Project Launch: April 2010

At the present time, there are C3 Doucets and R1b Doucets.  

As more men join the project, it is to be expected that there will be some who are neither C3 nor R1b.  

The preponderance of the evidence will eventually cause the emergence of patterns from which conclusions about the first ancestors of the various clusters of results may be drawn.  

Perron also shares that Charles de Menou d’Aulnay de Charnizaywas extremely generous, in spite of the enormous debts that he had incurred, his will stating that Germain Doucet would be given “only 200 pounds, but the assistance which I render to his nephews and nieces and to all who concern him, amounts to 100 pounds.  One does not choose so precisely; he well deserves 100 crowns per year for his salary and his food and that of his wife.” [3]

In truth, Perron wonders if this Doucet couple really had children, or if Germain Doucet and his wife were, in fact, raising as their own children …their nieces and nephews … a supposition that author Maurice Caillebeau, from Poitiers, also adheres to. 

As Perron further asserts, historians tell us that Germain Doucet, Sieur de LaVerdure, returned to France.  Of course, this merits further questioning: did he return alone or did he return with his wife? Unfortunately, we do not have an answer to either question.  The only thing we can be sure of is that “his children” remained in Acadie, an act that Perron sees as outside the boundaries of what would constitute normal behavior with regards to family.

In addition, Stephen White (French Acadian genealogist, researcher and historian) has also shared that there is no proof that Henriette Pelletret’s husband, Pierre Doucet, was a son of Germain Doucet de LaVerdure.  That supposed connection always depended upon the belief that all the Doucets in Acadia were nearly related, [4] a fact that the DNA results of this study appear to be disproving.

He further states that it takes a number of tests to establish an ancestor's genetic signature.  More tests are required where there are inconsistencies in the initial results.  The first three sets of results for Michele Doucette’s so-called cousins were all different.  That situation has since been clarified.  We have enough results to establish that the true male-line descendants of Germain Doucet and Marie Landry carry the C3b Y-DNA signature.  Moreover, it has been shown that this C3b Y-DNA carries down through the Claude Doucet who married Marie Comeau and the Joseph Doucet who married Anne Surette.  We can thus be sure that Claude was Germain's son, and Joseph was Claude's son.  An additional test, for Kit 194117, extends the C3b results to the Michel Doucet who married Marie Susanne Mius, so we can thus be sure that any Doucets or Doucettes whose Y-DNA is not C3b do not descend from Michel Doucet and Marie Susanne Mius in the male line. 

This is the same paper trail claimed by two Doucet(te) males, representedby Kit 203487 and Kit 206660, and yet their DNA results are not C3b.  

Stephen also explains that the only way to find out where the two R1b lineages (Kit 203487, Kit 206660) diverge from the C3b Doucets is to secure more males for additional testing.  It is clear that there are two separate and distinct divergences here.  As there is no family recollection of an adoption or other disconnect, it seems likely that these divergences are not recent.  There is a possible clue as to where one of the divergences may have occurred in the nickname of Michel Patrice Doucet.  It may be that he was called L’Anglais because it was known that his father wasn’t one of the C3b Doucets.  On the other hand, there could be many other possible explanations for his nickname.  Only the results of more Y-DNA tests can provide proof of the matter. 

Step 1

Charting the male Doucets who claim to descend from Joseph Mathurin Doucet and Angélique Mathilde Mius (the parents of the aforementioned Michel Patrice); of course, I merely have access to the names of the children, not their direct line descendants.

Before doing so, however, it is important that the following point be established.

Joseph Mathurin Doucet (born on May 7, 1795, probably at Pointe-des Ben (part of Sluice Point referred to as Muise Point).  He was baptized on July 14, 1799 in Ste-Anne-du-Ruisseau.  He was married on October 28, 1816 in Ste-Anne-du-Ruisseau to Angélique Mathilde Mius (d/o Paul Mius and Marie LeBlanc).  Angelique was born on June 28, 1795 and baptized on July 27, 1799.

François David Doucet (born c. 1781), , was married on September 5, 1808 in Ste-Anne-du-Ruisseau to Isabelle Mius (d/o Pierre Mius and Cécile Amirault).  This line has been shown to be C3b in accordance with Kit 194117.

Joseph Mathurin Doucet and Angélique Mathilde Mius had thirteen children, six of whom were male.

° Michel Patrice (called L’Anglais) Doucet was born on March 16, 1817 in Quinan, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.  He was baptized on March 16, 1817 in Ste-Anne-du-Ruisseau.  He married Anne Anastasie Mius (d/o François Mius and Marie Osithe O’Bird) about 1838 (or 1839).  Anne Anastasie (called Nanette) Mius was born on December 25, 1817 in Quinan, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia. 

While this is my line on paper, definitive Y-DNAresults are currently unknown.

° François David (called Catoon) Doucet was born on June 14, 1818 at Quinan, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.  He married Madeleine Honorine (dite Honorme) Doucet (d/o Augustin Doucet and Marguerite LeBlanc).  Madeleine Honorine Doucet was born on December 15, 1826. They established themselves at Pointe-aux-Bouleaux (part of Sluice Point), Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.

° Joseph Mathurin Doucet was born on June 27, 1820 at Quinan, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.  He married Anne Juliette (dite Julie) Moulaison (d/o BrigitteMoulaison) on November 23, 1840.  He died on September 30, 1886 at the age of 66.  Anne Juliette was born on June 15, 1815 (out of wedlock) and baptized on October 4, 1815.  She died on April 9, 1895.

° François Doucet (born between 1821 and 1823) died at a young age.

°Jean-Baptiste Toussaint Doucet was born November 1, 1829 at Quinan, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.  He married Anne Julienne Mius (d/o Basile Mius and Anne Françoise Dulain).  He died on May 13, 1885 at the age of 56. Anne Julienne Mius died on May 5, 1921.

° Jean Robert Doucet was born on April 13, 1834. He married (1) Anne Elisabeth (called Zabeth) Mius (d/o Frédéric Mius and Julie Moulaison) on February 23, 1868 and (2) Rosalie Frontain (d/o Marc Frontain and Anne Élisabeth Mius). Anne Élisabeth Mius died a short time after giving birth to a son, Moïse; more than likely a result of birth complications. Rosalie Frontain was born on October 21, 1872.

Stephen has also shared that he would then begin to look for a male-line descendant of another son of Michel Patrice Doucet, if one could be found who would agree to be tested. 

If the results from his test matched either Kit 206660 or Kit 203487, then it would be clear which of the R1b lineages was really a descendant of Michel Patrice; on the other hand, if the results from this new testee came back with the C3b signature, then we would know that Michel Patrice’s nickname had nothing to do with his paternal lineage, and there would be no need to further test a descendant of Joseph Mathurin Doucet, as his C3b Y-DNA would be likewise proved.  Of course there is always a risk with these Y-DNA tests that they will produce results that do not match anyone else's.  Another big problem with all this is that one has to await the results of each individual test before one can see what needs to be done next. 

Getting to the bottom of all the issues is thus sure to be a long and costly process.

Step 2

Outlining the male children born to Michel Patrice Doucet and Anne Anastasie Mius, and, as stated previously, I merely have access to the names of the children, not their direct line descendants.

Michel-Patrice Doucet and Anne Anastasie Mius had eight children, seven of whom were male.

° François David (called Quançois) Doucet was born on September 19, 1839.  He married Jeanne Cyprienne Dulain (d/o Louis (called Piflet) Dulain and Marie Julie Doucet).  They established themselves at Koucougôke (part of Quinan), Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.  He died on March 25, 1904, at the age of 64.

This represents a possible line for testing.

° Michel Patrice Doucet was born on October 24, 1841.  He married (1) Marie Elisabeth Frontain (d/o Pierre Frontain and Marie Élisabeth Corporon) on October 22,1 861, who died with child; (2) Anne Mius (d/o Florent Mius and Anne Élisabeth Dulain) on  November 15, 1864; and (3) Rosalie LeBlanc (d/o Remi LeBlanc), widow of Gabriel Mius, on September 4, 1893.

This represents a possible line for testing.

° Jean Émilien Doucet was baptized on September 18, 1857.  He married Anne Mathilde Mius (d/o Anselme Mius and Marguerite Mius) on November 26, 1887.

This represents a possible line for testing.

° Henri Adolphe Doucet was born on February 8, 1860.  He died on January 21, 1871.

This represents a possible line for testing.

° Jean Théophile (called Câlin) Doucet was baptized in April 1867.  He married (1) Rose Mius (d/o Jean (called Johnny Coco) Mius); (2) Adèle Dulain (d/o Louis Cyprien Dulain and Vitaline Mius) on January 10, 1893; and (3) Delphine Jacquard (d/o Jovite Jacquard and Geneviève Mius). It was found that he is actually a grandson by a daughter.

Kit 206660 shows this line to be R1b1a2a1a1b.

° Avite Doucet (died on May 12, 1895) married (1) Marie Jacquard (sister to Delphine, d/o Jovite Jacquard and Geneviève Mius); (2) Julienne Doucet (d/o Remi Doucet and Rosalie Mius).

Kit 203487 shows this line to be R1b1a2a1a1b4.

What is so very interesting about these two siblings is that the R1b test results show that they only match on 17/37 markers (with 20 mismatches), denoting a mere a 46% match.  With so many marker mismatches, this means that they are not even closely related.

° Vital Doucet

This represents a possible line for testing.

Step 3

If there are any Doucet or Doucette males who, after reading this news update, would be willing to have their DNA tested, I would like for them to make email contact.

Based on the R1b results that seemingly go back to Germain Doucet (born about 1641), which is also the paper trail that I lay claim to, there appears to have been a non-paternal event (adoption, silent assimilation, infidelity and/or the like) that took place, primarily because the Y-DNA results are not C3b. 

While I am a Doucette on paper (birth certificate, school entry registration, report cards, High School diploma, University transcripts, University degrees, marriage certificate, birth certificates for my children, Social Insurance card, all bank paperwork, credit cards), and will continue to remain a Doucette, it has become clear that I must now embark on a new adventure; one based on genetic genealogy.

In essence, it will probably take many years to solve this DNA mystery, if we are able to solve it at all.

In summation, here is a paper well worth reading; namely,

Germain Doucet and Haplogroup C3b

In keeping with the article, Germain Doucet and Haplogroup C3b, there are several key possibilities that have presented themselves; namely, [1] Germain Doucet SR and his wife adopted an Indian child, naming him Germain Doucet, [2] one of Germain Doucet SR’s daughter’s had an illegitimate child, naming him Germain Doucet, in honor of her father, [3] Germain Doucet SR’s wife became pregnant by a Native man, [4] a Native person adopted Germain Doucet’s name out of respect; when Native people were baptized in the Catholic faith, they were given non-Native names. All of these possibilities are plausible.

The aforementioned theory of F. René Perron of Sèvres, France, one also believed true by author Maurice Caillebeau, from Poitiers, France, is most assuredly plausible as well.

Michele Doucette, M. Ed.

michele.doucette@nf.sympatico.ca