By Margaret (Billotte) Mignot

1831----2001

COVINGTON TOWNSHIP

Covington Township was organized in 1817. It is bounded on the north by Elk and Cameron Counties, on the east by Karthaus Township and on the south by Girard, Graham and Cooper Townships. This township is eleven miles long and three and a half miles wide, giving it an approximate area of 40 sq. miles.

The settlement of the township was made by French immigrants who came over at the invitation of John Keating who mapped 22,000 acres of land, published descriptions of the tract in France. The sale of these lands was begun in 1827. The first people to locate were Nicholas Roussey and Irene Plubell in 1830. Next came Francois and Marguerite Beuret Coudriet and Claude F. Renaud.

Francois Coudriet was the postmaster at Frenchville and held office for 18 yrs.

The following is copied from Caldwell's Historical Atlas 1878, Covington Town-ship.

Frenchville, Covington Township is a large and flourishing French settlement which commenced in 1835. The settlers were from Normandy and Picardy.

It is strange that they should have selected this place as there were no French within a hundred miles. A person in Philadelphia failed and was in debt to a merchant in Paris, a Mr. Zavron.

Mr. John Keating, his agent in Philadelphia, took land on the West Branch to settle this debt. The Paris merchant by means of a German agent induced a number of families to immigrate to these lands, and the latter prevailed upon others to follow them. In 1840, there were forty families there. The population now numbers over 200 families.

The first settler was John Smith, and he was alone for many years. A family by the name of Jacobs squatted on a tract of land and after several years residence moved westward.

The James, Browns, and Gearharts who were here at an early date have all passed away.

At this date, considerable attention is paid to lumbering, things in the southern and central parts show great improvements have taken place in farming and many tracts of land are being upened up 4n the central and southern portions of the township. Much of this enterprise is due to the thriving French settlement which traces back to 1831.

 

A LIST OF THE ORIGINAL FRENCH FAMILIES

Agerons, Barmoys, Bamats, Billottes, Bronoels, Bergeys, Boloppiews, Beas, Beausigneurs, Boutelliers, Beiglemens, Centillets, Coudriets, Chanets DeLisles, DeManges: Dumonts, Frelins, Fontenois; Gaulins, Gormonts Guenots, Garniers, Galliets, Gettes, Grossaints, Girards, Gorgiers, Genneys, Hyacinths, Hughueneys, Hugards, Hugnots; Jannots, Lachats, Leigeys, LaMottes, LeContes, Lairds, Longins, Mulsons, Mignots, Martels, Marins, Merats, Picards, Plubells, Perrots; Rougeux, Rolliets, Rousseys, Royers, Renauds, Ravinets, Renoes, Sayers, Sirgeys, Rissers, Triponiers, Tourails, Viards, Variots, Vallimonts, Vermeluens, Voinchets.

 

 

Victor Renaud (1833-1906), husband of Mary ________ (1844-1881).

Farmer, Die of Brights Disease

A1phonse P. Renaud (1865-1939), husband of Marie Bamat Their children are:

Francis; Richard; Frederick, husband of Lorraine Rauch; Gerald, husband of

Ruth Ann Rauch; and Patricia, wife of DeWayne

Children of Fannie Renaud and Daniel McGovern are: Herman C.; Anthony; Blair; and Addie.

Children of William F. Renaud and Wava Kyler are: William, Jr.; Gloria; Judy; Delbert; Mary; and Franklin.

Children of Edgar Renaud and Mary Tohnston are: Bertha, wife of Laurence

Coudriet; Blanche, wife of Orvis Flood; Elmer, husband of Mary McDermott;

Clarence, husband of Amelia Vallimont; and Olive, wife of Thomas Cromley.

 

 

 

 

C. Francis Renaud (1780-1875) Francis Renaud (1790-1880)

Marguerite Renaud (1791-1868) Sebastian Francis Renaud (1821-1834)