J. M. Desotels, is a son of Joseph Desotels, who was born in Canada, May 5, 1808, and from there moved to Chicago, where he resided two years, then went to Galena, Ill. He worked in the mines there fourteen years, and in 1848 came to Guttenberg, Iowa, where he resided two years, then removed to Buena Vista Township and engaged in mining there six years. He now resides on section 23, Millville Township. The subject of this memoir was born in Montreal, Canada, May 11, 1834, and came to Millville Township with his father in 1856. They own a farm of 200 acres of fine land on section 23, and are classed with the representative agriculturists and stock-breeders of Clayton County. He was married on Feb. 7, 1864, to Mary Bronilette, a native of St. Demos, Canada. Twelve children have been born of this union, viz.: Helena, born Feb. 27, 1865; Lucy, April 20, 1866; Emelia, Oct. 18, 1867; Louise, July 2, 1869; Louis, Dec. 22, 1870; Maxime, Jan. 26, 1872; Joseph, April 6, 1873; Josephine, born July 12, 1875, died May 16, 1876; August, born Nov. 17, 1876; William, Sept. 4, 1878; John, June 15, 1880, and Mary, Sept. 7, 1881. Mr. Desotels is a member of the Catholic church, and votes the Democratic ticket. source: History of Clayton
County, Iowa, 1882, p. 1012 |