Le FORUM, Vol. 39 No. 4 Lisa Desjardins Michaud, Rédactrice

Home , Edward Kent, Guy Coulombe, Madawaska South

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Winter 2018 Le FORUM, Vol. 39 No. 4 Lisa Desjardins Michaud, Rédactrice

Norman Beaupré

James Myall

John François

Gérard Coulombe

See next page for additional authors

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Recommended Citation Desjardins Michaud, Rédactrice, Lisa; Beaupré, Norman; Myall, James; François, John; Coulombe, Gérard; Blesso, Jacqueline Chamberland; Marie-Anne; Dubay, Guy; Genest, Martha Cyr; Beavitt, Sr. Sharon S.C.I.M.; Lajoie, Brian; Larson, Denise R.; Pelletier, Gary; Marceau, Albert J.; Levasseur, Ray Luc; Chartrand, Yves; Lacroix, Patrick; Langford, Margaret S.; LePage, Adrienne Pelletier; Lacaux, Michel; Beaupré, Danielle Laliberte; Bérubé, Robert; and Chenard, Bob, "Le FORUM, Vol. 39 No. 4" (2018). Le FORUM Journal. 48. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/francoamericain_forum/48

This Book is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Le FORUM Journal by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors Lisa Desjardins Michaud, Rédactrice; Norman Beaupré; James Myall; John François; Gérard Coulombe; Jacqueline Chamberland Blesso; Marie-Anne; Guy Dubay; Martha Cyr Genest; Sr. Sharon Beavitt .S C.I.M.; Brian Lajoie; Denise R. Larson; Gary Pelletier; Albert J. Marceau; Ray Luc Levasseur; Yves Chartrand; Patrick Lacroix; Margaret S. Langford; Adrienne Pelletier LePage; Michel Lacaux; Danielle Laliberte Beaupré; Robert Bérubé; and Bob Chenard

This book is available at DigitalCommons@UMaine: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/francoamericain_forum/48 Le FORUM “AFIN D’ÊTRE EN PLEINE POSSESSION DE SES MOYENS” Un Joyeux Noël et une Bonne et Heureuse Nouvelle Année!

VOLUME 39, #4 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18

Websites: Le Forum: http://umaine.edu/francoamerican/le-forum/ Oral History: Francoamericanarchives.org Library: francolib.francoamerican.org Occasional Papers: http://umaine.edu/francoamerican/occasional-papers/ Maine’s French Communities: http://www.francomaine.org/English/Pres/Pres_intro.html francoamericanarchives.org other pertinent websites to check out - Les Français d’Amérique / French In America Calendar Photos and Texts from 1985 to 2002 http://www.johnfishersr.net/french_in_america_calendar.html Franco-American Women’s Institute: $6.00 http://www.fawi.net Le Forum Sommaire/Contents Lettres/Letters...... 3-5, 17 L’État du CT...... 12-18, 31-33 The Greyhound Proposal L’État du ME...... 5-31 An Immersive Experience Le Centre Franco-Américain Les bébites de mon enfance: Gérard Coulombe Université du Maine Les couleurs de mon enfance: Ste-Anne’s Church in Hartford: Orono, Maine 04469-5719 Norman Beaupré A Brief Guide to Celebrate the Holidays: [email protected] “La Pie Bavarde”: Marie-Anne Gauvin Albert Marceau Téléphone: 207-581-FROG (3764) Edith Chassé Chamberland (1874-1953) James Myall...... 32-34 Jacqueline Chamberland Blesso LePage’s Comments Remind Us that Civil Volume 39 Numéro 4 Irish French Fries: Rights History Isn’t Just Blue and Grey WINTER/HIVER Fr. Antoine Gosselin: Fr. Dionne: Guy Dubay Publishing Board 110 Years Ago, Maine’s Economy Was From Martha’s Memoirs: Don Levesque Powered by Immigrants Paul Laflamme Martha Cyr Genest Lin LaRochelle Biographical Sketch: Sister Renée Caron Louella Rolfe Genealogy...... 33-38 Sr. Sharon Leavitt, S.C.I.M. Kent Beaulne Une menterie historique: Submitted by Michael Guignard Joe Arsenault Robert Bérubé Tony Brinkley History of the Railroads: Brian Lajoie The Daigle Family: Robert Chenard Rivers Through the Wilderness, the Rédactrice/Editor Forgotten Thoroughfare: Denise Larson Lisa Desjardins Michaud Yves Chartrand...... 34-35 Remembrance Day: Gary Pelletier Till we meet again, I hope Mise en page/Layout Raquiem for Albert Glaude: Ce n’est qu’un Au revoir, j’espère Lisa Desjardins Michaud Ray Luc Levasseur L’État de Louisiane...... 12 Composition/Typesetting Books/Livres Les Quatre Saisons de Danté Hébert: ...... 32-33, 38-39 Lisa Desjardins Michaud Films Printemps Maïs Tendre ...... 40-41 Aide Technique John François Crown of Maine: Acadian Traditions Lisa Desjardins Michaud L’État du VT...... 41 Tonya Shevenell: The Home Road Poetry/Poésie...... 42 Tirage/Circulation/ Movie Review: The Home Road 4,500 Recipes Partick Lacroix ...... 43 Coin des jeunes Imprimé chez/Printed by ...... 44 Centre Franco-Américain, Orono, Maine Publié 4 fois l’an par le Centre Franco‑Américain. Le Forum est distribué surtout aux Franco‑Américains Abonnement au Le FORUM Subscription des États‑Unis. Les énoncés, opinions et points de vue formulés dans Le Forum sont ceux des auteurs et ne Si vous ne l’êtes pas abonnez-vous –– s.v.p. représentent pas nécessairement les points de vue de –– Subscribe if you have not l’éditeur ou de la rédactrice, ou du Collège des arts et des sciences libéraux à l’Université du Maine. Le Forum is published 4 times a year by the Nom/Name: Franco‑American Center. Le Forum is distributed in particular to Franco‑Americans in the United States. Statements, opinions and points of view expressed are Adresse/Address: not necessarily those of the editor, the publishers or the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences of the University Métier/Occupation: of Maine. Tous les textes soumis doivent parvenir à —For- ward all submitted texts to: Lisa D. Michaud, Rédac- Ce qui vous intéresse le plus dans Le FORUM section which interests you the trice-en-chef/Editor-in-chief, Le Forum, University of most: Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5719, U.S., au plus tard quatre semaines précédant le mois de publication—at least four weeks prior to the month of publication. Je voudrais contribuer un article au Le FORUM au sujet de: Les lettres de nos lecteurs sont les bienvenues— I would like to contribute an article to Le FORUM about: Letters to the Editor are welcomed. La reproduction des articles est autorisée sans préavis sauf indication contraire—Our original articles may be reproduced without notice unless otherwise Tarif d’abonnement par la poste pour 4 numéros indicated. Subscription rates by mail for 4 issues: L’équipe de rédaction souhaite que Le Forum soit États-Unis/United States –– Individus: $20 un mode d’expression pour vous tous les Franco‑Amér- Ailleurs/Elsewhere –– Individus: $25 icains et ceux qui s’intéressent à nous. The staff hopes that Le Forum can be a vehicle of expression for you Organisation/Organizations –– Bibliothèque/Library: $40 Franco‑Americans and those who are interested in us. Le FORUM Le Forum et son staff—Universitaires, gens de la communauté, les étudiants -- FAROG, Centre Franco-Américain, Orono, ME 04469-5719 2 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (See page 17 for more letters...) they were seeking employment or upward Lettres/ mobility, which was, as I recall, earning a few cents more per hour. Letters As for “Little Canada,” here and there across the New England States and else- Some comments on the essay by Patrick L. Lacroix, Ph. D. where about the country, I know that there (Le Forum, Vol. 39 #3, Pages 3-4) were institutions. I know what these were. FINDING A LARGER CANVAS: Because my dad was active, I knew a great deal more than my contemporaries about the FRANCO-AMERICANS’ ENDURING SIGNIFICANCE religious disputes between French Canadian By Gérard Coulombe Catholics and the Irish hierarchy in Maine Note: my comments appear under each paragraph heading. I use the lead word, because my dad was part of the dialogue. I phrase or sentence from the paragraphs in the original piece to share my views also know of the importance of money and status of managerial or office workers vs. “How knowledgeable are you…” staff because I knew her well and I thought hourly wageworkers, tenants vs. landlords. My view of the Franco American that she would appreciate reading it. Per- Addressing the choir on the nature of Significance is greater than the basic outline. haps, I was insensitive when she returned native chants is not that bad of an idea. From “Since the publication…” the letter with this observation: “The writer the perspective of graduate study and papers Perhaps, there is no larger canvas for left out the accent marks. Thank you. ” She relative to Franco-Americans in the States the Franco American experience than that turned and walked away. That was all she there is still much to do. I am reminded of which exists; if there is, what could it be? said! a friend who specialized in folklore and of “Those of us who have taught…” As to the magnitude of scholarship in how hard he worked collecting whenever We fellow Americans may not care Franco-American studies, will it ever matter he had a chance to spend time in the field. much about our particular ethnic origins, to anyone outside Academia? Having been Perhaps that is what one must do to fish out although, friends, including teachers of high educated, early on by Canadian and Fran- of the pond the very special trophies that school French were curious about my Franco co-American nuns and religious brothers remain. So it will be an academic endeavor. American experience. of two orders, I recall not only the disci- However in secondary public education Note: My wife and I are Franco pline, but also, the never stated but implied throughout the country, delving into popular Americans. Our children were aware and message, that our presence in Maine was culture and mystery will continue to remain decided not to extend their knowledge of our transitional because we were returning to available, even as the years fly by. Here experiences. Although, I’ll wager they heard “notre patrie,” perhaps, in the distant future. and there, pockets of cultures past remain their mother and I talk about our own Franco For us in our own Canadian schools, a daily along with folk stories that are not that old. American experiences. As a result, they have repeated theme that few of us understood in It ought to be up to local schoolteachers to held views of it, or they may have discussed elementary schools before World War Two engage their students in the job of historical it in private, shared opinions on their status is that we were being prepared for a return retrieval, one generation at a time, before la and shared experiences with other ethnic to the homeland. At the time, our education souvenance, memory, totally evaporates. groups. My wife is more likely than I to have was totally French Canadian and Catholic To my knowledge, as a participant in knowledge of this. None of our children and in experience and orientation. We started the evolution of most Franco Americans in grandchildren speaks French. We offered to school with “Oh, Canada” and ended, pos- one city in Maine, one with which I am most teach them. They chose not to learn. None sibly, with a pledge of allegiance. familiar due to growing up in the communi- of the grandchildren speak French. School As a public secondary school admin- ty, having experienced Biddeford in the past offered Spanish. Personally, I taught English istrator, I knew of no textbook or course while still having relatives in Biddeford, in Port Washington N. Y. and administered where the emphasis was placed upon any- I would argue that there has not been any schools at the secondary level in Darien Ct. thing other than the general historical and “hand-wringing” over the fate of the disap- In the past, educators with whom I political significance attached to standard pearing Franco American, particularly, in shared Franco-American experiences were history or to issues in American history, Biddeford, or of our culture and language. pleased that I had and some even confessed general or political. To my knowledge little On the contrary, we Franco Americans, saw to having had Franco American experiences specificity about anything other than that ourselves as being gradually integrated, in of their own. which was historical was ever among the ways both pleasant and unpleasant. Much of I am not familiar with the scholarship chief topics discussed in our textbooks. it has to do with age and the ever growing alluded to by the author. I do recall having There are exceptions but few or hardly and general American inculturalization de received a letter some years back from a any were ever developed or mentioned in choix. New Hampshire priest, also a Coulombe, passing [experience limited to New York “The field and sub-fields of Cana- inviting all named “Coulombe” to a cele- and Connecticut]. dian history…” bratory gathering of the Coulombe clan that I have no personal knowledge of His- The historical record in Canada fol- was to be held on L’Île d’Orléans to mark tory as studied in Québec. I do have some lowing the arrival of the first generation to the arrival of the first one named Coulombe knowledge from relatives that my dad and settle mattered little to us here, although as to arrive in Québec. In my exuberance over I visited. Generally, I know why my grandchildren of Canadian immigrants to Maine, the priest’s letter, I decided to share it with parents and some French Canadian relatives a highly respected teacher of French on our settled in Maine. In my case it was either that (Continued on page 4) 3 Le Forum (FINDING A LARGER CANVAS: Suday nights, when my dad sat by the radio had to have been paramount in many lives. FRANCO-AMERICANS’ ENDURING after supper to listen to radio Canada from “We can and should …” SIGNIFICANCE continued from page 3) Montréal, I pulled up a chair and sat next to Franco American History may be him to listen to “Un Home et Son Péché, “ of dwindling interest now that those of we had some knowledge of those left behind. a favorite of his. Go figure. us whose memories still hold strong and Some Canadian relatives, uncles, cousins, “Alas…” memorable attachments to the past, almost and some friends visited. There was some- It is not surprising to me that Québec all, due to personal recollections of our thing else about the family that I knew but acquired a diminishing interest in the very Franco-American experiences, will soon never, fully, understood as determined by the people who had abandoned Québec for a enough end, as we die off. I do not know who visits that we took as a family to so-called better life in Maine. Later, when in my early will keep the flame going. Maybe, it will be relatives of our dad’s. Our dad seemed to teens, working Old Orchard at a time when teachers like Lacroix and his colleagues. have relatives not only in Canada, but also it might have been well known as Little My children have little or no memories of in just about every Franco-American town, Québec, before most pulled up stakes and the kind that I still recall at age 86. Person- Lewiston and Waterville, in particular. Al- moved down to Florida, there was no love ally, I still recall who these people will be. though I got to know some relatives well for lost between those visiting or relocating to Certainly not my children’s children. They one reason or another, neither my mom nor I the States and those of us who had come are having a hard enough time just knowing fully understood these relationships—were before. who they are. they of blood? Acquaintanceship? No one Increasingly, unless we were relat- I would first suggest…” seemed to care. It was all of a generational ed, fewer and fewer from the Province of Those Franco-Americans, particularly nature, --unfathomable, as far as I was Québec cared for us “dans les États.” Some those originating from lower Québec who concerned. from the Provinces thought that we cousins, still live their lives as Franco-Americans in “But is the history of Franco-Amer- although somehow related, even as we felt transition, are special people because they ican really just an extension…” more and more unrelated, possibly, and, never lost the faith. While some still hold to Franco-American history is not and possibly, even more known unknowns that tradition, “la foi et la patrie,” others have has never been just and extension of Cana- we were out to pull the wool over their either lost one or the other, and many more dian history. It is so that Canadian life had eyes, possibly, worse, that we were out to have lost both, having “moved on.” It is for to be adapted to American life. How could cheat them, our natural cousins. Such, we these people as it was for our neighborhood, it have been otherwise? They had in their thought, grew the suspicions of our beloved not so many years ago, when we knew, possession what they knew—their language, cousins. There came a time when the best visited, helped and celebrated each other. religion, idiosyncrasies, and their stories, thing to have on a visit to Old Orchard was Our children and our grandchildren now some had useless as well as useful skills. My to stay away from them, and they from us, know little or nothing of family tradition. dad’s father came over as a cobbler; I guess because they or we were ingrates. Frankly, Although, some may love tourtière better my dad went from the farm, perhaps, to the a Quebecois was hard to love. than I do—taste, however is not necessarily, jobs provided by the textile mills. “The question…” if at all, traditional. I’m only saying that Also, as much as my father might have There always was a tension between mine have changed. intended to return to Canada at some point, those Franco-Americans who had money, Second, Franco-Americans matter his parents came to the States, and, so, he who thought they had money and those who on a larger tableau.” I agree, we French stayed But three of his brothers remained in knew they didn’t have any or knew well that Canadian Americans were never invisible. Canada and a sister had married an with her life, theirs, and that of their families, depend- “Like everyone else, we suffered from and husband moved to Hartford, Connecticut. It ed on employment, on wages earned by the had our own bows from which we fired our is fair to say that from generation to genera- week, and not on education or advancement, own arrows. The existing order disrupted us tion in the States, we grew up learning how but necessary to purchase, daily, groceries and we, in time, disrupted the existing order. we were to shape our lives as Americans in on the tab or to pay rent by the week. For The latter didn’t like it any better than we service of American, not Canadian norms, our people, it was never about the future. It did. I don’t even know that they took any joy experience and language. was always the now and then. Some of the in doing us in, either. It might just might as “The francophone community…” children were never to finish school. But an much to do with a matter of maintaining the I am somewhat familiar with French 8th grade education was better than a third status quo, plain and simple; It might just Canada. My dad and I travelled to Canada by grade one. They would end up working in as well have been simple annoyance with a train from Lewiston, Maine, and so I became the mills. It was a future more firmly desired particular form of pestilence. familiar with a few aspects of the Québec than the one that required school attendance, No doubt, by addressing Le Fo- life, for I had cousins there. Also, as one until the age of 16 when 16 permitted leaving rum…” who had spent time listening and observing, school to enter the mills. The children of To be honest, I enjoy being a member I took away a little bit of knowledge of “Can- those who had went to college. Those of us of an academic study group. Having read this ada” from observations of my own. Those who didn’t might have desired a religious piece, I am not sure that we Franco-Amer- helped me to form a few opinions of my own vocation. Some of us were chosen, some icans are understood by academics. for all regarding my status as a Franco American. others prayed hard for an answer to their that I know, there are still many stories to There was never to be the repatriation that prayers. In those days, one’s education very be told. To this day, I do not know that our my dad thought there would be, some day. much depended upon a calling from God the group has been the subject of study in public I’m sure he knew that when he died. Father, probably through the intercession of and parochial schools, none of which today In addition, on some Saturday or Mary, the mother of Jesus. Her intercession (Continued on page 5) 4 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 Août 2016 LE GRENIER DES SOUVENANCES DE NORMAN les "criquettes"[les grillons], les "mouches à feu"[les lucioles], les très petites "bébites" Les bébites de mon enfance rouges, les coccinelles, et autres qui ne nous hantaient pas car nous n'en n'avions aucunement peur. Il ne faudrait pas oublier Les "bébites" ou les les insectes et nous démangent à n'en plus finir. Je me les "frémilles" ou fourmis qui venaient em- même les petites bêtes sont connues par tous souviens que j'étais au Brésil au Bom Pastor pester la nourriture hors des placards et à et chacun même de nos jours. Je crois bien chez les religieuses du Bon Pasteur et Irma l'air, comme on le dit chez nous. Quant aux que c'est un terme d'enfant produit par les Priscilla qui m'avait invité d'aller passer abeilles, on les laissait tranquilles car elles mamans et les papas afin de communiquer quelques semaines avec elles. On m'avait nous confectionnaient du miel après tout. Il à leurs enfants l'essence de la simplicité de donné la chambre de l'aumonier et pendant y en a qui même de nos jours ont peur des la parole tout comme "bobo", "quenoeil", la nuit il y avait de grosses "bébites" qui "bébites" mais qui n'ont pas peur des chiens "caca", "pipi", "bédaine", "dodo", "bé- m'avaiernt rongé la peau et j'avais senti la ou autres bêtes plus grosses. Il faudrait croire belles", etc. La grande personne se mettait que les "bébites" apportent une certaine au niveau du petit enfant afin de tenter de crainte ou un dégoùt pour ceux et celles se faire comprendre quoique l'enfant aurait qui ont grandi avec ça. Je leur dirais à ces compris le parler du grand monde si on le gens-là que toutes bêtes et toutes "bébites" lui avait communiqué en pleine franchise . sont les créatures du Bon Dieu. Mais, on a pris l'habitude des mamans et des Enfin, il existe des expressions avec papas d'antan, surtout les mamans, d'utiliser le terme "bébite" telles, avoir des bébites des mots de ce que j'appellerais des mots dans la tête pour dire que quelqu'un est un "bébé." Plus que notre langue disparaît au peu fou; être en bébite pour signifier être cours de années, plus les petits trésors de la fâché, et l'expression "en bébite" pour dire langue tels ces mots enfantins disparaissent "beaucoup." "Bébite" reste encore collé eux aussi. Je le crois bien. Cependant, il y a dans ma tête souvent rêveuse et vagabonde. des mots tels "mémère" et "pépère" qui ont Ah, les souvenances de mon enfances, elles survécu. Peut-être on utilise plus le terme an- démangeaison pendant des jours de temps. m'apportent toutes sortes de "bêtises" qui glais "bugs" avec nos petits, je n'en sais pas. Soeur Priscille m'avait dit que les religieuses tournent en petites joies d'une mémoire Quoique soit le cas, les "bébites" de dormaient avec le drap pardessus la tête afin laissée à elle-même. mon enfance existaient et ils existent encore de s'esquiver de la morsure de ces "bébites". au moins dans la mémoire achalandée de Un peu plus tard elle a acheté des mousti- Norman Beaupré est natif de Bid- toutes sortes de choses du passé. Pour moi, quaires pour cette chambre, m'a-t-elle dit. deford et il a enseigné plus de trente ans ces choses sont réelles et vives. Il y en a Il y avait aussi les gros bourdons à l'Université de la Nouvelle-Angleterre. plusieurs parmi vous mes lecteurs/lectrices qui venaient menacer ceux qui osaient les Son doctorat vient de l'Université Brown. qui me demandent comment je fais pour me approcher ou les taquiner avec des pailles Le Docteur Beaupré a beaucoup voyagé en rappeler de tout ça. Et bien, je dois avoir ou des petits bâtons. En plus, il y avait les France et ailleurs en plus d'avoir pris deux une mémoire du diable ou une mémoire de mouches ordinaires et les mouches à cheval. congés sabbatiques à Paris. Il est l'auteur chien comme le disent les nôtres. A force Celles-ci étaient féroces avec leurs dards de vingt et un livres publiés en français et d'y penser, ça vient. Quant aux "bébites" de et puis elles étaient grosses, les mouches à en anglais. Sa dernière oeuvre s'intitule, mon enfance, voilà ce dont je me rapplelle. cheval. Il y avait aussi les puces, les poux, les "Souvenances d'une Enfance Francophone En premier lieu, il y a les "maringouins", punaises, et les autres infestations qui faisa- Rêveuse", un recueil d'une trentaine de ces moustiques, ces verraces de "bébites" ient horreur aux mamans qui n'en voulaient contes et d'histoires qui sortent de son qui viennent en été nous piquer la chair et pas de cette avarie de mauvaises "bébites" ni imagination active. laisser des petites boursouffles rouges qui dans le lit ni dans les cheveux. Il y avait aussi (FINDING A LARGER CANVAS: FRANCO-AMERICANS’ ENDURING some jigged between here and there and It took a while before they concluded SIGNIFICANCE continued from page 4) back again, stayed and married, travelled that survival depended more than they had are “Franco,” as a term might have suggest- back and forth over the Fourth of July, bargained on total assimilation. They stayed, ed, at one time, Catholic, not secular. In my mainly for the time they were out of the fought in a sense, and waited for time to day, we were an innovative category. mills. They brought what they had with allow their children’s total assimilation. But I understand what they, these them that they owned, maybe a carpetbag It worked for the most part. Who is left academics in the field, are up against. Their full of long underwear, galoshes, and their among the originals now? Count the field is narrow, and the opportunities narrow religion. Before they grew their own, priests, R.C. churches in Biddeford; the mills? until they disappear when our kind dwindles brothers and nuns came from there to teach What are they now? Where have settler to the level of zero even as family names in their schools in whatever city or town children and grandchildren gone? remain alive and well. with a river big enough to power a big mill. A new, abridged, and recently pub- “For more than a century…” They learned new trades, they had to fight lished history of Biddeford, hardly mentions They came from Québec down to the bosses for what they earned, won and Franco Americans. It is what it is, passé. Maine. Most of all, they came to find work; lost, mostly. 5 Le Forum JUIN 2016 Courier voyantes, joyeuses, et vives. Les couleurs Le Grenier des Souvenances de Norman foncées et mates lui étaient ahurissantes. Je me souviens d'une de ses robes qu'elle portait sur une photo prise lorsque je n'avais que deux ans, je crois. Nous étions en promenade Les couleurs de mon enfance chez une des soeurs de ma mère à Augusta, rue Monroe. Ma mère portait une robe qui Un aspect de mon enfance qui dure plus attrayantes, surtout les jeunes. Mais, la tirait sur le brun, et ce qui m'attirait la vue longtemps dans ma mémoire ce sont les couleur viné semblait attirer les dames plus c'était le col qui me paraissait comme un col couleurs. Lorsque l'oeil a été frappé par la données aux couleurs moins vives et plus de clown en accordéon de toutes sortes de vivacité des couleurs, surtout dans l'essor adoucies telles le mauve, le lilas, le brun et couleurs qui s'harmonisaient bien avec sa de la jeunesse, bien, il se développe chez le beige, et, on sait bien, le viné. Le viné se robe brunâtre. Je conserve encore la photo l'enfant qui grandit, tout un arc- prise sur le gazon chez tante Mina. en-ciel gravé dans une mémoire Elle s'appelait Hermina Hubert sensiblisée par l'attrait du beau Drouin. Elle était bonne cuisineuse, et du voyant. Qu'est-ce que la vie bonne modiste et bonne travaillante. serait sans couleurs? Blanc et noir, Elle allait jusqu'à joindre son mari c'est tout, tout comme les vieux à la chasse de chevreuils dans les films du passé. Sans couleurs c'est bois du nord du Maine. Elle était sans imagination et sans habileté hasardeuse, tante Mina, et douée de de voir les choses telles qu'elles l'entrain d'une fermière québécoise, sont dans une nature prodigieuse car elle a vu jour au Canada tout de toutes sortes de couleurs. L'en- comme les onze premiers enfants fant est très sensible aux couleurs. Hubert. Ma mère fut la treizième. Du moins, moi, je l'étais.Tout en Ah, les souvenances d'antan qui grandissant, j'étais attiré par les m'apportent les couleurs de ma couleurs vives de mon environne- jeunesse! ment. L'enfant aime les couleurs qui lui sont portait surtout en automne et en hiver. C'était Quant au viné, et bien cette couleur n'a inculquées en vertu de ses sens et de son une couleur frappante aux yeux de ceux et jamais cessé d'aménager mon imagination et penchant vers l'éblouissement de tout ce qui celles qui aimaient la couleur entre prune mon intérêt. Même aujourd'hui la couleur est de couleur. Moi, je l'étais et je continue ou pourpre que nous appelons viné. Ceci se viné stimule en moi des associations telles de l'être même dans la maturité de l'âge. dit en anglais purple et parfois plum. Mais les cerises mûres que l'on appelait les ceris- Je viens de terminer un recueil de con- viné, tout le monde connaissait cette couleur. es au vin de la couleur vinée, les pruneaux tes et d'histoires intitulé, "Souvenances d'une Excepté les hommes qui ne portaitent guère Enfance Francophone Rêveuse" dans lequel attention aux couleurs, surtout le viné. Très (Suite page 7) se trouve l'histoire du "Ballon viné." Viné souvent le mari demandait à sa femme de lui n'est pas du français standardisé, c'est plutôt choisir une cravate ou même une chemise, la couleur pourpre. Chez nous nous disions un pantalon, des chaussettes, parfois des viné. Ceci faisait partie de notre parler à chaussures qui étaient propres à porter, et qui nous Franco-Américains. Quant à "pourpre" "matchaient" comme on le disait chez nous. cela n'existait que dans les dictionnaires ou Plusieurs hommes n'avaient pas le sens des dans la langue des gens éduqués qui l'avaient couleurs et surtout l'harmonie des couleurs. appris d'une manière ou d'une autre. "Pour- Alors, il leur fallait une femme pour les pre" c'était pour ceux et celles qui parlaient "r'nipper" comme on disait chez nous. "bien." Cependant, "viné" nous appartenait Quant à moi et mes goûts de couleurs et nous nous servions à plein jour de ce et d'harmonie de couleurs, j'ai toujours aimé terme si bien connu et apprécié. Je dis dans le rouge, rouge écarlate, rouge voyant, le mon histoire du ballon viné que le viné fut vert et son adhérent, le bleu vert, ainsi que une couleur favotite surtout des plus âgés le viné. J'aime les autres couleurs, mais je alors que je grandissais. Un beau chapeau préfère celles-ci. J'aime bien le rose d'une viné, un manteau viné, des gants vinés, un belle fleur et le bleu ciel de l'azur. L'arc-en- beau ruban viné, et n'importe quel vêtement ciel me plaît beaucoup surtout après avoir de la couleur viné furent portés avec fierté contemplé l'arc complet au Brésil lors de et un sens d'appartenance à la collectivité mon voyage dans le désert avec Soeur Pris- franco-américaine qui se voulait fière et cille s.c.i.m. il y a plusieurs années de ça. Je indépendente des modes passantes. ne l'ai jamais perdu de mon oeil intérieur. Je le sais bien que pas tout le monde Tout jeune j'admirais les couleurs des vête- aimait la couleur viné. Il y en avait qui lui ments de ma mère, surtout ses robes, car elle préférait d'autres couleurs plus vives et était fière, ma mère. Elle aimait les couleurs 6 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 Paradis, even came to Maine from Canada LePage’s Comments Remind Us to enlist. Paradis’s comrades described him as being motivated by “a spirit sensitively that Civil Rights History Isn’t Just alive to the maintenance of right, when he saw the attempts of ambitious men to extend the borders of slavery he sought the states, Blue and Grey that he might add his influence and work in August 29, 2017African-Americans, Civil War, Ku Klux Klan, Language, the cause of liberty.” Before the war, Colby Maine, Politics College graduate Elijah Lovejoy became an By James Myall abolitionist martyr when he was shot during an attack on his printer’s shop in Illinois. Maine Governor Paul LePage once Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin, again made national headlines for his written at Bowdoin College, became a ral- defense of President Trump – and by ex- lying cry for abolitionists, of which Maine tension, of confederate monuments – when had many. William Ladd of Minot was one he claimed that 7,600 Mainers fought for such who spoke out vocally against slavery, the Confederacy. That unsubstantiated and many nameless others contributed to the claim appears to be off by a magnitude of underground railroad and its role in Maine. several hundred, since the known number Yet at the same time, even many of of Maine Copperheads is around 30. The these abolitionists were initially wary of con- governor was clearly attempting to justify frontation with the South. Governor Israel the revisionist myth that the Civil War was Washburn, a Republican, who denounced not fought over slavery, and opponents were slavery as a foundational evil in an 1861 quick to point out that more than 70,000 address to the state legislature admitted in Mainers fought for the Union – the highest the same speech that Republicans weren’t per-capita enlistment rate of any Northern seeking too “interfere” in southern law, and State. Mainers are justifiably proud of their voiced his hope that war could be avoided. state’s abolitionist history, but it’s all too When Washburn again addressed the legis- easy to point to the state’s contribution to lature in June, to ask for an appropriation the Civil War, and assume that Maine’s of money and the activation of the militia historical legacy is one of simple racial after President Lincoln’s call for volun- advancement. Indeed, LePage himself has Joseph-Caleb Paradis, 1864. teers against the Confederacy, he made no made similar arguments, saying that Con- Image: Maine State Archives. mention of the evil institution, but focused gressman John Lewis, a Black Civil Rights instead on the treason committed against Activist, should “thank Republicans” for Many Mainers did fight, and die, in the the country. ending slavery. The historical reality is much Civil War motivated by their desire to end more complex than that. slavery. Some, like French Canadian Caleb (Continued on page 8)

(Les couleurs de mon enfance suite de C'est pour cela que tous les murs de sa mai- A-t-elle changé? Et vous les hommes qui page 6) son à l'intérieur étaient d'une couleur foncée vous hasardez de lire mes rubriques, êtes- mûris sur la branche qui avaient donc cette et parfois sombre. Les voisins et les parents vous sensibles aux couleurs ou vous vous belle couleur alors que ces fruits luisaient en la trouvait un peu étrange, Rose-Éva. C'est en foutez bien? Et vous tous mes lecteurs/ plein soleil, et les beaux paysages au coucher comme cela qu'elle s'appelait. Il y avait tant lectrices, aimez-vous le viné? du soleil alors que les couleurs changent du de femme chez nous lorsque je grandissais brillant au plus douces et tendres couleurs qui avaient deux prénoms tels Marie-Ange, Norman Beaupré est natif de Bid- de la brunante parfois avec des éclats du Marie-Thérèse, Rose-Alba, Rose-Hélène, deford et il a enseigné plus de trente ans viné. J'aimais m'asseoir dans l'herbe lorsque etc. Moi, l'enfant aux couleurs, j'associais à l'Université de la Nouvelle-Angleterre. j'étais jeune pour admirer les couchers du ces noms avec les couleurs qui me venaient Son doctorat vient de l'Université Brown. soleil jusqu'à ce que maman m'appelle pour à l'idée. Pour moi Marie-Ange c'était la Le Docteur Beaupré a beaucoup voyagé rentrer chez nous et me préparer pour la couleur des anges, le rose angélique; Ma- en France et ailleurs en plus d'avoir pris nuit. Les couleurs que je venais d'admirer rie-Thérèse, c'était la couleur verte des deux congés sabbatiques à Paris. Il est restaient collées dans ma vision intérieure prairies; Rose-Alba, fut la couleur viné parce l'auteur de vingt livres publiés en français et je tombais endormi avec le doux couloir que cette dame était vieille; Rose-Hélène, la et en anglais. Il est rendu à la finition de de couleurs menant à l'infini absorbées par couleur bleu d'un ciel sans nuages car Rose- sa dernière oeuvre, "Souvenances d'une la vue et calquées à mon cerveau d'enfant. Hélène avait toujours le beau sourire aux Enfance Francophone Rêveuse", un recueil Je me souviens que la voisine, Ma- lèvres. Alors, les couleurs m'ont toujours in- d'une trentaine de contes et d'histoires qui dame D. de la côte aimait dire à son mari, spiré d'une manière ou d'une autre, et stimulé sortent de son imagination active. Frank, qu'elle n'aimait pas les couleurs trop mon imagination qui souvent était rêveuse. pâles car elle les trouvait sans vie, sans éclat. Quelle est donc votre couleur de jeunesse? 7 Le Forum (LePage’s Comments Remind Us that Civil many on the Union side towards the hard tion. The Abyssinian Meeting House in Rights History Isn’t Just Blue and Grey work or Reconstruction following the war. Portland, the oldest surviving black church continued from page 7) Chamberlain not only revealed himself to in Maine, and the third-oldest in the United be a moderate in the treatment of former States, was founded precisely because black Confederates, but he would go on to defend parishioners, in their own words, treated like southern states’ rights to restrict government second-class citizens at the existing church- to “their best minds” (i.e. white ones). es. The story of Malaga island, and the Chamberlain’s colleague-in-arms, state-mandated eviction of the community General Oliver Otis Howard of Leeds, there, has become better known in recent Maine, was a major figure of the Reconstruc- years, but the colony’s very existence, in an tion effort. He headed the Freedman’s Bu- isolated and impoverished spot, is a prime reau, and helped found Howard University, example of segregation. the first of the Historically Black Colleges For most of its existence, Maine has and Universities in the United States. Yet not had a vibrant African-American com- after the Freedman’s Bureau was dismantled munity nor indeed any community of color in the face of Southern opposition, Howard as we would identify it today. Nonetheless, went on to spend years fighting to drive Maine’s Republican party, which had initial- Native Americans onto reservations. Hardly ly been active in the cause of Black suffrage a civil rights icon. nationally, devoted efforts to persecuting Howard was responsible for direct- immigrants locally, especially Catholics. Child’s “slave cloth” sleeveless jacket and ing hundreds of freedmen to Maine during James G. Blaine was Speaker of the pants, unknown maker, Louisiana, 1850s. his time at the bureau, finding them paid US House of Representatives during a crit- Cotton; hand spun and woven. Image: employment working for friends of his like ical period of Reconstruction. Yet he would National Trust for Historic Preservation. Adams Merrill, who owned a quarry in emerge as leader of the dismissively-titled Brownville. While these jobs allowed blacks “half-breed” faction of the Republicans in Was Washburn hesitant to alienate to escape the tenant farmer status of many of the 1880s, less radical than the “Stalwart” some of Maine’s powerful industrial inter- their peers in the south, the motives of the faction. Like Chamberlain, Blaine was ad- ests? Like the whole country, the economy Mainers who employed them were suspect. vocated for leniency for former Confederate of Maine relied on slavery, in the form of As much as charitable causes, the business- officials and veterans. While Blaine was a cotton exports from the south. The indus- men were also grateful for a cheap source consistent defender of black suffrage, he was trialization of Maine had flourished in the of labor, and sometimes underpaid the also a notoriously cynical politician, and it’s decade before the civil war, especially with freedmen while housing them in substandard hard to tell how much he was motivated by the establishment of numerous textile mills conditions. One third of Merrill’s workers moral imperatives, or the desire for more that turned slave-picked cotton into cloth. died of pneumonia after a Maine winter in Republican voters in the South. In a similar Some industrialists, like the Cabot family their uninsulated homes the company had vein, his name became synonymous with a who financed Brunswick’s mill, even in- provided. The rest fled Maine by 1879. series of anti-Catholic laws aimed at codi- herited fortunes made in the Atlantic slave Maine has some prominent exam- fying a separation of church and state, but trade. The Bates mill in Lewiston stockpiled ples of historic black spaces, but these are which became a dog whistle for protestant southern cotton in the 1850s, a move that themselves the results of discrimination and voter against Catholic immigrants. allowed it to profit from the war when it was segregation as n Maine results of segrega- (Continued on page 9) able to be one of a select few producers of uniforms for the Union army. Other mills, like the Pepperell Company of Biddeford, profited on both sides of the ledger. The Pepperell Company’s “Rock River” line of cloth, named for the Saco River, was originally sold to plantation owners to make inexpensive but tough clothing for slaves. Even Maine’s best-known civil war heroes were not necessarily fully committed to racial equality. Joshua Chamberlain, the hero of Gettysburg is also admired for his gesture of respect for the Confederate troops at Appomattox, during the surrender that officially ended the conflict. Today, that gesture is often held up as a righteous display of reconciliation. But as Bowdoin College History Professor Patrick Rael African-American workers at the Merrill Quarry, Brownsville, Maine, 1868. notes, Chamberlain’s “chivalry” at Appo- Stereoscope. Image: Maine Memory Network/Maine Historical Society. mattox portended a lack of commitment by 8 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (LePage’s Comments Remind Us that Civil “heroes” of the past. Most historical figures Rights History Isn’t Just Blue and Grey do indeed fall short by modern standards. continued from page 8) Men who were abolitionists saw no contra- diction in being anti-immigrant, or disputing the necessity of black suffrage. Ordinary Mainers (like all Americans) benefited from the slave economy, and the low-wage work of immigrants. The lessons that should be drawn are to push ourselves further, not to give up on progress half-won, and to recognize the need to fight prejudice and discrimination on multiple fronts.

“The American River Ganges,” an anti-Catholic cartoon by Thomas Nast that appeared in Harper’s Weekly in 1871. A protestant minister defends American school children against Catholic bishops depicted as alligators. An American public school is depicted as a fort on the beach, while in the distance, Tammany Hall, the well-known New York Irish political society, flies the Papal flag. About James Myall: Even before the Civil War, Maine had the 1920s. The literacy requirement would undertaken a series of anti-immigrant mea- not be repealed by Maine voters until it was sures, many of which were supported by the struck down by the courts as a violation of While I currently work for an Au- same politicians who supported the abolition the 1964 voting rights act. gusta-based non-profit, I spent four of slavery. In 1855, under its first Republican What are we to make of these con- years as the Coordinator of the Fran- governor and a Republican majority in the tradictions? It would be wrong to conclude House, Maine passed a series of laws, which that every historical character is a villain, co-American Collection at the Uni- barred any state courts from naturalizing or that each was as bad as the other. There versity of Southern Maine. In 2015, I non-citizens (thereby restricting citizenship were clear lines in the debate over slavery. co-authored "The Franco-Americans applications to federal courts), made new As early as 1688, Americans (the Quaker of Lewiston-Auburn," a general his- citizens register to vote at least three months community of Germantown, Pennsylvania) tory of that population from 1850 to before an election; and restricted the partic- had petitioned against the practice, asking ipation of those who were not native-born “what thing in the world can be done worse the present. I was also a consultant Americans in militia companies. Portland towards us?” Jefferson’s first draft of the for the State Legislative Task Force Mayor Neal Dow became the father of Declaration of Independence tried to pin the on Franco-Americans in 2012. I live Prohibition in Maine and the United States, crime of slavery on King George, calling it in Topsham with my wife and two a law that was predicated partly on anti-im- a “cruel war against human nature itself” young daughters. migrant stereotypes, and which resulted in and an “assemblage of horrors,” words that disproportionate arrests of Franco-American southern delegates to the Constitutional and other Catholic residents. Convention in Philadelphia presumably had http://myall.bangordailynews.com/ In the 1890s, as Southern states were struck out. By 1861, the United States was adopting “Jim Crow” laws to prevent Afri- one of just a handful of Western nations not can-Americans from voting, Maine adopted to have abolished the institution of slavery. at least one custom from that period, the The states which chose to secede over the is- literacy test, designed to prevent immi- sue of slavery, and labelled the institution the grants, especially Franco-Americans, from “cornerstone” of their new Republic, knew voting. This effort was accompanied by local full well that they were acting in defiance of campaigns to overturn election results, or the moral consensus of the day. We should prevent Franco-American voters from reg- feel free to judge their character accordingly. istering. In this context, it’s unsurprising that But we should also be willing to hold Maine would be a hotbed of Klan activity in ourselves to higher standards than even the 9 Le Forum 100 Years Ago, Maine’s Economy Was Powered by Immigrants September 18, 2017Logging, Maine By James Myall

In 1910, Maine was at the peak of an immigration wave that was providing crucial labor for its biggest industries. The US Census of that year found that 16% of Maine’s population, or one in eight residents, were immigrants. That’s a far greater share than today, when less than 3% of the state’s population was born abroad. In fact, the diversity of the Maine of 1910 more closely resembles the populations of New York or Florida today. And just as immigrants today provide a critical source of workers for key industries in those states, Maine’s biggest industries a century ago depended on immigrant labor. Understanding the extent of this phenomenon is made possible by a demographic project from the University of Minnesota, the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS), which provides harmonized data from various censuses, stretching back as far as 1850 in the United States. For some years, the project provides sample data (from 1 to 10% of all records), but for an Winding Room Workers, Cabot Mill, Brunswick, 1925. increasing number of censuses, data is available for every recorded Image: Pejepscot Historical Society / Maine Memory Network. individual. In 1910, the census enumerated more than 750,000 residents, and IPUMS allows users to download and analyze a plethora of information on each person, including their place of birth and occupation. Contemporary reports by the US Census Bureau estimated that Maine’s manufacturing industries produced $176 million of goods in 1909 (more than $4.4 billion in today’s money). Two-thirds of that output came from just four sectors – paper and wood pulp; lumber and timber; textiles; and footwear. Analysis of the IPUMS data show that each sector was heavily dependent on immigrant – and often Franco-Ameri- can – workers. In the two most productive Source: US Census 1910 and IPUMS. Author’s analysis. industries, paper and textiles, nearly half of the workforce was born abroad. These data confirm the long-held nar- rative that Franco-Americans and other immigrants powered the industrial revolution in Maine, and elsewhere in New England. But they also reveal just how crucial these workers were to the Maine economy in 1910. Without this supply of labor from abroad, it’s hard to imagine how any of these industries would have operated at the same level. The data also show that Franco-Amer- icans and other immigrants were a strong presence in other sectors of the economy, some less well-known than the textile and paper mills. Despite the effects of the industrial revolution, Maine still had a strong agrarian economy in 1910. While the size of Lewiston Evening Journal, July 29, 1885. this sector was less precisely estimated, re- (Continued on page 11) 10 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (100 Years Ago, Maine’s Economy Was to find workers, the population is aging at enrollment numbers. In overcoming these Powered by Immigrants continued from an alarming rate, and school districts are current challenges, Maine could draw many page 10) wrestling with the impacts of declining lessons from its past successes. ports at the time put its value at $60 million, more than the textile and paper industries combined. More Mainers were working as farmers than any other single occupation, and while the majority of them were native-born Americans, one in nine (11%) farmers was still born abroad. In the later 19th century, thousands of New England farmers had headed West, and newspaper accounts noted that their abandoned farms were increasingly being revived by Fran- co-Americans and other new arrivals. Just as today, the immigrants of a century ago also did much of the manual work that native-born Americans preferred not to do. The 1910 census shows disproportionate numbers of immigrants working on Source: US Census 1910 and the railroads, as construction workers, and IPUMS. Author’s analysis. as “general laborers” – who would work on short term projects as needed, from clearing canals and laying roadbeds to working in the shipyards on seasonally on Maine’s farms. Some of the earliest Franco-Americans in Maine arrived in the 1840s and 50s in this role, and many had occupied the same posi- tion in Québec. The 1910 census shows that this itinerant and intermittent form of work was still a way of life for many. 1910 marked the high point of immigration to Maine for several reasons. At the national level, the first comprehensive immigration laws were soon enacted, greatly restricting the flow of new workers from Europe (though they did not apply to arrivals from the Americas). The 1920s saw a rising tide of anti-immigrant sentiment that made Maine a more hostile place for Canal workers, Lewiston’s Little Canada, date unknown. Image: Franco-Americans, and the Great Depres- University of Southern Maine / Maine Memory Network sion then made the US a far less attractive destination for immigrants. By the time the United States was experiencing its post-war recovery, the political and economic dynam- ics of Canada, and Quebec in particular, were shifting to provide more opportunities for French Canadians, and less incentive to leave for the US. As a result, the for- eign-born population of Maine dropped to half its size by 1950, and reached its present historic low by the 1980s. We can learn from this history. Maine’s economy was most vibrant when it had a growing supply of workers, facilitated by a steady stream of arrivals from Canada, Europe, and elsewhere. Today, Maine faces many of the same demographic challenges as Source: US Census 1850-2000, American Community Survey 2001-15 and in the 19th century. Employers are struggling IPUMS. Author’s analysis. 11 Le Forum mon maïs une semaine avant lui. Le sien et le fier Danté Hébert plutôt que le gros et Les Quatre Saisons de peut pas être déjà paré. T'en as dérobés le canaille Valsin Boudreau. L'année passée, pour voir?” par exemple, Valsin les avait amené du maïs Danté Hébert “Non, mon cher,” Émilie dit, “pas tendre avant que le leur était prêt à manger. par encore.” Mais elle avait menti. Elle avait Pauvre Danté avait pris ça dur, même com- John François dérobé deux épis, et les avait trouvés par- me un affront à sa virilité, si tu veux croire. faits, juste bons à griller. Alors, cette année-ci, Danté avait fait sûr de Printemps “Bien sûr,” Danté dit avec le com- planter son maïs avant Valsin. Il avait gardé mencement d’une grosse colère, "Valsin un oeil sur les activités de son voisin, et Maïs Tendre les a cassés trop de bonne heure. C'est pas bien de bonne heure en mars, il avait planté. la première fois qu'il assaye, de sa maudite Quelques jours après ça, il avait vu Valsin dans son clos après plantait le sien. Un beau jour dans juin, quand le soleil Émilie guettait Danté appuyé sur sa brillait clair, Danté Hébert fouillait des fos- sheuve, son front tout froncé. "Peut-être,” sés dans son clos de maïs avec sa sheuve Danté dit, “il a pris ce maïs d'une autre pour mieux égouter sa terre. Le mince et le place, et il assaye de nous embêter. Mais, fier Cajun se trouvait bien satisfait avec sa on va voir, ain? Espère que je rentre quand récolte parce que le maïs était grand avec j’aurai fini ici!" beaucoup d’épis. Et quand Émilie, sa chere Émilie a partie chez eux, en pensant femme, est arrivée avec de l’eau á boire, beaucoup dur quoi faire. Même si c'était le il lui a dit, “Regarde, ma chère 'tite crêpe, maïs à Valsin ou non, ç'aurait juste com- comment pleins les épis commencent à être! mencé du train. Elle aurait pas dû dire rien. On pourra bien vite manger du bon maïs Elle aurait fait mieux à donner les épis à tendre, ain?” Boudin, leur chere truie. Une fois, par ex- Émilie pensait que Danté était le meil- ample, Danté avait voulu prendre son fusil à leur récolteur dans toute la communauté de deux coups pour effaroucher la vieille vache l'Anse Chaoui, sauf peut-être pour Valsin à Valsin qui avait rentré dans son clos de Boudreau, leur voisin. Mais naturellement, maïs. Danté faisait serment que Valsin avait elle lui aurait jamais dit ça. “Ouay, donc!” sa manière, de te faire croire que t'as pas marié fait exprès de la lâcher de sa savane. Merci ‘tite crêpe dit. “Je peux pas espérer.” Mais, le meilleur homme!" Bon Dieu qu’elle l’avait arreté. elle était bien tracassée, parce que Valsin Émilie pensait que la compétition et la Asteur, en sortant du clos, Émilie a eu venait de passer. “Mon cher, il faut que je te jalouserie de Danté était rendue hors de rai- une idée. Faisant sûr que Danté pouvait pas dis que Valsin est venu ce matin, et il nous son. C'était une affaire qui avait commencé la voir, elle a cassé une douzaine d'épis et les a laissé une douzaine d'épis de maïs tendre. quand les deux la courtisaient, quand elle a mis dans son tablier et s'est dépèchée pour Il dit que le sien est déjà paré à manger." était toujours jeune fille. Valsin se foutait la maison. Une fois là, elle a pris le sac de Danté, de sa part, était bien étonné. souvent de Danté, et elle aimait pas ça. maïs que Valsin avait laissé et elle l’a vidé “Quoi? Mais, je comprends pas. J'ai planté Alors, elle avait décidé de marier le mince (Suite de page 13) to separate myself from mythic over large never met her while we were both attending imaginings that being Franco-American was the same school and that the enrollment on A Greyhound something so other worldly, that not being our side was near fifty boys in the senior one had its advantages. class made up of two sections or two classes. Proposal While I was away, she had had a job By in the secretary pool of a machine shop in Biddeford. Having also aspired to higher Gérard Coulombe education, she had chosen nursing as a career and been enrolled on scholarship at Upon my discharge from the military Saint Mary’s School of Nursing in Lewiston. with the Korean G.I. Bill available to me, Upon graduation, she was employed by the I had already decided to attend college. hospital and was using her salary to pay off Where I would attend depended on where student loans. the girl I thought of as my girlfriend would I did ask in a phone call to Saint be willing to go. Also, I had not even asked Mary’s student housing after I had received her to marry me. I had already been think- permission from the nun-in-charge-of-nursing of North Dakota because the cost of a My intended was a hometown girl ing for permission to speak to my student college education there appeared to me to whom I had known even as she and I had nurse girlfriend. I had always found “sister” be least expensive. attended the same Catholic high school, but agreeable. My girlfriend would not travel to This is the truth. I had never planned on separate sides of a real dividing wall with North Dakota so that we could attend col- to marry French or Catholic. It was an the girls on one side and the boys on the lege there. With that out of the way, I would escape plan of sorts that I had dreamed up other. Since I was of a different parish, I had (Continued on page 13) 12 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (A Greyhound Proposal continued from job, I gave my fiancé a ring. Later that same (Les Quatre Saisons de Danté Hébert suite page 12) afternoon, an aunt of her’s, the daughter of de page 12) attend the University of Maine following a her Grandfather’s second wife, following short summer work interim in the Pepperell the death of his first, and other relatives sous la galerie. Après ça, elle a mis le maïs blanket folding department. Then the time came to the house, a huge, white duplex qu'elle avait cassé dans le même sac et l’a came to travel to Orono to enroll. with swings hanging from the attic beams. remis sur la galerie. The semester proceeded with its up The earlier mentioned aunt had worked as a Pas longtemps après, Danté rentre, and downs. Although I thought of myself maid in the Catskills and had been married toujours en colère. "Où son maïs?" il de- as suitable for electronics, the fact that I had to a Jewish piano tuner before he passed mande, ses yeux éclatants. spent a good part of my enlistment attending away, as I earlier mentioned, Aunt Angie "Dans le sac sur la galerie," Émilie dit, some form or another of Radar school, that had been first to arrive. My intended ran to en tordant les mains. did not make me good at math. I was good at her aunt, saying, “Look at the ring he gave "Viens, on va voir quel espèce de memorizing schematics and at understand- me.” The aunt took her niece’s hand, pulled maïs c'est ça!" Il va sur la galerie, vide le ing color codes and symbols to differentiate it up to her good eye to better see the ring sac, et dérobe trois épis. "Ha! Juste comme one type of electronic component from on her ring finger, examined it and said, je croyais! Ils sont pas parés à manger. J’ai another, and I understood, generally, how “Oh, dear, what a lovely zircon.” I thought envie de lui ramener.” systems worked. So, I changed majors it a compliment, but my wife to be knew Émilie commence à plaider. "Oh, mon rather than wallow in oblivion. the difference secreted in her aunt’s words. cher, quitte ça aller. Ça va juste faire du train. By the start of the second semester, I We learned together from the mon- Allons donner le maïs à Boudin, plutôt, et had changed majors. I was also interested signors heading up the parishes that we oublier tout ça." in marrying my girlfriend. The first year thought we still belonged to that, one, they Danté l’a regarde avec les yeux mé- ended with a decision on taking a job. did not know us, and two, we were not on fiant. “Valsin assaye de nous embêter, et tu My roommate, Buddy, and I would room the parish roles, having both been away for me demandes d'oublier ça?" together at his mother’s house in his home several years—five for me and three for her, Émilie lui prend la main. "`Coute, j'ai town, and we would also work together for and three, we would need to be instructed une confession à faire. Aujourd’hui, quand a small construction company. Thetwo in the sacrament of marriage to be married je t’ai apporté de l'eau, j’ai ramassé des of us started our summer work program with after being re-enrolled in the parish registers. épis sur le dernier rang, le rang qui attrape jobs working with a two-bag cement mixer That would have been a problem for le plus de soleil. Ces épis-là sont plus gros from which we turned out foundation mix our parents because neither my parents nor que les autres, et j’en ai cassés une douzaine. for a house building job that the boss had. my relatives had cars, and my betrothed’s Je voulais te surprendre avec du bon maïs Then, we were assigned to a construction parents were not about to travel the distance. tendre à soir, ton maïs tendre à toi." job on off U.S. Rout 2, west of Rumford. It was probably all about distance. Time and "Émilie! Quelle 'tite diablesse! Alors, The job involved demolishing a bridge over loss of wages involved were always, for où est mon maïs?" a small stream crossing the lower end of the them, a matter for discussion. My solution, Sa 'tite diablesse a sauté par terre et road to Andover, Maine. While on the job, eventually, was to visit the Newman Chapel s’est mise à quatre pattes. "Je les ai mis ici, my college roommate and I decided to live at the University to speak to the Newman dans un tas sous la galerie, où ils pouvaient on the job in a two-man tent on the left side Chaplain about our circumstances. With not rester frais. Gardez donc!" of the road meandering north. We thought much ado about anything at all, he agreed Danté prend un épi et le dérobe. "Émi- that living on the job would save us the time to marry us; all that he needed to know was lie! Je peux dire que celui-ci est parfait. Hô traveling to and from the job and would the date. . We set a date on the visit spot and ouay, on va manger ça à soir, ma chere 'tite allow us some time to enjoy the outdoors. told him we would be back with the names poule." Danté regarde avec dédain le tas sur On the first and only “week-end” trip of the best man and that of the person who la galerie. "Tu veux pas que je lui ramène home, in reality, to use my sister’s washing would give the bride away. The date was set les siens?" machine so that I could wash my muddy, for the Saturday before the start of school. Sa chère 'tite poule s'est mise à rire. sweaty clothes, Buddy dropped me off in The priest agreed. And it was done. "Pourquoi, Danté? Regarde donc comment Lewiston where my girlfriend had finished In a week, I was back at the University ça fait de la peine. Ses épis sont si petits, et her RN at Saint Mary’s Hospital and had to register, find an apartment off campus be- pas mûrs encore." started working off the money she had been cause we were too late to qualify for a cam- Danté à sauté sur la galerie et il a pris granted to finish off her program. pus apartment in faculty and married student à coups de pieds le tas de maïs qu’il croyait From there the two of us took the housing, and to complete the arrangements appartenir à Valsin. Quand les épis étaient Greyhound Bus to Biddeford and home. It to be married. I had lined up for best man a épaillés dans toute la cour, il a pris un grand was already dark when I proposed to her on guy from my hometown who was a Marine souffle. the bus. We would tell our relatives. Find a Corps veteran attending the University and priest to marry us, look for an apartment in a friend who with Roger lived in a house "Là, je me sens mieux!" Bangor before the start of my sophomore they rented off campus. Roger was the guy year, when I would return to school in the with whom I had started first grade back then fall. That gave us just under two months to when we both lived near the Bradbury Street get ready. School. He quickly agreed to give the bride On Saturday, before returning to the (Continued on page 14) 13 Le Forum (A Greyhound Proposal continued from for the sophomore year. change from my bottle returns. With it, I page 13) I had often told myself that I would not had enough for the bus to Orono and back away. The Newman Chaplain was agreeable marry French and Catholic. I do not know if I brought my own lunch, which I had to to both because he knew them from Chapel. what specific objections I had held on either do because we had no money. At this junc- There was one more item on my score. I grew up speaking French as my ture in our marriage I learned an important agenda, and that was to arrange a reception primary language. It was the language spo- life lesson: One never, ever slices lettuce. to follow the wedding at the Bangor House. ken in my neighborhood if not of the whole I was to shred it! I knew then as I know It was early; we were a small party; we had town. More people spoke French at home; all now, although I have grown old enough asked for lobster bisque for an entrée; we right, we spoke Québec French or Mainiac to ignore the dictum. Being told that one were to be provided with a small wedding French. Or, if one wants to be particular, never slices the lettuce when one’s own cake, salad and coffee. I paid for the nuptial we spoke a derivative French, one spoken mother always sliced the lettuce is one of breakfast and for my wife-to-be’s debt to the by adults and the children in Maine. As an those forewarnings. I sensed it. Marriage nursing school with the money I had saved aside, when my father visited us on Long had its ways of doing things. My wife’s from my summer job. The latter added to the Island, New York, for the 1964 World’s Fair, first critique of the way I did things set the sum of three hundred dollars. It would have he did not speak to the children, in French stage for years of jousting over complex and taken her several months to work that off. or English. Our children never did want to nonsensical things. I was not waiting for the nursing school’s speak French, so their grandfather did not My first goal as a provider was to sister superior to ruminate on it. She gave speak to them. My father could be a stubborn register with the University housing office me a price for my fiancé’s freedom from in- man, a man stuck within his customs. But the for married student housing. The gentleman dentureship, and I gave her cash in exchange point is that in our hometown, business was in charge was a retired US Army Major who for a release from service for debt. conducted, for the most part in French; if a ran roughshod over the office. Everything The chaplain married us. I wore a tux. businessman wanted to make a sale, that is. had to go through him. He was the one to She wore a short, pink dress. We gathered As kids, most of us ran around town, and our decide who got an apartment as they be- in Bangor. Father gave a blessing. We ate language of play and commerce was French. came available. As Veterans, we were given breakfast. The lobster was a treat even if I pledged that if were to bring a girl home preference, but that as was as far as it went. there was more bisque than lobster. But to introduce to my parents, she would only To my surprise I got what I wished for, that is what I had ordered from the menu. I speak English. The first time that I brought a call from the housing office. I was told of was not all that well informed about good a girl home to introduce to my parents, she an available apartment in a one story sixteen food. My summer diet had been abundantly was a blond bombshell from Kennebunk. unit, eight back to back, building. There conservative--Dinty Moore Beef Stew, hot From my viewpoint, she was unlike any were two of those, in line, on the back farm dogs and beans, an occasional steak and lots other girlfriend. A terrific girl, she was. road exit to the macadam highway headed to of string beans with some baked potatoes My father smiled when I introduced her Bangor, south or north to Old Town. from the surrounding coals. and then resumed reading his paper. Only So, we moved into our one room We spent the noon hour and part of my mother spoke to her in her own, halting apartment, one of sixteen in the building, the afternoon at our apartment in Bangor at English, but, at least, my mom made the ef- as I have said. We were #12, away from the the back of a single family home for which I fort, made herself understood, told the guest road, fronting the larger eight apartment was to pay by the week. We drank beer. Ate that she didn’t speak very good English, and double-deckers. Each apartment had one leftovers from marital luncheon, and talked I appreciated that. entrance/exit. What one would call a dou- a lot with our friends. And then they left us. Once married, having entertained ble-double hung window faced the galleria We changed separately. Friday afternoon, all half a dozen or so guests for the afternoon wall and rooftop overhang that ran the length day Saturday and Sunday, until I had to go following the wedding and in celebration, of the building. It was about 12 feet from the to the market to return bottles for the change including my college friends and maybe two front door to the back of the unit. Behind to take the bus to the university Monday of my wife’s nursing school classmates, and the wall opposite the front door was the morning to attend my first class, we were her hometown “best friend“ being present, shower. To the right was a convertible bed free for a time, for, I would be, pretty much, we spent the hours remaining of the day and couch on which we slept. The shower broke until such time as the GI Bill checks testing our endurance for each other. started coming in following my enrollment On Monday morning, I counted the (Continued on page 15) “La Pie Bavarde”

In December of 1999, Marie-Anne Gauvin, “La Pie Bavarde”, in a pique of longing for summer, wrote about the lovely fruit to be picked in the St. John Valley, all the while being mindful of the approaching holidays. While we are celebrating, we can all look forward to “les fraises et les framboises” of warmer days.

Jacqueline Chamberland Blesso (Suite page 15) 14 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (A Greyhound Proposal continued from page 14) was sheet metal painted black. In front of the front wall windows, by the entrance, was the kitchen/work- study table. As to the back wall, there was, in addition to bathroom/ shower, the kitchen counter. There were cloth curtains hanging from a wire strung from end to end of the 1” by 12” closet capping board. On the counter there was a double hotplate with a collapsible oven in which or on which we could prepare meals. A sizable space heater stood on the wall opposite the bathroom. It burned coal as long as the coal was not frozen into big ice chunks of it. We had two straight back chairs at the dining/study table where I worked on homework. We had a lamp on the table and a floor lamp by the chair, and a wall lamp over the couch so we could read sitting or lying down. The floors were made of wood. The walls were sheetrock on four by four studs. In winter, the pipes were subject to freezing. That’s why there were no doors on kitchen cabinets or under the counter. My wife had taken a job at Bangor Hospital because she could walk from the apartment to the hospital. Now, she had to take the bus to work in Bangor. So she was the one commuting. She worked in the pediatric ward of the hospital, a job she did not like because her training choices did not conform to the department’s childcare tech- niques. Perhaps she did not like the hospital work and soon found a job working for an obstetrician from whom she learned the use of hypnosis in delivery and learned to teach it to patients who wished to use hypnosis, as she had used the practice herself to give birth to our children. Our move to campus had been to save money for rent and the commute. Living in campus housing that was reasonably priced saved us a lot. Rent for a “furnished” apartment was very affordable. We also paid per pieces to furnish the apartment: Chairs, table, couch, and refrigerator were priced reasonably by the month, all due when Uncle Sam started paying us. Almost all couples in these apartments intended to get with child as soon as possible in order to apply for larger quarters. It’s only a guess. The 36 unit total apartments in the two, one-story buildings were known on campus as Fertile Valley.

15 Le Forum whose Mother was Anastasie Viel. The other Irish French Fries Nathalie Michaud whse mother was Zoé Guy Dubay Nadeau; Viginie Morin whose mother was Madawaska, Maine Zithée Nadeau and Alphonsine Collin whose Mother was Marie Lang. Now each of these Irish French Fries: In 1781 Thomas Oscar Kennedy (1879-1974) married grandmothers named also had granmothers Kennedy (1760-1801) a native of Irleland Virginie Morin in 1898 having then children and great grand mothers unnamed here.. married Euphrosine Bouchard in Kamouras- who were 31/32 French. Oscar's son Ernest But do I see any other Irish name in the list ka, QC. That made his children 1/2 French. Kennedy (1909-1981) married Alphena here given. That's a dozen French names to In 1781 Thomas Kennedy, Jr. (1788-1856) Collin giving us children who were 63/64th grapple withthe on Irish name. married Catherine Amiot. That made his part French. That's 98.45% French. That is to say, we do not undervalue children 3/4 French. An Irish surname? Absolutely and as our Irish roots but assimilation works both In 1843 in Rivière-du-Loup Thomas late as the 1911 N.B. census the family is still ways. The French may pick up Irish values, Kennedy III (1816-1888) married Nathalie identified the family as Irish, but the pedi- but the Irish may adopt French practices. Michaud. Their children then became 7/8th gree chart is filled 98% with French names. Cherchez-la-femme -search out the women. French. In1871 Thomas Kennedy IV (1847- Some of the women in the pedigree are Those women taught their children the Our 1917) Married another lady also named Na- Euphrosine Bouchard whose mother was Jo- Father in French and "Ainsi-soit il" (So be thalie Michaud in St. François, N.B. making sette Saucier: Catherine Amiot whose moth- it instead of "Amen"). their Children 15/16th French. er was Madeleine Prevost; Nathalie Michaud

other than the obvious one, was that it forced town when I was growing up, there is only An Immersive us to focus our minds and therefore taught us one active church today. The school we at- to listen. How else could we imagine a radio tended standing to the rear of the church was Experience script setting of The Shadow Knows? How given over to senior housing. The convent were we to respond to The Lone Ranger and that housed the teaching sisters is still stand- by his mighty horse, Silver, without a highly ing. The building that housed the teaching Gérard Coulombe developed capacity to stage the events we brothers was demolished many years ago. habitually listened to and saw in our mind’s My sisters and I started attending As youngsters, we had the choice of eye? movies, “les vues animées,” at the parish using our ears with which to listen to the For many years during my childhood, hall at least once a month. It was a noisy radio where adventures of various sorts the “Shadow” character had me dreaming experience, always filled with kids like us. ran supreme from The Lone Ranger to The that, without being seen by anyone, I could We were mostly of elementary school age. Shadow Knows. As we grew older, we also levitate in a room without anyone present, The biggest moneymaker other than the had the choice of using both our ears and knowing I was there, because I was pres- dime it cost for attending was the bags of eyes to watch and listen to movies and later popcorn sold. In this way, the Catholic way to attend Saturday afternoon feature length of enjoying the movies was for the parish a films, including cartoons, approved for blessed fundraiser. viewing, and screened for our entertainment, In our parish, the weekly church bul- like Captains Courageous and the cartoon, letin listed the movies being shown at local Popeye the Sailor. theatres and their ratings. Going to the mov- As a bilingual youngster, I could also ies to see films on the index as banned for listen to Montreal stations, one of which being morally objectionable virtually meant featured a French-Canadian soap opera that we were committing a mortal sin every called, Un Homme et Son Péché. In many time we went to the movies, and, therefore, ways, listening to the on-going story line we had to avoid viewing these movies at a was much like eavesdropping on a penitent cost to our immortal souls for willfully going on the other side of the confessional, as ent but unseen, and I could listen as they to the movie house to see them. In a city one knelt waiting with the shutter closed to conversed one with another. I valued this whose population was mostly objectionable, block out the priest’s head in profile, while superpower, as I dreamt and imagined its a fair number of those purchasing a ticket being able to hear the penitent on the other possibilities. for a double feature, cartoons, coming attrac- side who couldn’t modulate his voice, as Legion of Decency screenings took tions had to have been committing mortal he recited all of his venial sins, and worked place on Saturday afternoons in “La Salle sin, but I never judged. up to the mortal sins, as father probed with Paroissiale,” which in this case was the My friend Normand loved to go to the his questions before giving absolution and basement of “l’Église Saint André.” The movies and I loved going too. It cost a nickel assigning penance. church is now forever closed. It has been when we started going to the movies. When The radio was a tabletop Cathedral decommissioned, but as far as I know, movie theatres started charging a dime, it Philco, “cathedral” because of its shape, there was no ceremony officially noting the became a tricky job to beg our moms for pointed like that of a church window or occasion. Today’s parishes are shrinking so the needed dime. Getting a nickel out of façade. The value of radio in the 1930’s, that, as there were three Catholic churches in (Continued on page 17) 16 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (An Immersive Experience continued from We kids, boys and girls, sat in the page 16) balcony, center aisle, below the projection Lettres/ my mother was easier than getting a dime. booth. We were there long enough to grow Letters I was older then my sisters, but not by much. into relationships with the girls and they with Thirty cents a week to go to the movies was us. Smooching in the balcony while eating a lot of money. My parents did not go. My popcorn or a favorite candy bar, a Needham, Dear Le Forum, parents visited relatives together and with which we bought at the candy store adjacent us kids when we were toddlers. Hard as it to the Thatcher Hotel entrance became a As a contirbutor to Le Forum, I is to believe, my mother never went to the weekly event, one worth looking forward wish to thank the editor, Lisa Desjardins movies. If she ever did, she never said. She to. As we grew as kids, the occasions of sin Michaud. Miss Michaud’s devotion to could always be persuaded to give us the just kept growing and growing. I don’t know the publication encompasses nearly all change for my two sisters when of age and that many boys understood that smooching aspects of the publishing process. She is I to attend. Persuasion involved dragging with a girl we liked and who liked us was the Editor-in-Chief, etc. From my reading on to her apron strings, as she went about anything more than an occasion for sin. We of the tasks for which she is accountable, her business because she never stopped for might confess going to the movies but never those of editor, technical expert, researcher, us, we had to follow her, had to drag her to thought of smooching as a mortal sin that we communicator, secretary, odd job special- a stop, to beg, whimper, cry, and promise had to reveal. As far as sex was concerned, ist, and all other small acts that she must never to ask again because it would be the we were innocents. perform to put the magazines in the hands last time for whatever reason, ever. “ C’est But most pastors and curates kept of readers, are tasks that entail all aspects vrais, ça.” reminding us as they stood in the pulpit to or the magaizine’s transition from start to I know that our mother saved her preach that the movies were the shortcut to finish. For all this, I am thankful for all she dimes not only to pay the rent, but also to eternal damnation. I don’t have any idea how does and more for her devotion to a most purchase from her cousin, “Monsieur Poir- other kids thought of the admonition to avoid worthwhile project. ier” who worked for Rawleigh Products, movies at all cost with the possible exception going door to door, and from whom she of those shown in the church basement. Ev- Thanks to the publication’s readers for bought the few beauty essentials she needed. idently my sisters and I when older and all the magazine’s survivance. There was only one time that I recall the kids I knew and their parents hadn’t quite mother ever talking our father into going to signed on to the pledge as much as moms Sincerely, the movies with me; although, it was with had to the ‘blue buttons” or “bouton bleu” reluctance that that he agreed to go to the that married women pledged to in order to Gérard, Pièrre, Guy Coulombe Central Theatre with me where I could get keep their husbands away from “drink.” Fairfield, CT him in, free, to see the re-release of Gone My mom was convinced that joining alone with the Wind. He found Clark Gable’s would save our dad from the alcohol which Note: I wish to purchase subscriptions character a feckless fraud. he bought on Saturday afternoons and hid for a library and son. Included is a check to There were two theatres available to from her by pouring the contents of a bottle cover charges and expenses––the balance is us, initially. The City Theatre located in of brandy into a clean, empty bottle of tur- a contribution to be used as the editor sees fit. the center of downtown Biddeford was in pentine. My brother-in-law on one occasion City Hall with its clock tower topped by an [on the occasion of my dad passing] took IF LE FORUM WOULD open bell tower with a cupola. I remember one bottle from the stash out of the closet CEASE TO EXIST..... listening to Wendell Willkie as he spoke to in the shed and chocked on it when he took the assembled citizens of Biddeford from a a swig—thereby convincing mother that her WOULD YOU MISS IT? podium on an elevated platform in front of husband, Felix, might have had too much to the Union Soldier monument in City Hall drink from time to time, but he had never PLEASE CONSIDER A Plaza. The good thing about the City Theatre had a secret stash in the shed. is that it was at the core of the building with In grammar school, Monday morning MONETARY DONATION the front entrance at sidewalk level on Main was a time for spiritual self-examination. OR SUBMISSION TO HELP Street. The climb up the several flights of The principal was responsible for our ed- stairs to the main floor gave us shelter from ucation and for the state of our immortal KEEP “OUR VOICE” ALIVE! the elements whenever crowds assembled, souls. It was his job to provide us with a lining up to purchase their tickets to attend well-rounded education as well as with an THANK YOU FOR YOUR a movie. opportunity to save our immortal souls. Saturday was usually a double feature Therefore, we stood in class and awaited CONTINUED SUPPORT! day and included a Tom Mix Western, which the sound of the public address system to was in the main the reason for attending. Of come to life when his voice came over the course a complete bill included “the news of speakers in our classrooms. He led us in the day, coming attractions, a serial, a car- reciting the Our Father and a Hail Mary; he toon, and, at the time I started attending, the read the day’s announcements and called us 1972 - PRESENT Saturday afternoon bill included a vaudeville boys who had gone to the movies to report 45 YEARS! act of some kind. For the price, the bill of to the office. entertainment was well worth it. (Continued on page 18) 17 Le Forum (An Immersive Experience continued from a dime for the double feature; the cost of in The Song of Bernadette and so sultry in page 17) admission included a serial, cartoon, travel- Duel in the Sun. I suppose one could lie or rather ogue, and coming attractions. At least one choose not to concede having attended. feature was a Western involving one of my *** But I was one of the boys who felt obliged favorite cowboy stars, Hopalong Cassidy to admit to having seen a movie over the or Gene Autry. The line outside the Mutual Note: There were bakery products weekend. in Saco was very long if we got there late. available all over town. As kids in the Clif- Those of us conceding guilt raised our We had to get there early to get in line so ford Park neighborhood, we were familiar arm in surrender so that our teacher could that we could still run down the aisle to the with the baker who baked from his “patis- count hands and then excuse us to go to the front row, which was our favorite place to serie” in the basement of the four- floor flat principal’s office where we lined up in the sit. We liked it so much that we stayed for he lived in on upper Clifford Street near hallway in front of the principal who stood the second showing of the cowboy feature. Pool. outside of his office with a strap in his hand. I grew up to love the movies. I worked I only guess that he lived on the first We were asked, in turn, “Gerard, did you different jobs while I attended Catholic floor. But early Saturday mornings when, go to the movies?” Those of us lined up, schools, and the most consistent job I held as six to nine year old kids going to play said, “Yes! Reverend Brother Armand.” throughout my adolescent and teen years war games in the park where we searched, Whereupon the principal said, “Show your was that of an usher. Two of my all-time actually to look at, closely, for new and old hand!” Then he struck us across the palm of favorite films were The Razor’s Edge be- quarried, left over, oddly piled blocks of the hand with a short razor strop. cause it was a Maugham classic and Duel granite with a lot of green, moist and thick I never forgot that the slap of the strop in the Sun because Gregory Peck starred patches of lichen on shards of broken, odd striking the flat of the hand hurt. But it was and I always thought that it was the last pieces of branches and granite amidst the lit- either the strop or the everlasting fires of movie I was to see as an usher. For that tle ponds, we would stop by the driveway and purgatory or hell. But it did not stop me film I stood behind the screen to watch the sneak up to the racks and steal, maybe lift, from seeing the double bill of a Tom Mix movie because there was a long overture a chocolate covered napoleon or two, and and Charlie Chan the following week. before the title and credits came on screen. we licked at the thick quarter inch chocolate Meanwhile, there was another movie I also wanted to sense the power of being frosting that topped the rectangular piece. house in the adjoining town across the Saco at the cinema. As an aside, I confess that I River that occupied us boys and also cost loved Jennifer Jones. She was so beautiful From MARTHA’S MEMOIRS SCHOOLING

by Martha Cyr Genest Van Buren, ME

Education: Our Mother and Grand- not have transportation. I used to sit with mother gave us our first education. As we Dad as he was afraid I would get lost with often mentioned, we were taught to love the others since I was so small. We were God which gave us a sound upbringing, proud of being farmers and riding with Dad both spiritual and for the world. We were and old Shep. style now. We brought our lunch, which usu- taught at home to respect authority, from ally was a couple of plogues (buckwheat the maid to our teachers, priests and fellow pancakes) with good home made butter men. If out parents were not at home, the rolled around a piece of “boudin” (blood) hired girl or our Grandmother Michaud, a sausage, beef other meat. We always had good Irish Mémère, would look after us. homemade bread with “creton” (special My sisters, Cecile, Marie and I went meat loaf) in winter, Mother made those to the old convent which was on the hill so good. In the large classroom was an old across from Bridge Street where Leon potbelly stove. We took turns warming Rossignol’s home is now. It was started our lunch. Some would toast their bread, in 1891 by the Good Shepherd Sisters of a few would have doughnuts they would Quebec. I was not five when I started warm up. We kept our ginger bread for school in 1899. It was a long walk to town. the afternoon recess. My Father would hitch a team of horses If it was stormy, sometimes we had to a large wagon in spring and fall. In the to wait for my Dad or the hired man to pick winter it was a lovely old sleigh with plenty I followed the regular curriculum. us up. In those days, I do not remember that of fur robes and shawls. We would gather Being so small, I caught all the germs that we were kept after school too often, as we all the children along the way. To me it was came around and plentiful at the time; small had to ride together. The teacher probably one big project that helped so many who did pox, measles, mumps and even others not in (Continued on page 19) 18 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (Schooling continued from page 18) kinds of costumes. We also had lovely musi- Philomene Larourche, To this day I still did not know of after school punishment. cals, most of us were good singers, we took have chills down my spine. The next day What we had was the good old ruler on piano lessons and were there when needed. sister came in class and called for me. She the hands or sometimes on the legs. No I have just found out that my sister, looked at me twice and said “ma pauvre one complained, then, we took it all in, not Anne has a box in her attic with one of the Marthe”, my poor Marthe, I can not even even telling tales after school. We always paintings I made when I was 13. I had really think that you had stooped so low as to do had so much fun riding back, Shep would worked hard at it. I am planning to have it at this awful thing to me, and she raved on so run along and bark. Sometimes we would the Arts and Craft Fair in Caribou at the end that I felt pretty cheap. I had to write on the stop at the Post Office. The mail was not if October. I can not believe that after 69 blackboard my apologies to the whole class. delivered then. We did not get much mail. years, I can still see Mother Marie de l’Es- It was left there for two days. I shall never Sometimes, there would be an almanac for pérance, one of the teachers trying to make forget that. Some 60 years later, I was teach- Grandpa or Mother would get a post card a class of teenagers. That word was not in ing at the High School, and one girl who had from one of her brothers out West. style then, we were young ladies. Some of really been naughty would not even excuse By 1901 the Academy on the hill had us were running after those better instructed herself. Well, I hope she does not regret her become too small. A new school and Con- than we were in the stages of life. To this day little tantrum as many years as I did mine. vent for the nuns were built on upper Main I do not dare talk about sex because in our I still do. Dear sister died some years ago, Street. It opened its doors February 1902. dictionary it said; distinction between male I can still see the name Larouche in front of We went to school at 8AM, a short recess and female. Now one is almost shocked me. That name is taboo in my mind. at 10 and home for The church, school dinner at 11:30. We and homes were all heated were back for class- with wood. My Father es at 1PM and out would sell “bois de corde”, at 3:35. Those who meaning wood cut accord- were quarter boarders ing to the needs of the peo- had a snack of nice ple for furnace or stove. slices of homemade My Father was a man who bread covered with could write his name on a butter and molasses. potato barrel and read in Those were prepared his prayer book with large in the morning and the script, but he excelled in molasses had really math. He taught me at a gone into the bread. very young age how to This was a good nour- measure cord wood. ishing treat with milk. That extra mon- We went to the chap- ey paid for the extras we el, then supervised studied at school; music, studies until 5:45 or piano, or organ at the time, sometimes later. We went to school for three what they give for a definition. Any way oil painting. I took commercial courses, days, then we had Thursday off. We had a we were all out for fun. shorthand and typing were not included, we half day on Saturday. One of our best places to play at had to pay for those. We had to take those I wish I could describe the following school was to make some kind of a hiding courses after school or Thursday. We had in such a way that in the year 2000, the stu- place in the wood pile and have a post office school on Saturday. My Dad was always dents could visualize schooling of 1900. Our for our letters. When we were younger we so considerate about all we wanted to study, sisters at the convent were expert in French were the mail carriers for the older girls to even if it meant he had to go in the lumber and English, they were our friends. On of the their boy friends at the College across the camps during the winter to earn money he superiors when I went to school was Mère street. They too had their cache under a big could not earn in Van Buren. The sisters also Marie-Ange. She was so graceful, and her pine tree near my Grandfather’s hill. Many taught us different needlework and painting. diction was so soft and lady like. When she graduates from both the Convent and the School days, school days, dear old coached us for a play or to get an honor, we College when they talk about their Alma golden rule days. We really made the best really felt we knew how to act and really Mater always mentioned the nice walks they of all that was offered to us. Seeing the short felt like ladies. The prizes we won then took or the good times they had sliding on hours children are in school now, makes me were beautiful books. I still have one of my Cyr Hill. wonder how they can cram so much in so these books I won for catechism, I treasure Just now I feel we were really cheated short of a time. it. Some times there was a gold or bronze as we could not even ask a sister her name. Many things passed from 1907-1911, medal or a crown of laurel to be awarded. Some of us had been in the library alone but the best was that I graduated with honor To me this was such a rich heritage, I often and ransacked the place and finally found with my diploma in Commercial Courses. reminisce of those days when I was young. the book with the names of the Sisters. One Wish I could find it, as through the years I We had so may nice plays. I used to love day not long after that I had a French letter lost a few of my treasures. I still have one to dress as a mammy, we would burn cork to write and my best friend and teacher was of my prizes of catechism, “Les Fêtes du and use it to blacken our face and dress in all Soeur St-François de Paul, her name was (Continued on page 20) 19 Le Forum (Schooling continued from page 19) m’a fait plaisir de recevoir votre lettre, je chère que la bonne Soeur avait fait semblant remarque que la petite statue que les bonnes de dire, quant elle l’avait demandée. Elle Monument Laval”. I had won this prize soeurs m’avaient fait acheter, pour l’école etait très smart.” (I was plaeased to receive coming before all the Classical Course your letter, I noticed that the small statue graduates. I am still proud of that, and it that the good sisters had me buy for Sacred made my parents feel that religion classes Heart is still there. You know, it came from had been put before anything else. This Italy and was a lot more expensive than the was June 21, 1911. What a long summer it good sister made it appear when she asked seemed to me. My Father and Mother had for it. She was really smart.) decided that as small as I was, I should not As a Senior Service Corps Member at work in a store or an office and should take Borderview Nursing Home I have met some a post graduate course in September. The of the friends of years ago, especially M.J.M. following is to show you, that “poor little from Frenchville. He was a boarder but misery” I really was not. was older than I, and we went over the dear Reliving the scenes of 40 years ago, Convent days. It makes me feel so young takes me back to graduation time, and the at heart to know that so many of these gals famous class of 1924, who were burned out were still living I am not talking of the boys of school a few weeks before graduation and because at the time, we were not to talk to were tickled blue to be able to walk up to the College friends except in certain occa- St-Mary’s Hill and finish their senior year. sions when we were introduced and all this Photos taken then are not much differ- stuff. What I could write about these few ent than now, 1964 graduates; the 1924 girls minutes, when we would run to the window also ran up the hill in the snow, and always and wave at them. The College students had seem to gang, as you do so well now. One Wednesday and Saturday afternoons off. wonders if the girls now do shake the dust They always went for a walk with a PRE- cloths out of the window, like we did in FECT (teacher’s aide) that is what I mean 1910-11 and like also did in 1923-24. Girls in the Cyr Hill write up. We had many nice are not so much different than they were walks with some dear old friends and many some 50 years ago. So girls cheer up, if times through the years I have met someone some of us oldsters seem to give you a cold who brought back the past. stare some morning when going o church. At the opening of the Senior Center Maybe if we had had a vestibule then, we September 1st, a Gentleman and 2 ladies may have lingered too...and would relive this came to shake hands with me, he said I now while searching our attic. came to St-Mary’s in 1917...well I was off Talking about Sacred Heart High the run for St-Mary’s boys, but I answered School, the writer has just received a thank “Your Father was Mr. Harvey of St-Francis, you note from the Charles Lacroix family I was the lumber office gal who used to go from Quebec City about the note written there and pay the river mill men. Your Dad on a paper with a photo Sacred Heart High was one of the bosses. It does strike one School on the cover. Mr. Lacroix was then funny after 60 years and even 65 Years to operating the mill at Notre Dame, known look at some on e right in the eye and feel as the Madawaska Lumber Co. and Mr. Jos like saying is your Father still around. This Delisle of town and Mr. Lacroix had the con- du Sacre Coeur est encore la. Vous savez, is what I mean by saying...it is so good to tract to build the new school. I quote; “Ça ça venait d’Italie et elle coutait un peu plus remember and reminisce.

était plutôt grande et robuste. EDITH CHASSÉ Edith Chassé, à Philias (Philouse) Charles Chassé et Marguerite Pelletier, soeur de Fortunat, Henri, Willie, Siméon, CHAMBERLAND (1874-1953) Flavie Dubé, Modeste Toussaint, Déline Bossé, Hélene Coté, Marie Eveline Cyr, Jacqueline Chamberland Blesso Clara Marquis et Elise Michaud, à 17 ans, a épousé Beloni Chamberland, agé de 26 (Published in the St. John Valley Times June 21, 1995) ans, à Ste. Agathe le 21 mai, 1891. De 19 à 45 ans, Edith a donné naisance à 12 enfants. Des cheveux de neige ondulés croisent paternelle, avec mes yeux de sept ans quand Rosaire, le cadet, avait 10 ans à la mort de en diagonal la gauche du front intelligent elle nous a gardé, mon frère ainé, Ronald, Beloni en 1929. Edith a élevé les derniers. pour s’enrouler dans un chignon toujours en et moi, pendant que “les sauvages” amenait Le clan compte 86 petits-enfants: Belone place. Je vois des yeux bleus dans ce beau un nouveau né chez nos parents. Cette sep- en a eu 14; Joseph 8; Fortuna; Olivier 9; visage de lait écrèmé de ma grand-mère tuagénaire, la matriarch des Chamberland, (Suite page 21) 20 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (EDITH CHASSÉ CHAMBERLAND des fèves dans des sacs de 125 livres et du grand-mère on élevait des poulets, des (1874-1953) suite de page 20) vinaigre, du lard salé et de la melasse dans cochons et des vaches dans le poulailler et Siméon 11; Eva Albert Corriveau 2; Cather- des tonneaux. Gérard a épousé Eva Guerrette dans la petite étable. On barattait la crème ine Marquis 8; Yvonne Ouellette 11; Gérard en 1937. Memère, Rosaire, Raoul, Rosette en beurre, cuisait de la bouette [nourriture 7; Raoul 6; Roseanna (Rosette) Saucier 4; et (la fondatrice de Rosette’s Restaurant à pour les cochons et les vaches] et ravitaillait Rosaire 9. Ils ont aussi engendré de familles Frenchville) habitait le “bôrd d’en avant” les animaux avec des patates. On tondait nombreuses. Sauf pour une autre branche, et Gérard et Eva le “bôrd d’en arrière.” En les moutons. Edith cardait la laine, la filait tous les Chamberland de la Vallée Saint-Jean 1947, après que Rosaire, Raoul et Rosette sur son rouet, et la tournait en verge sur le ont du Chassé. dévidoir; elle tissait des couvertures sur Edith et Belone ont cultivé la terre son métier et elle tricotait des mitaines et et ont élevé leur famille au deuxième rang des bas. Son remède pour dormir était une des concessions de Ste. Agathe sans aide ponce [goutte] de brandy à l’eau chaude d’éducation formelle. Belone souffrait sucré. Ronald, se souvient de sa douceur d’attaques d’épilepsie. On lui faisait respirer et de son imperturbabilité. J’ai demandé à du camphre quand il subissait une crise. Ils mon père, Gérard, si elle était sévère. “Non, ont construit une maison “au bôrd” (près mais on l’écoutait quand elle parlait.” Elle du lac) en 1928 et ils on vendu la terre à était douée d’une belle voix, et elle chantait Siméon (Belone II, Joseph, Olivier, Yvonne dans les veillées. et Raoul ont aussi cultivé la terre et élevé des De Sebastien Chassé et d’Elizabeth bétails). Belone y a survécu une seule année. Grandmaitre de Besançon, par la branche Dans cette même maison, Gérard a entrepris d’Edith et de Belone, les Chassé-Chamber- le commerce d’épicerie en 1934, ce qui a land se sont répandus au bout du monde. En grandi et diversifié et que son fils, James, 1986, 500 sont venus à la réunion des Cham- a continué au même endroit sous le nom berland à Ste. Agathe d’à travers l’Amérique de Chamberland Building Supplies. Gérard avait quitté la maison, et a l’augmentation du nord, et même d’Angleterre et du Japon. allait en traine chez Alfred Soucy à Fort Kent de la famille de Gérard, Edith a pris un On a installé un monument en pierre et on a pour acheter des produits. Memère aidait petit appartement auprès de Raoul qui avait planté 13 pommiers en commémoration de à vendre des seaux de 20 livres de beurre épousé Imelda Sirois en 1939. Memère Edith chaque membre de la famille à l’endroit de d’arachide, de la farine, du riz et du sucre y est décédé en 1953. la première maison au deuxième rang. qui arrivaient dans des sacs de 100 livres, “Derrière chez mon père” et ma

Brunswick had paid an annual stipend of £50. for Catholic Missionary services to the Fr. Antoine Gosselin St. John River Indians. The government Fr. Antoine Gosselin, First Pastor of It was the year of the Papineau Insur- there considered this a wise Investment ow- St. Bruno in Van Buren. rection in Quebec, and Sir John Harvey, ing to the fact that since the Quebec Act of Few people ever realize today that it Lieutenant Governor of New Brunswick 1774, the British had good relations with the was a Lieutenant Governor of New Bruns- had a similar concern: preventing the St. Catholic episcopacy in Québec which gained wick who got the St. Bruno mission in John River Indians from thinking "à la for New Brunswick a pacifying influence on present day Van Buren its first pastor. the Malecite indians of the St. John River. Lets back up a moment to the Amer- Pastors of St. Basile made an annual ican Revolution. trek down river to the Indian missions to David S. Cook writes at p. 83 of his carry out that service. But by 1835 when book, "Above the Gravel Bar: The Indian Rev. Antoine Langevin came into the St. Canoe Routes of Maine: Basile parish, the Parish had sufficiently "During the war, the British and the grown in size and population as to keep the Americans both courted the Malecite as pastor there full time. Fr. Langevin had no potential allies. The British stationed on the time for the down river trek. lower St. John, actively sought an alliance Come the Papineau Insurrection, Sir with this tribe, which they hoped would John Harvey felt a dire need to renew the give them political control of the area. The Catholic missionary services to his St. John Americans, in the person of (Col.)Allen, River Indians as he spoke of the Malicites sought to keep them neutral. Allen realized in his communications with the Bishop of the stakes were control of the eastern wil- Québec. derness." Three times, Sir John wrote to the Now let us move on a generation to Bishop making such a request. The Bishop 1838 the year Fr. Gosselin accepted the St. Amèricaine" like the Penobscot Indians of had replied that he could not immediately Bruno pastorship with responsibility for the Old Town had begun to think in terms of provide an assistant to Fr. Langevin immdi- Indian missions of Tobique, Woodstock and their relationship with the State of Maine. ately since there was a shortage of priests in Medoctec, N.B. Since 1810 the Province of New (Continued on page 22) 21 Le Forum (Fr. Antoine Gosselin continued from page missionary service to the Indians. of Boston only got recorded in 1852. The 21) When Father Gosselin relied affirma- differnce may lie in Fr. Gosselins direct ties their Diocese of Québec. But Sir John was tively to the Bishop question regarding flu- with New Brunswick authorities. Fr. Dionne insistant, even to the point of boarding a ency in English the bishop. He then offered had no such link with the New Brunswick Ship at St. John and traveling all the way up Fr. Gosselin the assitant curate assignment Government furnishing an annual stipend the St. Lawrence to meet personally with the in Fr. Langevins area. to the pastor of Indian service. Fr. Dionne Bishop when the Bishop was on his tour of The Bishop wrote to Governor Harvey would later communicate directly in person- the diocese and then at Kamouraska. telling him, I have found you a missionary al letters with the Governor of Maine. We Fr. Gosselin had served as a mis- priest. One may not be originally impressed have no such record in Fr. Gosselin's case. sionary in the Gaspé region where he had in meeting the man since he is a very timid Father Dionne had "du front Qué- learned English since the Robins of the Isle person, but he is well educated and if given becois" which allowed to jump right in of Jersey ran the fishing industry there, a chance he will deliver the needed service. between the Whigs and the Democrat im- hiring many Acadians as fishermen.. He had I read into that a startling difference pacting on the life of his parishioners in the later been appointed Founding Pastor of the between Fr. Dionne's active engagement in rear settlement lots was we've described in parish of St. Agnes de Charlevoix, but Fr. American political affairs as opposed to Fr, a previous letter. was a timid person and he had run into the Gosselin reluctance to getting so directly When push came to shove at St. Bru- brashness of some of the Québecois parish- involved. no, Fr. Gosselin left the parish 1852 for a ioners there. He had even asked the bishop In 1847 when Bishop John Bernard safe parish in southeastern New Brunswick, for a transfer to a different parish. Fitpatrick visited the two priests, he had told serving the Acadians in the area but well Eventually the Bishop wrote to Fr. both to get their church wardens to deed the under the cover of his familiarity with New Gosselin, asking him if he was fluent in parish properties (in Maine) to the Bishop Brunswick government. English. Service in the St. John River area of of Boston. Fr. Dionne acted promptely and New Brunswick require a pastor who could the Ste. Luce Trustee's deed to the Bishop of Guy Dubay deal directly with the government of New Boston got recorded immediately that year. Madawaska,Maine Brunswick which supplied that stipend for But the St. Bruno parish deed to the Bishop State Militia to the Fish River area where seph Cyr, Paul Cyr and Belonie Violette as Fort Jarvis was erected. In 1841 Governor members of the board of Assessors of that Fr. Dionne Edward Kent, a Whig, replaced the Demo- plantation covering what is Now, Hamlin, Some back ground to Father Dionne's crat Governor John Fairfield. When Federal Cyr Plantation, Van Buren and the easterly Politics may be necessary. In 1847 James troops were sent to replace the State Militia half of Grand Isle. Democrat, of course C. Madigan wrote to Rt. Rev. John Bernard on the Fish River, the Whigs arrived in the he suggested the plantation be named after Fitpatrick, Bishop of Boston saying in part,. St. John Valley and Fort Jarvis was renamed Democrat President Martin Van Buren. “Fr. Dionne is my confessor". There's more Fort Kent. Regardless of the prior incorpo- Madigan of course had to grandfather the to the letter which will surface later, but for ration of the town of Madawaska the Whigs Hancock Plantation organization, so from the present here is a bit of stage setting. at Fish River got the State of Maine to Or- 1844 to 1859 the St. John Valley has a In 1831 the State of Maine incorpo- ganize Hancock Plantation as an electoral municipal organization of three multiple rated the town of Madawaska. Edward Ka- district for their area. township plantations. vanaugh and Irish Catholic and a Democrat The Democrats bounced back. John Madigan next helped to organize Mad- from Newcastle, Me (Damariscota) brought Fairfield back in the governorship opted to awaska Plantation with Firmin Cyr, Regis the warrant for the first Town meeting held allow himself to be named to fill a vacancy "Bonhomme" Daigle and Sylvain Daigle as outside of Pierre Lizotte's home in August of to one of Maine's U.S. Senate seats. Edward assessors of that new plantation covering that year. Lizotte had some concern as to the Kavanaugh, president of the Maine Senate what is now Frenchville, St. Agatha, Mad- legitimacy of this gathering so he did not let moved into the governor's office. The Clerk awaska and the westerly half of Grand Isle. the residents enter his house for the meeting. of the state Senate at the time was a fellow In 1846 the officials of Madawaska The weather was fine and the meeting was parishioner of Edward Kavanaugh, James C. Plantation sent a letter to Bishop Fenwick held outdoors. In the next month Kavanaugh Madigan, Irish Catholic and Democrat. St. of Boston asking for permission to build a saw himself elected to the U.S. Congress. Patrick's at New castle today has the oldest chapel "In the middle of the Plantation. The Of course, British authorities chal- still standing Catholic Church building in Bishop must have smiled when he received lenged this incorporation of the town of New England. The relevance in citing the the letter since letter writer mis-spelled the Madawaska of some 4000 square miles from religion of these politician will surface later Bishops name and addressed him as "The present day Hamlin to St. Francis, Me., and in the Know-Nothing phase of Fr. Dionne's Bishop of Bangor" But look at it this way, from Grand Falls to Connors, N.B. The 1840 experience in Maine politics. from the point of view of Madawaska, Bos- U.S. Census takes notes of residents on The international boundary having ton or Bangor, what's the difference? It's all both sides of the river. The present Maine been set by the Treaty of Washington of "from away" anyway!. side of the Town has residents located in 1842, Acting governor Kavanaugh sent The Residents of Madawaska gave "Madawaska South, while N.B. residents James C, Madigan, Esq. to go up to the as their reasons for wanted a chapel on the are listed in the "Madawaska North" section Madawaska Territory to organize a munici- southerly side of the river as, "spring ice of that federal record. pal government up there. Madigan helped flow sometimes prevents us from crossing The Democrats of Maine had sent the to organize Van Buren Plantation with Jo- (Continued on page 23) 22 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (Fr. Dionne continued from page 22) inclination toward Democratic politics. The history of the Know-Nothing the river at the time we need to perform He had been sent to the area in 1841 by impact on the St. John Valley and on the our Easter Duties, but they also played the the Bishop of Quebec as an assistant to Fr. life of Fr. Henri Dionne in particular is a American card, saying "In case of a war Langevin. To get him out of his hair, Fr. Story waiting to be told. Our rear lot roads with Great Britain we need a chapel on our Langevin had sent Fr. Dionne to the Ste. (Les Chemin des Concessions) came about side of the boundary." Luce mission up river. Both the mission sites as a concession of the State of Maine to the Well Bishop Fenwick approved of the of St. Bruno had been bought in 1826 by Free Soil movement of that time. Fr. Dionne move but he died about a month later. Msgr. Fr. Sirois, then pastor of St. Basile who had took the part of the homesteaders over that Antoine Langevin, pastor of St. Basile was deed the properties to the Bishop of Quebec.. of the Lumber Barons. When the claptrap of not altogether pleased with the proposal. When the Treaty of Washington set that mis- Know-Nothingism reached into Madawaska But in the next Summer, the Rt. Rev. John sion in Maine, the mission became a parish Plantation, Fr. Dionne's health began to fail. Bernard Fitzpatrick, Bishop Fenwick's in 1843 with Fr. Dionne as its first pastor. In 1858 Major William Dickey ran successor personally came to the St. John In Hancock Plantation where Madigan for the sole Aroostook County State Senate Valley to study the situation. He visited with had taken up residence, Col. David Page, a seat. Reports in the Aroostook Pioneer show all three missionaries here at the time, Fr. Whig received appointments as U.S. Post Dickey carrying a plurality of votes but the Antoine Gosselin at St. Bruno in Van Buren Master at Fort Kent and Deputy Collector Republicans challenged the result and the Plantation, Fr. Henri Dionne at Ste. Luce of U.S. Customs. Upon the departure of the entire vote of the three Plantations" Van Bu- in Madawaska Plantation and of course Fr. Federal troops, Col. Page received title to the ren, Madawaska and Hancock were thrown Antoine Langevin at St. Basile, N.B.. In the "Government Lot" on the Fish River. But out of the count following an investigation bishops' travel Journal we read, "Saturday, Major William Dickey got title to the bar- by the State Senate. The election went to Crossed the St. John river and traveled by racks of Fort Kent. Dickey, a Democrat from the legislature and the Republican legisla- the worst road imaginable to St. Lucy". the same area as Kavanaugh and Madigan ture chose John McCloskey, republican of Fitzpatrick advised both Frs. Gosselin became the head honcho in Democratic pol- Houlton to fill the State Senate seat. and Dionne to have the church wardens itics here. {Father Dionne befriended him In the investigations the plantation assign the parish properties to the Bishop and Dickey even wrote a complementary clerks had complained of the plantations of Boston.. Fr. Dionne acted promptly letter on Fr. Dionne's work in setting up "An being so large that they did not know all and the deed is record at the Register that Academy" in this community. The letter the voters. The state figure, "We'll take year but Fr. Gosselin hesitated. One of his appears in of all places, in a Woodstock, care of that: We'll set up single township church wardens, Joseph Cyr was reluctant. N.B. newspaper. Fr. Dionne's affinity for plantations. So Township 18 range 5 became Cyr even sold his homestead in present day Democratic politics becomes evident in his Dionne Plantation, T. 18 R. 4 became the Keegan, Maine to his brother and moved to letters to Governor Hubbard in 1853. new reduced in size Madawaska Plantation, St. Leonard, N.B. where we find him listed in In 1851 Maine had passed the first and T. 18 R. 3 (parts of which had been in the N.B. census of 1851. The church war- Prohibition Act ever passed in the State of Madawaska Plantation and in Van Buren dens of St. Bruno eventually signed the deed Maine. In the next election we find a third Plantation became Grant Isle Plantation. without Joseph Cyr’s signature and the deed party candidate running on the "Anti-Maine Paul Cyr who went down to Augusta as got recorded in 1852, the year Fr. Gosselin Law" ticket, that is on an anti-prohibition State Rep. from Van Buren Plantation game left St. Bruno for a new assignment among ticket. When Anson P. Morrill, the land back from Augusta as State Rep from Grant the Acadians in the south eastern portion of Agent opted to run for governor on the Isle Plantation and his homestead had not the province of New Brunswick. "Maine Law" and "Know Nothing" ticket, budged one inch. After visiting Fr. Dionne, the Bishop that he is for the prohibition law. Isn't it like in politics that after we went up to Fort Kent to See James C. Madi- This race resulted in the inability of criticize a man for his Democratic politics, gan. Both came back down river, picked up any candidate winning a clear majority of the Republicans would "honor' the good Fr. Dionne and canoed down to Little Falls votes, then require. We've already noted that priest" by naming the new plantation after (Edmundston, N.B, today) to Hon. John the election went to the State Legislature him. His health was broken and he left the Francis Rice's place, where the magistrate, and the Whig Candidate succeeded the parish and died in Quebec at the age of 47 Rice laid out a banquet feast and invited Fr. Democrat incumbent, John Hubbard with in 1861. Langevin to the gathering. There the three whom Fr. Dionne had written two letters Irishmen, good Catholics all, bent the good in French. Fr. Dionne had spoken positively Guy Dubay Pastor's ear and Fr. Langevin reluctantly of Rep. Joseph Nadeau , Democrat of Fort Madawaska, Maine allowed the chapel erection plan to go on. Kent and Rep Isaac Tabor, Democrat of Legend has it that some suggested that the Houlton, but spoke negatively in regard to mission be called Notre-Dame de La Paix Rep. Pattee of Fort Fairfield, no good word (Our Lady of Peace) Some is supposed to regarding Col. Page of Fort Kent. On the have said that it might more aptly be called request for assistance in the back settlement (Notre Dame the La Chicane). Of course road plans (asking for $600 on the matter) the official name today is Notre Dame du he cites a surveyor Mr. (Isaac) Small and the Mont-Carmel. land agent, Anson P. Morrill and William H. Madigan's association with Fr. Dionne McCrillis of Bangor on the Stumpage fee very likely opened the door to Fr. Dionne's question discussed earlier. 23 Le Forum Biographical Sketch Sister Renée Caron (Sister St. Marcella) August 30, 1917 - October 6, 2011

Submitted by Michael Guignard Written by Sr. Sharon Leavitt, S.C.I.M.

Sister Renée Caron’s (Sister St. Mar- hands in prayer. Renée fondly remembers cella) life on earth began on August 30, kneeling with her parents with the family to 1917, in the city of Lawrence, Massachu- pray. Their example, encouragement, and setts. The register at St. Anne Church in that gently reminders affirmed their children. city reads that on August 31, 1917, Renée They learned that God is ever approachable became God’s loving child in baptism and and that He is ever with us as a loving Father. with the Lord who pursued His beloved. She was given the name Marie Renée Marcelle. Prayer was important and God’s Will could entered the postulate on August 25, 1937. The Reverend Father Charles Leflem, S.M. be recognized in daily events. They were In August of 1938 she became a novice and officiated at her baptism. Present were her taught about loving service to one another, prepared for the consecrated life of a Good godparents, Miss Albertine Vanasse and Mr. to neighbors and to the Church. Dad was Shepherd Sister. Then, on August 15, 1939, Joseph Voisine. an usher and a member of the St. Vincent Sister St. Marcella made her profession, Her mother and father emigrated from de Paul Society. Mother shared her sewing pronouncing the vows of poverty, chastity Canada when they were nine and ten years and colling skills int he neighborhood. They and obedience as a Good Shepherd Sister old respectively. Her mother, Angéline reminded their children that love is merely of Québec. Valcourt, was born in Notre-Dame-du-Lac a word until we act upon it. This was the “O Lord you have enticed me, and her father, Carl Caron, came from legacy left to their children. and I was enticed; Trois-Rivières, Québec. One spring day when Renée came You have overpowered me Renée was the youngest of the family home from school, she found her mother and you have prevailed.” of nine. She had three sisters: Marguerite, pacing back and forth in front of their gro- (Jer 20:7-9) Theresa and Madeleine and five brothers: cery store. She was beautiful to behold with Lionel, Gerard, Raymond, Armand, who her lovely white hair set in a French roll and Sister Renée studied at St. Joseph was a Marist Priest, and Joseph, her closest her spotless white apron wrapped around her College in Windham, Maine and earned brother. motherly figure. Renée was able to detect her B.S. in Education. Later, she studied at Her Aunt Marguerite Valcourt, her a preoccupied, sad look on her mother’s Boston College and earned her M.S. degree mother’s only sister, lived in the same house face. Getting in step with her mother, they in Education, specializing in Administration. with her grandmother Aglaée Valcourt. continued walking back and forth. Finally, For many years she taught in Grand These two had a great influence on the young Renée asked the reason for mother’s worried Isle, in Old Town, and in Van Buren, life of Renée who lost her mother to illness look. Her mother replied “Things are what Maine, where she later became principal and surgery when she was only fourteen they are and not what I would like them to of the grammar school and Sacred Heart years old. At an early age, Renée learned be.” She was telling her young daughter that High School. She was then assigned to St. the way to St. Anne Church where she loved she must accept what could not be changed. Anne High School in Lawrence, Mass., for to attend daily Mass and pay visits to the Within a few days, she would undergo major four years and then was appointed principal Blessed Sacrament. surgery. It was not long after this encounter of St. Joseph High School in Biddeford, Renée’s most cherished memories are that her dear mother passed away. Maine. The dedication of the Yearbook of from her warm and loving family life where Renée attended St. Joseph grammar St. Louis High in 1965, speaks highly of the the gospel had a primary place. Its influence school and high school in Lawrence, Mas- respect and admiration of the student body. on their daily lives was rewarding. Renée’s sachusetts. She was an outstanding student. It follows: mother and father were a couple whose qual- She graduated from high school in 1936. “Sister Renée commands the respect ities complimented each other. They were During her high school years she was deeply of the faculty and students alike by her people who were happy in a simple home. touched by the kindness and devotion of efficiency and her progressive outlook on This happiness communicated itself to each the Good Shepherd Sisters who were her education. She envisions her central task as of their loving children. Angéline and Carl teachers. This example of love and goodness that of sharing responsibilities to advance Caron bequeathed treasures of faith to their coupled with the example of her parents, her human freedom, initiative and leadership, family: courage in times of misfortune; attendance at daily Mass and her reception especially in the field of religious endeavors. an abandonment to Divine Providence; a of Holy Communion all graced her with the Many latent ability has been brought to light loving ambiance of warmth in the home, call to religious life. under her instigation and persistent efforts.” hands extended to each other, hands of faith, Sister Renée embarked on her journey (Continued on page 25) 24 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (Sister Renée Caron (Sister St. Marcella and even crises. Yet, I do not remember ever but I call it sheer joy in Serving Christ in continued from page 24) having given the though of taking back what others. 3) My love for people especially It was after these assignments that she I deliberately and joyfully gave to Christ on those who make up my religious family and was named on the Provincial Council with my profession day. God’s strength and grace where I received the strength needed because the role of Supervisor of Studies. During saw me through it all. I always felt that they too were here for the this time she also served as Supervisor of the Mine has been a strong faith and this same purpose––to give everything to Christ Diocesan High Schools under the supervi- is thanks to God’s special graces to me given in order to serve. sion of Msgr. Armand Cyr, Superintendent. at baptism, nurtured in a Christian home, No matter what we do or even if we During this time Sister was also named deepened by spiritual readings, meditations, go “where the action is” requires that we Secretary of the New England National Mass in my life, the Blessed Mother and my not come empty-handed. This brings me to Catholic Association of Secondary Schools. vows to God. one of my favorite topics a genuine prayer After serving tow years, she was appointed As a young religious I set my goals: life. A prayer life that culminates in a deep Chairwoman of this same association. wanting, and this with determination, to relationship with Christ. One of the obsta- In 1975, Sister Renée was called upon develop solid and wholesome attitudes as cles to prayer is our fear of being honest by the General Superior to Québec and open, of being ourselves and to become the bilingual secretary acknowledging and accepting our to the Apostolic Nuncio of Haiti very real gifts and limitations, our and the Antilles. His Excellency unwillingness to share self, to take Msgr. Luigi Conti was Nuncio at the risk and to let go, to trust others this time. During her four-year and to allow God’s transforming stay in Haiti, she was stationed in action to take place in us. Port-au-Prince at the Nunciature. I have often pondered and Upon her return to the Unit- prayed for positive attitudes and ed States, Sister Renée worked a wholesome philosophy of life. I at St. Anne Home in Methuen, wanted to develop an optimistic, Massachusetts, and then in Old refreshing outlook on life. I greatly Town and South Portland, Maine. desired this because I wanted a full Her last community was at Marie life of friendship with Christ, not a Fitzbach Convent in Biddeford, haphazard or aimless goal. I knew Maine. From here, she volun- I was desirous of following in the teered to work with Hospice, at footsteps of Christ and our Found- the food pantry and with the lonely ress, Mother Mary of the Sacred home bound. Renée shared, “I Hear. Having drawn up my own know now that my life has been philosophy of life, I found great planned, prepared and presid- inspiration in a number of valiant, ed over by a God whose love dedicated, generous women with continues to urge me on...this is whom I share community. what I celebrate after 64 years of Sister Renée’s last entry was religious life...a lived experience entitled “Testimonies and Thanks- of God’s faithful love! My heart giving” and follows: leaps with gratitude and joy!” I count among the most At this stage of life, Sis- significant events the fact that I ter Renée’s health continued to have “realized” religious life, the decline and she resigned herself effect prayer and community life to transfer to Good Shepherd have on the people whose lives I Pavilion where she continued to touch either in formal ministry or live fully every moment of her in connection with all who come life of prayer, dedication and edification to well as a good philosophy of life. I looked to visit, gifting me with their presence or everyone there until the call of the Beloved around for true warm and understanding other special remembrances. I have learned beckoned her to her heavenly reward. friendships, models of sisters who inspired the depth of God’s fidelity to me and that In 1967, Sister Renée was asked to me and gave me courage to do likewise in is always an eternal discovery and eternal speak of her vocation to a group of college their endeavors to follow Christ. growth. freshmen at Husson College in Bangor, Motivating forces which I wanted to In my many years of religious life, I re- Maine. This address, beautifully summa- strive for: 1) To love Christ, really love alized that I continue to learn, to believe, to rizes her vocation and life of dedication and Him and fill myself with his compelling love trust God. I have experienced the presence love. It follows: so that through me, He may be found and of Jesus and long to walk with Him and for I can truthfully and sincerely say that loved a wee bit more. 2) The desire to give Him. His call has brought me to this par- we in my community are truly happy reli- of myself wholeheartedly to others, to serve ticular way of journeying and my gratitude gious. I cannot say that in my life I have the Church and this with genuine giving. I is as endless as is my desire to live it well. not met with difficulties, trials, lonesomeness suppose today we would call this witnessing (Continued on page 26) 25 Le Forum Sister Renée Caron (Sister St. Marcella ) by listening to my hear and responding to kingdom is here! A favorite reminder which continued from page 25) it. By reflecting on my hopes and dreams, keeps me powerfully focused, alive and joys and sorrows, accomplishments failures, brimming with Life is: God called me into existence and I go I can find my true self and the God who lives through life celebrating life and hope. I am within me. God and I have walked together O my soul, you have a pilgrim journeying toward a goal where I through a half century and more of mystery the glory of being continue to discover life and love. To love, and discovery, not without struggles. We the image of God, of being a sigh to give love, and life...this is my hope, my have walked together in Love. May His from His heart so full of life! destiny and I return to God from whom I Name by praised now and forever. came. Love is all that matters for He is love. A later entry from Sister Renée refers Sister Renée Caron’s long and fruitful “My soul has the glory of bearing the image to death and its impact on her life. It reads: life drew to a close at St. Joseph Convent on of God and of being a sigh from His heart I am a person in love with life and October 6, 2011. so full of love.” living it to the full. At present, on the eve Her Mass of Christian Burial took I truly believe that my prayer life of my eternal life, I have come to grips with place on October 10, 2011 at St. Joseph now flows from the total person that I am the term death. Death to me has taken on Convent. The Celebrant and Homilist was and there is no longer a separation be- a new face, one revealing Life––a life that our Chaplain, Father Normand Richard. tween prayer and life. Prayer has become is changed, a continuum of life and the Concelebrants were Fathers Ron Labarre, a way of life––a response and an attitude fulfillment of life. This revelation gives me Roland Lajoie, S.M., and Paul Plante. toward living. I can face the despair, the life here and now because I am experiencing discouragement, the lonely days to come this Life within me like never before. The History of the Railroads (N.D.L.R. This article first appeared inREVUE de la Société historique du Madawaska) by Brian Lajoie, Van Buren, ME

(The two individuals interviewed for this two miles south of Van Buren. This article were Mr. Edwin Parent, born in happened in the 1950’s when passen- 1924, and Mr. John Lajoie, born in 1928. ger trains were eliminated. Both men were extremely useful sources of One of the major reasons for the rail- The Bangor & Aroostook (or "BAR," information). road to be built in this area was to service the road's official reporting marks to avoid the lumber mills, farmer, and merchants. Ice confusion with the Boston & Albany) was The construction of the railroads cream from Bangor was even brought in to tucked away in the upper fringes of Maine, in northern Maine meant many hardships supply the local hotels. The freight trains connecting the coastal ports of Bangor and for the people involved. Large gangs of that hauled potatoes to the Boston and New Searsport with the border of New Bruns- Italians were the first groups of individuals York markets were called “The North Star” wick in the state's vast northern emptiness. who helped build the railroad tracks. Steam by railroad people and the people in the area Interchange with the Canadian National was engines were the first modes of power for named it “The Potato Special”. carried out at St. Leonard via Van Buren, the railroads. The passenger trains were an The international railroad bridge be- Maine. The BAR's principal trains, the Po- important link of communication as well as tween Van Buren and St. Leonard is unique tatoland Special and Aroostook Flyer, were transport for the area. As time went on, pull- in the fact that it is the only international launched in the 1930s and ran the entire man cars, baggage, dining, lounge and mail railroad bridge in northern Maine. It was length of the railroad's system from Bangor cars were added in the 1930’s. The name and will continue to play an important role to Van Buren. At its southern terminus given to two important passenger trains in the international trade between the U.S.A. (Bangor) connections were made with the were the “Aroostook Flyer” and the “Gin” and Canada. Maine Central where travelers could con- train. Mail was processed and sorted as the In conclusion, it is important to note tinue journeying southward if they so chose. train traveled from one town to the next. In that as the railroad presence diminished The 230-mile corridor could be completed Van Buren, there were to southbound trains in our area, so did the town lose a bit of in about 6 1/2 hours. leaving at 7:00 a.m., and 3:00 p.m. The themselves in the process. Railroads two northbound trains would arrive at 12:00 do indeed play an important role in the noon, and 11:00 p.m. On special occasions economic activity and prosperity of a and holidays there would be extra trains region. added. Diesel engines eventually replaced the steam engines which marked the end of a great era. The only major mishap involving the railroads in the Van Buren area was when the 11:00 p.m. passenger train derailed about

26 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 Rivers Through the Wilderness, the Forgotten Thoroughfare by Denise R. Larson

The transnational history concept discussed in Patrick Lacroix’s “Finding a Larger Canvas: Franco-Americans’ Enduring Significance” (Le Forum, Fall/ Automne 2017) is exceptionally applicable to transportation methods of the early to mid-nineteenth century in northern Maine and southern Canada, which were more alike than Maine and southern New England Archipelago Lac St. Pierre in the St. Lawrence River (Courtesy of Wiki Commons) were. Mainers and Canadians were in the same boat—a canoe to be exact. The two area that is now Madawaska, Maine, and Using the results of Treat’s survey, were in the same topographical region but Edmundston, New Brunswick. The Acadi- once land became available, settlements in different countries. ans had arrived shortly after Madawaska’s sprung up at the junction of a good stand When Maine Governor William King founding circa 1785 by the half brothers of pine and a waterway strong enough to and his Executive Council hired Major Jo- Pierre Duperré and Pierre Lizotte from Ka- carry the wood to a mill town, where a swift seph Treat to survey the land and waterways mouraska. (The progenitor of the Duperré stream produced energy to power saws that of central and northern Maine along the family was Michel Dupere, a soldier in the milled logs into lumber for shipment aboard Penobscot and St. John rivers, Treat knew Quebec garrison in 1686 and later a cooper.) vessels that more times than not were built he’d need a guide, a canoe, and a couple of The brothers facilitated the procurement of in the mill town for the lumber trade, which paddles. The extremely limited road sys- land concessions by the Acadians from the was a leading Maine industry, along with tem that existed in Maine in 1820 ended in British. shipbuilding. Howland, just north of Bangor. Beyond that Madawaska’s importance in a bound- settlement, the surveyors would encounter ary dispute with British North America Water Travel Was the Way of Life only wilderness paths and seasonal Indian (Canada was still a colony of Great Britain) camps until they reached the Acadian settle- centered on its location at the junction of the Five years after Treat’s survey, 1825, ment on the St. John River. St. John and Madawaska rivers, the latter of a census was taken of the inhabitants of the Treat requested that Captain John which flowed from Lac Témiscouata. An islands in the archipelago Lac St. Pierre Holyoke accompany him, and he also hired Indian portage joined the lake with the the on the St. Lawrence River in the parish of Lieutenant Governor John Neptune as his St. Lawrence at Riviere-du-Loup. Travelers Sorel in Richelieu County, Quebec Province. guide. Neptune was the second chief of the could continue on the St. Lawrence to Ka- The archipelago is a cluster of tree-covered Penobscot tribe and knew the region well. mouraska and Quebec City, creating a line of islands where the water expanse widens and He provided a new birchbark canoe and a communication across the northwest arm of the Richelieu River joins the St. Lawrence. paddle, both for $10, and agreed to the pay New Brunswick, which became a province While life on an island in contemporary rate of $1 a day. With the invaluable help in 1784 after Nova Scotia was inundated in times means wonderful views and fresh provided by Neptune, Treat made note of 1783 with English-speaking Loyalists from air but also an eye on ferry schedules and canoe portages, falls, rips, and obstructions the newly established United States. worries about reliable and expensive elec- in the rivers during the autumn survey. In By the end of the 55-day, 500-mile tricity, the people who lived on islands in the the 1820s, the Penobscots still practiced a survey, Neptune had earned $65, Treat archipelago had no such concerns. migratory lifestyle that took them to various had made expenditures totaling $359.75, There was plenty of wood on the places according to season for fishing and and the governor had gained valuable in- islands to cut for construction of barns and hunting, so travel by canoe and the best way formation about what was at stake in the houses and for fuel to heat them. The soil to do so was of great importance to them. border dispute. The governor and council cleared for crops was loamy and rich as it Treat wisely made use of Neptune’s knowl- were well armed with information about received an annual fertilization of silt and edge and skills on river and stream. the availability of timber, its transportation nutrients during the spring floods. Transpor- At Madawaska, the survey crew found to mills, and the possibility of settlement in tation was not a problem—everyone used that the Maliseet people had placed their the north woods when debating the bound- boats to carry people back and forth and wigwams among the Acadian cabins on ary question, which eventually was settled extra produce to market towns. both sides of the Madawaska River in an by the Webster-Ashburton Treaty of 1842. (Continued on page 28) 27 Le Forum (Rivers Through the Wilderness, the rence to Montreal, of daily life on the is- laid perpendicular to the roadway in wet, Forgotten Thoroughfare continued from lands, giving details such as watching ducks low spots to prevent the wheels of vehicles page 27) on the lake and in the buckwheat stubble. from being stuck in mud. A traveler in 1832 Her characters, the people who live on the complained that corduroy roads caused him Inventories of household goods of islands in Lac St. Pierre, travel by boat and to bounce up and down so much on his seat island families of the area often listed a canoe, clear the forest along the shoreline, that his breeches were sure to wear out. canoe but no carriage or saddle. The river build houses and barns and sheds, and know When the U.S. government wanted was their road. The fur-trading companies, their neighbors, many of whom are family to take a stand and rattle some sabres over Northwest Company and Hudson’s Bay relations. the disputed northern boundary with British Company, preferred to hire young men from Today the archipelago is predomi- North America, it stationed seven infantry the islands in Sorel parish to paddle canoes nately a nature preserve.There are a few companies at Hancock Barracks in Houlton and deliver furs from remote western posts settlements. The leading occupations are and started the cutting of a military road to to Montreal and other shipping ports. farming and grazing livestock. Present-day Bangor in 1828. It was finished in 1832, Who were these hard-working, clever houses of residents are built on pilings to linking the edge of civilization to the most people? Not surprisingly, most were young avoid damage by the spring floods. A major remote U.S. government post in the North- couples, some with large families; others flood in 1865 carried away dozens of houses east. At stake was a vast supply of standing were two generations of a family. Though and barns. The population, which was ap- timber that was claimed by both govern- Library and Archives Canada states on its proximately a thousand in 1861, took about ments. Gradually the road was widened and website that the 1825 census was taken from thirty years to rebound and now numbers improved, becoming a vital link for travel June 20 to September 20, the microfilm of about twenty-five hundred. Transportation and commerce. the census schedules for Sorel parish is is by barge, boat, ferry, or across a bridge clearly marked “November.” Perhaps it took to the mainland. The region is the habitation Canals Were A Raging Fad that Soon a while for the enumerator to find someone site of hundreds of species of birds. Faded to ferry him around the islands to collect the data. His handwriting on the schedules is at Canals were all the rage as the best and times very difficult to decipher. Perhaps he modern way to improve transportation from was addled by the trip. about 1800 to 1850. Canals were expensive On Isle de Grace, there are sixteen to build, often requiring creative financing heads of household. Only one is single. The such as lotteries, subscriptions, and a bank’s families range from just two members, a capital investment. In Maine, the canal from married couple, to eleven members. There Thomas Pond to Sebago Lake and the Fore are three Lavallé families and the Rageotte River to Westbrook and its mills was nearly families, pere et fils. There is a total of sev- sixteen miles long in a run of thirty-eight enty-two persons living on the island, with miles. It handled a hundred and fifty barge- twenty-two younger than six years old. like boats and featured a two-lane towpath Isle St. Pierre has one family in res- Germaine Guèvremont for horses. idence, the Contard (?) family, with seven Water transportation had been greatly in the household. Isle aux Ours boasted Road Building Was Slow and improved with the construction of canals that three families, that of Pierre St. Martin with Expensive connected lakes and major waterways, but ten members; Jean Cote, six; and Michel the construction of canals fell by the wayside Bergeron, four. Isle Ronde was populated The 1820s was a remarkable era both when rails were laid for trains to connect by the families of Antonin Robechan, sev- in Maine and the provinces of Lower Cana- major and minor cities. The opening of the en members; and Augustine Frommae (?), da. Society was on the cusp of revolutionary Atlantic and St. Lawrence Railroad in 1850 two members. On Isle St. Ignace there are changes in methods of transportation. Water in Oxford County and many other railroads twelve families for a total population of transport was the common means of travel. throughout the region in quick succession 59, with seven younger than six years old. Roads were so bad in Maine that travelers tolled the end of the popularity and economy Four families have the surname Godsen. from Boston to points north of Portland had of canals. Isle Madame has fifteen families with a total to go by horseback or risk having to disman- of ninety-three persons with twenty-nine tle a carriage or wagon and carry the parts, Life Away from a River Was Excep- younger than age six. as well as the baggage, across a particularly tionally Rough Living on the two islands of St. Ignace rough stretch and reassemble everything on and Madame are five Bellard families in res- the other end, as reported by a man taking From 1830 to 1850, famine and so- idence, some dit LaTour, others LaFour (but his new bride to Bath. Travel was a little cial upheaval drove millions of people to that could have been a misunderstanding or better in Quebec Province. In 1812, coach emigrate from the British Isles to British miscommunication with the enumerator). service was offered between Quebec City North America. It was an era in which land There were also two Guevremont families. and Montreal six days a week. The coach ownership defined a successful person, The novelist Germaine Guevremont set her was pulled by four horses, and the fair was someone with a future. Without land, a novel The Outlander in the archipelago of about $12. By 1820, corduroy roads were person could not vote, serve on a jury, or be Lake St. Pierre. She wrote about four-masted being built to aid land travel and increase a magistrate. A man without land could not ships and steamers going up the St. Law- market trade. They were constructed of logs (Continued on page 29) 28 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (Rivers Through the Wilderness, the have imagined. Their subsistence farm determined mortals who forced their way Forgotten Thoroughfare continued from was so deep in the backcountry of Ontario over hers but only as long as they stayed page 28) that their five-year-old son had never seen vigilant. How quickly a woods clearing or a village. When they finally left their cabin a tote road reverts to wildness once again is hunt to provide fresh meat and fowl for his and emerged from the forest into a town, well understood by Mainers and Canadians family. He had to use precious resources to their oldest son asked how all the houses alike. But the rivers and streams continue buy food. The majority of the landless but had come to meet in one place. to run through the forest. From them we adventuresome from Great Britain went to Upon relocating to Belleville (in can glimpse the beauty and new potential the Great Lakes, the St. Lawrence River south-central Ontario), the family encoun- of the landscape, just as Treat and Neptune area, and western United States, avoiding the tered a plank road that ran to one of the did nearly two hundred years ago. already populated East Coast. Among those mills. Susanna found out that to construct hopeful emigrants was Susanna Moodie, a such a road, the passageway of about twelve Denise R. Larson lives in the greater young wife, mother, and author. She wrote of feet wide was graded with a ditch on each Bangor metropolitan area and writes about her experiences in Roughing It in the Bush; side. Squared timber called “scantling” history and genealogy. She is also the au- or, Life in Canada. was placed along each edge of the bed as thor of several novels recently published Twelve years after Treat’s survey, a frame and covered with soil. Pine planks, on iBooks. the Moodies traveled along the great St. each about three inches thick, were laid on Lawrence River in search of land for a the framing and pinned into it with wooden References: homestead. Woefully unprepared and with pins. For a double-wide road, a third scant- Greer, Allan. Peasant, Lord, and no guide to help them judge good land from ling ran up the center and the ends of planks Merchant: Rural Society in Three Quebec bad, they had a hard time of it. were pinned to it. At the time, the typical Parishes 1740-1840. Toronto: University Arriving at Quebec City during the dirt road consisted of potholes and mud or of Toronto Press, 1991. start of a cholera epidemic in 1832, Susanna potholes and dust. had to stay on board but described in great Susanna Moodie had emerged from Guay, Lorraine. Les régions du Que- detail and glowing terms the diversity of the woods after eight years, in 1840, a more bec, histoire en Bref: Le Québec des iles. islands in the “splendid river,” the deep self assured and self sufficient young woman Quebec City: Les Presses de l’Université and clear St. Lawrence. Some islands who no longer placed high importance on Laval, 2011. were wooded, while others were partially what other people thought of or said about cleared and had white-washed structures her. She was confident in her own worth and Hutchins, Dottie and Paul Cyr. Aca- on them. On seeing it for the first time and abilities. She went on to have a career in dian Roots: Images of the St. John Valley / from aboard ship, she favorably compared writing and is called one of the grandmothers Racines Acadiennes: Images de la Vallée Quebec City with Edinburgh, which she of Canadian literature. Roughing It in the Saint-Jean. By the authors, 2014. considered to be a vision of beauty. Sailing Bush was published in 1852. on to Montreal, Susanna was disappointed Moodie, Susanna. Roughing It in the in its lack of “grandeur” and filthy streets, Some Sought Out a Challenge Bush; or, Life in Canada. Ottawa: the Te- especially at a time of “pestilence.” cumseh Press Ltd., 1997. First edition, 1852. Mrs. Moodie was not unlike the filles A foil to Mrs. Moodie’s unwilling de roi who had arrived in Quebec a century immigration to the bush is the life experience Pawling, Micah A., editor. Wabanaki and a half earlier. Like many of them, she of Louisa Dickinson Rich as described in Homeland and the New State of Maine: The was a city girl in total ignorance of the her book, We Took to the Woods. Writing 1820 Journal and Plans of Survey of Joseph hardships of “life in the bush,” which is a century after Moodie, Rich, fleeing the Treat. Amherst: University of Maine Press what she called pioneering in the deep, dark, disillusionment of post-war society, enthu- in conjunction with the Penobscot Indian undisturbed forests of Canada. She was ac- siastically abandoned city life for the simple Nation: Indian Island, Maine, 2007. customed to having servants and socializing life near Umbagog Lake in Maine. The with the genteel middle class of England. only road was a dirt path from the cabin to Wardwell, W. Emory and the Worces- The cultural shock was tremendous. She the dam that her husband maintained for a ter Historical Society. From Horse Trails bitterly regarded her family’s immigration timber company. She wrote of the hardships to Steel Rails. Rockport, Maine: Falmouth as banishment from civilization to a prison as challenges and the isolation as insulation Publishing House, 1955. of rough work and poverty, the unrelenting from a world that has gone mad with war, forest of Canada being the walls of that en- profit, and lost morals. closure. She saw no transitional space from the civilization of the city to the crude iso- Forever Moving Forward lation of the deep woods. A system of roads connecting settlements and the development Whatever the motivation, the nine- of a suburbia had not yet happened. On teenth-century men and women who trav- their lot of land carved from the wilderness, eled the rivers and ventured into the woods working in the kitchen garden and putting a of northern Maine and southern Canada crude fence around it was more work than came to realize the potential of the wilder- she as a gentlewoman ever expected to do ness but also the tenacity of Mother Nature and forced her to be braver than she could to preserve her creation against small but 29 Le Forum Remembrance Day (N.D.L.R. Materials, photos provided by the Ste-Agathe Historical Society, Terry Ouellette. Writing, research provided by the late Gary Pelletier (2008) to the Franco-American Centre.) by Gary Pelletier

A Remembrance Day, honoring Denis eras and from the same locale is uncommon. Daigle (1889-1933) and Renaud Franck Donat Franck, was a Warden in Ox- (1907-1927). The Day was held at the bow and a newspaper article dated July 1939 Ste-Agathe Historical Society’s Preserva- depicted him and a William (Sleepy) Atkins, tion Center. To Honor these two Game of Portage, caught two people violating the Wardens for putting their lives and safety Fish and Game laws and these two spent on the line to protect the Fish and Wildlife. 30 days in the crowbar hotel in Houlton. A Warden came from the Warden that hired They worked in an era when people thought stiff fine for any poachers with an over the them and would put in an expense account that it was their given right to kill and catch limit violation. It appears the judge was an after the period he was needed to assist in everything they saw in the fields, streams avid outdoors man or that he felt a message these law enforcement ventures. These are and forests. should be sent to the poachers. found in the archives in the Commissioner’s One must not forget that these trying James Franck Sr., resigned in early Reports in Augusta. times were during the depression years and 1927. In an interview with Mrs. Franck of It was not uncommon to hire men this also brought out the worst in poachers. Van Buren on Acadian History, she states under 21 years of age in these days as they These two men were sons of the St. John were young, able and determined to be a law Valley and dedicated their lives to protect enforcement officer. our natural resources. Denis Daigle Eighty years after their passing, much has been forgotten and old records are hard Denis Daigle was the son of Octave to come by. Both of these men fell through and Olive (Nadeau) Daigle. the cracks of time and history. They were Denis was a Warden for several years French, and from the Valley, all traits of the and worked the Stockholm, Caribou Dis- era that was not recognized by the Southern trict by foot in these early days. In these administration of the time. days of yesteryear as a Warden it was not Most new and young wardens would uncommon to be gone on patrol for several not know men of years ago that worked in days or weeks. this field. The Warden service started in As one looks at the span in years, there the 1880’s. It got more serious in the mid is not any difference as to the job of a War- 1890’s and again throughout the depression den. He had to walk, summer, spring, winter years. Wardens were alone all the time and and fall. No communications, airplanes or were the only law in town. By the 1920’s boats with motors. No back up or any as- a new patch was on a Warden uniform and sistance of any kind. W Warden was on his it depicted a single tree. The phrase came own day and night. In these years and until about-a Warden behind a tree. that Donat Franck was warden until 1929 the late forties nothing much changed from or so. Not long after his son drowned Mr. the 1880 era of Warden Service. Renaud Franck Franck quit the Service and went to Skow- Denis monitored from Cross Lake to hegan. the Canadian border at Limestone, a straight Renaud Franck was the son of Donat Donat Franck Jr. was a warden for distance of 40 plus miles. Franck, a Warden, and one of four Franck’s a short time in the late 20’s. He left with Denis patrolled the area that at that that were Wardens. This in itself was a land- his Dad. time poaching activity was great. Most of mark for a family to have so many protecting Renaud Franck, was hired by his Dad, the people that broke the Fish and Game the natural resources of this great State. I Donat to monitor Square Lake fishing activ- laws did so with dogs. He patrolled the find this family and one other that had a ity. He drowned within this short period as lumber camps as the camps would have a family tradition of wardens. The second a part time deputy warden. deer slayer to get the meat for the lumber- one came into the picture some forty years In these early days of Fish and Game men. Denis worked alone and on a cold later. That family had five Wardens. Three enforcement Wardens and Deputy Wardens winter day was found in a trappers camp in were born in Sinclair with St. Agatha roots. were hired on as help at certain times of the the Stockholm area. Parent’s and Grandparent’s were from St. year to assist them in capturing poachers Several different versions were talked Agatha. It is and was not uncommon to that were involved in illegal activity for the about but all came to the same conclusion, have two and three that were Wardens from pursuit of killing game, some as trade and he was found frozen in a trapper’s camp. He a family but four and five from two different others for family. Their pay as a part time (Continued on page 31) 30 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (Remembrance Day continued from page 30) apparently was found two days after he had passed away. It was said that he died from a heart attack. Two men were held for two days and released after being questioned. Two days to be held for anything is a long time. One must remember that no autopsy was made, no doctor was present and Mr. Daigle was on duty as it was a 24/7, 365 days job. When these Wardens left their residence they were working. No days off or holidays were granted or vacations. This era puts us in the depression era when dogs were being used to kill deer. It was a silent way to kill deer as many trained dogs to chase deer and not bark. Newspaper articles dated 1933 of the Bangor Daily News addresses these dog- deer issues of the time. The headliner was Why Deer Are Scarce, Correspondent Flays Senseless Slaying by Merciless Killers and Bloodthirsty Dogs. The article refers to the Madawaska Lake and Square Lake areas. The same are Denis Daigle was working. Makes one wonder about the incident. Check out the Game Warden’s website: The Commissioner’s report of 1895 http://www.maine.gov/ifw/warden-service/fallen-heroes-honor-roll.html also refers to the dogs as vicious killers, silent and deadly. Denis had a nephew, Donat Daigle and Fallen heroes: Renaud Franck and Denis Daigle are not mentioned. he also was a Warden for a short period of time during WWII. Was Denis perhaps murdered? A question left unanswered...

Ste-Anne’s Church in Hartford Likely Will Be Sold in the Future; Monthly Mass in French at St. Augustine’s Church Likely to Continue

By Albert J. Marceau, Newington, Conn.

Rev. Thomas J. Walsh, the Pastor of restating the Certificate of Incorporation, St. Augustine Church in Hartford wrote and notifying the Connecticut Secretary of in the weekly bulletin of St. Augustine’s the State. We also had to notify the Internal Church in Hartford for the week of No- Revenue Service, the Connecticut Depart- vember 5, 2017 that property of Ste-Anne/ ment of Revenue Service, and the State Immaculate Conception Church will be sold Bureau of Labor.” by the Archdiocese of Hartford sometime in “People have asked me what will the future. The following two paragraphs happen with St. Anne-Immaculate Concep- are his own words from the weekly bulletin: tion Church. Eventually, the Archdiocese “On June 29th, the Parishes of St. of Hartford will sell the property. The Anne-Immaculate Conception and St. Au- Archdiocese has already sold the former gustine were merged by the Archdiocese. St. Michael’s Church here in Hartford and St. Anne-Immaculate Conception had been We have just completed the legal require- is in the process of selling various proper- bridged with the Parish of St. Augustine ments of this merger. This included the ties throughout Hartford, New Haven and since Sunday, March 4, 2012, when Rev. Certificate of Consents of Merger, amending Litchfield Counties.” José Mercado, who had been the Pastor of the Certificate of Origin of both parishes, It should be noted that the Parish of (Continued on page 32) 31 Le Forum (Ste-Anne’s Church in Hartford Likely Will Be Sold in the Future; of South Windsor, Lector Albert Marceau Monthly Mass in French at St. Augustine’s Church Likely to Continue of Newington, Cantor Jean Folly-Kakabi of continued from page 31) Hartford, Usher Patrick Labrie of Hartford, St. Augustine Parish, became also the Pastor French at St. Augustine’s Church in Hartford Jean and Solange Agba and their three sons of St. Anne-Immaculate Conception Parish. on the first Sundays of October, November of Hartford, Ghislain and Rita Larochelle Rev. Mercado said his first Sunday Mass at and December 2017, at 7:45AM. The litur- of East Hartford, and Aline Maras and her St. Anne-Immaculate Conception Church gical calendar for each of the Sundays were: daughter of Hartford. One of the hymns that at 8:30AM on Sunday, March 11, 2012, the October 1 (the 26th Sunday in Ordinary was sung for the First Sunday of Advent was scheduled time for the French Mass, but he Time, Year A); November 5 (the 31st Sunday “Venez divin Messie.” Before Rev. Walsh said the ordinary, the Gospel, and the homily in Ordinary Time, Year A); and December 3 gave the final blessing at the close of the of the Mass in English, while the first and (the First Sunday in Advent, Year B). Rev. Mass on December 3, he gave the pleasant second readings, the psalm, and the petitions Walsh has said the entire ordinary of the news that he hoped to see all of us on the were said in French by the lector, Albert Mass and the Gospel in French, while he first Sunday in January 2018, which will be Marceau, and the opening, communion and has always given the homily in English. The the Feast of the Epiphany. After the Mass, closing hymns were sung in French by the first and second readings, the psalm, and the Rev. Walsh wished each of us individually cantor, Jean Folly-Kakabi. The said format petitions were said in French by the lector, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, was the standard means the French Mass Albert Marceau. The opening, communion which was each of the former parishioners was said at St. Anne-Immaculate Concep- and closing hymns were sung in French of Ste-Anne wished to one another. tion Church from Sunday, March 11, 2012 by the cantor, Jean Folly-Kakabi, with the Some of the hymns that will be sung to Sunday, June 25, 2017. Rev. Mercado exception of the French Mass on Sunday, for the Feast of the Epiphany are: “Il est né, remained the Pastor of both parishes until November 5 when he and his family were le Divin Enfant,” “Viens, peuple fidèle,” and Thursday, June 29, 2017, when he was in Frankfurt, Germany for the wedding of “Marche des Rois Mages.” transferred to the newly created Parish of St. his nephew. So, readers of Le Forum are invited John XXIII, which comprises of the former Each of the three French Masses con- to attend the French Mass at St. Augustine parishes of St. Louis, St. Lawrence and St. sisted of roughly a dozen Francophone for- Church on 10 Campfield Avenue in Hartford, Paul in West Haven. mer parishioners of Ste-Anne-de-Hartford, Conn., at 7:45AM on Sunday, January 7, plus three or four Hispanic parishioners from 2018. The website for St. Augustine Church The Mass in French at St. Augus- St. Augustine who attended because it was in Hartford is http://www.staugustinehtfd. tine’s Church in Hartford the first Mass on Sunday, at 7:45AM. The org/, and the telephone number for the Francophone parishioners were: Extraordi- church is (860)-522-7128. Rev. Walsh has said the Mass in nary Eucharistic Minister Lorena Dutelle

write a sample of my index to the Anthologie BOOKS/ on the same topic, and she agreed that it was a good idea. LIVRES... The Franco-American Authors

A Brief Guide to Celebrate the Holidays with Honoré Beaugrand, (1848-1906), the author of the first Franco-American novel: Books Published by the NMDC of Jeanne la fileuse. Épisode de l’émigration franco-canadienne aux États-Unis (Fall Franco-American Literature and Culture River, Massachusetts, 1878), wrote a short By Albert J. Marceau, Newington, Conn. story about New Year’s Day, entitled: « Le The National Materials Development the nine-volume set does not have a com- fantôme de l’avare : Légende du jour d l’an, Center for French, abbreviated as NMDC, prehensive index to the prose and poetry of » which is found on pages 69-76 of the first published numerous books on Franco-Amer- the 29 authors, which makes the anthology volume of the Anthologie. ican Literature and Culture that are largely extremely difficult to use if the reader wish- Louis Dantin, the nom de plume of forgotten today. In particular, it published es to find a sample of prose or poetry on a Eugène Seers (1865-1945), the author of a nine-volume set of Franco-American lit- given topic, such as La Survivance, or la fête the Franco-American novel Les enfances erature entitled: Anthologie de la littérature de St-Jean-Baptiste. After I completed by de Fanny (Montréal, 1969), wrote a short franco-américaine de la Nouvelle-Angle- master’s degree in history from Central Con- story about Christmas, entitled « Le Noël de terre. The general editor of the series was necticut State University, I decided to work Caroline, » which is found on pages 34-43 Richard Santerre, who received his doctorate on creating an index to the nine-volume set of the ninth volume of the Anthologie. He from Boston College in 1974, and the title of Franco-American literature, and I hope also wrote a poem about Christmas, entitled of his dissertation is: Le Roman Fran- to publish it within a year, as a supplement « Noël intime, » found on pages 56-57 of the co-Américain en Nouvelle-Angleterre, 1878- to a future edition of Le Forum. said volume. He also wrote a poem about 1943. The nine-volume set was published Since Christmas and New Year’s Day the winter season, entitled « Soleil d’hiver, in 1981, and it contains writings from 29 are featured in the current issue of Le Forum, » found on pages 54-55 of the said volume. Franco-American authors. Unfortunately, I suggested to Lisa Michaud that I could (Continued on page 33) 32 which is not found in the said volume.

WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (A Brief Guide to Celebrate the Holidays with Books Published by the NMDC of Franco-American Literature and Culture continued from page 32)

Rosaire Dion-Lévesque, the nom de fourth volume of the Anthologie. plume of Leo-Albert Lévesque (1900-1974), Adélard Lambert, (1867-1946), the the author of several books of poetry and author of the Franco-American novel L’In- author of Silhouettes Franco-Américains nocent Victime (serialized in Le Droit of (Manchester, N.H., 1957), wrote a poem Ottawa, Canada, September 1936), wrote about Christmas, entitled: « L’éternel Noël a short story about Christmas within an un- : à ma mère, » found on page 251 of the published manuscript, Souvenir d’enfance, ninth volume of the Anthologie. He also entitled: « Une fête de Noël d’un vieux sol- dat, » which is found on pages 18-26 of the seventh volume of the Anthologie. R.P. Louis-Alphonse Nolin, omi (1849-1936), wrote a poem about Christ- mas, entitled: « Bethléem, » which is found on page 69 of the seventh volume of the Anthologie. Corinne Rocheleau-Rouleau (1881- 1963), the author of the biography, Hors de sa prison, extraordinaire histoire de Ludi- The Franco-American Foods for vine Lachance, l’infirme des infirmes, sourde Christmas muette et aveugle, (Montréal, 1928), wrote a three-act play entitled: « Les fêtes chez The NMDC published a cookbook l’habitant, » which is found on pages 187- in 1983 entitled Nothing Went to Waste in 241 of the fifth volume of theAnthologie . Of grandmother’s kitchen/Rien n’était gaspille the nine Franco-American authors who are dans la cuisine de ma grand-mère by Bet- cited in the article, Corinne Rocheleau-Rou- ty A. Lausier Lindsay. The cookbook is leau wrote the most comprehensive piece not specifically written for recipes for the wrote three poems about winter: « Neige, » of literature that encompasses how three holidays, but it does have several recipes on page 181, « La forêt en hiver, » on page generations of a Franco-American family for pastries and cakes that were served at 182, and « Pluie de janvier, » on page 186 celebrated the holidays from Christmas to Christmas, and has surprising details of of the said volume. New Year’s Day through dialogue and songs. family costumes for the holidays, such as the Anna Duval-Thibault, (1862-1951), Rémi Tremblay, (1847-1926), the Christmas dinner was often cooked chicken the author of the Franco-American novel Les author of the Franco-American novel, Un with vegetables. Deux Testaments, Esquisse de Mœurs-Can- Revenant: Episode de la Guerre du Seces- adiennes (Fall River, Massachusetts, 1888), sion, (Montréal, 1884) wrote a poem about How to Purchase the Books wrote two short stories about Christmas, winter, entitled: « Un nuit de décembre : both of which are found in the second vol- Sonnet, » which is found on page 273 of the The easiest means to purchase copies ume of the Anthologie. The title of one is: volume of the Anthologie. He also wrote of the Anthologie de la littérature fran- « Une première veillée de Noël aux États- the lyrics to a song about New Year’s Day, co-américaine de la Nouvelle-Angleterre Unis : Peinture de mœurs canadiennes, » entitled « Le jour de l’an, » which is found as well as Nothing Went to Waste in grand- found on pages 200-204, and the other is on pages 277-278 of the said volume, but the mother’s kitchen/Rien n’était gaspille dans « Une tournée de l’Enfant Jésus : Conte melody and accompaniment is from another la cuisine de ma grand-mère would be to de Noël, » found on pages 205-210 of the song, entitled « De la valse des adieux » contact the Franco-American book vendor, said volume. She also wrote a poem about Roger Lacerte, the owner of La Librairie New Year’s Day, entitled Populaire, 18 rue Orange, « Le nouvel an, » which is Manchester, NH 03104- found on page 242 of the 6060. His business phone said volume. number is (603)-669- Dr. Joseph-Amédée 3788, and his a business Girouard (1865-1938), e-mail address is: libpop- the author of the book of [email protected]. poetry, Au fil de la vie. Recueil de poesies, (Lew- iston, Maine, 1909), wrote a poem about snow, entitled « La neige, » which is found on page 12 of the 33 Le Forum was born. I have to add that from 1929 to few more steps and had to stop. Till we meet 1933, Doc played for the Montréal Royals, My friend behind me bumped me. the same team Jackie Robinson played for What are you doing, he said in French. I again, I hope in 1946. can’t believe what I just saw, I answered. I Anyway, when I started my baseball backed up a few steps and asked the lady if, It had to happen because she was near research in the mid-90’s, the chance of ever by any chance, she was the daughter of Doc her 90th birthday and she had been battling meeting Marjorie was unrealistic. Then, I Gautreau. Yes, was her initial answer. Who cancer for several years. But it doesn’t make got lucky. Tom Simon, a lawyer from Bur- are you, she asked me. Listen, do I have to it any easier. I knew Marjorie Gautreau-Al- lington, invited me to write the story about talk to you, I replied. len for 17 years. At first, I knew she might a French-speaking Vermont pitcher in his Turns out, and I was already aware of exist, then I met her by chance in Vermont book ‘Green Mountain Boys of Summer’. that, that Doc Gautreau managed the Saranac and well, as they say, the rest is history. He invited me again, this time to attend the Lake team in that league from 1936 to 1939. She became the type of person, as Ty Cobb book’s launching in the summer of 2000 in Marjorie was at the reunion since she grew reportedly said after the death of the great Montpelier. up under the eyes of many people from the Babe Ruth, that you hope we might be able I got a lot more than I expected. Also league, being aged 8 to 12 at the time. to meet again, some day. included in the weekend’s festivities was Later that day, we sat down and she For over 20 years, I’ve been research- a reunion of players from a former minor showed me all the stuff she had with her. ing the lives and careers of baseball players league. On Saturday morning, a meeting was Turns out again that she had been research- of French descent. At one point, I decided to scheduled in a high school auditorium type ing the career of her father, who died in set my sights on Walter Paul (Doc) Gautreau of room. I was walking in the area between 1970, for many years. Because she had after learning from a former major leaguer in the lower and upper decks of the room. A never really learned to speak French, she Québec that the Cambridge native was still baseball-research friend was following me. I didn’t have much about the family’s stay in able to speak French as late as the 1950’s. noticed a small woman seated on the left, in Montréal as she was little at the time. On the After four games with Philadelphia, the first row of the room’s upper deck. Next other end, that was my focus from the start. Gautreau played the rest of his major league to her was a much taller man. She had a name So we pooled our resources and, ex- career with the Boston Braves. He married tag, as most of us did. The name on the tag cept for the year 1935, we ended up knowing in 1926 in Boston and in 1927, Marjorie was ‘Marjorie Gautreau-Allen’. I walked a (Continued on page 35) dans les majeures avec les Braves de Boston. quelques pas de plus et je me suis arrêté. Il s’est marié en 1926 à Boston et en 1927, L’ami derrière est entré en collision Ce n’est qu’un Marjorie est née. Je dois ajouter que de avec moi. Qu’est-ce que tu fais, a-t-il dit 1929 à 1933, Doc a joué pour les Royaux en français. Je ne peux pas croire ce que je Au revoir, de Montréal, la même équipe pour laquelle viens de voir, ai-je répondu. J’ai reculé de Jackie Robinson a joué en 1946. quelques pas et j’ai demandé à la dame si, j’espère De toute façon, quand j’ai commencé par chance, elle était la fille de Doc Gau- mes recherches sur le baseball, la probabilité treau. Oui, a été sa réponse initiale. Qui Ça devait arriver parce qu’elle était de rencontrer Marjorie était vraiment impen- êtes-vous, m’a-t-elle demandé. Écoutez, faut près de son 90e anniversaire de naissance sable. Puis, j’ai été chanceux. Tom Simon, vraiment que je vous parle, a été ma réponse. et parce qu’elle avait combattu le cancer un avocat de Burlington, m’a invité à écrire Il se trouve, et j’étais déjà au courant, depuis plusieurs années. Mais ça ne rend pas l’histoire d’un lanceur parlant français du que Doc Gautreau avait dirigé l’équipe de la chose plus facile. Je connaissais Marjorie Vermont dans son livre ‘Green Mountain Saranac Lake dans la ligue de 1936 à 1939. Gautreau-Allen depuis 17 ans. Au début, je Boys of Summer’. Il m’a invité de nouveau, Marjorie était aux retrouvailles parce qu’elle savais qu’elle pouvait exister, puis je l’ai cette fois pour assister au lancement du livre avait grandi sous les yeux de plusieurs per- rencontré par chance au Vermont et, comme à l’été de 2000 à Montpelier. sonnes de la ligue, de l’âge de 8 à 12 ans. on dit, le reste a suivi. Elle est devenue le J’en ai eu plus que je m’attendais. Plus tard cette journée-là, nous nous genre de personne, comme Ty Cobb aurait Faisant également partie des événements de sommes assis et elle m’a montré tout ce apparemment dit après la mort du célèbre la fin de semaine, il y avait les retrouvailles qu’elle avait avec elle. Il se trouve qu’elle Babe Ruth, qu’on souhaite pouvoir rencon- de joueurs d’une ancienne ligue mineure. avait fait des recherches sur la carrière de son trer à nouveau, un jour. Le samedi matin, une rencontre était prévue père, mort en 1970, depuis plusieurs années. Depuis plus de 20 ans, j’ai fait des dans une salle du genre auditorium d’école Parce qu’elle n’avait jamais vraiment appris recherches sur la vie et la carrière de joueurs secondaire. Je marchais dans l’espace entre à parler français, elle n’avait pas grand chose de baseball d’origine francophone. À un les parties inférieure et supérieure de la salle. sur le séjour de la famille à Montréal, elle moment donné, j’ai décidé de me concentrer Un ami chercheur de baseball me suivait. était petite à l’époque. De mon côté, c’était sur Walter Paul (Doc) Gautreau après avoir J’ai remarqué une petite femme assise sur la ma priorité depuis le début. appris d’un ancien joueur québécois des gauche, dans la première rangée de la partie Nous avons mis nos ressources en majeures que le natif de Cambridge était supérieure de la salle. À côté d’elle, il y avait commun et, sauf pour l’année 1935, nous toujours capable de parler français aussi tard un homme beaucoup plus grand. Elle avait avons fini par déterminer exactement partout que durant les années 1950. une étiquette de nom, comme la plupart où Doc avait joué. Des années plus tard, Après quatre matchs avec Philadel- d’entre nous. Le nom sur l’étiquette était j’ai découvert où Doc avait joué en 1935 en phie, Gautreau a joué le reste de sa carrière <>. J’ai marché (suite page 35) 34 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (Till we meet again, I hope continued where the Montréal Expos, my childhood twice! I was back and this time, we spent an from page 34) team, moved after the 2004 season. Then, enjoyable evening, yapping about baseball almost exactly where Doc Gautreau played. without telling Marjorie and Bill, I moved and all kinds of things with Bill joining the Years later, I found out where Doc Gautreau on to Clinton and the street where Marjorie conversation at times. They had to leave played in 1935 reading a French paper from and Bill have lived for a long time. before the end of the game. Shortly after, Montréal. But she didn’t remember. As I parked the car, in front of the a man, who had been seated behind us and My relationship with her and her house, I could see a small vehicle facing me was attending the game because the Boston husband Bill went further than baseball re- in their driveway near the sidewalk with a Red Sox were playing the Orioles, told me search. For years, we exchanged letters and woman being at the wheel. I got out of the he couldn’t help but had listened all night e-mails, a new system with which Marjorie car, recognized her, walked to her window about all the interesting stuff we had been became very good at since she was doing a and just said Hi. Can I help you, she said. talking about. I told him Marjorie was the lot of research about her father’s genealo- Then she focused on my car license plate daughter of a former major leaguer from gy. The couple actually went to retrace her from Ontario, looked at me and looked at Boston. Turns out he was from Holyoke and father’s acadian roots in New Brunswick, a the license plate again. Yves, she asked, is was the high school coach of Mark Wohlers, province in Canada. that you? I certainly am, I said. Then she got the one-time closer of the Atlanta Braves. Anyway, Marjorie mentionned to me out of the car in a hurry. She was similar to Marjorie and I had many more of these that I should come down and pay them a visit her father, who was barely over five-foot conversations with Bill. I returned in 2012, in Clinton, Maryland. Since I was going to tall, and I am close to six feet, but she started 2013, 2014 and 2015 to attend baseball turn 50 on January 31, 2011, I decided to hugging me like I don’t remember having games, but also spent Christmas with them make a bucket list trip. One place I really been hugged like that before or since. You (Continued on page 36) wanted to go was Baltimore, to visit a num- made it, she kept saying over and over. From ber of baseball things such as the Babe Ruth a distance, I could see her husband Bill birthplace since he was born on February 6. walking back the dogs, and the dogs and Bill But I also could see on the map that Clinton wondering what was going on! was not that far from Baltimore. We spent an enjoyable rest of the day One sunny morning in February, I left and she made me promise to come back Baltimore and first drove to Washington to in the summer to go to a baseball game at see the stadium of the Nationals since that’s Camden Yards. She didn’t have to ask me

parce que c’est là que les Expos de Montréal, (Ce n’est qu’un Au revoir, l’équipe de mon enfance, avait déménagé j’espère suite de page 34) après la saison 2004. Puis, sans le dire à Marjorie et Bill, j’ai mis le cap sur Clinton lisant un journal en français de Montréal. et sur la rue où Marjorie et Bill ont habité Elle ne s’en souvenait pas. depuis longtemps. Ma relation avec elle et son mari Bill a Alors que je stationnais l’auto, en dépassé la recherche sur le baseball. Pendant avant de leur maison, je pouvais voir un petit à l’été pour un match de baseball à Camden des années, nous avons échangé des lettres véhicule me faisant face dans leur entrée Yards. Elle n’a pas eu besoin de me le dire et des courriels, un nouveau système avec de cour, près du trottoir. Une femme était deux fois! J’étais de retour et cette fois, lequel Marjorie est devenue très bonne parce au volant. J’ai débarqué de mon auto, j’ai nous avons passé une soirée agréable à qu’elle faisait beaucoup de recherches sur la reconnu la conductrice, j’ai marché jusqu’à jacasser sur le baseball et sur plein d’autres généalogie de son père. Le couple est d’ail- sa fenêtre et j’ai simplement dit Bonjour. choses avec Bill qui se joignait parfois à la leurs allé remonter les racines acadiennes Est-ce que je peux vous aider, m’a-t-elle conversation. Ils ont dû quitter avant la fin de son père au Nouveau-Brunswick, une dit. Puis elle a remarqué ma plaque d’im- du match. Peu après, un homme, qui était province du Canada. matriculation de l’Ontario, m’a regardé et a assis derrière nous et était au match parce De toute manière, Marjorie m’a men- regardé de nouveau la plaque. Yves, a-t-elle que les Red Sox de Boston jouaient contre tionné que je devrais leur faire une visite à demandé, est-ce que c’est toi? Bien oui, ai- les Orioles, m’a dit qu’il n’avait pu s’em- Clinton dans le Maryland. Comme j’allais je répondu. Puis elle est descendue de son pêcher d’écouter tout ce que nous avions avoir 50 ans le 31 janvier 2011, j’ai décidé véhicule en vitesse. Elle était semblable à raconté d’intéressant. Je lui ai mentionné de faire le genre de voyage avec plein de son père, qui mesurait un peu plus de cinq que Marjorie était la fille d’un ancien joueur choses jamais faites auparavant. Un endroit pieds, et je mesure près de six pieds, mais des majeures de Boston. Il se trouve que où je voulais vraiment aller était Baltimore elle a commencé à me serrer tellement que je l’homme était de Holyoke et qu’il avait été pour visiter plusieurs endroits de baseball ne me souviens pas de l’avoir été comme ça l’instructeur à l’école secondaire de Mark comme le lieu de naissance de Babe Ruth, avant ou depuis. Tu l’as fait, a-t-elle répété Wohlers, un releveur des Braves d’Atlanta. né le 6 février. Mais je pouvais aussi voir plusieurs fois. À distance, je pouvais voir Marjorie et moi avons eu plusieurs sur la carte que Clinton n’était pas vraiment son époux Bill en train de faire marcher les autres de ces conversations avec Bill. Je loin de Baltimore. chiens, et les chiens et Bill se demandant ce suis retourné en 2012, 2013, 2014 et 2015 Un matin ensoleillé de février, j’ai qui se passait! pour des matchs de baseball, mais j’ai aussi quitté Baltimore et me suis d’abord rendu Le reste de la journée a été agréable passé Noël avec eux en 2014 et 2015. Ils à Washington voir le stade des Nationals et elle m’a fait promettre que je reviendrais (suite page 36) 35 Le Forum (Till we meet again, I hope continued from and was planning to go early in 2017 but ing his face like that! page 35) health issues restrained my travelling for a Wherever she is now, I hope it is a nice in 2014 and 2015. They not only took me while. And now she’s gone, physically, so living room to one day eventually welcome out for Christmas brunch but in 2014, they no more hugs and ‘Thinking of you’ e-mails. Bill and the dogs. And I hope I will be able took me to the September 11 Memorial at Life goes on, I guess. While alive, she kept again to visit. Through my years of baseball the Pentagon. A female neighbour had died writing and talking about the blessings in research, a handful of people never wanted in the building, from the plane crash, and her life, her long-time partnership with to meet me, while others were nice enough to her husband later died of a broken heart, Bill, her sons, her grandchildren, how well meet me in order for me to fill some blanks. Marjorie said. she was treated at the hospital. I can’t even One thing is for sure, for me there has Everytime I visited them, they took remember one negative thing she said and been only one Marjorie Gautreau-Allen. I me around to show me their favorite eating we actually talked about subjects such as will never forget her energy and warmth for places, introducing me to people at the same politics and religion. a total stranger from Canada. Au revoir, Ma- time, and also to talk about their involvement We had so many laughs. In one of her demoiselle Gautreau, et à bientôt, peut-être! in the Neighbourhood Watch program. Al- last e-mails, she talked about all that hair on most everytime we sat in the living room, the face of Washington Nationals outfielder Yves, your friend somebody would ring the door, people of Jayson Werth. I made her laugh when I from Ottawa all ages, to visit. replied that with the amount of money he’s I couldn’t go for Christmas in 2016 been making, his wife must really like kiss-

(Ce n’est qu’un Au revoir, j’espère suite des questions de santé ont restreint mes dé- sage comme ça! de page 34) placements à ce moment. Et maintenant elle Où qu’elle soit maintenant, j’espère m’ont non seulement amené à un brunch de est partie, physiquement, donc plus d’acco- qu’elle est dans un salon pour éventuelle- Noël, mais en 2014, ils m’ont aussi amené au lades et de courriels <>. La ment accueillir Bill et les chiens. Et j’espère Memorial du 11 septembre au Pentagon. Une vie continue, j’imagine. Encore vivante, elle pouvoir y faire encore une visite. À travers voisine était décédée dans l’édifice, suite à continuait à écrire et à parler de tous les bien- mes années de recherche sur le baseball, l’écrasement d’avion, et son mari est mort faits dans sa vie, son partenariat de longue quelques personnes n’ont pas voulu me d’un cœur brisé, selon Marjorie. date avec Bill, ses fils, ses petits-enfants, le rencontrer, tandis que d’autres ont été assez Chaque fois que je les ai visités, ils traitement qu’elle recevait à l’hôpital. Je ne gentilles de m’aider à remplir ce qui me m’ont promené à leurs endroits favoris peux pas me souvenir de l’avoir entendu manquait. pour manger, me présentant à des gens par dire une chose négative et nous avons parlé Une chose est sûre, pour moi il n’y a la même occasion, et aussi pour me parler de sujets comme la politique et la religion. eu qu’une seule Marjorie Gautreau-Allen. Je de leur implication dans le programme de Nous avons tellement ri. Dans un de n’oublierai jamais son énergie et sa chaleur Surveillance de quartier. Presque chaque fois ses derniers courriels, elle a parlé de tous pour un étranger du Canada. Au revoir, Ma- où nous étions assis dans le salon, quelqu’un ces poils qui couvrent le visage du voltigeur demoiselle Gautreau, et à bientôt, peut-être! sonnait à la porte, des gens de tous âges, Jayson Werth des Nationals de Washington. pour visiter. Je l’ai fait rire quand j’ai répondu qu’avec Yves, votre ami Je n’ai pas pu y aller à Noël en 2016 la quantité d’argent qu’il faisait, sa femme d’Ottawa et je prévoyais y aller au début de 2017 mais devait vraiment aimer lui embrasser le vi- his chest. Al wasn't the only one to die in Requiem for Albert Glaude those mills but he was the only one that was my friend and classmate. We were both de- Behind every great fortune lies a great crime. scended from French-Canadian immigrants ––Honoree de Balzac drawn to the original mills. In 1964-1965 we both worked on machines for outfits that Ray Luc Levasseur occupied former Goodall buildings while December/2017 awaiting our fate with the Vietnam draft. I worked just around the corner from Al at Le Forum's summer/2017 issue pub- doned mills continued to play out when the Eastern Plastics Corp and his death left me lished my short story, STONES. The story five-story, long idle, Stenton Trust Mill was wondering which was the greater threat to is autobiographical fiction. Truth is I was torched and gutted to its miserable core. The my life – war or factory work. one of the boys depicted in the story and we building was initially owned and operated No one was prosecuted or punished did smash the windows of a dormant textile as part of the Goodall mill empire until the for the death of Albert Glaude. mill in the Springvale section of Sanford, town was left punch-drunk by the termina- However, the powers-that-be wasted Maine. As a 9 year old I felt abandoned tion of nearly 4,000 jobs in the early 1950's. no time in charging three children with the mills were a curse on those of us who lived A spin-off of Goodall, Seamloc Carpet Stenton mill fire. Two 13 and one 12-year in their shadows. Sixty-one years later I still Company then occupied the building prior to old were charged with felony arson and feel this way. Stenton. It was at Seamloc that 18 year old confined at Long Creek juvenile prison. I Shortly after STONES June publica- Albert Glaude was killed in 1965. Al was as- find it profoundly disturbing that we still jail tion, the real-life story of Sanford's aban- phyxiated when a machine's rollers crushed (Continued on page 37) 36 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 (Requiem for Albert Glaude continued buildings and single family homes as well No surprise that Gateway was located from page 36) as subsidized housing. Also in the shadow in a gambling mecca because with its LLC children this age, be it for status (non-crimi- of Stenton is what's been called “ground zero protection in was running a Three-Card nal) or criminal offenses. America's race to of Sanford's heroin epidemic.” If you've Monte con on the town of Sanford, where the top as the world's largest prison system got a good arm you can throw a stone from the dealer always wins and the conned employs the use of prisons and criminal ground zero and smash a Stenton window. always loses. justice mechanisms as a front-line response Drug abuse is up in Sanford, along with Meantime, the boys were being held to social problems, from poverty and racism foreclosures, joblessness and the high school fully accountable. They were released from to mental illness and drug addiction. drop out rate. Needless to say, the average prison on July 5 and placed under house Mill and factory owners in Sanford household income is down. arrrest. At court appearances in October and made big money. Albert Glaude, and others Ain't the first time a Sanford neighbor- November they admitted to “criminal mis- killed on the job were sacrificial lambs for hood has got a bad rap. In 1971 the Sanford chief” for starting the Stenton fire. Each was profit. Waterways near the mill and factories Tribune editorialized in favor of an urban re- sentenced to one year probation under very were thoroughly polluted, as was the very newal project referring to the neighborhood strict conditions. The felony arson charge ground these buildings stand on. (The EPA I grew up in as a “Hideous wasteland that was continued with the judge retaining au- removed barrels of hazardous wastes from lies between Main street and the river.” So thority to adjudicate the charge should he be the Stenton mill site 7 years ago but there's they obtained the funds and bulldozed much dissatisfied with the boys conduct while on plenty more there in the form of lead and of the neighborhood. There's now an empty probation. Restitution was not part of the asbestos). The labor force was squeezed lot where I lived with my family. There's sentences because the boys families don't to work more hours for less money. Work condos where a textile mill stood. Main have the money. was often the tedious, mind-numbing sort street now looks like the homogenized main Following the sentences the District (my job at Eastern Plastics most Attorney (prosecutor) emphasized certainly was). And when Fran- that the boys were being held “acco-Americans first broke into the countable” for their crime, and will workforce they suffered discrimi- be under “constant supervision.” nation in job assignments and were She also suggested that probation the first to be laid off. could also include involvement in The Goodall mill owners the “restorative justice” process. are considered the patron saints In theory, restorative justice of Sanford by some. I'm not one looks to be an improvement over of them. I can't see how those the current criminal justice system who exploit others for profit, then based on punishment and retribu- abandon them, should be idolized. tion. Restorative justice too em- While Goodall continued to press phasizes “accountability” but goes workers for less wages and more beyond punishment to address and productivity, i.e. more speed-up, repair the harm caused to individ- investment bankers gained a foothold in drag in thousands of other urban renewals. uals and community by a law breaker. The the Goodall empire. And then came the But, hey, its got a Rite Aid. problem in this case is that if these boys are union busting Burlington Industries which After smoke cleared from the Stenton subjected to the restorative justice process bought a controlling interest in Goodall. fire the town tried to identify and locate the as currently practiced they will be the only After assuring the people of Sanford that current owner of the building. The task was ones held accountable. Missing from the the Goodall mills would remain in Sanford, like following the paper trail of a fugitive process would be the Goodall family, their Burlington proceeded to strip those same from justice. Every bank and other “insti- surrogates, banks, financial investors, Seam- mills of its newest and best machinery and tution” that once owned Stenton claimed no loc, Stenton, Gateway LLC, and any other sent it to its southern mills. That was the current connection to the property. The last profit driven entity connected to the Stenton kiss of death that left almost 4,000 Sanford owner of record was Gateway LLC whose buildings that caused harm to individuals workers jobless. chief executive was tracked to the gambling and community. There are not only lessons in this, mecca of Reno, Nevada. He also denied Indeed, to get at the real harm done there are crimes. any current connection to the Stenton mill. by the aforementioned would require trans- The charred hulk of the Stenton mill As a Limited Liability Company Gateway's formative justice which takes some restor- is a monument to what happens in the wake members cannot be held personally liable for ative justice principles and infuses it with of misuse, abuse and abandonment. Prior to the companies debts and liabilities. That's a social justice. In a more just world we'd the fire the Stenton buildings (there are two) sweet arrangement that allows Gateway to hold Goodall to Gateway accountable and were riddled with smashed windows and walk away from removing the fire's debris squeeze them for reparations for the harm attracted adventurous kids, skateboarding and its toxic wastes. It also enables it to they've inflicted on others. Transformative teens and anyone seeking temporary shelter avoid paying $157,521.72 in unpaid prop- justice might entail removing the statue of from the elements. There are still many erty taxes, any fees and interest attached to mill emperor Thomas Goodall from near “French” in the neighborhoods surrounding this debt, and any liens on the property. In the town square and replacing it with a the Stenton mill living in small apartment other words – no accountability. (Continued on page 38)

37 Le Forum BOOKS/ LIVRES...

LUCIENNE LA SIMPLE D’ESPRIT par Norman Beaupré

femme qui a du “casque” et de l’entrain. Sa fille, Lucienne, découvre, malgré ses limites intellectuelles dites d’arriérage, qu’elle a des dons de la guérisseuse. Lucienne devient la femme qui, en dépit de ses challenges, se Normand Beaupré est né dans l’État voit femme entière et mûre dans une com- du Maine en Nouvelle-Angleterre où il munauté en gestation façonnée d’émigrés de grandit comme Francophone, et plus tard, la descendance des colons pur-laine telle les devient écrivain bilingue. Il a passé plus de Lanouette de Batiscan au Québec. trente ans dans l’enseignement universitaire. Plus qu’un roman, c’est une page de la Il est présentement Professeur Émérite à réalité historique qui nous révèle les défis et l’Université de la Nouvelle-Angleterre au les luttes, ainsi que les accomplissements et Maine. Il a beaucoup voyage en Europe, les succès d’un peuple d’émigrés qui devient au Mexique, et en Amérique du Sud. Il est à la longue les Franco-Américains. l’auteur de vingt-deux oeuvres publiées en français et en anglais. Sa dernière oeuvre est ISBN 978-1-64151-161-2 Paperback un roman basé sur la vie artistique de Rosa Voilà l’histoire de trois générations ISBN 978-1-64151-165-0 Hard Cover Bonheur. Il fut décoré par le gouvernement québécoises qui aboutit à l’émigration aux Format: 6 x 9 in - 229 pages de France alors qu’on lui décerna une mé- États-Unis en Nouvelle-Angleterre. Elle est Language: French daille avec le rang d’Officier dans l’Ordre tissée d’aventures et d’événements assez des Arts et Lettres en 2008. frappants pour susciter l’intérêt de ceux et celles qui jouissent des effets de la passion d’amour, de l’attachement à un héritage Norman R. Beaupré vibrant, du défi de l’émigration, du chagrin de la mort, en plus du bouleversement d’une 14 Gertrude Avenue, jeune femme hantée par ses incapacités Biddeford, Maine 04005 intellectuelles et qui est connue sous la l’appellation de Lucienne, la simple d’esprit. Son histoire nous emmène au centre Email: [email protected] des filatures en Nouvelle-Angleterre où oeuvrent ces émigrés, souvent appelés les Website: http://www.nrbeaupre.com travailleurs de moulins. Cousue dans cette aventure est l’histoire de Célie et son amant https://www.amazon.com/Lucienne-Simple-DEsprit-Normand-Beaupre/ algonquin, Timiskamengo, ainsi que l’his- dp/1641511613/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1513048219&sr=1-2 toire de Héloïse Lanouette Charbonneau, la (Requiem for Albert Glaude continued My uncle, a life-long resident of San- the greatest sacrifices and endure the most from page 37) ford, told me a couple years ago that a good pain while the profit-makers continue to statue honoring Albert Glaude and all the barometer of Sanford's economic health can short-change us as they deflect any attempts men, women and children who labored in be determined by watching the commuter to hold them accountable. Sanford's mills. traffic each morning from the town square. Sanford officials are already talking Mill backwash continued into the 21st It's mostly outward bound towards the jobs “redevelopment” of the Stenton mill prop- century when Tennford Weaving Company that Sanford lacks. erty once they obtain funding and the debris terminated its workforce of over 100, closed The story of Albert Glaude, abandon- and hazardous materials are removed. All it its doors and skedaddled south in 2001. One ment, neglect, and the punishment of 12 and took to get them to do what should have been of those terminated was my mother. None 13-year olds is not unique to Sanford. We done decades before was 3 adventurous boys who lost their jobs received their promised see it in communities from West Virginia to with a pack of matches. Perhaps the boys severance pay. Located in an old Goodall Michigan. While every ethnic group, race should receive a public service award rather building, Tennford was a couple blocks and gender is impacted, the common de- than punishment and a criminal record. from Stenton. nominator is class. It is workers who make 38 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 BOOKS/ LIVRES...

L’intérieur du capot avant

Compilé par M. Trefflé Jacques Lessard. Originaire d’une famille francophone, le français était la seule langue parlée dans notre maison. Tout le quartier ne parlait que le français aussi. J’ai assisté à une école paroissiale qui a enseigné les séances du matin Études françaises, francophones et en anglais et en français dans l’après-midi. québécoises En finissant la 8e année, J’ai assisté à une Voici: Je réponds toujours aux gens école publique jusqu’à l’obtention du di- qui me disent qu’ils ne connaissent pas la plôme. langue française et qu’ils connaissent déjà J’ai également recherché mon ancêtre beaucoup de mots. J’explique que tous les qui a navigué de Chambois Normandie à la mots anglais qui se terminent par un (tion) Nouvelle-France (maintenant appelé Qué- ou (sion) sont épelés et signifient exactement bec) au début des années 1600. la même chose dans les deux langues et ils Je me suis toujours demandé quand sont surpris. j’étais un jeune étudiant, combien de mots Exemple: attention, admission, con- ont la même orthographe et les mêmes fusion, permission, fabrication, accélération, significations dans les deux langues. Cela coordination, etc. etc. etc. For those among you who are not m’a incité à rechercher des geographically aware that Maine borders the Cognates (Mots Apparenté) provinces of Québec and New Brunswick, français-anglais communs. whose heritage most of whom reverts to Je suis étonné que Normandy, France. tant de personnes anglais et The states of Maine, New Hampshire de français ne réalisent pas and Vermont all border this French Canadian ce potentiel. Cette liste d’an- province, Québec and consequently these glophones est incroyablement three states now consist of 40% French de- longue. Si vous pensiez que scendants and from that, the state of Maine l’apprentissage du vocabulaire is 50%. français était difficile, com- I have recently relocated to the cap- mencez par cette liste et vous itol city of Augusta, Maine from Winslow, serez étonné. Maine. I am amazed that there are so many Après avoir obtenu French descendants that are living in Au- mon diplôme de l école secon- gusta and also the governor is a French daire, je suis entré dans un ap- descendant. prentissage de machine-outil This booklet that I am marketing is an de quatre ans et je suis devenu excellent tool to augment and improve ones certifié. French language. Sujet: Mots Appar- There are more than 3ooo cognates in our entés French/English language. Here is an example. Dans notre langue Française - Anglaise il y a beaucoup de mots apparentés. J’ai aussi produit plusieurs livres Ce livre aidera certai- français ayant des couvertures françaises et nement les francophones par- aussi les pages d’instructions. Si les élèves lant français à améliorer leur avaient une copie française de ce livre, ils vocabulaire et leurs aptitudes seraient en mesure de cultiver et d’acquérir à écrire. Les accents dictent une meilleure récolte. seulement la prononciation. Note: If you choose to do group purchasing on a single purchase order, the cost will drop to $15.00 each. 39 Le Forum

Our newest release, available now, Acadian Traditions: Preserving Acadian Ways in the St. John Valley. Acadian Traditions is an hour-long film exploring how Acadian ways have survived in the St. John Valley of Northern Maine into the 21st Cen- tury. Brought to The Valley by their ancestors, who came here as refugees in 1785, these early Acadian practices have been remarkably preserved. Some traditions were taught to the Acadians by the Native Americans in Nova Scotia, and some can be traced back to France. Other customs were born out of settling in a harsh, North American climate and having to rely on community connections to survive. See how the Acadian descendants tap the trees to make maple syrup off the grid, watch them make snowshoes – the only mode of travel in winter years ago; view the way pre-school children are taught French through songs and games, and see how buckwheat is harvested and turned into ployes. These and many other Acadian customs are featured. They are filmed in the beautiful St. John Valley with its forests, fields and slow flowing river. Running Time: 1 Hour. Price: 19.95

Email: [email protected]

Aroostook Calendar and Acadia of the Lands and Forests DVD $29.95

A beautiful Aroostook County Calendar combined with our new release: Acadia Of The Lands And Forests: Highlights of the CMA 2014. This year's calendar once more captures nostalgic and beautiful scenery that can still be seen in Aroostook County – from an ivy-covered, abandoned house in spring to an old mowing machine and wind mill in winter and from a summer boating scene at sunset to farm horses in a freshly mown field in the fall. Stunning scenery from southern Aroostook to The Valley reflects the unique geography and way of life in this special corner of Maine. Includes a map of Aroostook marked to show where these beautiful locations can be over seventeen days in Northern Maine, New Brunswick and Que- found. Makes a great gift to be enjoyed for only three-and-a-half bec! From the Wampum Ceremony to the Choirs at St. Bruno and cents per day, all year long! Only $12.95! from the Ferryboat Crossing to the Tintamarre Parade, join with The included two-hour DVD features the sights and sounds Acadians from around the globe as they explore and celebrate their of the Congrès mondial acadien 2014 /World Acadian Congress. unique history, heritage and culture. Enjoy the festivities of this joyful phenomenon that took place CrownofMaineProductions.com 40 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 Movie Review Revue de film The Home Road, directed by Tonya Shevenell (Home Ice Productions, 2017)

On a cool, cloudy morning in May images from remote parts of New Hamp- Ray Shevenell on the road 2015, 74-year-old Ray Shevenell set out shire and Maine. What secret self-doubt, (Photo used with permission) from Compton, Quebec, determined to we are left to wonder, might have animated reach Biddeford, Maine—some 200 miles Israel’s mind in these wilds, while stubborn- is needed on French-Canadian migration away—on foot. ness forced him forward? The trials of the prior to the Civil War. How exceptional As Ray’s daughter Tonya reminds us Ray’s trek, even with modern conveniences, was Israel? in a newly-released film, if the idea sounds should elicit admiration but also temper our In a different sense, Ray and Tonya absurd, it still wasn’t quite original. In the inclination to romanticize the old “pioneer are exceptional and opportunities to view spring of 1845, Israel Shevenell (1826- days.” the film remain. Screening events were held 1912), Ray’s great-great-grandfather, had Beyond its cinematic qualities, as To- last summer and fall; additional dates have himself made the trek from the Eastern nya Shevenell’s first production,The Home been set for March and April. Encouraged by Townships to southern Maine. Israel had Road shines for its sincerity. It is a touching this first foray, the director expects to release been a young man with an idea; he became homage to family, an unadorned tale of ad- a book on lessons drawn from the trek and the first French Canadian in Biddeford. Ere venture, and a statement about unexpected has begun work on a second documentary, long, he persuaded his parents and siblings twists in the road—the ones Ray faced in his which highlights stories from Maine’s past. to join him. walk to Maine, but also the figurative bends Information on the movie and the jour- Tonya Shevenell’s The Home Road that made this story possible. Appearances ney behind it is available on an accompany- chronicles Ray’s journey over the course of by Franco-American history writers James ing website, http://www.thehomeroad.com/. thirteen days. It is a story that the filmmaker Myall and David Vermette add valuable continually enriches with her father’s past context along the way. If questions linger — Patrick Lacroix and with the aspirations of generations at the end, it is not that the director fails to before him. Its challenges are rendered in do justice to the past. Rather, more research

The Home Road is inspired by the This walk is the foundation for The Email: [email protected] coming-of-age story of my great-great-great Home Road documentary film. Layered over grandfather, Israel Shevenell. I wish I could this adventure are narrations, interviews, talk to the 19-year old who set out on foot archive photos and film, and stories; ex- April 1st, 1845, headed southeast from his ploring the themes of migration, movement home in Compton, Quebec; crossed the bor- and "home". der; trudged through lingering winter snow in New Hampshire's White Mountains and deep mud in the Saco Valley; and arrived All Home Ice Productions and at his destination of Biddeford, Maine two Malibu Maine orders are personally weeks later. He earned $8 a week as a brick fulfilled by Tonya or Matt, so please maker in this booming coastal town; it was steady work and more money than he could feel free to contact us or say hello at make farming at home. He walked back to [email protected] or Quebec that fall and convinced his family to [email protected] or move to Biddeford with him. Israel became call 207-400-0231. the city's first permanent French-Canadian Our mailing address is THE HOME ROAD - settler; contributed to its growth and changed DOCUMENTARY FILM the course of Shevenell family history. In 2015, my father, Ray Shevenell, celebrated Home Ice Productions A 74-year-old Maine man retraces the the 170th anniversary of this pioneering trek PO Box 10418 journey of his pioneering, 19-year-old by retracing Israel's journey, walking the Portland, ME 04104. great-great-grandfather, who left his nearly 200 miles from Compton, Quebec to home in Canada in 1845. Biddeford, Maine. https://malibu-maine.myshopify.com 41 Le Forum POÉSIE/POETRY Recipes/Recettes Still Life With Champagne and Wine Bottles

Daneault/ Leblanc/ Fournier relatives and Le Forum readers: may your post-party moments be as joyous as mine. . .

Next-to-last guests linger by the steps deaf to their friends’ horns honking. Voices plead “You, in the pickup. Back out! Then, the clean-up crew Sketch of Margaret Langford departs muttering: “So much left to do . . . “ by Ernie Hébert Dozing, I find myself in the past But I, admiring the half-cleared space— partying with famous revelers. wadded cloths, bottles, plates all askew— While Eliot and Stein both peruse my verse, with camera in hand, seek the right shot. Dali makes an odd sketch of my clutter. What shall I leave? discard? arrange? Now, will we dine at Chez Maxim Musing, I place foie gras, and dips, where the blasé elite often gather? on a gaudy plate with crackers. Then, wind up our night at the Moulin Rouge Something’s lacking; I fill a flute with Lautrec, La Goulue, and the cancan? from a lingering champagne bottle. As we drink, eat, dance, and cavort, Suddenly, a thought: The City of Lights— my muse whispers she’s very inspired. with its artists, writers, musicians. When we sleep at last, we’ll dream the still life— If the right film invites me, I’ll go there tonight. proudly poised—awaiting its photo. Let me see …Voilà! Midnight in Paris. Margaret S. Langford

(écrit apres lecture du Forum, Vol. 39 #2, Sumer/été 2017, parution "le reportage chez les Cannucks" m'a inspiré, voici une petite création spontanée) Québec

LE Clou d'Amerique Ville de souvenirs Tellement de rêves d’avenir quand je suis né là-bas dans ma campagne, au bout des chemins creux, Ville d’Histoire dans une maison rude et simple, là où vivaienr des gens heureux, Tellement d’espoir ma mère sur mon berceau s’est penchée, et dans ma main elle à glissé, Un objet petit mais dur, aux angles arrondis, la pointe bien acérée. Si un jour je pouvais Revoir ta splendeur d’autrefois Cétait un petit clou, beau et fier et raide comme le bon droit François Revoir tes habitants Qui glissait entre mes doigts, mais qui en silence s’attachait fort à moi Avec leur courage ardent. Elle me dit mon enfant écoute ces mots et grave les à jamais dans ta mémoire Car ce clou, est rempli de ta culture, de ton identité de tous tes liens et ton savoir. Gloire de nos ancêtres Fierté de nos pères Garde le sur ton cœur, tiens le bien au chaud l’hiver,partage avec lui tes bonheurs Amour de leur Patrie Dis lui tes peines, dis lui tes espoirs, dis lui aussi tes rages,il est ton tuteur Et de leur Dieu bénit. fonce dans la vie, sans jamais le lacher, et ton clou bien à toi, il te faut l’enfoncer partout où tu iras, n’enfonce que le tien, oublies celui des autres,surtout des etrangers. Ne perdons pas leur foi Soyons fidèle à leur loi ET quand tu vieilliras, au soir de ton chemin, transmet le aux enfants qui mènent leur destin Cultivons notre Héritage dis leur que sans ce clou, leur vie, ne serait plus rien, qu’un tas de chimères,ou de machins Faisons le Pélerinage. que leurs ancêtres français, fondateurs du pays,doivent par leurs gestes revivre en permanence et qu’ainsi pur toujours aux soleil d’Amérique, une flamme Francoéclaire nos silences. –– Adrienne Pelletier LePage –– Michel Lacaux 17.07.17 42 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 Recipes/Recettes (N.D.L.R. since the Spring issue of Le Forum will be out after Mardi Gras, I thought of printing this recipe in this issue.) King Cake with Cream Cheese Cinnamon Filling

Submitted by Danielle Laliberte Beaupré

2 - 8 oz. cans of reduced fat crescent rolls 4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese Mardi Gras Icing 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup confectioner’s sugar 2 tablespoons butter 1-2 tablespoons skim milk Dozing, I find myself in the past 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract partying with famous revelers. 1/3 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon round cinnamon yellow, green, red and blue While Eliot and Stein both peruse my verse, food coloring Dali makes an odd sketch of my clutter. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 10” round pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray. Seperate crescent rolls at perforations into 16 slices. Place slices around prepared pan In a small bowl, combine all ingredi- Now, will we dine at Chez Maxim ents except food coloring. Divide mixture where the blasé elite often gather? with points in the center. About halfway down from the points, press seams of individual rolls together to form into 3 bowls. In first bowl, add a few drops Then, wind up our night at the Moulin Rouge of yellow food coloring. In second bowl with Lautrec, La Goulue, and the cancan? a joined circle of rolls. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioner’s sugar and vanilla until creamy. Spread on dough in the center where seams have been pressed together. add a fewe drops of green food coloring. In third bowl add equal drops of red and blue As we drink, eat, dance, and cavort, In another small bowl, combine batter, brown sugar, and cinnamon mix with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese. Fold dough points over filling, then fold bot- food coloring to create a purple. Drizzle my muse whispers she’s very inspired. over baked cake. When we sleep at last, we’ll dream the still life— tom of triangle over points, forming a circular roll like a king cake. The filling should be proudly poised—awaiting its photo. completely covered by the crescent rolls at this point. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and drizzle with Margaret S. Langford colored Mardi Gras Icing.

History of King Cakes dessert and snack in New Orleans during grown in popularity at children’s parties Mardi Gras. Hundreds of thousands of King is to serve cupcakes decorated like regular Epiphany, celebrated in Europe- Cakes are eaten in New Orleans during the kingcakes and put a baby in each one. That an countries, marks the coming of the wise Carnival season. way, every child will experience the thrill of men who brought gifts to the Christ Child. Many are shipped throughout the U.S. finding the baby! Epiphany is also called Little Christmas on for those displaced New Orleanians longing the Twelfth Night, and is celebrated twelve for a taste of Mardi Gras. In fact, a Mardi nights after Christmas. People from all of Gras party wouldn’t be a Mardi Gras party the world celebrate Epiphany by exchanging without a King Cake. gifts and feasting. A very popular custom You might be wondering, “Why on that is still celebrated is the making of the earth would a plastic baby be inside of a “King’s Cake” which represents the three cake?” Well, the baking of King Cakes kings who brought gifts. A plastic baby is is a tradition in New Orleans that begins baked inside the King Cake, and the tradition on King’s Day, at the start of the Mardi is whoever receives the baby in their piece Gras season. A tiny baby, just like the ones of cake must buy the next King Cake or you see here, is baked into the cake. The throw the next party. King Cakes are made person whose piece of cake contains the of a cinnamon filled dough in the shape of baby furnishes the King Cake for the next a hollow circle. The cake is topped with a party (which are usually held once a week delicious glazed topping and then sprinkled on Sundays until Fat Tuesday.) However, with colored sugar. The three colors of the when celebrating Mardi Gras out of town, sugar are Purple (representing Justice), most people regard the person who ‘got Green (representing Faith) and Gold (rep- the baby’ as the King or Queen of the party resenting Power). Today the King Cakes being held. Either way, it is a tasty way to Mardi Gras are baked with a wide assortment of fillings spend an afternoon, and we promise you’ll inside the cake. King Cake is the preferred love it, too! A new idea that has recently Feb. 13, 2018 43 Le Forum Coin des jeunes...

Douce nuit

Douce nuit, sainte nuit! Dans les cieux ! L’astre luit. Le mystère annoncé s’accomplit Cet enfant sur la paille endormi, C’est l’amour infini! C’est l’amour infini!

Saint enfant, doux agneau! Qu’il est grand! Qu’il est beau! Entendez résonner les pipeaux Des bergers conduisant leurs troupeaux Vers son humble berceau! Vers son humble berceau

C’est vers nous qu’il accourt, En un don sans retour! De ce monde ignorant de l’amour, Où commence aujourd’hui son séjour, Qu’il soit Roi pour toujours! Qu’il soit Roi pour toujours!

Silent Night

Silent night, holy night! All is calm, all is bright. Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child. Holy infant so tender and mild, Sleep in heavenly peace, Sleep in heavenly peace

Silent night, holy night! Shepherds quake at the sight. Glories stream from heaven afar Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia, Christ the Savior is born! Christ the Savior is born

Silent night, holy night! Son of God love's pure light. Radiant beams from Thy holy face With dawn of redeeming grace, Jesus Lord, at Thy birth Jesus Lord, at Thy birth

44 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 mant que la jeune prisonnière s’était adaptée Même si aujourd’hui certains pensent à la culture et à la vie des Haudenosaunee que les récits de Marie de l’Incarnation Une menterie (Iroquois). Quelques années plus tard, selon figurent plutôt dans l’imaginaire et le fan- Marie de l’Incarnation, Monsieur de Tracy tastique, il faut comprendre qu’à ce temps historique! avait obtenu le retour de prisonniers français. et même dans un passé assez rapproché les DECEMBER 12, 2017 Marie Guyart, (Marie de l’Incarnation) avait gens croyaient beaucoup à ces manifes- par Robert Bérubé rédigé le suivant: (selon Tanguay) tations. Les livres d’histoire sont remplis d’événements légendaires hors du commun « Elle fut emmenée dans leur pays où ayant comme fonction la moralité et le ca- elle demeura près de neuf ans ! Elle se plût tholicisme. Même si les faits sont inexacts ce tellement aux coutumes de ces sauvages qui comptait c’était la piété et la foi! qu’elle était résolue de passer avec eux le Donc, voici une courte biographie reste de sa vie. M. de Tracy ayant obligé de nos deux Jeanne Baillargeon: (A) et (B) cette nation à rendre tous les Français qu’ils tenaient captifs, elle se retira dans Jeanne Baillargeon (A) les bois de crainte de retourner en son Jeanne Baillargeon fille de Jean pays. Lorsqu’elle se croyait en assurance, Baillargeon et de Marguerite Guillebour- une religieuse lui apparût et la menaça de day est née le 4 mai 1651. Elle a été baptisé la châtier si elle ne retournait pas avec les le 7 mai 1651 à Québec. Le 28 novembre Lorsque j’étais très jeune nous fais- Français. La crainte la fit sortir du bois 1664, elle épousa Jean Labrecque fils de ions une distinction entre une menterie et et se joindre aux autres captifs que l’on Jacques Labrecque et de Jeanne Baron, à un mensonge. Un mensonge c’était le mot mettait en liberté. À son retour, M. de Tracy Château-Richer. Jean est né le 30 août 1634 utilisé par et pour les religieuses lorsque lui donna cinquante écus pour se marier ; à Saint-Jacques de Dieppe. Jean est décédé quelqu’un ne disait pas la vérité et une men- mais il voulut qu’elle fût premièrement mise le 31 juillet 1673 à Tadoussac. Il s’était noyé terie c’était la parole utilisée pour toutes les aux Ursulines pour reprendre l’esprit du à Chicoutimi. Jeanne trouva Pierre Brulon autres personnes. Si on ajoutait le qualificatif christianisme, qui s’était fort affaibli parmi comme conjoint en deuxième noces, le 1 de grosse, petite, maudite, ou de (insérer un les Iroquois. Quand elle vit le tableau de la novembre 1674 à Sainte-Famille de l’Île sacre) de menterie cela augmentait ou dimin- mère Marie de Saint-Joseph, elle s’écria : d’Orléans. Pierre décéda le 8 janvier 1678. uait la sévérité du vocable. Aujourd’hui, je Ah, c’est celle-là qui m’a parlé, et elle avait et elle devient l’épouse d’Antoine Mondain, veux corriger une menterie historique! le même habit.» le 3 février 1681 à Saint-Laurent de l’Île Dans son dictionnaire généalogique d’Orléans. Antoine est décédé le 16 octobre et dans “À travers les registres”, en 1886, Donc, si elle a été prisonnière pendant 1707 et Jeanne est décédé le 19 août 1729 et Cyprien Tanguay raconte une histoire au neuf ans, elle aurait été âgée de 13 ans à elle a été enterrée le lendemain, à Québec. sujet d’une Jeanne Baillargeon et ce racon- son retour si nous utilisons les données de tar a été répété par plusieurs. Certains l’ont Tanguay. (1668-1670) transformé, il y en a d’autres qui se disputent Il faut admettre que cette histoire est car il y a deux jeunes femmes nommées extraordinaire et que pour des croyants fer- Jeanne Baillargeon qui sont nées dans la vents, il est très intéressant d’avoir un mira- même période de temps. cle qui figure dans l’arbre généalogique. Ce Les deux Jeanne Baillargeon sont qui expliquerait en partie pourquoi certaines mes ancêtres donc, je vous parle d’elles familles Baillargeon se sont disputées dans aujourd’hui. le passé afin que leur Jeanne soit la source En citant Marie de l’Incarnation, de la vision. Tanguay raconte que les Iroquois avaient massacré plusieurs familles françaises et ils avaient capturé plusieurs prisonniers y compris une jeune fille âgée d’environ neuf ans qu’il nomme Jeanne Baillargeon. La citation de Tanguay est rattachée à Jeanne Baillargeon fille de Jean Baillargeon et de Marguerite Guillebourday dans son dictionnaire. Dans “À travers les registres”, il note “qu’ elle avait été enlevée en 1655, et était âgée de quatre ans seulement”. Ce qui veut dire que la prisonnière est née en 1651. Plusieurs personnes disent que Tanguay s’est trompé et que la Jeanne Baillargeon de l’histoire est la fille de Mathurin Baillargeon et de Marie Métayer. Tanguay continue son récit en affir- (suite page 46) 45 Le Forum (Une menterie historique! suite de page 45) Jeanne Baillargeon fille de Mathurin Baillargeon et de Marie Métayer est née et a été baptisée le 5 novembre 1654 à Trois-Rivières. Le 16 juin 1669, elle épousa Paul Hus, au Cap-de-la-Madeleine. Paul est le fils de Léonard Hus et de Marguerite Lefan et il est né le 16 février 1645 à Petite Couronne Montigny, Rouen. Jeanne (B) est décédée le 19 août 1733 et elle a été enterrée le lendemain à Sorel. Paul Hus est décédé le 20 mars 1734 à Sorel.

Jeanne Baillargeon et Paul Hus sont parents des enfants suivants:

Donc, laquelle des deux Jeanne Bail- largeon est l’observatrice du phantasme? La réponse est aucune d’entre elles. Il existe un autre document qui raconte cette histoire et c’est le livre: “Les Ursulines de Québec” aux Editions Darveau (1863). Dans la section intitulée “Deux cap- tives ramenées des cinq-cantons par le Mar- quis de Tracy—Iroquoises aux Ursulines” nous apprenons l’histoire de deux jeunes filles françaises qui avaient été enlevées lors de leur enfance et qu’elles avaient été ramenées avec un grand nombre de prisonniers de guerre. Elles avaient été rachetées et ramenées au pays par le Marquis de Tracy qui les fit entrer au pensionnat. Elles avaient vécu dans le territoire Iroquois aujourd’hui dans l’État de New York. Les renseignements suivants ont été repérés par les religieuses: “Le 28 mai 1666, sont entrées Marie M. Bourgery, âgée de quinze ans, et Anne Baillargeon, âgée de dix-huit ans, qui avaient été prises par les Iroquois et ramenées au pays par nos troupes…” Les auteurs répètent l’histoire de la jeune Baillargeon y compris l’histoire de l’apparition. Donc, les deux Jeanne Baillargeon ne sont pas les garantes de la manifes- tation. Cependant, Anne Baillargeon est la soeur d’une des Jeanne. Anne est la fille de Mathurin Baillargeon et de Ma- rie Métayer. Elle n’est pas notre ancêtre. Anne Baillargeon est née le 19 novembre 1651, à Trois-Rivières. Elle épousa Jean Bolton (Polton) vers 1667?, au Cap-de-la- Madeleine. Elle épousa Jacques Duguay en secondes noces, le 29 avril 1709, à Trois-Rivières. Elle est décédée le 8 mars 1722 à Trois-Rivières. Il semblerait qu’Anne n’a pas eu d’enfants.

(suite page 47) 46 WINTER/HIVER 2017-18 Franco-American Families 53C Edouard 14 Nov 1917 Emilia Soucy Lille (Grand-Isle) 53F of Maine 53D Laura 13 Jun 1910 Donat Bossé Augusta(St.Aug.) par Bob Chenard, Joséphine 19 Jan 1914 Wilfrid Letendre Augusta(St.Aug.) Thomas 29 Jun 1920 Bernadette-Ange Beaudoin Augusta(St.Aug.) 53G Waterville, Maine Odile 07 May 1923 Jules-J. Jolicoeur Augusta(St.Aug.) Euchariste-J.08 Mar 1924 M.-Clémentine Lessard Augusta(St.Aug.) Les Familles Daigle Lucie 01 Jun 1925 Napoléon-E. Poulin Augusta(St.Aug.) Welcome to my column. Over the years Le 53E Olivine 05 Oct 1918 Wilfrid Letendre Augusta(St.Aug.) Forum has published numerous families. Copies (widower of Joséphine Daigle) of these may still be available by writing to the 53F Élise-M. 07 Oct 1942 Conrad Rivard Lewiston(St.Mary) Franco-American Center. Listings such as this 53G Lionel-Viateur15 May 1944 Jeanne'd'Arc Arbour Augusta(St.Aug.) 53H one are never complete. However, it does provide Lucille-M. 19 Apr 1950 Paul-Émile Bilodeau Augusta(St.Aug.) you with my most recent and complete file of 53H Arlene 13 Jul 1963 Gary-N., Towle Augusta(St.Aug.) marriages tied to the original French ancestor. Dolores1m.15 Apr 1967 Charles-E. Harriman Augusta(St.Aug.) "2m. 11 Dec 1970 Ronald Pushard Augusta(civil) How to use the family listings: The left-hand "rev. 11 Sep 1971 " " Augusta(St.Aug.) column lists the first name (and middle name or 61A George 28 Nov 1946 Ida Simard Lewiston(HC) initial, if any) of the direct descendants of the 74A Denis 01 Aug 1908 Amanda Bouchard Wallagrass 74B ancestor identified as number 1 (or A, in some 74B Arthur 02 Apr 1934 Rose-Emma Moreau Biddeford(St.Jos.) cases). The next column gives the date of mar- Paul 27 Jun 1936 Armande Bisaillon Biddeford(St.Jos.) riage, then the spouce (maiden name if female) Réginald 19 Apr 1947 Annette Grégoire Biddeford(St.Jos.) followed by the town in which the marriage took 75A David 12 Apr 1920 Laura Lajoie Van Buren 75B place. There are two columns of numbers. The Hippolite-Simon 27 Jun 1921 Willina Hébert Frenchville 75C 75B Joseph-L. 04 Jun 1945 Lucie Michaud Lewiston(SPP) one on the left side of the page, e.g., #2, is the 75C Alda 01 Jul 1948 Glorio Marchand Lewiston(HC) child of #2 in the right column of numbers. His 85A Rose-Délima 28 Nov 1942 Sylvio-J. Morin Lewiston(St.Mary) parents are thus #1 in the left column of numbers. 88A Rita 23 Dec 1935 Wilfrid Tardif Lewiston(SPP) Also, it should be noted that all the persons in the 96A Cletus, 19 20 May 1908 Éva Bernier, 20 Fitchburg, MA 96B first column of names under the same number are (b.1889 Fitchburg, MA) (b.Holyoke, MA)(Louis Bernier & Atta Allard) siblings (brothers & sisters). There may be other 96B Arthur-James28 Dec 1935 Éva-M. Leblanc Madison(St.Seb.) 96C siblings, but only those who had descendants that " 2m.24 Nov 1938 Phyllis-Eliz. Martin Skowhegan(NDL) married in Maine are listed in order to keep this Lester 10 May 1941 Jeannette Morrow Madison(St.Seb.) 96D Lorraine 13 Aug 1945 Gérald Bearor(Bérard) Madison(St.Seb.) listing limited in size. The listing can be used up Harrison 26 Jun 1947 Theresa Bearor(Bérard) Madison(St.Seb.) 96E or down - to find parents or descendants. The 96C Jacqueline-R.07 Jul 1956 Norman Cowan Madison(St.Seb.) best way to see if your ancestors are listed here 96D Rowena-Ann03 Sep 1960 Lawrence Leclair Madison(St.Seb.) is to look for your mother’s or grandmother’s Gloria-Francis21 Aug 1965 David-Walter Johnson Madison(St.Seb.) maiden name. Once you are sure you have the 96E Susan-M. 29 Jun 1968 Paul-R. Friend Madison(St.Seb.) right couple, take note of the number in the left column under which their names appear. Then, find the same number in the right-most column (Une menterie historique! suite de page 46) above. For example, if it’s #57C, simply look Voici les descendants de mes deux Jeanne jusqu’à moi. for #57C on the right above. Repeat the process for each generation until you get back to the first family in the list. The numbers with alpha suffixes (e.g. 57C) are used mainly for couple who married in Maine. Marriages that took place in Canada normally have no suffixes with the rare exception of small letters, e.g., “13a.” If there are gross errors or missing families, my sincere appologies. I have taken utmost care to be as accurate as possible. Please write to the FORUM staff with your corrections and/or additions with your supporting data. I provide this column freely with the purpose of encouraging Franco-Ameri- cans to research their personal genealogy and to take pride in their rich heritage. DAIGLE (Deag*) FAMILY #1 Olivier Daigre (and Daigle), born in 1643 in France, died in Acadia, married circa 1666 at Port Royal (today, Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia) to Marie Gaudet, daughter of Denis Gaudet and Martine Gauthier of France and Port Royal. Olivier arrived in Acadia around 1663. His ancestors are believed to have originated from d’Aigre in the ancient province of Saintonge, France. 47 Université du Maine Non-Profit Org. Le FORUM U.S. Postage Centre Franco-Américain PAID Orono, ME 04469-5719 Orono, Maine Permit No. 8 États-Unis Change Service Requested

THE FRANCO AMERICAN CENTRE LE CENTRE FRANCO AMÉRICAlN DE OF THE l’UNIVERSITÉ DU MAINE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE Le Bureau des Affaires franco-américains de l’Université du The University of Maine Office of Franco American Affairs was Maine fut fondé en 1972 par des étudiants et des bénévoles de la founded in 1972 by Franco American students and community volun- communauté franco-américaine. Cela devint par conséquent le Centre teers. It subsequently became the Franco American Centre. Franco-Américain. From the onset, its purpose has been to introduce and integrate the Dès le départ, son but fut d’introduire et d’intégrer le Fait Fran- Maine and Regional Franco American Fact in post-secondary academe co-Américain du Maine et de la Région dans la formation académique and in particular the University of Maine. post-secondaire et en particulier à l’Université du Maine. Given the quasi total absence of a base of knowledge within the Étant donné l’absence presque totale d’une base de connaissance University about this nearly one-half of the population of the State of à l’intérieur même de l’Université, le Centre Franco-Américain s’efforce Maine, this effort has sought to develop ways and means of making d’essayer de développer des moyens pour rendre cette population, son this population, its identity, its contributions and its history visible on identité, ses contributions et son histoire visible sur et en-dehors du and off campus through seminars, workshops, conferences and media campus à travers des séminaires, des ateliers, des conférences et des efforts — print and electronic. efforts médiatiques — imprimé et électronique. The results sought have been the redressing of historical neglect Le résultat espéré est le redressement de la négligence et de l’ig- and ignorance by returning to Franco Americans their history, their lan- norance historique en retournant aux Franco-Américains leur histoire, guage and access to full and healthy self realizations. Further, changes leur langue et l’accès à un accomplissement personnel sain et complet. within the University’s working, in its structure and curriculum are De plus, des changements à l’intérieur de l’académie, dans sa structure sought in order that those who follow may experience cultural equity, et son curriculum sont nécessaires afin que ceux qui nous suivent puisse have access to a culturally authentic base of knowledge dealing with vivre l’expérience d’une justice culturelle, avoir accès à une base de French American identity and the contribution of this ethnic group to connaissances culturellement authentique qui miroite l’identité et la this society. contribution de ce groupe ethnique à la société. MISSION OBJECTIFS: • To be an advocate of the Franco-American Fact at the Uni- 1 – D’être l’avocat du Fait Franco-Américain à l’Université du versity of Maine, in the State of Maine and in the region, and Maine, dans l’État du Maine et dans la région. • To provide vehicles for the effective and cognitive ex- 2 – D’offrir des véhicules d’expression affective et cognitive d’une pression of a collective, authentic, diversified and effective voice for voix franco-américaine effective, collective, authentique et diversifiée. Franco-Americans, and 3 – De stimuler le développement des offres de programmes • To stimulate the development of academic and non-academic académiques et non-académiques à l’Université du Maine et dans program offerings at the University of Maine and in the state relevant l’État du Maine, relatant l’histoire et l’expérience de la vie de ce groupe to the history and life experience of this ethnic group and ethnique. • To assist and support Franco-Americans in the actualization 4 – D’assister et de supporter les Franco-Américains dans l’ac- of their language and culture in the advancement of careers, personal tualisation de leur langue et de leur culture dans l’avancement de leurs growth and their creative contribution to society, and carrières, de l’accomplissement de leur personne et de leur contribution • To assist and provide support in the creation and implemen- créative à la société. tation of a concept of pluralism which values, validates and reflects 5 – D’assister et d’offrir du support dans la création et l’implémen- affectively and cognitively the Multicultural Fact in Maine and else- tation d’un concept de pluralisme qui value, valide et reflète effectivement where in North America, and et cognitivement le fait dans le Maine et ailleurs en Amérique du Nord. • To assist in the generation and dissemination of knowledge 6 – D’assister dans la création et la publication de la connaissance about a major Maine resource — the rich cultural and language diversity à propos d’une ressource importante du Maine — la riche diversité of its people.