Francois Chouinard Swenord Cynthia Gerard family inquary

Hi,

I'm hoping someone here might have some information on my family. I've been able to trace back through my great grandmother Katherine Marie Vincynthia Swenord Jolliffe, her parents were Joseph Henry Chouinard or Swenord and Mary Lane he was born July 3 1858 in either New York or New Jersey. By age 11 he is living in Boonton, Morris county, NJ with his mother and father Cynthia Gerard b. 1836 in French Canada and Francois or Francis Chouinard b 1821 in French Canada. Francois and Cynthia had 7 children, Francois/Frank, Henry, Joseph Henry, Louis, Cynthia, Emer or Almon, and Hattie/Harriet. Depending on the census records the children's birth places change from NY to NJ and I think French Canada on one of the records.I've been able to find Cynthia Gerard Chouinard's father Joseph Gerard because he lived with the family in NJ. However I have not been able to discover who Francois Chouinard's parents were or where exactly in Canada they were from.

The family story is that my great grandmother liked the french side of her family that she always went by Marie and no one knew her name was actually Katherine until she passed away and that her father would travel up to Canada on buisness. I know from the census records that Francois Chouinard was a cooper when he was in Jersey about 1870. I found some records in Quebec which list a Francois Chouinard who is a cooper on Cote St Paul who disappears after 1865. To me this could be a possible match but I have nothing other than speculation to base that on.

I was hoping someone may have a Francois Chouinard born in 1821 in French Canada on thier trees who had emmigrated to NY and then NJ or just to NJ. There don't seem to be any other Chouinard, Chounard, Swenor or Swenords in New Jersey at that time in that area.

Thanks in advance for any help you can share, even if its information which tells me which Francois Chouinards born in 1821 he could not be a match to.

Best,
Kate