Julia was born on the Reserve of the Chippewas of Sarnia, in what would later become known as southern Ontario, on February 15th, 1843. She was the oldest daughter of Nancy Wapoose, a hereditary medicine woman of the Band, and Dominique Peladeau, of the Thessalon River (Ojibwe) Band, in what is now called northern Ontario. Julia had five siblings: Charles, Nancy Jr., Mary, Caroline, and Henry (click here for a chart of this family).
Julia's maternal grandfather, Charles Wapoose, was a medicine man, warrior, and chief at the St. Clair (Sarnia) and Bear Creek (Enniskillen) reserves. He fought for the British in the War of 1812 and received presents from the Indian Department for wounds suffered in battle.
Julia's paternal grandparents were Louis Peladeau and Julia Wahsaigezhikgokwe (also known as Negonahbonakwe) of the Thessalon River Band.
Julia's father froze to death in the winter of 1848. Julia's mother left Sarnia, taking Julia and her younger sister, also named Nancy, to live at Bruce Mines, with her deceased husband Dominique's family. When Nancy Wapoose returned to the Sarnia reserve, she brought young Nancy with her, leaving Julia with the Peladeaus. Nancy Wapoose later married Louis Recollet (also known as Louis Maiville).
Julia became a member of the Thessalon River Band. In December 1861, Julia married Andre Proulx. They had eight children and remained in the Bruce Mines and Killarney area until Andre's death in 1874 (click here for the story of Andre's death).
Shortly after her husband died, Julia moved with her children to the Sarnia reserve. There she met Henry Bateman, who worked on her mother's farm. She married him at Port Huron, Michigan, in December 1876, after which they returned to Sarnia reserve. Nancy had seven more children with Henry.
On August 8th, 1888, Nancy Wapoose died. She left to Julia, among other bequests, half of a lot on the Sarnia reserve. Julia was unable to claim it. She was a member of the Thessalon River Band, not the Chippewas of Sarnia. The Band council asked her to leave their reserve.
Julia's stepfather, Louis Recollet (Maiville), had a sister in Killarney named Marguerite (Mrs. Ferdinand Roque). Marguerite and Ferdinand were raising seven of Julia's nephews and nieces (the Tillsons, William West, and George Pitfield). Three of Julia's children with Andre had married Killarney people. In 1894, Julia and Henry Bateman moved to Killarney, where Henry worked as a fisherman.
Julia Peladeau, foremother of all the descendants of Henry Bateman and Andre Proulx, died in Killarney in 1916.
