An American Family History

Francois Bertrand and Catherine Hocquette were married in Belgium on August 23, 1855.

They had three sons. Henri Joseph Bertrand was born in 1856, Samuel Francis Bertrand was born 1860, and Gilles Joseph Bertrand was born in 1863. Their sons were all born in Seraing, Liège Province, Belgium.

Henry, Joseph, and Samuel Bertrand

The family immigrated to the United States in 1870 and probably lived in Braidwood, Will County, Illinois, at first. Braidwood is a coal mining town. Francois and Catherine died before the 1880 census.

After Francois and Catherine died, their sons moved to Des Moines, Iowa.

Henry married in, 1878 in Des Moines. In 1880 he was a collier in Des Moines.

Samuel married in 1883 in Des Moines. They remained there until about 1890 and eventually they located in Warren County, Iowa.

Joseph was in White Breast Township, Warren County, Iowa. He was age 16 and was working on the L. H. Rice Farm. He married in Des Moines in 1887.

Joseph was living in Charition, Lucas County, Iowa about by 1890 and Henri was there by 1897.

Members of Joseph and Henry's families were buried together in Chariton Cemetery.

The Bertrand Plot in Chariton