Re: Arpin-Harper Chicago Area Connection
-
In reply to:
Arpin-Harper Chicago Area Connection
Ronald Harper 5/27/06
Ronald:
I am a descendant of Jean-Baptist Arpin (Herpin) and his first wife Agnes Martin. According to http://www.rootsweb.com/~qcrichel/00002556.HTMhttp://www.rootsweb.com/~qcrichel/00002556.HTM,
Marie Vaudry was his second wife.
Actually Meri Herpin was the first Arpin to come to Quebec.He came as a soldier in the Carignan Regiment sent from France to "control" the Iroquois (see http://www.fillesduroi.org/Regiment/Soldiers/soldiers.html#Hhttp://www.fillesduroi.org/Regiment/Soldiers/soldiers.html#H)
Meri's wife's father, Auffray Coulon-Mabrian, was also in the Carignan Regiment.
Almost every Arpin and Harpin in the US and Canada are descended from Meri Herpin
Meri settled in St Ours, Richelieu (Named after his squadrons officer) and many generations remained there.
My gr., gr. grandfather, Joseph Harpin moved from St. Ours to Nashua, NH in the 1840s.
My later ancestors changed Arpin to Harpin for some reason.
The change to Harper seems to have been a common practice.I have some close cousins in Wiscosin whose name was changed from Harpin to Harper.I guess they wanted to fit in to the anglo culture.
Ray Harpin
Franklin, MA