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Belgians in the Civil War

Emigrants arrival

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BELGIANS IN AMERICA:    Biographies of Belgian settlers  

John Totel, section 17, Wallace Township, was born in St. Florine Haute-Loire, France, Dec. 18, 1831, a son of Elizabeth (Vaysseire) Totel. His father was a farmer by occupation. He died in France, Febr. 18, 1837, aged forty-four years. John Total was married May 15, 1855, to Mary Dognat, daughter of Blaise and Mary (Faidide) Dugnat. In June, 1860, Mr. Total came from France, accompanied by his wife and family, his mother, sister and brother. His brother went into the army, and was taken prisoner and never having been heard from, is supposed to be dead. His mother died in her eighty-first year, Feb. 6, 1884, in this county-. Mr. Totel] was thirty-six days coming to America, landing at New York. He immediately came to Ottawa, this county, and soon bought eighty acres of land. A few years later he purchased eighty acres adjoining on which he resides. Mr. Total was reared a Catholic, but when he grew to manbood he and his mother began to study the New Testament, and soon after they interrupted all relations with Catholicism. At the age of forty years he was ordained a minister in this country, and now preaches every Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. Totel have had four children-Theophilus B. was born in Belgium, Feb. 29, 1856, married and living on Nation 20, this township; Delphine, born Feb. 11, 1857, in Belgium, married, and living on section 20; Mary, born in France. May 6, 1858, died soon after coming to Ottawa, June 22, 1860, aged two years; Samuel, born Nov. 24, 1862, and Mary, born May 15, 1869, are living at home. They have a boy, Alfred J., living with them, born Jan. 28, 1874. Mrs. Total's parents died about ten years after coming to this country, her mother Nov. 1, 1869, and her father Jan. 8, 1873, on Mr. Totel's farm.

Source : (collective work) : History of Winona County : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc.; Chicago: H.H. Hill and Co. ;, 1883, 934 pgs.