Beauvais Family Information
Here is an article and the obituary of Capt. Charles BEAUVAIS. He married Eleanora (Leonarda) ROSE and their descendants now number over 500. Charles was the son of Medard BEAUVAIS and Domitilda FAUCHER of Swan Creek, Anchorville, MI.


From the Detroit Free Press "8 Nov 1931"

"Old Skipper Recals Fast Lake Sailboats" -Forsook Helm for Ax 50 Years Ago, but Heart is still on Water" Mt. Clemens, Nov 7 ---Capt. Charles Beauvais, the patriach of Ira Township is still active at 90. When we came upon him at his home on Anchorville Bay, he had just finishied swinging an ax on a wood pile - just part of his daily dozen.

However, the real Charles Beauvais could never have his heart in such a landlubber's task as cutting wood. All his reminiscing shows a deep love for the water - his chief pride lies in the swift schooners he sailed up and down the lakes some 60 years ago.

According to his own story he left the farm near Anchorville where he was born and got a job sailing at $13 a month, while he hired someone to work on the farm for $8 a month.

He sailed all the lakes, got as far as Montreal eight times, and finally made his way to the Pacific Ocean and California. In his day navigation was an art; ships utilized the varying winds for motive power; sailors recieved a wage of $1.50 for a trip from Chicago to Buffalo. Beauvais owned and captained several lake boats and claims that they could show their heels to anything on the lakes. He recalls catching up with the John B. Rice, a schooner that had not been overtaken in four seasons. Capt. Beauvais forsook sailing some 50 years ago and came back to his farm.

Not only is Beauvais the oldest resident in Ira Township, he also is the oldest member of St. Mary's parish in Anchorville. Ten years ago at the age of 80, he was given the job of placing the bell in the steeple of the new church. So apt was he at that work he was obtained to direct the placing of a huge siren in the fire house at Fair Haven.


From the Detroit News 7 Dec 1935

"Capt. Beauvais, a Veteran of Sailing Days, Dies at 94" Funeral services will be held Tuesday for Capt. Charles Beauvaais, oldest resident of Ira Township, St. Clair County, and one of the last of the old-time schooner captains on the Great Lakes. Capt. Beauvais, who was nearly 95 years old died Friday at his home on Anchorbay, near Anchorville, Mich.

Owner and captain of several ships in the sailing days, he was one of the best known mariners on the lakes. His fast ships were his pride in the days when sails guided shipping fron the East to the Midwest.

Capt. Beauvais was born on Anchor Bay in 1841, at a point which is now under water because the shoreline has receded. His home in recent years had been only a quarter mile from his birthplace.

He married Miss Lenore Rose, of Anchorvillle, and they celebrated their golden wedding aniversary 20 years ago. Mrs. Beauvais died in 1923.

Fifteen years ago, at the age of 80, he was so active he was given the job of placing the bell in the steeple of the new St. Mary's Church at Anchorville, and later superintended erection of a siren in the fire tower at Fairhaven. Until four or five years ago he cut all the wood and did most of the chores alone on his farm. He was physically active until a year before his death.

Surviving are three sons, Charles Jr. of Marine City,, Ludger, of Walkerville, Ont., and David of Anchorville; two daughters Mrs. Elizabeth Leonard, of New Baltimore, and Mrs. Genevieve Jacques, who lived with her father; a brother Frank, of Detroit; 34 grandchildren, including Fr. Justin Beauvais former assistant pastor of St. Boniface church here, and 36 grandchildren. A son Fr. Frank Beauvais, former assistant pastor of St. Peter's Church in Mt. Clemens, died several years ago.

Requiem mass will be sung in St. Mary's Church, of which he was the oldest member, at 9:30 a.m. Monday. Burial will be in St. Mary's cemetary.


This information was provided to the Macomb Genealogy page by Jeanne Beauvais.

You can visit Jeanne's Beauvais family tree at Rootsweb by clicking here Beauvais Family

Jeanne also maintains a BEAUVAIS list which you can subscribe to. To do so, send an email message to
BEAUVAIS-L-request@rootsweb.com ... or ... BEAUVAIS-D-request@rootsweb.com
and type the word "subscribe" (without the quote marks) in the body of the mail. The "L" list will send you individual letters sent to the list; the "D" list will send them to you in a collection of letters, or Digest format.

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