Catharine Boucher was born the youngest of five children to François-Firmin Boucher and his German-English wife Catharine Miner (or Meyne); she was a sixth-great granddaughter of famous French-Canadian pioneer Zacharie Cloutier. She married Joseph Rock, a wagon maker, about 1849 in Vermont.
Joseph and Catharine had three children in Vermont, returned to Québec and had five more before moving back to the United States around 1863. They had four more children (for a total of twelve) and settled near Humboldt, Kansas.
They homesteaded 80 acres in Woodson County, Kansas in 1871, gaining clear title to it in '76. Catharine bought the adjacent 80 acres as well, and then sold the combined properties at substantial profit, at which time she, Joseph, and their children moved into town.
Catharine's husband died suddenly in 1880, and she moved with her younger children to the Kansas City area. She married Alexander McDonald in July 1882, but died in October 1882. She was buried under the name of "C. McDonald", and she lay anonymously as her stone wore away until rediscovered by descendants. She now has a stone that reflects her maiden name plus the surname she bore for the greatest part of her life.
Joseph and Catharine had three children in Vermont, returned to Québec and had five more before moving back to the United States around 1863. They had four more children (for a total of twelve) and settled near Humboldt, Kansas.
They homesteaded 80 acres in Woodson County, Kansas in 1871, gaining clear title to it in '76. Catharine bought the adjacent 80 acres as well, and then sold the combined properties at substantial profit, at which time she, Joseph, and their children moved into town.
Catharine's husband died suddenly in 1880, and she moved with her younger children to the Kansas City area. She married Alexander McDonald in July 1882, but died in October 1882. She was buried under the name of "C. McDonald", and she lay anonymously as her stone wore away until rediscovered by descendants. She now has a stone that reflects her maiden name plus the surname she bore for the greatest part of her life.
Catharine Boucher was born the youngest of five children to François-Firmin Boucher and his German-English wife Catharine Miner (or Meyne); she was a sixth-great granddaughter of famous French-Canadian pioneer Zacharie Cloutier. She married Joseph Rock, a wagon maker, about 1849 in Vermont.
Joseph and Catharine had three children in Vermont, returned to Québec and had five more before moving back to the United States around 1863. They had four more children (for a total of twelve) and settled near Humboldt, Kansas.
They homesteaded 80 acres in Woodson County, Kansas in 1871, gaining clear title to it in '76. Catharine bought the adjacent 80 acres as well, and then sold the combined properties at substantial profit, at which time she, Joseph, and their children moved into town.
Catharine's husband died suddenly in 1880, and she moved with her younger children to the Kansas City area. She married Alexander McDonald in July 1882, but died in October 1882. She was buried under the name of "C. McDonald", and she lay anonymously as her stone wore away until rediscovered by descendants. She now has a stone that reflects her maiden name plus the surname she bore for the greatest part of her life.
Joseph and Catharine had three children in Vermont, returned to Québec and had five more before moving back to the United States around 1863. They had four more children (for a total of twelve) and settled near Humboldt, Kansas.
They homesteaded 80 acres in Woodson County, Kansas in 1871, gaining clear title to it in '76. Catharine bought the adjacent 80 acres as well, and then sold the combined properties at substantial profit, at which time she, Joseph, and their children moved into town.
Catharine's husband died suddenly in 1880, and she moved with her younger children to the Kansas City area. She married Alexander McDonald in July 1882, but died in October 1882. She was buried under the name of "C. McDonald", and she lay anonymously as her stone wore away until rediscovered by descendants. She now has a stone that reflects her maiden name plus the surname she bore for the greatest part of her life.
Inscription
Catharine Boucher Rock
May 3, 1831
Oct 5, 1882
"je me souviens" (I remember)
Gravesite Details
old limestone marker had eroded and was unreadable; new granite marker was placed in 1997.
