Century Family

Michaud relatives abound

By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News

If any family in the North Forty readership area can boast a lot of kissing cousins, it's the Michaud clan. The descendants of Celina and William Michaud have given the term "homestead" a new twist; they have remained steadfast to their home. While some families scatter to the wind, at least three branches of the Michaud family have stayed in great numbers in Larimer County, the area settled by their pioneering ancestors.

The three branches that have remained are descendants of Joseph Michaud, Marie Michaud Schelt and Emma Michaud Ver Straeten. Three Schelt family members, Glen and Delbert Delehoy and Jerry Everett, still own parcels cut from the original 160-acre homestead. The family home, built in 1881, was occupied by members of the Ver Straeten branch until just this year, when Lyle Ver Straeten died.

Michaud descendants joke about all the relatives they have. Two of the Schelt branch, Gene and Delbert Delehoy, said that, for many years, at least one Delehoy graduated every spring from Poudre High School. Their sister, Betty Everett, said that having so many relatives in the area was a mixed blessing for her four boys. "Anytime the kids did something wrong, they knew I would know about it before they got home," she laughed. On the other hand, all the children involved in sports had a ready-made cheering section in the stands.

French-Canadian roots

The Michaud family roots date back to 1869, when Celina Frances Harris, Canadian-born, moved west from Maine to the Cache la Poudre valley. At the time, LaPorte was a village of log cabins and tipis. That same year, Celina met and married Louis Orleans, who ran a trading post and served as postmaster in LaPorte. The trading post stood where the water district building exists today.

The couple had three children and homesteaded 160 acres on Overland Trail, living part of the time on the homestead and the rest in LaPorte. However, their marriage was short-lived. Orleans was a soldier during the Sand Creek Massacre and was wounded by an arrow that pierced his lung. The wound had long-lasting effects, and he died in 1877. While he was ill, Celina served as postmaster and ran the trading post as well.

In 1878, Celina married another Canadian, William Michaud. The house they built on the homestead property in 1881 was designed by Michaud's cousin, Bernard Desjardins, who also designed the old Larimer County courthouse. The handsome white two-story house with green trim, located at the corner of Overland Trail and Michaud Lane, has become a landmark in northern Larimer County and is generally referred to as the Ver Straeten home. It is now owned by Ken Fisher.

The Michauds had five children, the three previously named plus William and Arthur. Eventually, 15 acres of the homestead were given to each of the Michaud and Orleans children. One of the children, Emma Michaud Ver Straeten, moved back to the family home and dairy farm to care for her parents as they aged. Her husband George died there after being gored by a bull.

At the time of George's death, Emma had six children. The oldest, Lyle, was just 12 while the youngest was less than a year old. With the older children's help, Emma managed to keep the dairy operating.

While the Ver Straetens stayed with the original homestead property, others made their marks elsewhere in the county. Joseph Michaud, while working as a crew boss for the Works Progress Administration, helped to build the Pingree Park Road. William Schelt worked at the local sugar factory and served as ditch rider for Pleasant Valley Lake and Canal. He also played the violin at local dances. A Schelt son-in-law, Glen Delehoy, helped to build Lions Park near LaPorte.

Two postmasters

One of the best-known Michaud descendants was Frances Ver Straeten, who followed in her grandmother Michaud's footsteps and became postmaster of LaPorte. She served in that position for 30 years, retiring in 1979. She and her brother Lyle remained at the family home and operated the dairy farm.

Frances' sister, May Strughold, still lives in LaPorte. Her first cousin in the Schelt branch, Marie Brubaker, spent her entire life in Bellvue before moving to a nursing home.

Fourth-generation descendants who still live in northern Larimer County include the following:

• Joseph Michaud branch: Gene Michaud.
• Marie Michaud Schelt branch: Betty Everett, Glen Delehoy, Delbert Delehoy and Donald Delehoy; Norma Gertson, Jo Edwards, Dennis Brubaker and Karen Bryner.
• Emma Michaud Ver Straeten branch: Leslie Moore, Janet Iverson, George Ver Straeten; Forrest and Coleen Strughold. Read the related story by Leslie Ver Straeten Moore,

Many fifth and sixth-generation descendants also live in the North Forty readership area, and numerous other cousins have settled in various corners of Larimer County and Colorado.

Thanks to Josephine Clements and several Michaud descendants for information about this century family.