Another name for Joseph was Jean-Baptiste PARENTS INCONNUS
According to his marriage record of 1772, Joseph GALARNEAU was a "fils naturel" (i. e., illegitimate son). One of the peoplepresent at Joseph's marriage was Ambroise GALARNEAU, referred to as his"brother". A thorough search of the PRDH database revealed only one Ambroise GALARNEAU born prior to the date of Joseph's marriage. The parents of this Ambroise were Jean Baptiste GALARNEAU and MarieMarguerite HARNOIS. In addition, at the wedding of Felicite GALARNEAU,also a child of Jean-Baptiste GALARNEAU and Marie Marguerite HARNOIS, a Joseph GALARNEAU was described as her "brother".
Jean Baptiste GALARNEAU and Marie Marguerite HARNOIS did no thave a son named Joseph, according to the PRDH database . However, thiscouple were godparents at the baptism of an illegitimate child, baptised as Jean-Baptiste, on 24 Oct 1748 at Sainte-Foy parish. It is probable that this baptism is for the "son" of this couple later to be known as Joseph. He was apparently raised by his godparents. Since this couple already had a son named Jean-Baptiste, they likely would have wanted tochange the name of this child. A thorough search of the Sainte-Foy parish register failed to turn up another baptism of an illegitimate child where this couple served as the godparents.
My conclusion, therefore, is that the illegitimate child baptised on 24 Oct 1748 at Sainte-Foy as Jean-Baptiste, is the same person as Joseph GALARNEAU who married Marie BERNARD on 6 Jul 1772 at Saint-Augustin. The linkage of Joseph to Jean-Baptiste GALARNEAU and Marie HARNOIS is obviously NOT a blood relationship, but I have maintained this connection in my database in order to assist other researchers in their attempts to discover the true ancestry of Joseph GALARNEAU.
Family lore handed down over the generations has it that Joseph GALARNEAU was not only illegitimate, but of the Noryh American Indian race. I have found nothing in the records to suggest that this is true, although one cannot completely rule out such a possibility. Personal experience with close relatives of French-Canadian ancestry has convinced me that there is usually a kernel of truth in family lore of this unique, close-knit culture. For example, a first cousin of mine, born in the early 1900's, was named after the family's original French-Canadian namesake immigran t who arrived in New France some 300 years, and 8 generations before.
Ref: Lawrence Roberts, personnal communication.