This website was created to help locate a family heirloom that belonged to our 9th great grandfather, Jacques Goulet. The flute that he carried with him from France has been passed down from generation to generation. It's last known whereabouts was in 1934. It is our mission to ensure this treasured musical instrument is safe and has a good home. If you are interested in helping us please keep reading.
We are the proud descendants of The Great Jacques Goulet!
Perhaps you never heard of him? Well.... let me tell you a short story.
A long damn time ago, April 17, 1615 to be exact, little Jacques came bursting out from his mother's loins on a crisp spring day. The little town of Normandel in the ancient French province of Perche is where life began. He was first of his name, eldest to two younger sisters that were born a few years later. As a young boy Jacques was always curious and seeking out adventure. This wide-eyed lad fell in love with Marguerite Mulier, and the two of them married on November 21, 1645. They quickly grew restless and both desired to explore the world. Not long after, the two of them were recruited to be amongst the brave men and women chosen to colonize New France. Trying to decide what to bring on their journey was a difficult choice. Among the items they brought was one that Jacques particularly cherished, his beloved flute. Marguerite absolutely loved when he would play music on it for her.
In the spring of 1646 they gathered up their belongings and headed for the port city of La Rochelle. They said goodbye to their homeland and left for the promise of a new world and fresh start. The journey across the ocean was relentless. In the fall of 1646 they reached their destination, New France. Among them were 73 other immigrants who had also come to help colonize the area. At the time there were only around 1,000 colonists in all of New France. Jacques and Marguerite settled in an area that today is known as Quebec City. He worked there as a miller and was constantly acquiring and selling land. Together they had 11 children: Genevieve, Nicolas, Jacques, Rene, Louis, Charles, Thomas, Francois, Antoine, Joseph and Marguerite. Jacques lived to be 73 years old. He passed away on November 26, 1688.
The beloved flute that Jacques always played was passed down to the eldest son, Jacques. It is this flute that we are in search of today.
The story above explains how the flute came from France and was passed down to the eldest son, Jacques Goulet II. Other information was found that provides the other descendants that had possesion of the flute. They are as follows:
The article shown on the right was discovered by Grant Goulet while doing genealogy research. "Jacques is my 9th great grandfather, and I learned about the flute many years ago when I came across a life story about him." says Grant. "When I came across the news article I was flabbergasted as it provided a much more legitimate story. I had factual information to help in the search for the flute."
Grant says, "I have been into genealogy research for many years. For me it's like a treasure hunt, but you are mainly searching for records and documents. To have the chance to track down such a rare family relic was something I couldn't pass up. I want to make sure it's safe and has a good home."
Using information from the news article Grant set out to try and find any possible relatives of the last person that owned the flute, Robert Leon Goulet. Using ancestry.com, Grant was able to track down the great grandson of Robert, Chris Sheridan. Chris also has an interest in family genealogy and was very interested to learn more when Grant shared the article about the flute. It was a story Chris had never heard of, but he was determined to find out more from other family members.
Chris is from Western Canada and his lineage can be traced to the Metis people and the Red River Valley. Chris has been in touch with many family members, and has been sharing the story of the flute. So far no surviving family members have any recollection of the flute. The search continues for Chris.
Through the power of the internet and social media, Grant decided to create this website. It may be possible to reconnect Grant and Chris with this musical instrument that belonged to their 9th great grandfather, The Great Jacques Goulet!
Please share this story and help spread the word. #FindTheFlute
If you happen to have any information on the flute, please use the links below to contact us on Facebook or Twitter. Thanks for your time.
This photo is from The Winnipeg Evening Tribune - June 7, 1934