Joseph Jean Riel

Marriage License states "Rehl"

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Joseph Riel was born on Feb. 5, 1857 at St. Vital, the son of Louis Riel Sr. and Julie Lagimodiere. He was Louis Riels's younger brother. Joseph married Eleanor Poitras, the daughter of Francois Poitras and Madeleine Fisher on April 30, 1884 at St. Boniface. They had one child, David Riel, who married Anne Vermette, the daughter of William Vermette and Marie Vandal (1913). Joseph then married Julienne Amanda Perreault, the daughter of Edouard Perreault and Genevieve Carriere on April 24, 1894 at St. Boniface. They had two children:

-Delima, born 1895, married Julien Vermette, the son of William Vermette and Marie Vandal.

-Honore, married Yvonne Vermette, the daughter of Alexandre Vermette and Julienne Frobisher.

Joseph's brothers and sister were:

Louis David Riel1844-1885

Elsie Riel1846-1848

Philomene Riel1847-1848

Sarah Riel1848-1883

Marie Riel1850-1873

Octavie Riel1852-1890

Eulalie Riel1853-1931

Charles "Meunier" Riel1854-1875

Henriette Riel1861-1898

Alexandre Riel1863-1938

Joseph remained at the family home, now Riel House, in St. Vital and farmed. He was always active in Red River Metis associations. Riel House was the first post office in St. Vital. In 1898, Joseph Riel received a grant and established the first auxilliary post office in the house itself. Joseph became Reeve of St. Vital in 1891. It was then an annual fight amongst Victor Mager, Joseph Riel and P. Dumas for Reeveship until 1812. (In 1892 P. Dumas was successful:1893-1994, Joseph Riel:1895-1898, Victor Mager, 1899-1900,P.Dumas;1901-1902, Victor Mager;1903-1910, P. Dumas; and 1910-1912 Victor Mager. Source: St. Vital Lance-December 17, 1931-Vol, No. 1)

Joseph was an executive of the Union St. Joseph (as it was called between 1887 and 1909). The full executive were Simon St. Germain, (president), Martine Jerome, Joseph Riel (Loui's brother), Pierre Dumas, Roger Marion and Joseph Hamelin. Dumont had visited Joseph Riel in 1893 and the Union was imbued with a sense of "mission" regarding the vindication of Riel and the actions of the Metis who were not "rebels" but "patriots." The files of the Union Nationale Metisse de St. Joseph du Manitoba confirm the the Union O St. Vital sent a committee to Batoche in 1902-03 to collect the accounts of the veterans of 1885. Among them were Gabriel Dumont (this puvlication), as well as Patrice Fleury, Edouard and Elie Dumont (Gabriel's brothers), Moise Ouellette, Isidore Dumas, Emmanuel Champagne, Jean Caron Sr. and Charles Thomas whose testimonies cover another 100 pages.  It is most likely that the transcriber of the interviews was Metis, possibly the well-read and educated Martin Jerome who was the Liveral MLA for Carillon from 1886-96 and 1899-1903. Other members of the Union who produced written accounts were Charles Sauve and School Inspector Roger Goult who became president of the Union in 1910/ A Frenchman, Auguste-Henri de Tremaudan, was commissioned to write the Histoire de la Nation Metiss Dans l'Ouest Candien which was published in 1935 (reprinte in 1979 and published in English under the title Hold High Your Heads: History of the Metis Nation in Western Canada in 1992) but he did not become associate with the Metis historical committee until around 1913. Although not cited specifically in de Tremaudan's book, the Metis recollections of 1902-03 provided the basis for his account of the events of 1885.(Diane Payment, "Michael Barnholden, Gabriel Dumont Speaks." Manitoba History, Number 26, Autumn 1993.)

Louis Riel, the father of Louis and Joseph, was know as "the Miller of the Seine" having operated the first flour mill of the Settlement. In 1865, the Riel family moved to the present home of Joseph. It is located west of St. Mary's Road, on the Red River, three miles south of the city.

Compiled by Lawrence Barkwell

Coordinator of the Metis Heritage and History Research

Louis Riel Institue.

Joseph Riel Scrb pages 1,2 and 3

NOTICE OF PENDING DEATH OF JOSEPH JEAN RIEL,

extracted fro the Winnipeg Free Press:

JOSEPH RIEL, BROTHER OF LOUIS, IS CRITICALLY ILL:

Suffering from an acute attack of Heart Deseased, Joseph Riel, the younger brother of the famous Louis Riel who took part in the uprising of 1869-70 and again the the rebellion of 1885-for which particiaption Louis was executed in Regina, lies in a very serious condition at his home in St. Vital.

The deceased who is 64 years of age, being 12 years younger than Louis, was born on the old Red River Homestead occupied by his Grandfather, Jean Baptiste Riel-who cme to Manitoba from Quebec.

The house in which Joseph Riel lives is the building in which Louis Riel lived during the stirring events surrounding the earlier days of the province. Taken ill last Tuesday, he was attended on by his wife and daughters-the later being Mrs. Maxime Carriere, Mrs. Camille Telier, and Mrs. Jules Vermette.

One son, Honore Riel, is also living-all the children residing in St. vital district, while there are 13 grandchildren.

Alexander Riel of St. Anne's Road, the only living brother, is also in attendance whith his only living sister, Mrs. William Gladu, of St. Malo.