Rediscovering Mary Ann Poirier — A Voice Restored

 🌸 Rediscovering Mary Ann Poirier — A Voice Restored

By Tina Winterlik / Zipolita

For a long time, Mary Ann Poirier was almost invisible in the records — a name scattered across documents, sometimes recorded as Mary Ann Enos after marriage, but her story lost in time. 🌿💛

🕰️ Who She Was

Mary Ann Poirier was born October 1870 in Sooke, British Columbia, daughter of Ellen Brulé and Joseph Poirier. She grew up in a bustling, resilient family, one of many children, some of whom did not survive childhood — a reality of life in the 1800s.

Mary Ann married John Joseph Enos, son of Joseph Enos and Theresa Eliza (Songhees Nation). Together, they had four children, including James Charles Enos, who would later serve in the First World War. 🌺

Through her marriage, Mary Ann connected the French-Indigenous Poirier line with the Songhees-Enos lineage, bridging cultures, families, and histories. She lived through times of great change: migration, colonial pressures, and the everyday struggles of raising a family in early Victoria and Sooke.

🔎 Rediscovering Her Story

About 20 years ago, I began tracing my family tree. At first, it was overwhelming — names repeated, dates shifted, and records were scarce or contradictory. Slowly, Mary Ann Poirier began to emerge not just as a name on a page, but as a real woman, living, loving, and raising children through hardship and resilience.

I learned:

• Mary Ann’s ancestry was rich with French and Indigenous heritage.
• She was a central figure in her family, grounding her children with care and strength.
• Her life was intertwined with broader histories — migration, settlement, and cultural survival on Vancouver Island.

Every detail I uncovered felt like restoring a voice that had been silenced. Each birth certificate, each diary entry, each small record was a thread, weaving her back into the story of our family — and of the communities she touched. 🌿✨

💛 Why This Matters

Mary Ann Poirier reminds us that history is not only what is recorded — it’s also who is remembered. Many women like her were nearly erased from the pages of history, yet their influence shaped generations. By rediscovering her, I honor the lives that came before us and the strength that flows in our veins.

Mary Ann Poirier Enos was a mother, a cultural bridge, and a quiet force of resilience. Her story deserves to be told, remembered, and celebrated.

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💡 To future generations:
Never forget the women who came before you. Their lives, their courage, and their care are the roots from which you grow. 🌳💖