharing the family’s remarkable history.
Our families the Browns, Armstrongs. Farrells and Grozelles can be viewed by clicking “Ancestors” on MENU at top of each page.
