BEAUCHAMP

Alec (Big Alec) Beauchamp (1885-1947) was
born at the Ebb and Flow Reserve north of Sandy
Bay. He was a well known native person around
MacGregor in the first half of this century. Little is
known of his background except that in 1900 he
married Philomene Mary Jane (1884-1976), a
daughter of Frank (or Francis) Desjarlais and Mary
Ann Walkfast. Frank in turn was apparently a son of
another pair of well known native people, Old Joe
and Old Jane Desjarlais **. Big Alec and Mary Jane
are buried at MacGregor. They had several children
including Eva, Norman and Paul.

 

Alex and Mary Jane (Desjarlais) Beauchamp and grandson Robert
Beauchamp

1. Paul. We have no history of Paul although he
apparently spent his later years around Portage.

2. Eva Beauchamp (1913-1997) a Saulteaux Indian
born and raised at Sandy Bay, married Donald
Desjarlais, later to become known as Donald
Francis (died 1973). They lived most of their life
at MacGregor. When she was interviewed in June
1995 she was eighty-two years of age. She
recalled living in tents north of town on land now
occupied by the local Golf Club. When that area
was closed Eva recalls moving to what was then
known as the School Section north east of
MacGregor. In the mid 1950’s the family moved
to new houses built for them at the north west
corner of the Village.

Eva says she worked for Flora McGregor for
many years while Big Alec worked for Bob
McGregor on the farm north of town. She says she
had sixteen children, a couple of whom died as
babies. Only three children were born in a
hospital. She said that Melvin was killed in a car
accident and Donald Junior, the oldest boy, died
of cancer. The other children included Rose
(1930), Viola (1942), Janice (1947), Selma (1947),
David (1950), Linda (1953) and Raymond (1955).
Selma married John Perswain in 1995.

44

 

3. Norman T. Beauchamp (1915-1980) was born at
Sandy Bay but lived most of his life at
MacGregor. He married Elsie Prince (1925-
1989). Norman served in the Canadian Army
during WW II and later served in Korea. He is
buried in the cemetry at MacGregor. They had
seven children:

Norman Beauchamp.
WW II and later Korea

 

Norman Robert
Douglas

Bill married and became a teacher at Morden.

George Kenneth (Ken) was born and went to
school at MacGregor. He apprenticed as a
plumber with Cobbe’s in Portage and now

‘ ‘5
Ken and Susan (Stanley) Beauchamp & Family. Back: Ken and Susan --
Centre: I. to r.: Micheal, Kevin -- Front: Aaron and Stephanie