A Publication of the American-French Genealogical Society
Volume 20 Number 2
Autumn 1997 AMERICAN-FRENCH GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY Post Office Box 2 1 13 Pawtucket, Rhode Island 0286 1-0 113
CORRESPONDENCE Written correspondence should be addressed only to our post ofice box. The library telephone number for voice and fax is (401) 765-6141. An answering machine will take messages when the library is not open. The Society can be reached by E-mail at AFGS @ ids.net. E-mail to the Editor of JMS should be addressed to delislep @ juno.com.
MEMBERSHIP Individual: $30.@'; family: $30." + $lO.Oo ea. addl. member; institutions: $27.0°, life: $360." Except for life memberships, add $2.J%utside of the United States. Make checks payable to the A.F.G.S. in U.S. funds. Non-US. residents must use postal money orders or credit cards.
LIBRARY Our library is located in the basement of the First Universalist Church at 78 Earle Street in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. It is open for research on Mondays froin 12 PM to 5 PM, Tuesdays from 1 PM to 10 PM, and the first and third Saturdays of each month froin 10 AM to 4 PM. The library is closed on all holidays.
RESEARCH The Society does undertake research for a fee. Please see our research policy elsewhere in this issue.
ARTICLES Original manuscripts are welcomed. Please see our authors' guide elsewhere in this issue.
ADVERTISING Rates for camera-ready copy are $50 for a full page, $25.00 for a half -page and $12.50 for a quarter-page. The Society assumes no responsibility for the quality of products or performance of services advertised in Je Me Souviens. The Soci- ety reserves the right to reject advertisements which it deeins inappropriate.
COPYRIGHT Je Me Souviens is O 1997 by the American-French Genealogical Society. All rights are reserved. No part of this publication inay be reproduced in any way without written permission of the A.F.G.S.
I.S.S.N.: 0195-7384 Table Of Contents
AFGS Mission Statement ...... 2 President's Message ...... 3 Authors' Guidelines ...... 4 La Survivance: From the French Canadian Struggle For Cultural Survival to World Class Museum ...... 5 Accepted Standards Of Conduct For Family History Researchers ...... 12 Anatomy Of A French Canadian Heritage ...... 13 Members' Corner ...... 20. 25. 67 Marie Rollet: Cultural Mediator ...... 21 A Romance With QuCbec ...A Rebuttal ...... 27 Marie Louise Martineau -A Biography ...... 35 Godfroy Daignault. Walter F. Fontaine And Alexander Gilbert ...... 39 Odds And Ends ...... 44, 48 Franco-American Veterans Of World War 1From Blackstone, MA ...... 45 Calite LavallCe ...... 47 Au Revoir. Lowell ...... 49 St. Lawrence Of New Bedford. MA ...... 53 A Family's Migration ...... 57 Searching For Roots - Finding Friends ...... 63 Mistaken Identity ...... 69 East Meets West ...... 71 Honey. Where's The Mail? ...... 73 AFGS Open House ...... 79 Librarian's Report ...... 89 Questions and Answers ...... 93 Index To This Issue ...... I08 Parting Shots ...... 112 NGS Mission Statement
- -
The mission of the American-French Genealogical Society is:
- To collect, preserve and publish genealogical, historical and bio- graphical matter relating to Americans of French and French-Cana- dian descent.
-To play an active part in the preservation ofFrench-Canadian heri- tage and culture in the United States.
- To establish and maintain a reference library and research center for the benefit of its members.
-To hold meetings for the instruction of its members.
- To disseminate information of value to its menibers by way of a regularly published journal and other appropriate means.
-To disseminate genealogical and historical information to the gen- eral public, using appropriate means. President's Message
rable day for AFGS. After months of ited, and are now extremely rare. Over preparation, buildmg shelves, catalogmy, 90% ofthese books will be new additions and re-spooling thousands of rolls of mni- to our shelves over the next few months. crofilm onto plastic reels, the Drouin mni- To say that we are bursting at the crofilm collection was finally ready for seams is an understatement. The library our members to use. Mayor Susan commnittee has done its best to find space Menard of the City of Woonsocket was wherever possible to house our expand- on hand to cut the ribbon and to present ing library. Let me tell you, it isn't an us with a proclamation recognizing our easy task. When wemnoved to our present purchase of this valuable film. Claude home ahnost eight years ago, the room Drouin, along with his wife and son, cane seemed so large, but that is no longer the down fiom Montreal to be on hand for case. Ahnost every square inch that can the dedication. Ow second most impor- be utilized, has been. tant asset, after our me~nberhp,was now What is in the future for AFGS? ready to be used. Moving to larger quarters is not in the - August also marked the launchmg foreseeable future; buying our own build- of our lending library. Catalog have been ing presents many more headaches and mailed to those who requested them. expenses. Continuing to expand our re- Now mnemnbers who are unable to visit the sources will absolutely be apriority. Mak- library can still utilize some of its re- ing our resources available to our mem- sources. bers who cannot easily visit us is defi- True to the adage that good things nitely important to us. Utilizing the come in threes, AFGS is now the owner internet with its vast potential - of the Drouin Book collection. Thanks www.yes. tothe generosity of AFGS member, Lany We have a vely progressive-W- Choiniere, AFGS was able to purchase ing Board of Directors, who recognize the Drouin Institute's vast collection of that the most unpoltant dung about AFGS books. Over 3,000 titles on heraldry, is not the books, films, or computers, but mnilita~yhistories, family histories, town its generous, caring members. All deci- andparish histories,~naniagerepertoires, sions are made with you in mind. We notarial records, biographies, court pro- will continue to grow and add new re- ceedings and various other reference sources, in spite of our cramped quarters books. Some books have long been out and I'm sure you will more than pleased of print. Some are privately published with the results. 3 AUTHORS' GUIDELINES
Subject Matter: JMS publishes articles of interest to people of French Canadian descent. Articles deal- ing \vitl~Ilistory and genealog~are of primary interest, although articles on related topics will be consid- ered. Especially desirable are articles dealing with sources and techniques, i.e. "how-to guides."
Length: Length of your article should be detern~inedby the scope of your topic. Unusually long articles should be written in such a way that they can be broken down into hvo or Ittore parts. S~~rnamesshould be copitalized.
Style: A clear, direct wnversational style is preferred. Keep in mind that ~iiostof our readers have average education and intelligence. An article nnnen above tliat level will not be \\.ell received.
Manuscripts: This publication is produced on an IBM-co~iipatiblecolilputer, using state ofthe art desk- top publislung sofhvare. Wliile this sofhvare has the capability to intport text fro111 ~iiostword-processing progranls, tveprefer that you submit your article in straiglit ASCII text or in Wordperfect 5.1 or 6.x forntat on either 5.25" or 3.5" floppy disk. If you do not use an IBM-compatible computer, or do not have access to a computer, your manuscript should be Qpe\\.ritten on 8.5" x 11" paper. It should be double-spaced with a 2-inch margin all around. If notes must be used, endnotes are preferable over footnotes. A biblicg-apliy is desirable.
Illustrations: Our sohvare is capable of i~tiportinggraphics in 111os1 1BM-compatible forniats. Vector graphics (PIC, PLT, WMF, WMT, CGM, DRW, or EPS) are preferred over bit-mapped gaphics (BMP, MSP, PCX, PNT, or TIF). Scanned images can also be used. We prefer the Tagged hilage File Format (TIF) for scanned photos. You may also submit printed black-and white photogaphs. We will have the111 scanned if, in our opinion, the photo adds enough to the article to justify the cost.
Other Considerations: Authors are responsible for the accuracy of all ~naterialsubmihed. All ntaterial published in JeMe Soliviens is copyrighted and beco~i~esthe properly of the AFGS. All material submined for publication 111ust be original. Previously published material, except that which is in the public domain, will be accepted only if it is submitted by the author and is acconipanied by a signed release from the previous publisher. Articles that proliiote a specific product or service, or whose subject matter is inappro- priate, will be rejected.
Members' Corner: Me~ilbers'Comer is a section whose purpose is to provide a conduit by \'hich our members may contact each other for the purpose of exchanging infonnation. This is a senice provided for niembers only at no cost on a space-available basis. You nray subtiiit short ite111s(one or hvo paragraphs) in the following categories: Work i,7 Progress. Books Wanterl. Boobjor Sale ond Cotrsin Search.
All submissions to Members' Comer must include your name. address and phone nluitber. Deadlines are I5 December for the Spring issue, and 15 June for the Fall issue. Keep in 111indthat this is a seli~iannual publication. Where tinte is ialportant. ite~ttsshould be sent to AFGnewS.
To Submit Articles: Mail all sub~ttissionsto Paul P. Delisle, PO. Box 171, Milluille, MA 01529. La Survivance: From the French Canadian Struggle for Cultural Survival to World Class Museum
ing of a world class museum in the city appropriate. The history of Woonsock- of Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The ex- et consists of two co~npellingstories. hibits for this Inusetun will be in the One stoy takes place between the years fonner Lincoln Textile Mill at Market 1875 and 1929. It is the stow of the Square. They will explore the culture rise and fall of a fiercely independent of the French Canadians who imini- conununity of French Canadians. The grated 601n their hoines in Canada to other story covers the years 1929 to become a part of the work force in the 1955. This is the story of an equally city's textile mills. Their arrival in independent connnunity oftrade union- Woonsocket and in the other major in- ists. dustrial cities of New England created conditions that would ultiinately chal- The 1860s and 1870s in Woon- lenge the basic notions of work. socket mark the amval of a major wave of French Canadian settlement. This The French Canadian story and i~mniyationof French Canadian peas- experience in Woonsocket, although ants is the result of two major events. unique, also reflects what occurred First, an agricultural crisis occurs in throughout the Blackstone kver Valley, southern Quebec and secondly, there is the birthplace of the American Indus- a demand for workers in New England's trial Revolution. Many immigrant exploding textile manufacturing indus- groups arrived in America, seeking a ty. Between the years 1861 and 1900, better life for their families, while en- fully one-fourth of the entire Quebec countering prejudice and hardship. population resettled in new England. Many of these ethnic groups would eventually assimilate into the fabric of By 1900, one-half of the labor American life. Yet, the French Canadi- force in New England's largest indus- ans faced a dileimna. Should they re- try, cotton textiles, consists of French main loyal to their traditions and cul- Canadian immigrants. The French Ca- ture or should they assmilate and be- nadians, in 1900, also fonn a near ma- come Americans? jority of Woonsocket's population of 25,000. Before examining the themes of the new Museun of Work and Culture, These hab~ranrswill develop a a brief examination of the French Ca- simple but profound coln~nitinentto three essential characteristics of their They had a providential obligation to nationality: They sustain a love for their survive. This evolved into La Strr- religion (Catholicism), their language villance. The characteristics of French (French), and the land (rural Quebec). Canadian nationalism became defined as the survival of French Canadian re- They saw their migration to the ligion, language, and mores. United States as only temporary. Many intended to return to Canada when the The late nineteenth century also agricultural crisis eased in Quebec, and saw the Quebec government launch a tillable land south of the St. Lawrence campaign to attract French Canadians River again became available. Small to return to their homeland, which New England mill communities like failed. Quebec's religious leaders then Woonsocket, Central Falls, Pawtucket, began to ponder how best to sustain the Fall River and New Bedford were areas French Canadians as a people in New that appealed to the French Canadians. England. Their solution was to embark They tended to shy away from larger on a massive campaign to build institu- metropolitan areas l~keProvidence and tions, mostly religious ones, to support Boston. the struggle for cultural survival.
In small cities and towns, French In Woonsocket, an infrastructure Canadians settling together eventually of church-sponsored institutions be- grew to become most of the total popu- came established for this purpose. lation. This allowed them to lend a dis- These would serve the needs of aver- tinct French Canadian flair to everyday age French Canadians and configure life, and help to keep away foreign cul- their cultural and religious outlook. tural influences, Their proximity to This small city, between 1890 and 1910, Canada helped to keep their culture had established six narionai parishes. alive. Many made yearly visits to their Many included parochial schools and native land, their natal village, and rela- had the support of orphanages and old- tives left behnd. age homes. This network included a staff of clergy and religious trained in The French Canadians who immi- Quebec. By the start of World War 1, grated to Woonsocket also reflected this network of French-speaking insti- some attitudes then prevalent inQuebec. tutions encompassed the lives of They exhibited the thinking of religious Quibecois i~mnigantsfrom cradle to and political figures of the late nine- grave. teenth century The French population in Canada was attempting to build a ua- Aram POTHIER was one of tional identity based around deeply felt Woonsocket's premier French Canadian resistance to English rule and English leaders. He would play a pivotal role political ideas. in the lives of the city's French at the beginning of the twentieth century. He Church leaders portrayed French became the first French-Canadian Canadians as the sole survivors of Ca- mayor of Woonsocket in 1894. Later, tholicism in a Protestant North America. in 1908, he became governor of Rhode 6 Island. Editor's note: Arani Polhier By 1925, fifty years after the was the thirdmayor of Woonsocker, the French Canadian immigration had be- jrsr French Catiadian niayor of rhar gun, statistics portray Woonsocket as a city, and thejrsr French Canadian gov- city still intensely Quebecois in culture ernor ofthe state. His political stature and dialect. By this time, second-gen- played an important role in convincing eration French Canadians outnumbered European textile manufacturers, prima- the immigrants themselves. Three-quar- rily kom northern France, to establish ters of French Canadian children at- inills in Woonsocket. tended French-speaking parochial schools. Most second and third genera- These entrepreneurs were looking tion French Canadians conversed only to establish production facilities in in French at home, and married French America. they viewed this as a way of Canadian spouses. avoiding the high tariff barriers that made their woolen and worsted yam and Unfortunately, th~sethnic survival cloth too expensive in the American would not extend into the 1930's. La market. Pothier sold them on Woon- Surviijance would begin to crumble socket's heritage, and notably its from two tnajor events of the 1920's. French-speaking and God-fearing work First, the collapse of Woonsocket's cot- force. These Catholic textile barons ton textile industry caused great eco- quickly accepted Woonsocket as a suit- nomic distress. Second, programs set able location for their Anerican enter- up by the state and federal governments prises. attempted to assimilate the various eth- nic groups in America. This influx of capital affected Woonsocket in two important ways. These events caused the French First, it inaugurated woolen and worsted Canadian elite to fight among them- textile production to the city. This pro- selves. The issue was how best to adapt cess was a far healthier and Inore ro- their co~nmunityto the changing eco- bust part of the industry than cotton nomic and cultural situations. The manufacture. Secondly, it made knowl- Seti/itielle movement that tore the com- edge of the French language a valued munity apart accelerated the end of this asset not only at home, school, church, ethnic elite's authority. The leaders of and marketplace; but on the job as well. the French Canadian cotmnu~itywould lose their influence and the resources The French industrialists sent that it would soon need to react to the their superintendents and supervisors to gravest disaster of this century: the build and oversee their new facilities. Great Depression. By undenniningtheir Many skilled workers accompanied own authority, they were incapable of them. However, these French imtni- responding to the poverty, unemploy- grants never hlly integrated themselves ment, and powerlessness of the Depres- into the French Canadian community to sion years. the extent envisioned by Ariun Pothier. In time, they would become a major The task of responding to the eco- source of cultural and political strife. nomic emergency fell, consequently, to 7 a new, radical kind of organization. This union" for all laborers. group was an industrial labor union es- tablished by European socialists and The union also provided a wide calling itself the Independent Textile assortment of welfare, educational, and Union (ITU). The year 1932 marks the cultural activities. Some of these pro- official beginning of the ITU; yet its grams included the operation of medi- roots go back to the initial years of the cal clinics, housing projects, history twentieth century. classes, and grand sulmner beach festi- vals. Results of the 1938 city elections The French industrialists who had show that the ITU had becomethe most established mills in Woonsocket around powerful political force in Woonsock- 1900 were unable to fmd suitable skilled et. All of this took place in a city that labor. This compelled them to hire from had no legacy of a labor movement. European groups that they knew little Most importantly, the union accom- about. Employ~nentopportunities in plished this with the support of the America, especially in Woonsocket, at- French Canadians of the city. Tradi- tracted the attention of blacklisted ex- tionally, this ethnic group had always tremists, socialists, and syndicalists. had anti-labor leanings as a part of its These individuals were prevented from culture. seeking work in Europe because of their political agtation there. Upon arriving How did the ITU attain all this in Woonsocket, they quickly found etn- power and prestige? The dramatic ployment at the French mills; and soon growth of this labor union in the 1930's began battling with their supervisors was the result of the spectacular col- over jurisdiction of the shop floor. lapse of the French Canadian conmu- nity in the 1920's. In the late 1930's these radicals, comprised mostly of French and Belgian Questions on how all this came laborers, took time to celebrate their ac- about are many. How did French Ca- complishments. They could take con- nadian laborers, loyal to their ethnicity, siderable pleasure in what they had ulti- become zealous trade unionists? What mately accomplished. By 1940 the ITU was the correlation between their eth- had organized 12,000 laborers. This fig- nic and class identities? How did ure was larger than all of the other Rhode French Canadians, with their strong tra- Island unions put together. They had ditional beliefs, coexist in the same organized eighty percent of the city's union with the temporal and modernist textile laborers. The result of this was French and Belgians? that the Woonsocket textile workers earned the highest wages in the indus- The explanations are evident in try. The ITU also organized other trades the events of the 1910's and 1920's. in Woonsocket: bakers, barbers, elec- This was the era when economic prob- tricians, painters, plumbers, shoe repair- lems first surfaced in the local textile ers, store clerks, sheet metal workers, industry. Ths was a time of economic rubber workers, and even newspaper- concerns that included the very survival men. The ITU became the "one big of the working class. These were the years when Woonsocket society became viewed American nationalism as their infiltrated and significantly unpacted by chance to preserve their beliefs in God, external political and cultural forces. family and community. Together these Groups that vied for the attention of the workers with distinctive political per- city's citizenry included the federal gov- suasions and visions coexisted within ernment, the state government, the the same labor organization. The fu- Catholic diocese of Providence, and the sion of the old French Canadian values mass media. Their influences would with the new ideological fonns of the cause the Woonsocket labor force to re- European radicals produced a labor examine traditional ways of living and union with enonnous power and vigor. thinking. They did this partly out of necessity, and partly by choice. This marriage between the tradi- tionalists and the revolutionaries did not The European revolutionaries en- survive the 1940's. World War I1 caused dured many setbacks in their attempt to the United States government to mount organize Woonsocket's labor force dur- a campaign to define what it was to be ing that time. They also faced political an American. This caused an ideoiogi- repression; this caused them to abandon cal split between the working-class revo- their socialist rhetoric. Workers in the lutionaries and the ethnic traditionalists. French Canadian community began ex- The early 1950's saw the golden age of periencing econolnic suffering during Woonsocket's labor movement end. By this time. All this occurred while the the middle ofthe decade, the union had ethnic leaders of the community were lost its political influence and the city split over the issues of the Senfinelle was facing an economic decline. All this affair, resulting in the loss of their posi- came about as local textile capital be- tion of authority among their people. gan moving to the South. French Canadians began looking for relief and support in such "American" Today, Woonsocket's once mag- institutions as trade unions and the nificent French Canadian past survives Democratic Party. European revolu- in popular consciousness. What has tionaries and French Canahan tradition- vanished without a trace is the cities alists began finding common ground in glorious labor past. the rhetoric of American nationalism. this rhetoric called on them to honor the The main focus of the new Mu- founding fathers, and commit them- seum of Work and Culture in Woon- selves to support the flag and the Con- socket will be on two stories. One will stitution. They would adopt whole- be the struggle for French Canadian heartedly the democratic ideals that cultural survival; the other will be con- formed the core of the revolutionaly cerned with the rise of the labor move- heritage. ment in the Blackstone River Valley. Each story will be presented through a The European radicals saw this series of settings andlor dioramas. Each new rhetoric as an opportunity to con- setting will relate a dramatic change that vey their socialist beliefs on American took place and how the choices made society. French Canadian traditionalists by those involved set the stage for cul- 9 tural conflict. Interactive exhibits will agement, the impact ofthe "speed-up," address specific issues in depth, and their and industrial budgets. This section of relationship to the nation's history. the museum will survey the various types of jobs in a mill along with the Visitors entering the lnuseuln will views on "unskilled labor" by both face the reproduced facade of the worker and employer. Church of the Precious Blood. This church, which still stands on Camngton The next exhibit will examine the Avenue in Woonsocket, depicts the views of industrialists and management. strong centers of religion and culture the Visitors will enter a well-appointed city's French parishes were to become. room where key figures ranging from Samuel SLATER, Aram POTHIER, and Passing through the church en- Joseph GUERIN will espouse their trance, visitors will view a brief film that views of labor. We will see how the will provide an overview of the cultural issues of control over the shop floor, development of the Blackstone River immigrant workers, and education set Valley. The movie will also explore the the stage for cultural and labor conflict. nature of work and its place with the valley's various cultures. As it pro- A parochial school classroo~n gresses, viewers will see how the family dating from 1929 is the next setting. structure, labor, faith and nationalistic This exhibit explores French Canadian allegiance change as econotnic and cul- immigration and achievements in the tural systems collide. United States. Interactive exhibits show what immigrant life, living conditions Visitors will then enter a Quebec and lifestyles were like in Woonsocket. farmhouse from the early 1800s. The The story told here is of cultural orga- exhlbit, lined with religious symbolism, nizations, like L'llnion Sainl Jean- will depict the sunplicity of fann life and Baptiste, and heroes, like "Nap" will explore Canada's rural village life. LAJOIE. Also examined is the Seti- Supplementary displays will explore lmelle affair and its implications to the farm production, natural cycles and French Canadian co~nmunity The work, and pre-industrial life. forces of change depicted in this set- ting set the stage for the rise of union- The next setting is that of a textile ism in Woonsocket. mill. Historic equipment, dioramas and period objects will relate the relationship Visitors will then enter a recon- between mill life and home life. This structed meeting hall of the Indepen- exhibit will explore the story of French dent Textile Union. The Great Depres- Canadian immigrants and their adjust- sion and its economic consequences are lnent to mill village life. Depictions of the focus of this setting. European so- life in amill village will include a board- cialists and French Canadian tradition- ing house, models of a factory, and mod- alists join forces in the creation of the els of a village. Interactive features will ITU. Period artifacts and interactive allow visitors to examine such topics as exhibits explore the labor movement in corporate paternalism, scientific man- Rhode Island, the ITU, and the Woon- 10 socket strikes of 1934 and 1939. An industrial city, has now become the story examination of Labor Day in 1937 and of a world class museurn. the Social Action institute focuses on the labor movement's social activities.
The remaining exhibits explore BONIER, Marie Louise. Debuts de la the story of Woonsocket's de-industri- colonte Franco-Amerrcarne de Wooti- alization and post-industrial era. The sockel. Rho& Islatid. Framingham, 1940s and 1950s, with their bread-and- Massachusetts: Lakeview Press, 1920. butter issues, contract disputes, and anti- left sentiment now take center stage. C'liurc/i of the Precio~.isBlood, a His- Against this background of de-industri- tory. Hackensack, New Jersey: Cus- alization, the exhibit continues with an tom Book Inc., 1975. examination of the city's current indus- trial situation. Visitors in a recreated DOTY, C. Stewart. T/7e firs/ Fi.at7c.o- television broadcast newsroom examine Americans. Orono, Maine: The Uni- contemporary labor issues. Visitors also versity of Maine Press, 1985. have an opportunity to explore the chal- lenges of an international economy with FORTIN, Marcel P. ed. Wbotisuckel, its team concept and industry control. R.I., The Americatiizatron of'aForeign Also surveyed are the use oftrade sanc- C'iy Woansocket: New England Print- tions and economic diversification as ing, 1981. solutions to ree~nployworkers. Even a debate on the emergence of the service GERSTLE, Gary. Work~ngClass and tourism industries are a part of this Americanism: Politics in a Tex~ileC'iy setting. These topics will allow younger 19 14-1960. Cambridge: Cambridge visitors to relate to the French Canadian University Press, 1989. experience and the issues faced by the city's workers. KENNEDY, Ambrose. Quebec to New England: The Life of Monsignor This museun, through its exhib- Charles Dauray. Boston: Bruce its and outreach programs, will serve as Humphries, Inc., 1948. the sroiyreller of Woonsocket's history. Yet, this story is not just of interest to THOMAS, Alton P. Old Woonsocket: its residents. Regionally, the museum Erasrus and Doc. Providence: Mow- will serve to tell the story of the Black- bray Company, 1973. stone hver Valley and serve as a major visitor center for the Blackstone hver THOMAS, Alton I? Woon.~ocket,High- National Heritage Conidor. Nationally, lighrs of History. East Providence, R1: the museum will attract visitors inter- Globe Printing, 1976. ested in the story of the labor movement. Internationally, Canadian and French WESSELL, Bessie B. An lithnic Sur- visitors will come to learn about La vey of Woonsocket, Rhode Islat7d. Chi- Sun~ivance. The struggle for cultural cago: Univ, of Chicago Press, 193 1. survival, by an ethnic community in an P Accepted Standards of Conduct for Family History Researchers
I will be courteous to research tronic record. facility personnel. I will not force splines on books I will do my homework, and or handle roughly any original docu- know what is available, and I will know ments. what I want. I will not use my fingertip or a I will dress appropriately for the pencil to follow the line of print on origi- records office that I am visiting. nal materials. I will not take small children into I will not write on records or repositories and research facilities. books. I will not approach the facility I will replace volu~nesin their asking for "everything" on my ances- proper location and return files to the tors. appropriate places. I will not expect the records 1 will not leave without thank- custodian to listen to my fanily history ing the records custodians for their cour- I will respect the record cus- tesy in making the materials available. todian's other daily tasks, and not ex- I will follow the rules of the pect constant or immediate attention. recorrls repository witlioutprotest. - I will be courteous to other re- searchers and work with only a few "The above was compiled by Joy records or books at a time. Reisinger, Certified Genealogical I will keep my voice low when Records Specialist, 1020 Central Ave., conversing with others. Sparta, WI 54656 for the 1995 annual I will use only designated areas conference of the Federation of Genea- for my work space. logical Societies, Seattle. Some points I will not go into off-limits ar- were adapted from codes adopted by the eas without pennission. Board for Certification of Genealogists - I will ask for pennission before and the Association of Professional using photocopy and microforms ma- Genealogists. No copyright restr~ctions. chines, and ask for assistance if needed. This page and the information thereon I will treat records with respect. may be reproduced in its entirety and I will not mutilate, rearrange, or distributed freely, as long as its source remove from its proper custodian any is properly credited. printed, original, mnicrofonn, or elec- - Anatomy Of A French Canadian Heritage
As a second generation American all of my original Canadian ancestors born in the U.S. with 100% French Ca- along with their place of origin and ac- nadian heritage, I have long been in tual or approximate time of inmigra- search for the answers to the questions, tion. My analysis of this data will be "Where did my ancestors come from?" summarized in this article. and "When did they come to North America?" While we may recently have 1 will start with some background. become Americans, we have shared the My great grandparents emigrated from North American continent with our En- French Canada to New England in the glish brothers ever since England and 1880's. On my father's side, they came France planted pennanent settlements to settle in Westport, Massachusetts; in the New World. On the average, I and on my mother's side they chose ana 10th generation descendant of my Central Falls, Rhode Island. My grand- original Canadian ancestors, but my lin- parents were all born in French Canada, eage goes as high as 13 and 14 genera- and emigrated as children with their tions from some of the founding fami- families. lies of Quebec. It came to be that Amable RIN- My mother began the search for GUETTE married Celina LAPOINTE our ancestors some 40 years ago. Be- at Westport on 10 September 1893. fore her death in 1974, she accumulated They are my paternal grandparents. My by painstaking effort the names of most maternal grandparents were Joseph of my Canadian ancestors, and by cor- LANTHIER and Emma BLAIS, who respondence and otherwise, she ob- were married at Central Falls on 23 June tained copies of a great many baptisms, 1896. It happened that the RIN- marriages and burials. Later, I carried GUETTEs moved to North Attleboro, on the project with the aid ofnewly pub- MA, while the LANTHIERs moved ul- lished data in journals, dictionaries, lo- timately to Attleboro, MA where my cal histories and other documents. The parents Joseph RINGUETTE and Anita publications of the Programme de Re- LANTHIER were married on 17 April cherche en Demographre H~siorrque 1922. (PRDH)have been extremely valuable. All eight of my grandparents were The net result of all this work is born and married in the Province of that I have compiled a list of virtually Quebec. Two of them died in Canada, and the other six brought their families Romain on 17 January 1871 my great to New England. They are listed below: grandtnother Obeline DENIS dit LA- PIERRE (1844-1886), a native of St.- Elie RINGUETTE (1 842-1 91 7) Lazare. They settled in St.-Ro~nain.In was born in Trois-Rivieres. As a young 1887, having become a widower, he Inan he sojourned to Detroit, MI, where locked up his fann and took his three he served in the U.S. Amy from 1866 children to Central Falls. He remarried to 1869, then returned to Trois-Rivieres, in 1895;and in 1903 returned to Canada where on 28 Septetnber 1869 he mar- with his second family. ried Celanire BELAND (1850- 1920), a native of Maskinonge. They emigrated 1 have compiled 1,116 natnes in in 1884 with five children. my Canadian ancestry, exclusive of names of ancestors who lived in France Ferdinand AUDET dit LA- or other countries but did not emigrate POINTE (1829- 1899) was probably to Canada. My analysis, however, is born in St.-Vallier. He first married based on my 47 1 original Canadian an- Marguerite DESSAINT dit ST.-PIERRE cestors of both sexes. This is divided at Levis on 21 August 1855, then sec- into 296 males and 175 females. Of ondly at Quebec on 9 October 1865 my the females, 63 emigrated as I.il1r.s du great grandmother, Celina PELLETIER Roi (daughters of the king), so-called (1832-1918), a native of Quebec. They because between 1663 and 1673 King emigrated to Fall River, MA early in the Louis XIV sent some 770 marriageable 1880's, then moved to Westport. There girls to Canada to help correct a huge were five unmarried daughters from imbalance among the sexes in the Ferdinand's two marriages. colony.
Dosithee LANTHIER (1838- My list of 47 1 original Canadian 1907) was born in St. Eustache, north ancestors (henceforth original ances- of Montreal, but left home at the age of tors) includes women because each of sixteen to work in a tannery in Roxton us inherits equally from each parent. Falls. He first tnanied at Chatnbly on 2 Married women or widows are listed by February 1864 my great grandmother, their maiden natnes. Thus, a wife emi- Adelaide GAUTHIER dit ST.-GER- grating with her husband is listed sepa- MAIN (1830-1871), a native of Chatn- rately. I do not count children who bly. He married a second time about emigrate with their parents, since they 1873. He first emigrated with his fam- cany their father's name. However, I ily in 1876 to New Bedford, MA, but do count children who emigrate with soon returned to Canada. He again came their widowed mother (a rare event), to the U.S. with his family in 1886, this since they will bear different surnames. tune settling in Central Falls, RI. He had Most ancestors etnigratzd as singie per- four children from his two marriages. sons, and married in the colony. The spouse may be an original ancestot-, or Francois-Xavier BLAIS (1852- a descendant of one. 1919) was born in St.-Romain, south of Quebec city. He first married at St.- Virtually all tny original ancestors have been identified. Of my 64 ances- Therefore, only twenty of my tors at the seventh generation (the great original ancestors or 4.2% of the total grandparents of my eight great grand- arrived in Canada between 1700 and parents), I have co~npletedthe Canadian 1765. These are shown according to ancestry of 63 of them. The 64th is the place of origin in collllnn 4 of table 3. unknown mother of one of my sixth generation ancestors who was probably I~mnigrationin the eighteenth born out of wedlock. Only her father is century differed somewhat from that in positively identified in the records. the seventeenth. For example, immi- Thus, my list of 471 original ancestors gration from countries other than is probably 98% complete. France, Amerindian immigrants, and immigration from the English colonies In analyzing where my ancestors were largely 18th century phenomena. came from and when they came to New With respect to immigration from France, I made some interesting discov- ( France, in the seventeenth century the eries. First, all my orignal ancestors predominant source was Northwestern cane to Canada prior to 1764, and all France, while in the 18th, immigration but one came under the French Regime came from throughout the country, and (1608-1760). the single exception was was Inore heavily influenced by the in- a Scotsman who arrived soon after the flux of soldiers. conquest of Canada by England (in 1759-60), then married a French Cana- I~mnigrationpatterns in general dian girl in January 1764. can be illustrated by the 1991 study by Marcel FOURNIER entitled L 'Imml- Thus my heritage is virtually un- gration Europeene au C'anadu des affected by immigration into Canada Origines ir 1765 (MSGCF 42: 106- after the English conquest. There were 124). Using data from the P.R.D.H., he no intermarriages outside the French analyzed some 10,02 1 pioneers who Canadlan co~~munitybetween 1764 and settled in Canada between 1608 and the maniage of my parents in 1922. 1765. classifying them according to ori- gin and to the century of i~mnigration. Second, my heritage is only slightly influenced by i~mnigrationdur- Data from this study are summa- ing the 18th century, that is from 1700 rized in Table 1. It can be seen as a to 1760. Only 19 of my original ances- whole that about the sane number of tors arrived during this period. Two of ( immigrants arrived in each century, but these arrived in 1755 with French regi- that the patterns of umnigration differed ments sent to defend the colony. Two significantly. Nevertheless, the data others were English prisoners captured considered together show that 94% in the French and Indian raid in 1704 came directly or indirectly (e.g., Aca- on Deerfield, MA. Most of the others dian refugees) from France, another 4% were single men, including several who &om other European countries, and only emigrated as soldiers. there were also 2% from Asia, Afnca, the West Indies, two manied couples. American colonies 0:. Amerindians combined. France but did not identify their prov- In my ancestry, nearly all my origi- ince of origin. These are shown under nal ancestors came from France. As the desibmation, ll~iktiow~iProvhice. shown in Table 3, in the row designated Other Coun~ry,only nine of 47 1 origi- Fourth, and most striking, is the nal ancestors or 1.9% came from nations breakdown of my ancestors by the time other than France. They were divided 4 of their arrival. I have considered four in the seventeenth century and 5 in the time frames, as follows: 1608 to 1640, 18th century. There was one each from 1641 to 1662, 1663 to 1699, and 1700 Switzerland,Austria, Belgium, and Scot- to 1765. My ancestors arrived very land; three from English colonies in early in the seventeenth century, pro- America; and two Amerindians. viding the craftsmen needed to build a colony, and the merchants needed to Third, my ancestors came over- give it an econo~nicbase. Later in the whehningly from Northwestern France. century, the colony added soldiers, Table 2 lists the fifteen provinces in marriageable girls and fanners. France supplying five or Inore original ancestors. The first ten of these are all Nonnandy and Perche together in Northwestern France, starting with account for 127 or 27% of ~ny47 1 origi- Nonnandy, which supplied 82 ancestors; nal ancestors. While this region sup- and ending with Maine, whch accounted plied fewer ancestors overall than the for eleven. Altogether, these ten prov- West, it is clear from Table 3 that it was inces supplied 383 or 8 1.3% of all my the dominant influence in the very early original ancestors. period of settlement, as shown in col- umn 1. Even taking the entire period Table 3 shows the breakdown of 1608-1662 together (adding the first all my 471 original ancestors by origin two colwms), Nonnandy and Perche and by time of inmigration. 1 have di- supplied 95 ancestors, or 37.5% of the vided the first ten provinces shown in 253 original ancestors who had arrived Table 2 into four regions, namely by 1662. In contrast, the West was the Nonnandy and Perche; Ile-de-France, do~ninantinfluence in the latter part of which covers Paris and the surrounding the seventeenth century, supplying 71 areas; the four provinces designated as ancestors out of 198 or 35.9% of all the West (Ouest): Aunis, Saintonge, orignal ancestors who arrived during Angownois, and Poitou; and the three the period 1663 to 1699. provinces designated as the Loire: Anjou, Maine, and Brittany (Bretagne). The choice of 1640 as the cutoff date for colu~nnI of Table 3 was The designation in Table 3 called prompted by Gustav LANCTOT in A Other Fwnch Prol~~ncesshows that only Hislory of Canada (translated by 55 original ancestors, or 1 1.7% came Josephine HAMBLETON, 3 vols.. from all the other provinces of France, 1963), who stated, "In 1640, the popu- including North, East, South, and Cen- lation ofthe country came to about 240 ter. There were another 24 or 5.1% of persons altogether, consistingchefly of the total who presu~nablycame from families from Perche and Nonnandy." By 1640, as Lanctot indicated, New 1 of Beaupre France had evolved from a mere fur- trading post into a small colony, with Between 1632 and 1640, there settlements in Quebec, Beauport and in anived from Perche no less than 14 the seigneurie of Beaupre, and an out- original ancestors, the largest number post for the fUr trade at Trois-hvieres fio~na single province to arrive during with a small settlement there. Montreal the period 1608-1640. These included had not yet been founded. in 1634 alone the carpenter Zacharie CLOUTIER and his wife Saintes DU- Quebec had been prunarily a trad- PONT; the mason Jean GUYON and his ing post between 1608 and 1629. In wife Mathurine ROBIN; the mason 1629 it was occupied by the British, but Marin BOUCHER and his wife Pemne was restored to France in 1632. Be- MALET; and the merchant Henri tween 1608 and 1640, no less than fifty, PINGUET and his wife Louise or 10.6% of all my original ancestors LOUSCHE. Their children who arrived had arrived. Column 1 of Table 3 shows with them are not counted as original the distribution of these early colonists ancestors but did add to the population by place of Ongin. Twenty-six of them, of 1640. Inore than half the total, cane fiotn Nor- mandy and Perche. Nearly half the re- The cutoff date of 1662 for col- mainder cane from Paris or its environs. umn 2 of table 3 was chosen because of the work of Marcel TRUDEL (La Popu- Some of these 50 original ances- latron du Canada en 1663, Fides, 1973). tors amved even prior to 1629. These He colnpiled a list of all residents of included the interpreter Nicolas MAR- New France as of 30 June 1663. On SOLET (1613), the interpreter and ex- that date, the population of the colony plorer Jean NICOLET (16 IS), both was 3,035. A significant number were from Nonnandy; the apothecary from either original ancestors or ancestors Paris, Louis HEBERT and his wife descended from them. My list and that Marie ROLLET ( 16 17), called the first of Trudel match very closely. true colonists in the country. Also the pilot Abraham MARTIN and his wife The period 164 1- 1662 continued Marguerite LANGLOIS (1620). Abra- to show extensive irn~nigrationfrom ham MARTIN'S origin in France is un- Nonnandy and Perche. It also reflected known, although he was known as 1 the first twenty years of the existence 1'Ecossais (the Scotsman). Also arriv- of Ville Marie, or Montreal. It was also ing prior to 1629 were the Parisian during this period that La Rochelle, Guillaume COUILLARD (1613), who France became a inajor port of einbar- arrived as an e~nployeeof the trading kation for the Canadian colony, draw- cornpany of New France, and became ing people from the western provinces the son-in-law of Louis HEBERT; and near that city. In all, 253 of my original the Breton Olivier LETARDIF (1618), ancestors, or 53.7% had arrived by and interpreter and clerk of the trading 1662. company. LETARDIF eventually be- came the co-seigneur of the seigneurie The third colu~nnof Table 3 cov- ers immigration from 1663 to 1699. The people having French Canadian heri- influx ofthe Filles-du-Roi, largely from tage, my ancestors arrived early during Paris, explains the increased immigra- the French Regime, and predominantly tion from Ile-de-France. The coming of as craftsman largely from Normandy soldiers, starting with the Carignan Regi- and Perche. More than half were al- ment, which arrived in 1665, explains ready in the colony by 1662. The sec- the increased immigration from French ond half of the seventeenth century re- provinces other than those in the North- flected the influxof soldiers and Filles- western parts of the county. In all, 198 du-Noi, and was substantially influ- original Canadian ancestors, or 42% of enced by immigration from the west- the total, arrived during this period. em provinces of the mother country. Immigration from other countries or In conclusion, compared with all from Amerindians was negligible.
Table 1
All French-Canadian Pioneers 1608-1765 (Adapted froin MSGCF 42: 106-124)
Origin 1608-1699 1700-1 765 Total YO
Nonl~\vestFrance
France: North, East Center, South
France: Unknown Province
France Indirectly (From Acadia or Western forts)
Europe, other than France
Asia, West Indies, Africa
Amerindians
New England
Totals List of French Provinces Supplying Five or More Original Canadian Ancestors
1. Nonnandy 2. Aunis 3. Ile-de-France 4. Poitou 5. Perche 6. Saintonge 7. Brittany 8. Anjou 9. Angoutnois 10. Maine 11. Guyerne 12. Orleans 13. Chatnpagne 14. Burgogne 15. Lorraine Table 3
Original Canadian Ancestors by Time Frame of Immigration
Origin 160811640 1641/1662 166311699 1700/1765 Total U/u
Ile-de-France (Pans) 11 15 34 1 61 12.9
The West (Aunis, Saintonge hgownois, Poitou) 0 77 7 1 4 152 32.3
The Loire (Anjou; Maine, Brittany) 4 25 14 0 43 9.1
Other French Provinces 2 10 3 7 6 55 11.7
Udino\+n Provinces 7 4 10 3 24 5.1
Other Countries 0 3 I 5 9 1.9
Totals 50 203 198 20 471 100 % 10.61 43.10 42.04 4.25 100.00 19 Members' Corner
Craig LaBARGE ,909 Oxford Ave., Phoenixville, PA 19460, would like to cor- respond with other researchers working on the following families: LABERGEI LABARGE, THOUIN, MASSE, BOURRE, and SAUCISSE. Mr. LaBarge has established a web page for those interested in these surnames. Thls site can be accessed at: http://ounvorld.co1npuserve.coin/ho1nepages1LargeC/labege.htm.
Roger ARCHAMBAULT, 49 Rondeau Rd., Bellinghan, MA 02019-1735, is seeking information on the parents of Toussaint ARCHAMBAULT - Joseph- Moise (slo Jean-Pierre and Marie-Elisabeth BOUSQUET) and Angelique PINEAU (Franpois and Angelique PHANEUF). This couple were married on 28 Septem- ber 1824 at St. Antoine, Verchhes Co., Quebec. Toussaint's first ~namagewas to Olive PHINNAY/PHENIX; and the second was to Marie Ellen COLE, daughter of George and Kate.
Roland D. LAJOIE, 48 West Main St., Millbury, MA 01 527-1923, is seeking the parents and marriage of Antoine PATIENT dit MAHEUX and his first wife, Felicite LACAILLE. The marriage took place around 1844 in the Roxton FallslSt. Jean- Baptiste area of Quebec. This couple is known to have had three children: Eugenie, married in 1866 to Hyacinthe ROBITAILLE at St. Dominique; Adele, inarried in 1866, also at St. Doininique, to ~varisteCOURTEMANCHE; and Heline, mar- ried in 1881 to Delphls MONTPlLlER in Roxton Falls, Que. Mr. Lajoie is also seeking the parents of Jarnes RICHMOND and Isabelle (a.k.a. Elizabeth) SAVARD. This couple was married on 26 September 1802 at Trois-kvieres.
Paul P. DELISLE, P.O. Box 171, Millville, MA 01529 is seeking the marriage and parents of Julius FERSCHKE and Helene GOODFELLOW, before 1867, in Quebec province. Also the parents of Marie MIGNERON, who lnanied Arnbroise ROY on 3 October 1796 at St. Hyacinthe.
The preschool teacher dreaded rainy days. It meant 35 pairs of galoshes to struggle with. Three times that day she had helped the children pull their overshoes off. At day's end, as she gave the final tug, little Noah remarked, "These aren't mine." The teacher had had it. But she counted to ten and began pulling the little boy's feet out ofthe galoshes as he watched in silence, and when it was over, said soberly, "They're my sister's but mother says I have to wear them today" Marie Rollet. Cultural Mediator
Marie ROLLET is one ofthe most I The couple's value to the colony interesting of the Europeans who came was recorded by the historian Christian to settle Canada in the early part of the LeCLERCQ in 1691. LeClercq, writ- seventeenth century. Marie came to ing about the origins of European settle- Canada in 1617 with her spouse, Louis ment in Canada, said: ". . . but we may HEBERT, and their three children.' say that the most fortunate thing he They were the first European family to (Samuel de Champlain) effected was his settle in Canada, and the first to build a persuading Sieur Hebert to go to Canada home in Quebec's upper town. with all his family.. . "It was reported HEBERT, an apothecary in France, be- that the Hebert family had "Beautiful came the settlement's first fanner. To- children, fine cattle, good produce and gether, the couple cleared the land, grain."" The clergy often referred to planted crops, and raised cattle. In the them simply as the "Estimable family."* early years of settletnent, the lure of fur trade riches caused many settlers to The Hebert home was built high abandon or ignore agricultural pursuits, on a cliff above the main colony. Their and the Hebert family were often called role as fanners and their location away upon to furnish the small French com- from the fort allowed for greater acces- munity with provisions. On several oc- I sibility and more direct contact with an casions, the local Indian population, on I Indian population that was often not al- the verge of famine, was also aided by lowed within the walls ofthe banicaded the Hebert's generosity.' colony. The Heberts traded surplus food to the Indians for beaver skins,0 and on The virtuous Heberts were the several occasions gave food to starving sy~nbolicCornerstones upon which the Indians.' French hoped to build their New France: they were devout Catholics, a stable Mane was widowed in January of family unit, and they tilled the land. The 1627. Her youngest daughter, Anne, Heberts were the embodiment of the had died in 1620 while giving birth. ideal homesteader, and the civil and Marie's oldest daughter, Guillaumette, ecclesiastical leaders hoped that their had married a farmer, Guillau~ne exemplary lifestyle would have a posi- COUILLARD, and the couple already tive influence in both Indians and way- had two young children. With Louis ward Frenchmen. HEBERT dead and Marie ROLLET left to work the fann with her young son, Religious sanctions prohibited Champlain was concerned not only for priests from educating young girls, and the welfare of this family, but for the Champlain personally undertook to entire colony. Champlain, for "personal look after the girls, giving them the reasons," gave Marie's eldest daughter names Faith, Hope and Charity." and her husband 100 acres of land to Champlain hoped to have these three clear and seed. girls educated in France. He reports that he personally instructed the girls in The respect and influence that needlework, and taught them "all that Marie had among the native population they were able to comprehend." Faith was evident in 1627 when Champlain returned to her people, but Hope and and a group of Recollet priests asked Charity remained with Chainplain un- Marie to help with the baptism of til the surrender of Quebec in 1629. The Nancogauchit, the son of an influential seizure of Quebec forced Champlain to Indian leader. Marie took part in the leave Canada and return to France. He ceremony, serving as the child's God- attempted to take the girls with him, mother, then hosted the celebration fol- however the English fearing native re- lowing the ceremony. A large group of prisals refused him pennission. Before colonists and lndians consumed 56 wild Champlain sailed for France on 14 Sep- geese, 30 ducks, 20 teals, 2 cranes, and tember 1629, he gave each of them a other game; as well as 2 barrels of bis- rosary. They asked if it would be pos- cuits, 15 or 20 pounds ofprunes, 6 bas- sible for them to stay with Guillau~ne kets of corn, and more.9 COUILLARD and his family." Sieur Couillard replied: "Be assured sir, that The following sunlner, however, as long as they are willing to stay with an incident at Marie's fann strained re- me, 1 will take care of them as if they lations between the French and the In- were my own ~hildren."'~ dian population. A disagreement be- tween Marie's baker and a Montagnais Louis KIRKE, a Scot who had visitor over some bread led to the mur- married in France, was syinpathetic to der of the baker.lo In January of 1628, the French after his conquest. Marie the Montagnais attempted to appease the ROLLET had recently married Guil- French by giving them three young girls, laune HUBOU, and Kirke asked the aged 11, 12, and 15. The historian, H.P. couple to remain in Canada. He prom- BIGGAR, comments that this was the ised that they could raise their own first time that the Indians had turned over crops and dispose of them as they any girls to the French, even though a thought best. They could continue to French surgeon had previously asked for trade with the Indians, and if they chose one to educate and tnany." The girls to return to France, he would arrange appear to have been given uncondition- for their beaver skins to be bought for ally to the colonists. They were given the price of four 11vre.seach. Consider- "to dispose of as we night consider best, ing that Marie had eleven years invested have them educated and treated like in the fann; and her husband, a daugh- thoseofourownnationand to have them ter, and a grandchild were buried marry if it seemed good to us to do so."I2 nearby, she chose to remain in Canada.I6 22 During the English occupation of On 10 December 1635, Father LE Canada, both Marie and her daughter, JEUNE reports that an Indian brought Guillaumette, continued to have close him, as a present, a little girl. Since the contact with the native population, priest could not accept a female, Le maintaining &endships and alliances. Jeune suggested that the child be given On 12 July 1632, the French returned to Monsieur GAND. Le Jeune in turn to Quebec. In the home of Marie asked Gand to accept the child and to ROLLET. Mass was celebrated in the give the Indian something in return. A colony for the first time in three years." blanket and a keg of sea biscuits were Before leaving Canada, bkesold his put on the Jesuits' account. Monsieur young Madagascar Negro slave to a Gand boarded the young girl with Marie frenclunan for fifty &us. The french- ROLLET. He made her a dress at his man gave the boy to Marie to help with own expense, and the Jesuits paid her the fm.18 board."
With the return of the French to In 1636, several young Mon- Canada, the clergy set out to recruit tagnais girls were given to the French young Indian students. The fate of the to be raised as Chnstians. It was in- two Indian girls left with the Guillaume tended that when the girls reached mar- COUILLARD family is unknown. riageable age, dowries would be pro- What is evident, however, is that after vided so they could many Frenchnen the French returned to Canada in 1632, or Christian Indians. These children Indian girls were more easily recruited. were also lodged in Marie ROLLET's Marie ROLLET volunteered to board home. Olivier TARDIF paid the board and educate some young girls at her for one of these children; Marie and her home. Sometimes the chldren had a husband took responsibility for another; sponsor, and other times Marie and her and the Jesuits supported the others. husband incurred the cost. The follow- Further, it was decided that two or three ing are accounts of some of the young of these chldren would be educated in Indian girls that were cared for by France." The priests suggested that Marie: those sent to France not be separated, lest they lose the knowledge of their On 6 January 1635 Father LAL- native language. LEMANT baptized a little girl about nine or ten years of age who was being The Jesuit Relations recounts the raised in the house of a French fa~nily.'~fate of some of the children who were It was reported that she had no relatives. boarded with Marie. In the fall of 1636, This may have been the captured an Iroquois woman, a little boy, and Iroquois girl who was sent to France the three little Montagnais girls were sent following year. In 1644, at Iroquois1 to France to be educated. The woman French peace talks, the Iroquois Cap- was put in the care of a wealthy patron tain Onontio, asked for the return of the of the missions, Madame de COM- girl who had been taken captive by the BALET. Concerned Jesuits hoped that Algonquin and given to the French. She she might learn a useful occupation such had, however, died in Fran~e.~' as gardeningrather than the "abundance of a great house." Later, Madame de dent," and the priests lamented that they Combalet had her placed with Carmelite could not send her to France because Mothers in Paris. It was intended that of the pro~nisemade to her parents." she would return to New France and marry, but she died at the con~ent.'~ In 1637 the Jesuits conferred to Madame de COMBALET was the god- decide if it would be prudent to provide mother to one of the Montagnais girls, a dowry for an Indian girl named Louise, of whom it is said of her devo- Amiskoueian, who was being raised in tion, "She puts our little French girls to the home of a c~lonist.'~Although not shame." The Mother Superior stated yet baptized, she was approaching mar- that she would have been sent back al- riageable age and the fathers hoped to ready if she had not been sick. She de- "have a little house built and some land clares that she wishes to be a nun. Her cleared for her, and to support her until sponsor was Sieur Hubou (husband of she could have enough for herself." It Marie ROLLET, "who has been as a fa- was agreed that if her intended husband ther to her," and was willing to leave her were God-fearing, then they should until the coming of the nuns." The two make an effort." other Montagnais girls were baptized at the Church of the Carmelites. It was In 1637, Fran~oisDERRE De reported that the ceremony was well at- GAND was godfather to Ouasibis- tended. The godfather to the taller girl, kounesout, the son of Mantouea- Marguerite-Therese, was none other beouichit and Outchibahabanoukou- than the Chancellor. The second girl, eou. In the French tradition, the child Marie-Magdeleine, had as her godfather, took the name of its godfather, Fran~ois. the Secretary of State. In 1639, a group Gand made a little outfit "in the French of Ursuline nuns arrived in Canada from fashion" for his godson. The native France. They brought with them a little couple promised that when Fran~ois Indian girl named Louise. Apparently came of age, they would give him to the others had perished in Fran~e.'~ Gand to be educated. The couple had previously given their daughter, Marie, In 1636 a Huron girl between ten to Olivier LeTARDIF."' and twelve years old was given to a French family for two years. This was Dowries were now being set up done under the condition that she would to provide for the young Indian women. not be sent to France, and when the time In 1638 money was donated to gve four had expired, she would be allowed to arpents of cleared land to two Chris- return to her family if she wished. As tian Indian girls who were to marry the time drew near, her father sent a Frenchmen. In 1639, at Quebec, a wor- young man to her to propose marriage thy and pious woman gave one hundred in hopes of convincing her to return to tcus "for the wedding of a young sav- her people. She refused the suitor. Soon age girl sought in marriage by a young after, she was baptized Magdeleine, and Frenchman of very good character.:' it was hoped "that some soul dear to God will find in her a wife.'6 Magdeleine was In 1639 a Huron captain named considered to be a "most promising stu- Etinechkawat was afflicted with an ill- ness. This illness spread throughout his Marie served as an educator, ad- cabin and thirteen of his family had to visor, godmother, fanner, diplomat and be baptized. Etinechkawat, baptized trader. As a liaison between the French Jean-Baptiste, recovered but several of and Indian communities her contribu- his children died. "Two of his daugh- tion was immeasurable. Marie ROL- ters survived: a three year old, and a LET died in 1649. one year old. He gave us the one who References 'JElTE. R~1w.Dr~~10nnwregenea10g1:qttede, lhrntlkr rllz Qsrrbrc was three years old to be raised in a Llotllrerl. 1983. p. 561 French family; and that she might not 'LX'L.EKC. Clui,l~r#n. fil ,, E&lnbii,hrrrmr 01 rhr FCG!~in .&ti Flonee(l69lr Waw Yo*. 1881. ~01.1.p. 296. be lonely, he sent another little girl, a 'Ibd p. IIS. THWAITES. RsuhGo14 ThrJoarrRriononrandilllzdDucn- relative, as a companion. Monsieur ,?$en,?. Vol. \; P. 4143. 'Ibld. o. 287 Gand paid her board as we do for those . ~ "ICGAR, H. P, ilbrks, Quekc. 1870. \ol 6,p 70-71 whom we keep in families. His daugh- 'MLERCQ p. 296. 'Djcnonnorre bro*lra~hr~a
8 nlml b) Fatlwr L* Clcrvq that -'Two tnantagcr wnc celrbratcd k- t\\,een Fmrlum~adlndm~~~on~a~."Unfmunatrly, Lc Ckrcd- Records indicate that as late as nm elahate, howcvrr IIWcontc~l of his i!lfonoation suggrss Ulat 1648 a female child was brought from hc\\mspkingabut rvo~stlutaz-cured priorlo 16-10 (LKLERC, wl. I,p. 188). Trois-Rivieres to Quebec and boarded "lbidvol 16,p 141. with Barbe HUBOU, Marie ROLLET's "lbd 14, p. 259. sister-in-law. Members' Corner J. Armand Choiniere of 1504 Watauga St., Kingsport, TN, would like to correspond with anyone researching the DUCHARME family. Baptisms And Marriages of St. Michael Catholic Church, Swansea, Massachusetts 1922-1995
Is now available from the American- French Genealogical Society. This book is 409 pages in length is and is GBC- bound to lie flat when opened.
Printing is limited and supplies will soon be sold.
The price of this volume is $33.00 ($38.00 in Canada) -Rhode Island resi- dents please add 7% sales tax.
Please photocopy the order form on page 104 and send in your order today for this important book. A Romance With Qutbec . . . A Rebuttal
issue of Je Me Souviens, we published Quebec and Canada could be led to de- an article by Dr Peter J. Hughes en- velop a negative image of the province. titled A Rolnance With Quebec, nhich detailed the aurhor 5. experiences in In his article, Dr. Hughes portrays Que'bec from the vienpoint of an En- the Quebec of the late 1950's as a back- glish-speaking native. Mr Rirchot, a ward society. Thls is a gross exaggera- resident ofMontrial, takes issue wirh tion. Although it is true that the Catho- some ofDr Hughes 'statements. We are lic clergy had a prevalent role in Quebec farfrom qualified ro determine who is until the sixties, thls was mainly due to right and who is wrong, !f indeed there the lack of interest from the govemlnent is right and wrong. Both gentlemen to create social program structures. writefrom their own experiences. We Thus, it was left to the Church to oga- have done our duty by presenting /he nize the education, social and health opposing view Dr Hughes reply toMr care systems. What Dr. Hughes fails to Ritchot appears at the end of this ar- state in his article, is the fact that the ticle. We leave it to the reader to make social structure of New France (as well hisiher own decision ... as colonial New England) was lnostly developed by the clergy: Jeanne I read with some interest the ar- MANCE and Marguerite BOUR- ticle by Dr. Hughes which was published GEOIS, both heads of religious colnmu- in the Spring 1996 issue of Je Me Sou- nities, played key roles in the establish- viens, entitled A Romance With Que'bec. ment of schools, hospitals, and asylums. This situation remained for allnost three At first I thought it would be an centuries. But it should also be said that historical account of life in Quebec and the Providence Slate that we enjoyed its social, political and cultural devel- in the northern hemisphere was largely opment. But as I read, I realized that it a post-WW 11 creation. Prior to that was yet another text that showed how time, most of the Quebec govenunents misconception and lack of historical relied on private charities to provide perspective undermine thejudgement of relief for the underprivileged. many Canadians about the motivation of Quebecers. Many aspects of the ar- As for the Duplessis era, although ticle could be a distortion of facts, es- what Dr. Hughes says is true to a cer- pecially that part concerning the Ian- tain extent, it wasn't quite the grande 27 noirceur, as too many people tend to change would have been too strong for think. Many bright and adventurous him. spirits were making a real effort to mod- ernize our society: artists like Borduas, What I find very sad in Dr. Riopelle, Pelland, and Ferron; writers Hughes' text is that he has been unable llke Jacques FERRON and Jean-Charles to fully understand the French speak- HARVEY; trade union leaders like ing population, mostly because he Michel CHARTRAND, Madeleine seems to have lived at the fringe of it. PARENT, and Lea ROBACK; journal- He was only able to grasp the "folkloric ists like Rene LEVESQUE and Gerard element" of French life in Quebec: PELLETIER; industrialists like Louis- spruce beer, Cendrillon, and sonle TV Annand BOMBARDIER; scientists like programs. He naively states that. "We Dr. Annand FRAPPIER ... the list is worked, studied and played in English." endless. And, "I got a job at McGill where I worked for over three years without Duplessis was a man of his era. having to co~n~nunicatea word in On one hand, he was popular because French." There lies the proble~nsoftoo many Quebecers saw in him an ideal that many English Quebecers. There was they wanted to achieve. On the other never a fusion of the two solr~udesbe- hand, he fought to preserve the province cause the historic role of the English &om the centralization efforts of Ottawa. population in Quebec was to assimilate which in Inany ways undermined Que- it into the British Empire in Canada. It bec's development. The St. Lawrence is yet the same, which explains why so Seaway is the best example of those few of them have been integrated into policies, which had the effect of dimin- the French society. It also explains why ishing the i~nportanceof Montreal as a close to 95% of English Quebecers port of entry for goods and increasing voted NO in the last referendum. 1 don't the profit of central Canadian ports like blame them, I only t~yto make sense of Thunder Bay. The decline of Montreal their motivation. as Canada's ~netropolitancity can be traced to this event. In his article, Dr. Hughes says that "Quebec nationalism has transfonned When Duplessis created the Pro- from its fonner mixture of vague dis- vincial lncoine Tax, it was in response satisfaction and guerilla warfare into a to Ottawa's centralization of income tax legitimate political movement." (?LIP- collection as a tool for war effort. It was bec nationalism is deeply rooted into supposed to be a temporary policy, but our history, going farther back than the it remained pennanent. The Quebec early 1960's. It began in 1791, after govermnent responded with a policy to the Constitutional Act that created insure our financial autonomy. Lower and Upper Canada, each with its own parliament. Dissatisfaction started To conclude this historical per- when French was reduced to a second- spective, had Duplessis lived to take part class language in the Lower Canada leg- in the election of 1960, it is most likely islature. Debates were conducted in that he would have lost. The winds of English and only the English version of legal texts had force of law. This situa- have been a good opportunity to repair tion was mainly due to the fact that the the damage done. For the people in vast majority of the legislature were Quebec (at least its French constitu- English spealung. They were elected by ency), the 1867 constitution was per- their French speaking constituents be- ceived as a pact between two peoples. cause of their supposed knowledge of For the English Canadians, it was a pact the British parliamentary system. As between four provinces. That is why, time passed, French speaking represen- to this day, the call for special status for tatives were sent to the legislative as- Quebec is stronger than ever. The 1867 sembly, but were unable to change the constitution also stated that any new trend. power would auto~naticallybe Ottawa's matter. But what was good in 1867 be- The alienation between the two came obsolete as things evolved. A cen- cultures grew until it culminated in the tury later, Jean LESAGE, the Quebec uprising of 1837, when in both Upper liberal Prime Minister began to can- and Lower Canada (as well as in many paip for changes in the constitution that countries of Europe) people began to would reflect the progress that both question the fonns of nonrepresentative Quebec and Canada have experienced. governments which ruled them, and These hisloric deniatids, control over asked for refonn. In Quebec, this took inunigation, language and communica- on a special meaning as the French tions and senate refonn were made then population asked for more recognition. and are still on the table.
The result was the 1840 Union But in 1982, the Trudeau govem- Act where the two parliaments were ment flatly rejected these demands and united, and although Lower Canada was made a deal with the other provinces to inore populous, it had the sane number repatriate the constitution, leaving of representatives as Upper Canada. Quebec and the First Nations our. The Yet, in 1849, when the demographic Mulroney yoven~menttried to repail- the balance was reversed in favor of Upper damage with the Meech and Cha-lgtte- Canada, proportional representation town accords, but resistance from some was introduced. To this day, French provincial legislatures put an end to this Quebecers feel that their political voice attempt. The verdict from the people was neglected and only heard when they against the Charlottetown accord was were singing the sane tune as the rest even more blunt. Almost all the prov- of Canada. Lower Canada felt that En- inces voted against it in 1992 and the glish Canada's only motivation was to provincial Prime Ministers who cam- co~npletelyassixnilate us. From that day paigned in favor of it were later de- we saw the Quebec govermnent and in- feated, including Robert BOURASSA. stitutions as our sole tools of develop- The people of Quebec judged severely Inent. Our demand for special status is what they perceived to be a spineless our way ofcorrecting what we see as an perfonnance in negotiations. injustice done to us in 1849. In Quebec, the English population The 1867 Confederation could still sees Ottawa as their govermnent 29 and is still able to live their lives with- banned from the schools in Manitoba, out having to deal with the I;reiich ele- depriving the children of the first non- ment. They have built their institutions, Indian settlers of their heritage. The schools, hospitals, and social agencies, same happened in Ontario in 1910, that respond to the needs of their con- when the govemnent stopped funding stituency. For decades, they lived like a the Catholic schools, attended mostly dominant minority in Quebec, their so- by the children of the French speaking cial and economic prestige unchallenged fanners. Such a thing has never hap- by the French population. pened to the English speaking children of Quebec. Things began to change as more French speaking people integrated the Secondly, non-French or English business and industrial sector, only to speaking can send their children to the find out they did not have equal status. English school system if one ofthe par- When the Parrie Que'becois was elected ents was educated in a certified English to office in 1976, they immediately took institution of Quebec, or if a sibling of steps to insure that the French speaking this child is already enrolled in an En- population could enjoy the rights that a glish school. Native children have ac- majority should have. cess to education in their own language as well. The Inus or New-Quebec have Dr. Hughes' assertion that "non- control over their school systems, as French (would) have to send their chil- well as Quebecers ofJewish extractiotl. dren to French schools," is an often seen distortion of the reality of Bill 101's in- Thirdly, children of immigrants tention. How often do I hear that itmni- as well as their parents are directed to grant children in Quebec are "forced to the French school system. This is the go to the French schools," as if it was a best way for them to integrate them- punitive measure for their sin of their selves into their new society, where not being like us. 80% of the population is of French ex- pression. However, after secondary Firstly, the English speaking school, they are free to choose the learn- people have their own school system, ing system they wish. A vast majority funded by the province from kindergar- ofthese people choose the English post- ten to university, that they fully control, secondary system. This is ~nostlybe- and where they send their children. The cause most of the workers in the prov- Quebec govemnent is in the process of ince still have to use English in the transforming the religious school system workplace. This is the main reason why into a linguistic one, in order to mod- newcomers find it hard to integrate ernize it. A health care system for the themselves into the French Majority. English speaking populace also exists, although it has suffered from cutbacks As for our supposed agenda of in recent years, as has the French sys- "Cleanse Quebec linguistically and cul- tem. turally," this is a gross exaggeration of Bill 10 1's effect. For generations, In 1890, the French language was French was a second class language in Montreal, especially, and this law con- ro be deprived ofthe talent of well edu- tributed to the reversal of this injustice. :ated young people over a false impres- One only has to look at old photos of sion. the city to see that most commercial signs were entirely in English, although The failure of the Rest of Canada 60% of the Montreal population was [ROC' as it is often known in Quebec) French speaking. to recognize the needs of the French speaking population, on the grounds that The constant demand in Canada this would undermine the cohesion of and in the English population of Quebec the country is the primary reason why (now approximately 12%) for the prov- the nationalist movement has grown ince to become officially bilingual is since the 1980 referendurn. The fact ~nostlymotivated by the wish that En- that Canada is officially bilingual does glish Quebecers can continue to live as not help to eliminate the feeling of alien- if French did not exist. The privileges ation that many Quebecers have toward and rights they enjoy in Quebec are un- the government in Ottawa. Many of paralleled when compared to the diffi- them see this bilingualism as cosmetic. culties that the French minorities in Canada still have to overcome. An ex- Dr. Hughes's portrayal of Jacques ample is the recent announcement con- PARISEAY as another Hitler is far from cerning the possible closure of Monfort reality. This man is largely responsible Hospital, the only health establishment for the success stories of French speak- in Ontario where the estimated 500,000 ing Quebec business people. This was Franco-Ontarians can receive care in done by the creation of financial insti- their language. ~ratienGELIN AS, one tutions and programs that helped diver- of Quebec's best-known authors, once sify Quebec's economy in the 1960's. said, "Canada is a bilingual country where one language is spoken; Quebec Many articles have been pub- is a unilingual province where both lan- lished in the international press in the guages are used." recent past which presented a distorted image of Quebec's political reality. One The perception that many English of them appeared recently in a Gennan speakers have that their job prospects newspaper which presented Quebec as are limited because of their unilin- an anti-Semitic society which has gualis~nis, in my opinion, untrue. The changed little since the 1930's. My per- job market for all in eastern Canada has sonal opinion is that there is a deliber- diminished in the last twenty years, as ate attempt by some people with a po- the western provinces have enjoyed an litical agenda to tarnish our image as a economic boom. The younger English people in order to gain ground in the Quebecers who chose to learn French event of a third referendum. 1 don't are more inclined to stay. They are also believe that this is an organized move- more inclined to understand the moti- ment, nor do I feel that Dr. Hughes is a vations of the French population for the part of any such movement; but I do feel recognition of our contribution to this that his article has added to that Quibec country. It is a real tragedy for Quebec na~~otialisni-bashtngtrend. To conclude, I wish that Dr. rnarily meant to make fun of myself I Hughes' article had dealt inore with his- think that there is a certain absurdity in tory and genealogy. He vaguely men- the buinblings of a naive Anglo dwell- tions his Welch roots. Being a descen- ing in a place that he loves and to whlch dant of an Anglo-American hostage, and he thinks he belongs, yet only partly having therefore ancestors in England, understands. I would have been happy to know more about his ancestry. 1 reciprocate the sadness that Doininique Ritchot feels. We are all a Dr. Hughes replies: bit provincial. Quebec has long been especially so, because its French popu- My article, A Romance wiih lation feels justifiably nervous and em- Qukbec, originally written for my church battled within a largely English nation. newsletter, was intended primarily as a Many Francophone concerns and ide- personal reminiscence of my relation- als, as well as the language and much ship with Quebec. It is a true record of culture, are not shared, and are treated my experience. I decided what to in- with neglect and little consideration, by clude based upon two considerations: the vast majority of North Americans. The first was the necessity to keep my I share, to a lesser extent, some of these story as brief as possible (it already same feelings as a Canadian in the face stretched the medium of the church of ten times aslnany Americans. There- newsletter to the breaking point). Ac- fore I appreciate that Dominique cordingly I could not explain the fine Ritchot's hypersensitivity is not a per- nuances of the Language Law without sonal shortcoming, but is a natural re- distorting the flow ofmy memoir. I had sponse to a difficult situation. only time to tell of its essential elnotional and practical effects upon myself and my I think of Canada as a noble ex- family. Second, I am, of course, con- periment in nation-building quite dif- strained by the limits oftny knowledge ferent from the United States. Canada and the biases Inherent in my social point started out more than a century ago as of view. While I appreciate the insight two linguistic cultures sharing the sane into the personal and current outlook of country. It remains an ongoing and a Francophone resident of Quebec unsolved problem how to have these whose point of view is naturally quite "nations" or "solitudes" work together different fiom my own, this does not al- without subverting one of them. Nev- ter the information upon which 1 depend ertheless, I would like to see the experi- most for interpreting my story - my ment work. I think the safety and secu- own experience. rity of the world may depend upon it. Ethnic nationalism is an outmoded idea I apologize to Dotninique Ritchot which is, unfortunately, quite persistent. and any others who feel insulted by the The world needs more countries where levity with which I wrote certain por- various ethnic and linguistic groups can tions of my article. I did not mean to live together in cooperation, hannony, offend. The humor, such as it was, as is and mutual respect. customary in my newsletters, was pri- The vision of Dotninique Ritchot 32 and the on I hold dear clash, reflecting, in my selfishness or according to my in microcosm, how, in Canada as a idealism. If it happens I will have to whole, no equitable agreement has, as learn to adjust, to live with it, and learn yet, been possible. Should separatism to love Quebec in its emergent fonn. triumph, Quebec will be quite different The romance continues. from what I would have wished, either -
Pruclent HIVON (1877-1947); his wife Ida GARNEA U (1877-1 9.21); their clcrughter Stelkc, born cci 1909. Pruclent cmd Icln were nrcrrriecl on 7 Jrrnunry 1908 1rf St. Ferrlinoncl cl'Hcilifux, (Megnntic Co.), QuPbec. aiso,. B.nh.,, Joseph GREC~~~ 7 jaw 1x2m 9'mmalel. Rl m 9 hprll 18W d 4 lulv 19-18 mc~nualFalls. RI
Genevie\. COTE utigine PARENT
Roland Ednaond LAPLUDIE lugu%tin~DUIIAbIEL g 27~~~~~bn1921 1nCcnm1Falls.Rl rn 6Januacy 1811 #nVcrchcrc;. Out
hlarguetite UBOSSlEm Augu.lin DUHAblEL A~rrblrBBffiYAKU rn 6 F~hrual) I8O"lnSL H\z:m:hC, Ci~c
Louise LUSSIEH
Prna~coi~MUlS
Genc\ie>e DUGLE Marie Louise Martineau A Biography
dent of the U.S. was Grover CL-EVE- 1 2 ~ine1907. she received her first coin- LAND with Adlai STEVENSON as his munion. The following year. she trans- vice-president; Alexander Graham ferred to the local public school, where BELL and Michael PUPIN were work- she stayed until 1909, when she left ing on the newly invented telephone and school to begin working. This decision Thomas A. EDlSON continued work- to quit school was made after the school ing on inventions that would bring us principal scolded her and sent her home into the twenty-first century. As this was for coining to school too early! And so, happening, Elise Lambert MARTIN- the fourteen year old Marie Louise went EAU, wife of Marc MARTINEAU of to see Madame Labonne who took her Ste.-Agathe, Quebec was giving birth to to the Dana Warp Mill ul Westbrook and her fourth child in a rented apartment spoke to "a boss." She told the boss at 1127 Congress St. in Portland, Maine. that Marie Louise was a hard worker, This time it would be a arl. The date and so he brought her into the mill, had was 9 July, and as were the times, the someone show her what to do, and she child was inunediately brought to the began her job in the spool room on the church, by her godparents: her uncle, first tloor. They did not ask her for her Louis LAMBERT and his wife, Fernice name until the end of the week, when it MORAIS, for baptism by Father H.W. was time to be paid. HUBY. The child, Marie-Louise- Fennine, or Laddee as she was nick- In the mill, Louise worked the named, lived with her family at this ad- thread bobbins. She spun tan thread dress until 1900. Then the family onto spools that she had to put up onto moved to 29 North St. in neighboring a shelf above her work space. Boys Westbrook, ME where Laddee's father would come around and pick up the took a job at the paper mill. This same spools and pack them into boxes. Lou- year, while living at Westbrook, Elise ise was paid by the number ofboxes she gave birth to child nuinber six, another packed: seven cents a box, which mea- boy. The following year, 190 1, the fan- sured approxi~natelythree feet long by ily pennanently settled at 67 North St.. two feet wide by three feet deep.
Around 1902, the same year that During the First World War, the her mother had another daughter, girls worked extra hours. Dana Warp Laddee began her Catholic education at Mill had an order from the governlnent to spin black thread for parachutes. This been widowed less than two years. So required the girls to work until ten P.M. that he could go to Westbrook to look each night for several motiths. Marie- for work, Philippe had placed his four Louise gave her pay to her mother each children in the care of Irish nuns who week, and in return, was given twenty- operated an orphanage in Lawrence, five cents to spend. Marie-Louise spent MA. There was a great strike in her free time with her friends, the Sicard 1 Lawrence at the time, and he was un- family, with whom she would sing at able to support his children. He had weddings and family gatherings. heard that the SDW & Co. mill in Westbrook was looking for carpenters. In 1914, Louise was given two When he arrived at the mill, he easily weeks off from the mill to accolnpany found work building wooden boxes. He her mother, her older brother, Alfred, asked about a place to stay and was told and his wife, Eugenie to Ste.-Agathe, to speak to "Mike." Mike was Louise's Quebec. The purpose of the trip was to eldest brother, and he infonned Philippe visit her grandmother, Julie Mercier that his mother did take in boarders. LAMBERT. The foursorne left West- brook by train to go to the fann of Elise's It was not long before Philippe brother, Pierre, where nrernee Lalnbert and Louise began a courtship, in spite lived. She had moved in with her so11 of her fanlily's opposition. Before their when his wife died to help raise his mamage, she was taken to Lawrence young children. Louise thought her to meet his children. "They were clean grandmother to be very smct and stem and well behaved, but the nuns were as well as short! Elise tried to talk her showing them off and the children inother into moving to Maine with her. wanted to get out of there." They re- She refused, thinking that God did not turned to Westbrook that day with the live way down there. Furthermore, youngest child, George, who was three memere Lanbert had never seen a train, years old and the only boy. did not understand what one was like, and didn't want to know! Sunday, 4 Noverr~ber191 7, Lou- ise and Philippe were mal-ried in St. During the visit, Uncle Pierre took Hyacinthe church of Westbrook by Fa- out his white show horses, and hitched ther P. E. DESJARDINS. There were them up to his carriage. The family went few people present at the ceremony, and for a caniage ride through the village of the bride wore blue because she Ste.-Agathe. During this ride, one horse "couldn't wear white in those days spooked and bucked. Eugenie fell from when ~nanyinga widower." After the the caniage, and later miscarried. She ceremony a s~nallreception was held died the following year of gangrene in the home of her parents. She remem- bered that it was snowing lightly at the When Louise was twenty-one, a time, and that the reception was at- man called on her mother looking to rent tended by her family and some friends. a room in the her family's home. The No one fio~nPhilippe's side was there. year was 1917 and Philippe MARTIN- EAU was thirty-seven years old and had The next day, Philippe left for Fort Devens for a job, and Louise re- the building for negligence, but his case turned to the mill to her job. The fol- was denied when it was found out that lowing month, Philippe and Louise Mr. Boisvert advised hhn to put chicken moved to Massachusetts. Before leav- wire around the railing of the porch to ing, she gave many of her dearest pos- protect the young children. Since sessions to her younger sister, Eva. Philippe did not follow this advise, it Since there was seventeen years be- was ruled that the landlord was not li- tween them, Louise was Inore of a sur- able. rogate mother to Eva than a sister. Af- ter aniving in Lowell, MA, they rented In 1918, the great influenza epi- a room in a boarding house on Lillian demic was spreading throughout the Ave.. During this time in Lowell, Lou- country, and Louise's family was not ise felt tembly lonely. She had left all spared. She remembers that while she of her family and hends in Maine, and was in the second trimester of preg- knew no one in Massachusetts. Philippe nancy with her first child, she was ex- introduced Louise to Ins first wife's sis- posed to the flu. She, and three of her ter, and the two women soon became step children soon became ill. Miracu- fiends. This was the only company she lously, Philippe was spared. He re- had, since Philippe's job at Fort Devens moved all of the furniture f?om the sick- required hun to leave at four a.m., and rooms and took down the draperies. often he would not return home until This was to kee~the air clean.. . he be- after eleven p.m. lieved that flu gems would get into the material and prevent his family from The newlywed couple soon, along recovering. The epidemic kept hitn busy with his four children, soon moved to in another way. Since he was free from an apartment at 688 Lakeview Ave.. the flu, the doctor asked Philippe to help This was a five-room flat on the third remove bodies; "people were dying floor. The landlord was a Mr. Boisvert faster than coffins could be made." The who was the grandfather of one of her doctor insisted that Philippe take a drink future daughters-in-law. Louise tells of of alcohol before going into an apart- how hungy the children were when they ment to remove a body. According to left the orphanage. "The children ate Louise, the effects of the flu only al- nine loaves of bread a day; the loaves lowed a person to take Moxie or alco- weren't as big as they are now but each hol, "nothing else would stay down." loaf cost seven cents. That was a lot of Louise believes that her advanced preg- money back then when people didn't nancy saved her life because most make mnuch." It was in this apartment women who were pregnant in their first that little George fell off the back porch three months died. When Louise recov- while his eldest sister Ida was watching ered and gathered sufficient strength, him. His fall was broken by the clothes- she was ordered by her doctor to go to line, and he suffered no more than a bro- her mother's home in Westbrook to have ken leg. However, he did spend about her child. It was late November before six weeks in the hospital. she could make that trip; and on Sun- day, 22 December 1918, Marie Louise Philippe tried to sue the owner of Eva MARTINEAU was born. The child was baptized at St. Hyacinthe, and her was left alone to raise her youngest chll- godparents were Louise's brother and dren by herself. sister, Arthur and Ida MARTINEAU. A new, young, doctor delivered Eva. Af- This was the first of many trag- ter the child's birth, the family returned edies in Louise's life. In the following to their old physician, Dr. Coutourie. year, 1944, her mother, Elise LAM- The young doctor was thought to be a BERT died. The year 1945 was even "drunk," and later drowned in his own more difficult for her; her son Ray- bathtub, leaving a wife and children. mond, a marine serving in World War There were eleven children in Dr. 11, was killed in action at Iwo Jima; and Coutourie's fainily and Louise's mother later that year, her father died. did their laundry. The following year, 1946, Lou- The following year, the Martineau ise and her children had to move from family had moved to 142 Howard St. in their home because it had been sold. Lowell. There two more daughters were Two years later, Grammy 's House burnt born: Marie Irene Amanda on 10 Janu- to the ground and the fanily that had ary 1920, and Marie Rose Yvonne on bought the property sold Louise the 30 May 1923. In 1924, the Martineaus land. Her son-in-law, Frank DUBEY, bought a piece of land on Haverhill St. built a new home. Louise lived in this in Dracut. There they built a house and house until her ninety-seventh year, operated a small fann. Their first son, many of these years by herself. She is Philippe Albert Raymond was born in now residing at the Fairhaven Nursing this house on 22 September 1924. Three Home, where she fondly reminisces more boys would also be born there: about her many rich experiences. She Robert Norbert on 2 1 May 1929, Joseph continues enjoying her good health and Alfred on 1 April 193 1, and Paul Arthur keen memory. on 9 June 1933. Louise raised four step children, The great depression greatly af- whose ages ranged from four to thir- fected the Martineau family, as it did on teen when she married. She then had many others. In April of 1933, the bank seven of her own children. From these holding the mortgage on their property children, she has seen twenty-seven foreclosed. Because Louise was preg- grandchildren, forty-five great grand nant at the time with her last child, the children, and twenty great-great grand- family was allowed to remain in the children.. . so far! house for some time. Sornetime after Louise gave birth, the family moved to Editor's Note: In a letter accom- an apartment at 163 Haverhill St. in panying this arricle, the author sraled Dracut. This location is still affection- thar it was written on the occasion of ately called Gramniy 's House. It was in her hundredth birthday. He .further this home, on the eve of Mother's Day srares rhar his grandnrother is now 1943, as Louise was readying herself for nearly 102 and is "as sharp as a lack bed, when she found her husband of and as healthy as can be!" We u~rsh twenty-five years dead in bed. Louise her rhe besr. Godfroy Daignault, Walter F. Fontaine and Alexander Gilbert
- title was taken from ~&resentative apprenticed himself to Mr. Joseph Men and Old Families ofRhode Island, PAGE, of Providence, at the carpenter Volume 111: published in 1908 by J.H. business, continuing with him until Beers & Co. ofChicago. These books 1874. At this time he engaged in the were apparently a paid Who's Who of meat business on his own account, in prominent Rhode Islanders ofthatpe- the Social district, and his business so riod, and were probably publishedjbr expanded that he soon opened places of their snob appeal among the elite of that business in Providence, R.I., Danielson era. With that in mind, this biography and Wauregan, Conn., and Blackstone, shouldprobably be taken with a grain Mass. He continued in the business of salt. Howeve~the genealogical in- until 1900, when he sold out. disposing formation it contains can be most use- of the Blackstone market to his son-in- ful lo those researching thesefamilies. law, George H. VALOIS, who still con- These individuals were chosen for in- ducts it. clusion in this issue because of their im- portance in the French-Canadran corn- At the time he went into the meat munrty of northern Rhode Island at the business, Mr. Daignault became inter- turn of /he centuy. ested in the stone business. A few years afterward he engaged in the manufac- Among the pioneer French Cana- ture of lumber at Ste. Cecile, Quebec, dians of Woonsocket, who saw the place disposing of his product through his grow from its infancy, when it was a ofice in Woonsocket, He also built, in small mill village, to its maturity, a thriv- 1900, a box and moulding shop at Villa ing, hustling city of 30,000 inhabitants, Nova. Mr. Daignault was also largely was the late Godfroy DAIGNAULT, interested in the real estate business, who was born at St. Gregoire, County erecting large stores and tenement of Iberville, Province of Quebec, in blocks in the Social district, owning at 1849, son of Godfroy and Marceline the time of his death two of the fonner DAIGNAULT. and one hundred and forty-six of the latter. Mr. Daignault was educated in the schools of his birthplace, and was but He was a inan of enterprise and eighteen years of age when he came to progessive ideas, and worked hard from the United States, locating in Woon- his boyhood. His success was the re- sult of his own tireless efforts, and was Daignault Company. He married (first) the just reward of a long life of hard la- Georgianna ALLAIRE. who died on bor. Mr. Daignault died of heart trouble, March 17, 1900, and he married (sec- Sept. 12, 1903, after eight months of ill ond) Arthe~niseBELISLE. Elphsge J , health, and he was laid to rest in the Pre- born in Woonsocket, June 8, 1879, was cious Blood Cemetery. He was a Chris- educated in the schools of his native tian gentleman, a devout Catholic and a place, in St. Mary's College, Montreal, member of St. Ann's parish, of which and graduated from Boston College, church he was a trustee. In politics he class of 1900, and from Colu~nbiaLaw was a supporter of the Republican party, School in 1903, and now practices law served as a member of the town cou~icil it1 Woonsocket. He is a Republican in before Woonsocket was incorporated as politics, and in the fall of 1903 was a city, and was for seven years assessor elected to the legislature, serving two of taxes. In 1898 and 1899 he repre- terms. He married Miss Florina sented the Fifth ward as a member of GAULIN, daughter of Alphonse GAU- the board of aldermen, serving on sev- LIN, and they are the parents of two eral important conunittees during that children, Florina and Marguerite. time. He was a member of the Jean Eustache L. DAIGNAULT, born Jan. Baptiste Society of Woonsocket, the 18, 1883, was educated at St. Mary's Union of Prayer at St. Ann's Church, and College, Montreal, and Boston College, the Alliance Nationale. Since his death, is Inatlager of the box factory. and re- his business affairs have been carried on sides at home by his widow under the name of the Godfroy Daignault Company. George H. VALOIS, son-in-law of the late Mr. Daipault, was born in Mr. Daignault was married in Woonsocket, Dec. 22, 1873, of French Woonsocket to Elmire ARCHAM- Canadian parentage. He was educated BAULT, and thirteen children were born in Woonsocket and at St. Cesaire, to this union, of whom three died in in- Quebec, and is now engaged in the meat fancy. The others were: Elmire, who business at Blackstone, Mass., also be- married George H. VALOIS; Melanie; ing interested in real estate in Woon- Elise; Exilia; Elizabeth, who died March socket with his wife. He is a sewer com- 1 I, 1904; Alice; Godfroy Jr.; Eugene J.; missioner of Woonsocket. One child, Elphege J.; and Eustache L. Of these, Georgine, has been born to Mr. and Godfioy Jr., born April 3, 1876, was Mrs. Valois. educated at St. Mary's College, Mont- real, and is now bookkeeper for the Godfroy Daignault Company and re- sides in Woonsocket; he married Angel- Walter F. FONTAINE, one of the ina COTE, and has one daughter, best known architects of the state and senior member of the finn of Fontaine and Kinnicutt, Woonsocket, is a native Eugene J., born Nov. 29, 1877, of that city, born Jan. 12, 1871. The was educated in St. Mary's College, Fontaine fa~nilyare of Scotch origin, but Montreal, and is fore~nanof the Godfioy for many generations they made their cense colmnlssloners, sna also was a ~nelnberofthe Park commissioners. He Charles FONTAINE, grandfather took an active part in the work of his of our subject, was born in the parish of party, serving as a member of the Fifth St. Hyacinthe, County St. Hyacinthe, ward Republican committee and on the where he was a land owner and fanner, City Republican colnmittee. He was a and where he spent his active life. He charter member of the St. Jean Baptiste came to Woonsocket in his declining Society of Woonsocket, was popular years, and made his home with his son, with all, and took a great interest in the with whom he died, being buried in St. town and its development. He was a Paul's cemetery. He married Sophie member of St. Ann's parish, and one of TINLEINE, and among their children the founders thereof. was John Baptiste FONTAINE. Mr. Fontaine was married in John B. FONTAINE was born in Woonsocket to Ella M. PRAIRIE, who the parish of St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, in is still living, and resides on El~nStreet, 1836, and was there educated, working Woonsocket, the mother of seven chil- on the fann until of age, when he came dren: Charles, a resident of Woonsock- to the United States, locating in Woon- et; Mabel, who died young; Walter F.; socket, in 1857. He worked for the late Victor, who died young; Grace E., a mil- Edward HARRIS on the Privilege ~nills, liner of Woonsocket: LeRoy N., a clerk afrer which he became foreman for the in the post office, Woonsocket; and late Nathaniel ELLIOT, contractor and Clara, at home. builder, and during his e~nploymentby the latter gentleman he had charge of Walter F. FONTAINE attended the construction of the Benedict House the public and grammar schools of at Pawtucket, a large jewelry factory at Woonsocket, and desiring to follow a Attleboro, Mass., the hverside Hotel at professional career entered the office of Riverside, the Monument House and Mr. Willard KENT, architect and civil High school, Woonsocket. He aftelward engineer, of Woonsocket. He spent five started in business for himself and built years with Mr. Kent, after which with the Linton Block, St. Ann's Church, twenty other architects from different convent, rectory and gymnasium, the parts of the United States (among whom latter being the best work ever accom- were Albert KELSEY, who has been del- plished by him. His last contract was egate a number of times to the Archi- the grammar school, High street, but he tect's Convention in Belgium; and Jo- died before its completion. His death seph PENNELL, a well known pen and occurred May 26, 1895, when he was ink artist), he visited France and stud- aged fifty-nine years, and he was bur- ied architecture at the Chateaux of ied in the Precious Blood Cemetery. northern France. He then entered the ofices of Stone, Carpenter & Wilson, Mr. Fontaine was a Republican, architects of Providence, and there for and served as a member of the town eleven years he was engaged as an ar- council of Woonsocket, and was one of chitect, during which tune he had charge the first members of the Board of Li- of the construction of the Providence Public Library, the Union Trust and other that constructed the Globe bridge, and buildings. In 190 1 he returned to Woon- of the board that paved Main and socket, and engaged in business on his Clinton streets He sen,ed on the coln- own account, his first work being the nitt tees on Police. Insurance, Railroad Conunercial Building, Main street, and and Education. He is a member of St. the police station on Front street. He Ann's parish. Fraternally he is con- also drew plans for the St. Louis de Gon- nected with the K. of C. and the Busi- zague Church, and the Church of the ness Men's Association. He is also a Holy Family on South Main street, member of the C. N. D. and of the St. Woonsocket; St. Mary's French Catho- Jean Baptiste Society. lic Church, Willirnantic, Conn ; St. Matthew's Catholic Church, Central Mr. Fontaine was married in Falls, R.I.; St. Jacques' French Catholic Nashaway, N.H. to Miss Oheline LU- Church, Taunton, Mass.; St. Joseph's CIER, and three children have been French Catholic Church, Attleboro, born to the union: John Raymond. Mass.; and for the enlargement of the Oliver Walter and Paui Nelson. Rhode Island School for the Deaf, Provi- dence. Editor :r note: Walter I? FON- 1AINL;:s w,ork. iti additioii tu rile build- In 1903, Mr. Fontaine took into ings lrsted above includex tlie~fullow~- partnership Mr. E. H. KINNICUTT, ing, all ;ti Wootisocket: Our Lady oJ since which time the finn has been Mctories, St. Stariislaus, atidSt. Josepli known as Fontaine & Kinnicutt. In 1906 Catliolic cliurclies: The Wootisocket Mr. Fontaine was selected by the promi- Junior and Setlior High Sc/?ou/s: nent Frenchmanufacturers, Phiberghien Mount St. CharlaAcarieniy; St. h'rati- Freres (Editor $ tiote: niberghien i.r the cis Orphanage: arid the Potlirer niau- correci spelling qf this name.), to draw .soleu~iirti I'reciu~i.~HIuod ( 'eitlete~.~ plans for a large mill to be erected in Mr. Fotitaine u,as boni rri Woo17.socke1 Woonsocket, and Mr. Fontaine made a on 12 Jatiuary 1871, at7d dted tiierr it7 trip to Paris, to submit the plans. While 1938. there he made a trip to Havre, and vis- ited the American Consul there, a per- sonal friend of Mr. Fontaine's, Hon. Alphonse GAULIN, Jr. Alexander GILBERT, a leading citizen of Woonsocket, where he is en- Mr. Fontaine easily stands among gaged as a funeral director and em- the first architects ofthe State. His abil- bahner, was born in that city Sept. 23, ity has won the confidence of a fine list 1854, son of Alexander GILBERT. Sr. of customers, and his genial and courte- ous manner has won the popularity of Alexander GILBERT Sr. was a all classes. He is a staunch Republican native of the Province of Quebec, and in politics, and has served as a Inember was but seventeen years of age when of the council five years, two years as he came to Rhode Island. locating at councihnan and three years as an alder- Woonsocket, where he found employ- man, being chainnan of the conunission lnent with Stephen MASON, a soap manufacturer. There he worked for four when the partnership was dissolved. years, and then spent five years as a The finn since 1901 had a branch in salesman for Mr. Mason. At the end of Providence, which was continued until that time he started into business for 1906, when it was succeeded by the finn himself, peddling tinware in and around of Gilbert & Drabble. Woonsocket. Later he owned a tinware and hardware store on what is now Since the dissolution of the part- Monument Square, and there he contin- nership, Mr. Gilbert has continued the ued in business until his death, May 5, business alone on the exact location 1872, being laid to rest in the Oak Hill where he became identified with the Cemetery, where his wife, Prudence undertaking business in 1870. He is well PROULX, who died Dec. 4, 187 1 was known throughout the state, and is a also buried member of the Undertakers' Associa- tion of Rhode Island, being on of the Their children were: Joseph, who organizers of that body. His religious resides in Providence; Alexander; faith is that of the Baptist Church. In Emna J.; William H., who resides in politics he is independent. Mr. Gilbert Woonsocket; E. Oscar; E.E. Rena; and is a member of Morning Star Lodge, No. two who died young. 13, A.F. & A.M.; Royal Arch Chapter, No. 5; ans Woonsocket Connnandery, Alexander GILBERT was edu- K.T. No. 24. He is also a member of cated in the public schools of Woon- Woonsocket Lodge, No. 10, I.O.O.F., socket, and worked in the store with his and the Palestine Encampment, No. 3. father. On reaching his sixteenth year he entered the employ of the late Israel On October 5, 1881, Mr. Gilbert B. PHILLIPS, who at that time con- was married to Harriet F. PHILLIPS, ducted an undertaking establishment, born in Johnston, R.1 , daughter of the and here spent thirteen years, learning late Israel B. and Abby G. (LAPHAM) the business in every detail. Mr. Phillips PHILLIPS, and to this union have been established the business now conducted born five children: Oscar Bowen, who by Mr. Gilbert. In 1883 he was for a graduated from the high school of short time in the employ of J. G. Smith Woonsocket, later taking a medical & Co., and then began business on his course at Darthnouth College of New own account on Main Street. About six Hampshire, class of 1908; Leslie months later he fonned a partnership Phillips, who died at the age of thirteen with Willard W. BEAMAN, now of Ply- months; Any Phillips, who graduated mouth, Mass., under the finn name of &om the high school in 1903, and is now Gilbert & Beaman, and after one and a student at Wellesley College, class of one-half years this becane Gilbert & 1908; Chester Alexander, a graduate of Wightman, Mr. John A. C. WIGHT- the Woonsocket high school in 1907; MAN being Mr. Gilbert's partner. This and Elsie May, at the same school, class business was conducted until 1905, of 1909.
Drinking doesn't drown your troubles, it simply irrigates them Odds And Ends ing. In the time of the Emperor, we were three million Franks mixed up Are all French-Canadians descen- with Gauls and Romans, more or less. dentsofKingCharle~nagne?TheFrench But as we each have a father and writer, Philippe du Puy de Clinchamps mother, four grandparents, eight great- seems to thinkso. The followingis taken grandparents, sixteen great-great- from page eight of The Chatealcr of [lie grandparents, and so forth as twelve Loire I Love (English edition by Tudor centuries separate us from Charle- Publishing Co. of New York). I quote, magne; as there are three generations "Charles did not remain wooden with the in a century, add it up: 32 billion - 823 fairer sex. It's one way of being rather inillion - 194,368 ancestors in those common on the banks of our Loire. times, if I'm not mistaken. An almost Because of this, I can tell you that we irrefutable conclusion: we all descend are, you and I, descendents of the of several lines from three million of Carolingian. Charlemagne contemporaries, thus TI^ to follow me in my reason- from him."
AFGS Small Book Bag
Durable Cotton Canvas Natural w/Navy Handles Size: 16"x12"5" AFGS Embroidered in Navy
$12.00 ea + $2.50 s+h (R.1 residents please add 7% sales tax)
Also Available in Medium (18"x14"~7") $14.00 ea + $2.50 s+h
Pleose Allou~4-6 Week For Deliwrv (Orders Con Be Poid \t,irh Check, Pbo, ur Mos/erCord,I Pleose Smd Yotrr Order To:
AFGS PO. Box 2010 Dept. GM Woonsocket. RI 02895-0950 Franco-American Veterans of World War 1 from Blackstone, MA
The assassination of the Austrian ARCHAMBAULT, Joseph BARTHLETTE, Wilfred Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo BELLANGER, Alcide in 1914 was the spark that ignited the BOURGERY, Leon war to end all wars, World War One. BOUSQUET, O'Neil Also called the Great War, it quickly BOUSQUET, Oscar cane to involve all the great powers of CHARRETTE, Joseph L. CONTRE; Willian~J. Europe and eventually most countries CORMIER, Theodore of the world, and cost the lives of more COURTEMANCHE. Albert than 8 million soldiers. COTE, Josepl~M DEWNING; Eleuthier L. The United States initially adop- DENEAULT, Evariste J. DENEAULT, George J. ted a policy of strict neutrality. How- DENEAULT, Onidace P. ever, faced with increasing public sym- DUSOE, Harold F. pathy for the allies, and Gennany's re- DUSOE. Nelson A. sumption of its policy of unrestricted FLEURANT. Peter submarine warfare led Congress to de- FORGET, Edward GARAND, Mageca J. clare war against Germany on 6 April GARDE, Henry R. 1917. GARNEAU, Will~e GAUTHIER, Eugene As in past conflicts, our Franco- GELINAS, Dennis American ancestors were quick to vol- GILLES, Jules Jr. GOULET, Eli unteer. Many thousands served in the GOULET, Joseph U.S. armed forces. GOULET, Oliver GRONDINES, Leo At the end of the war, the town of LAFERRIERE, Albert Blackstone, Massachusetts erected a LAFLEUR, Henq LANGELIER, Henry memorial dedicated to its citizens who LEMPY, George served in that war. On an island fonned LEMPY. O\ ila by the intersection of Main Street with MARTINEAU, Antonio Butler Street and County Road, there MONGEAU, Frank stands a bronze plaque containing the REMILLARD, Aimee RONDEAU, Albert names of all of the town's citizens who THUOT, George served in this war. Following are the TOUCHETTE, Horn~~das names of Franco-Americans extracted VERHULST, Francois from this plaque: VERHULST, Lucien G. 45 Josephine Newell Leclair
Born on 26 February 1861 in Monroe, NH, the daughter of Augustin NOEL (0.k.a. NE WELL) and Sophia ALLAIRE (a.k.0. ALLEN). Married to Joseph LECLAIR, the son of Isaac and Philemon (CAREY). There were thirteen known children from this marriage. Josephine died on 23 June 1947 in Claremont, NH. Photo was taken in Unity, NH about 1922.
Subnirlted by Ellen Ne~~ellMc(;ra/h Calixte Lavallee
Calixte (or Calixa) LAVALLEE After hsdischarge fio~nthe anny, was born at Vercheres, Quebec on 28 he returned to Woonsocket for a short December 1842, the son of musician time, but soon left to pursue his musi- ~ean-~a~tisteLAVALLEE and his wife, cal career. Our next encounter with hm Caroline VALENTIN. Some records in official records is his marriage to have shown the father's name as Josephine GENTILLY on 2 1 December Augustin, and it appears that his primary 1867 at Lowell, MA. Josephne was the trade was that of blacksmith. Jean- daughter of Franqois DeGENTlLLY and Baptiste provided his son's early musi- Elizabeth RANDOLF. cal education. Later, Calixte studied at the Paris Conservatory. Under Mar- Much of his time was spent tour- montel, he studied piano; and learned ing in the U.S. and Canada as a concert the art of co~npositionwith Bazin and pianist. In 1881 he was a member and Boieldieu.fils. He made his debut as a soloist in the concert company of Ger- soloist there in 1860. Returning to man singer Etelka GERSTER. Subse- Canada shortly afterwards, he made quent years were spent in an endeavor tours of his native country and of the to establish a French-Canadian conser- United States. vatory at Quebec, and in 1887 he be- came president of the National Music It is not known exactly when Teachers' Association in the U.S. In Calixte emigrated to the United States. 1889 he was chosen as a delegate to The fust official record of his residence England for the Society of Musical Pro- in this country was created on 17 Sep- fessors. By this time he had settled in tember 1861, when he enlisted in the Boston, MA, where he became an in- Fourth Rhode Island Volunteer regiment structor at the Petersilea Academy, and in Woonsocket, RI. His musical train- wrote a comic opera, The Widou,. Ad- ing gained him a position as First Trum- ditionally, he authored another opera, peter in the regimental band. Military and thirty studies for the piano. records of that era are sparse. Except for the fact that he was wounded in the Probably his greatest ~nusical battle of Antietaln in September of achievement was his composition, 0 1862, Iittle is known of Calixte's ser- Cbnuda, first perfonnei in Montrial on vice in the Civil War. He was mustered 24 June 1880. In 1887 a French-Cana- out on 30 October 1862. dian organization offered a prize for a
47 colnposition suitable for use as a na- 1 co~nposition. Within a short time sev- tional anthem by the French population eral English versions were written, and of Canada. Calixte's entry won the 0 Canada soon became the nation's award. His cornposition was immnedi- anthem. ately popular with the people of Quebec, but did not attract the attention of the I Calixte was not to see this hap- English-speaking Canadians until 1908. pen. He died in Bostol~on 3 Febl uary In that year, a great celebration took 1891. My research has only uncovered place to colmnelnorate the founding of one child born to Calixte and Joseph- Quebec city by Samuel de CHAM- ine. Raoul Arthur was born on 2 Janu- PLAIN. It was attended by King George ary 1880. Josephine remarried on 31 V (then the prince of Wales), who ex- January 1895 to Adolphe hnbroise pressed a great admiration for Calixte's DENIS.
Odds And Ends It was not until the fourteenth century that there began, in any true A coat of anns is inherited the sense, an English language spoken in same as a surname, by the legitimate England. Until that time, Norman descendents of the person to whom the French was widely used. The modern coat of anns was first assigned or al- English language is a melding of that lowed. The word Ecuyer used after a Nonnan French with ancient native Ian- name denotes the title, Esquirt. given to pages of the British Isles. nobles. A colnlnoner caught using the title was fined by the king and the town's Knights of the middle ages car- citizeq would ridicule the offender. ried s~nallknives called misrricorde, There was a time in the history of whose primary purpose was to end the France when over 275,000 persons had sufferings of badly wounded opponents a title of nobility. Today, rnillions are on the battlefield. This was the only entitled to their coats of anns by inher- time co~npassionwas shown to the en- itance. However, the cost of having the emy. research done, and the results officially I P recorded, is often prohibitive; some- ( William the Conqueror, or times exceeding $10,000. G'urllaume le ('onqutretrr as he was known in his native Normandy, arid h~s Nobility does not always mean wife Mathilda were illegitimate chil- royalty. Titles of nobility could often dren. After vanquishing the English be bought by the wealthy. It could also forces and becoming King of England be conferred by the king on a person who in 1066, William began erecting numer- comtunitted a brave deed, or was a per- ous abbeys there and his wife did the sonal servant to the royal family. A title ( same in France. The reason for this, it of nobility was also given to a knight was discovered, was the fact that they (chevalier). were cousins, and this was a way of atonelnent to the Church. Au Revoir, Lowell
from the book, Je Me Souviens - A_ play~nateswho were Irish, Italian, and Fainilv Remembrance, by Albert Bois- Jewish. Previously we had been led to sonneauh, and is reprM1ed here uilh hrs believe that French Canadians were the uddou~kpermission.This is tlie,fifih in- cream of the crop. We very soon dis- stallmen/. Mr Boissonneault :s book is covered that our new school~nateswere in the AFGS Libray. about the same as our old friends, no better and certainly no worse. In September, 1922, we did not return to Joliette, but instead entered the Before I leave Lowell, I must give public school in south Lowell, the Riv- the names of my relatives liv~ngin erside School, which was still standing Lowell. and in use in 1990. At the end of the month we were moved to Winthrop, My father's sister Rosalie married Massachusetts, a town on the ocean David BEAUVAIS, a Civil War veteran front north of Boston. We settled in a much older than her, who died in 1912 three decker home at 117 Revere Street, and is buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery, where, for the first time and to our sur- Chelmsford, MA. My aunt lived with prise, we were infonned that we had my Boissonneault grandparents. acquired a stepmother, the aforeinen- tioned Grace ROBERTSON. A divor- Delina BOISSONNEAULT mar- cee, she had three sons - John, who was ried Joseph GAUTHIER and lived di- 15 years old and already working, rectly across the street ko~nus. She had George, then 12 years old, and Willard, six children, George, Girard, Roland. who was ten. Their father was a come- Cecile, Pauline, and an older girl whose dian on the burlesque circuit who used name I have forgotten, but who is now the stage name of Bob ALEXANDER. deceased. Roland, when I last saw him, Due to his work he was very seldom was living in Winchendon, MA home and, since he did not support his family, divorce was the end result. Her sister Delphine married Jean- Baptiste MARTIN, and lived next door This marked the end of our time to my grandparents. She also raised six in Lowell, our native city and the home children; of those still living, Gertrude of all of our relatives. We were dropped and Lucien live in Lowell and Imelda into Winthrop, speaking very little En- (BEAUVAIS) lives in Glen Falls, NY. My uncle Tommy BOISSON- now. (We also visited Therese at her NEAULT lived in Lowell, with his ten home in Joliette where her husband children but I do not recall their names. worked in the Post Office and, as a con- His daughter Alice married Lionel sequence, could speak English.) DENEAU and lives on West Meadow Road in Lowell, not far from lny sister My aunt Mary changed only the Gabrielle, with whom she keeps in touch. first initial of her last name when she married Narcisse FOUCHER in Lowell. Uncle Willy BOISSONNEAULT Althourrh- 1 think she bore 19 or 20 chil- left two children, George and Arthur. dren, only twelve lived past infancy, and Arthur died several years ago but of those only four are now living: George, wllo~nwe occasiorially see. Beatrice (HEBERT), Antoinette (BOU- lived in Chcopee, MA. He lost hswife, RET), Gabrielle (who rnarried a sailor Ed~neein 1990. during World War 11 and is living in Rye, NH) and Wilfred. My children may also On the BOUCHER side of the remember eating at my cousin Pete family, my mother's sister Ida married FOUCHER's restaurant, which was on Joseph LESAGE. They had two boys, Textile Avenue, close to the Lowell Albert, who became the Indian agent at Textile Institute, now the home of St. James Bay, Quebec; and Joseph Jr., Lowell Co~mnunityCollege. who lived in Shawinnigan Falls, Quebec, where he worked for the power com- Aunt Mary Jane's husband, pany. Since they were both much older Adolphe BRASSARD, was the gifted than me, they are probably both dead by singer I mentioned previously. They now. becane the parents of six children, of whoin Juliette, Aline, Margaret, and Donalda was the bride of Ben- Maurice are still living. jamin LAVALLEE; of their four chil- dren, the two boys are dead but as far as Aunt Anna married Ed~nond I know the two girls are still living in St. GENDREAU and thee of their chil- Paulin, Quebec. Their rnanied names dren, Rene, Rita, and Paul, live in are Germain ALLARD and Jeanne- Lowell. Therese married a funeral di- d'Arc DUPUIS. My sons should re- rector named, coincidentally BOU- member our visit to them on one of our CHER, and lives in Biddeford, ME, trips to Canada. Since they could not though now that he has retired, they speak English and my wife and sons spend winters in Florida, as do Kene and could not speak French, it was a short hta. Before retiring, Rene was a fi- visit, but one in which smiles could bring ctancial advisor, owning his own very more companionship than the tongue successful company. He lost his wife could ever convey. to cancer many years ago. It was with this family that my sisters and 1 stayed My uncle Albert, who always when we retunled in the sulmner vaca- lived in Montreal, married Blanche tion. PATRIE and had one daughter Therese (marriedname CONTRE). All are dead Aunt Rose-Alba married Jules DUMONT and bore five boys and one hind, she left a great legacy of love to girl. The oldest, Donald, was an Anny her many nieces and nephews. pilot who was shot down over Indo- China in 1945 during World War 11. With this record, I end that part Gloria married Mike LEEDBERG and of my life associated with Lowell. Liv- lives in Chelmsford, MA. In 1950, ing in Lowell in those days was very Laurier, while on furlough from his peaceful; before and after World War I Navy service, drowned in the Concord no country in the world could threaten River in Billerica, MA. Laurie was an the United States in any way. There was excellent swimmer; his father carried no nuclear threat; everyone who wanted the nickname Fish because of his skill to was able to find a job as there were in the water, and early on he taught all more jobs than available workers. All hs children to swim. On that fateful of my uncles, aunts, or cousins old day, though he managed to rescue one enough to work, had some kind of job, friend from their overturned boat and usually in the mills. Wages were low returned for another, the current proved but the cost of living was also low. Rents too strong for him to battle and the river were paid by the week and I think my swallowed both. Of the others, Robert, father paid $4.00 or $4.50 a week for who lived in Colorado at the time, died our tenement. We had, as 1 remember in 1991; Lany lives in California and it, four rooms, a pantry and of course a Andre in New Hampshire. Aunt Rose- bathroo~n.There were apartments avail- Alba was one of my favorite aunts and able at all prices, especially in the lower we tried to visit her whenever in the area. rental scales and, as far as I know, there were no homeless people. Of course, Uncle Alfred's wife, Margaret the apartments in our neighborhood LeBLANC, was originally from Nova were by no means luxurious; we had no Scotia; they had one son, Albert, and central heating system, and wannth was one daughter, Louise, both of whom live supplied only by a kitchen stove and a in the Lowell area. Uncle Alfred died smaller stove in the parlor. Our fuel was in 1990 but Aunt Margaret is still living coal or coke, a soft coal, which I used and, though physically she is somewhat to buy at the Lowell Gas Works, not far hampered, her spirit is wonderfully from our home. I would take either my peppy as ever. little wagon, or, in the winter, my sled, and for 50 cents buy a bag of coke Last but by no means least is my which, I would guess, probably weighed Aunt Eva BOUCHER, who never mar- about 50 pounds. The man at the Gas ried and thus left no children. She was Works would put the sack in my wagon however, always kind to me and, after and when I reached home my father my marriage, to my wife and children. would unload it on hts return &om work. She was of course closer to those of the All in all, we were comfortable and we family in Lowell, but we thought of her had a good deal of peace of mind. Those with great affection and were always who have grown up since World War 11, happy to see her when she could visit and perhaps even future generations, or when we were able to visit Lowell. will not experience that peace - and that Though she left no blood relatives be- is a dismaying loss. Do computers, like people, slow down as they get older? No, but it sure seems that way! Today's software places greater demands on equipment. That, along with higher expectations, nifty options, and tax depreciation, feeds "upgrade fever".
But, while we're preoccupied with when to upgrade, and to what, an important question is often ignored ...what do you do with the old equipment? Some of our members just pass it down the ladder to other family members, or to those whose demands aren't as great as those who are upgrading. The trouble is, many members often can't find anyone who can use the older machines. One alternative is to try and sell the hardware, while another is to sell your equipment to a liquidator or used computer dealer.
A better option, however, tnight be to give it to a nonprofit organiza- tion, such as the AFGS. What these machines lack in dollar value often pales in comparison to their value to groups and individuals that really need them. Our organization would be happy to accept any old IBM-PC, 386, 486 or higher compatible. But, do not forget to take a few precautions! For example, software that works for you might be inappropr~atefor volunteers. Be careful about giving away machines with copyrighted software on the hard disk. Some software companies allow users to donate older versions of their programs, but it's best to check with the vendor. Whatever you do, do not let your PC sit in a closet gathering dust! So many people can use them for so many different and very good reasons! (And, it could mean a substantial tax deduction for you!)
Don't Just Donate A Piece Of Equipmelzt... Donate A Solution! You'll Feel Better For It! For More Information, Contact Roger Bartholomy @ 401 -769-1623 52 St. Lawrence of New Bedford,
Editor'snote: Thefolloudngu~as I Record-keeping regarding the published in apamphlet printed to con?- building of thls fust Catholic church was memorate the 175th annii~ersaryofthe not as exact as one might have hoped. fowiditig ofSt. La~~renceParish ofNeu1 Various sources give the date as 1820 Bedford, M. While this essay does not but documentary evidence differs on the directly deal with /he Fretich-Catiadrati date. In book I1 0, page 6 1 ofthe Bristol population ofthat city, u2eare repritir- County South District land records, ing it here because it gives us a look there is a deed signed by Edward WING into the htstoly ofthe Catholic commu- and Lydia WING conveying a piece of nity of New, Bedford, of which our land to John CHEVERUS (Bishop people became a part during the sec- Cliei~erusof Boslon) for eighty dollars. ond half of the nineteenth cetitury, the deed is dated 19 March 192 1; it was sworn to before Justice of the Peace The first Catholics in New Bed- Le~nuelWILLIAMS, Jr. on 10 Septern- ford anived from Ireland around 1805. ber 182 1, and received and recorded by the opportunity to worship was exceed- Registrar Alfred WILLIAMS on 25 Sep- ingly-limited. Very often parents would tember of that year. take their children by stagecoach to Boston to have them baptized at the Ths property was at the comer Church of the Holy Cross. Built in of Allen and Dartmouth Streets, now the 1803, this was the fust Catholic Church location of the Albertine Funeral Home. in New England. From time to time a This first Catholic church in New missionary would come to New Bedford Bedford was built by Dudley DAVEN- to offer Mass and to hear confession. PORT and cost eight hundred dollars. Usually, a private home was used dur- It was the fifth Catholic church in New ing these visits. England, following Holy Cross in Bos- ton and churches in Salem, MA; New- One of these priests was an Irish castle, ME; and Claremont, NH. Father Augustinian, Father Philip LARICY Laricy was named as the fust pastor of (i~arrouslyspelled LARASSEY and the new parish, which was called St. LARESCYJ. He encouraged Catholics Mary's. here to start a fund for church building, a fund implemented by Portuguese sea- Bishop Cheverus' successor as men who contributed gold pieces of Bishop of Boston, Bishop Benedict Jo- eight. seph FENWICK, described the New Bedford church as a "pitiful little build- During these years, the Catholic ing." But an early parishioner remeln- population of New Bedford had been bered the site as a "Beautifid place . . . steadily growing. In the 1840's the rail- one could look from the rising ground road had been extended to New Bed- where the church stood off toward a ford, thus establishing cotnrnunications broad expanse of green fields and see in with Taunton and Boston. This brought the distance the blue waters of the bay." in many workers for the first Walnsutta Mill which opened in 1849. The little The building was ofwood, painted wooden church was enlarged, but was a drab color with a green door and heavy still inadequate. shuttered windows; one on each side of the door, and three along each side of The fonner Universalist Church the building. A wooden cross on the top on the comer of School and Fifth (170~. was the only indication that this was a I'leu.run/j Streets was purchased for church. At the north end of the build- $5,000 (The last use of that building ing, behind the altar, was a small room before its delnolition was the Crowell serving as a sacristy and with benches Art Gallery.) It wasn't long before the for the first Sunday school. A Mr. Frank Catholic congregation began to over- O'CONNOR, who was an altar server, flow that building, despite the additions drew a sketch of the building in later to it. years. In 1853, Father Henry E. S. Behind the church was a grave- HENNISS was appointed pastor of St. yard in which Catholics were buried until Mary's. He was New Bedford's first the establishment of the present St. American born priest. A Inan of great Mary's Cemetery in 1854. At that time zeal, energy and foresight, he purchased the bodies were disinterred from the old for $5,500 a 20,000 square foot parcel plot and placed in the new cemetery. of land at the corner of County and Hillman Streets and began raising It is said that services in the church money for a new church. But before were a great attraction to the curious his dream of a new church was realized, outsiders who wouldstand in the church he died in 1859 at the young age of 37. yard listening or looking in the windows. New Bedford's Iluiuily Ei3enlr7g S~UII~UI.~ Mass was not offered on a regular basis called hun "Agentleman who was loved during the early years of this growing and respected while he lived and la- parish. mented deeply when dead."
The priests who followed Father Father Hetu~iswas succeeded as Laricy were Fathers Robert WOODLEY, pastor by his assistant, Father Joseph P. CANNABAR, Peter CONNELLEY, TALLON, who envisioned a brick Francis KEARAN, John BRADY, Con- church on the site. Plans were halted stantine LEE, James O'REILLEY, James by the outbreak of the Civil War, and O'BEIRNE, and James McGUIRE. Fa- then by the sudden death of Father ther Patrick BYRNE was appointed as Tallon in 1864, at the age of 3 1. the first resident pastor on 29 June 1844. On 1 January 1865. Father Chapel. where the sermon would be Lawrence Stephen McMAHON, a preached in the language of the people fonner Civil War chaplain, became pas- and plans made for the establishment tor. He found $1 3,300 in the parish trea- of new parishes to serve their needs. sury and parishioners eager for a new church. He purchased a 20,000 square This parish was also the source foot parcel of adjoining land and initi- ofthe Catholic educational systemin the ated the building of the present church. city of New Bedford, thanks to the vig- Work began in May of 1866 and the cor- orous leadership of Father Smnythe. He nerstone was laid on 1 November 1866. had the vision of regional schools and Curiously, the cornerstone is now no- so built in 1883, St. Joseph's School - where tobe found. It could have been later renamed the Holy Name School - covered by the later construction of the to serve the north area of the parish. tower. Then in 1885 came St. Mary's School -
later renamed St. James - to serve the St. Patrick's chapel was dedicated south area of the parish. In 190 1 Holy on 17 March 1869. The main church Family School was built to serve the building was opened with the 5 AM central area. Father S~nytheestablished Mass on Christmas morning in 1870. St. Joseph's High School - later re- With the opening of the church, there named Holy Fiunily High School. This was a change in the name of the parish. was the first Catholic high school in the Father McMahon named this church Diocese, and was coeducational. Until after his own patron, St. Lawrence the its close in 1985, Holy Family provided martyr. Fonnal dedication took place secondary education to many greater on 13 August 1871. New Bedford students, including Inany religious sisters and 55 priests. It is said that ths new church cost approxi~nately$150,000. The tower The vital work of Catholic edu- was added from 1886 to 1889 and with cation owes a ~nonutnentaldebt to the it the carillon of fourteen bells, named Religious Sisters of Mercy. The Ameri- after the patrons of the parish: The Sa- can founder of that connnunity, Mother cred Heart, the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Mary Frances WARD, had sent the sis- Joseph. St. Patrick, St. Lawrence, and ters to New Bedford on 19 March !873 the nine choirs of angels. The bells were to establish the first hospital in the city. consecrated on 16 December 1888. St. Joseph's, which served for about fif- teen years. The sisters had also been In 1879 Father McMahon left the called upon to teach Sunday school, so parish to become the fifth bishop of it was natural that they should direct Hartford, CT. He was succeeded by the their zeal and expertise to the Catholic formidable Father Hugh J. SMYTHE educational system in the classroo~n. who sewed with great zeal and farsight- edness until his death in 192 1. Monsignor S~nythedied in 192 1 after having seen dramatic growth in the Every ethcgroup worshipped in Catholic population and activities in this church, usually in St. Patrick's New Bedford. He was succeeded by the distinguished and well remembered the people. Bishop Gerrard retired in Monsignor John F. McKEON. Msgr. 1972. McKeon is still spoken of by older pa- rishioners as one who, through example, A parish, of course, is not only instilled in parishioners a sense of pride buildings, important and impressive as in their faith and in their parish family. these be and as vital the service they provide. It is not only priests, devoted Msgr. McKeon died in 1956 and as these might be. It is above all - then came Most Rev. James J. GER- people. For 175 years the people of St. RARD. Bishop Gerrard was a inan of Lawrence Parish have offered worship great virtues and stability, a man who to God and have given testimony to led by example in the service of God and their faith in good times and in bad. AFGS Baseball Cap
Please Allow 4-6 Weeks For Delivey (Orders Can Be Paid u)~thCheck, ha,or Mastercard) Please Send Your Order To:
AFGS P.O. Box 20 10 Dept. GM Woonsocket, RI 02895-0950 A Family's Migration: Transition from Habitant to Industrialized Society
tion on life styles, I will attempt to de- material needs could be met by them- scribe the efforts of one French-Cana- selves on their own fanns; this included dian habitant family to maintain a spe- growing fruits and vegetables such as cific way of life in the midst of an in- corn, wheat, oats, beans, peas, carrots, dustrial environment. Oliver DES- turnips, potatoes, plums, and berries. CHAMPS was born in 1850 in the par- Fish were abundant in the nutnerous ish of St. Anicet, in Huntington County, streams, rivers, and lakes, but kesh (neat Quebec, approxi~natelytwenty miles was provided in the farm from the southwest of Montreal. This was a time hahitanr's own geese, ducks, chickens, when that city was beginning to expand pigs, sheep and cattle. Two kinds of industrially with textile and machine horses were usually in the stable: work- factories. Oliver, nevertheless, was ing horses and buggy horses; and some brought up in very much the same man- fanners, such as the DESCHAMPs, en- ner as his forefathers, French-Canadian joyed breeding, training, and trading l~abitants.This meant a lifestyle of ar- their finest horses. duous agricultural labor as well as the pleasant intercourse of the farming The habi~a)?~cured his own meat settlements, each gathered about its and boiled maple sap for sugar. His wife church, along the St. Lawrence hver. spun and wove cloth for the family's clothing, bedding, carpeting and house- Besides strong religious ties, there hold draperies. The habitant family was were many characteristics that typified usually a large one, supplying both la- the habitan/ way of life. The tenn ha- bor and societal needs. It was a custom bitat71 itself implied colonization and for the father to provide new farin land referred specifically to those very earli- for his sons as they became of d,' (re or est inhabitants of New France who mi- were married, thus ensuring a continu- grated from the mother country pur- 1 ation of the habi/a)7/lifestyle. From the posely to open up and settle new lands standpoint of relative wealth, the huh/- and seek a inore prosperous life. In most rmrs of New France constituted one of cases, these people were unschooled but the most prosperous agricultural classes capable and independent. They were 1 in the world. skillhl in the construction of their own buildings, furniture, tools, and fanning The Cbnau'retu were content to be equipment. Their self-sufficiency was left alone, guided by their ('2rrL: and clergy whose major concern, after that established and hope was renewed. of salvation, was the presentation of their Their crops were plentiful and rich. culture. After the conquest of New They were brought to market in Tilbur)~, France by England, the right to their re- where they were shipped by train to dis- ligion, language, custotns and civil laws tribution points such as Detroit, Chi- were assured through the Quebec Act cago, and Buffalo. Thus it was that the passed by the British Parlia~nentin 1774. value of fann life was impressed upon young Oliver, who grew up working However, the struggle to eani a long, hard hours fanning and lumber- decent living as well as to maintain the ing, and loving it. characteristics of French Canadian life were made Inore and Inore difficult as As time went on. and his father the arable land in eastern Canada was became less able to manage the fann, generally taken up and as the industrial Oliver, being the eldest son, took on the revolution took hold in the larger towns day-to-day operation of the fann, alo~ig and cities. By the middle of the nine- with the responsibility of caring for his teenth century, steamboats and trains parents. His brother Albert had already supplanted the canoes and batealrr, and been started out on his own 100 acre travel became less of an ordeal. Fron- fann. Nisette was pioneering in the tiers of settlement were pushed back greater frontiers of Saskatchewan, and from the Great Lakes almost to the Ca- Marguerite had married a fanner from nadian Shleld. Tupper Lake, NY.
Fann lands were restricted as fac- Oliver also malied and had seven tories used up Inore and Inore of the land children, all of whom lived past infancy. around the city of Montreal. No new When son Frederick was two years old, land was available there to pass on to Oliver's wife, Ernestine LAVASSEUR, future generations, and a choice was died. After the proper year of mourn- being forced upon the habitants to be- ing, Oliver looked for a new wife to help come a part of the industrial labor force raise the children and maintain the fat~n. of the city or to withdraw. Rather than He found a willing help~natein Oliva submit to a new mode of living, Joseph VADEBONCOEUR, a native of the DESCHAMPS of the village of St. parish of Saint-Antoine in %viere-du- Anicet decided to pioneer new land in Loupe, Quebec. Oliver was 36, hls new western Ontario. wife was 24, and the year was 1890. This pattern of marriage and family life In 1872, Joseph and his wife Jo- was quite colnmon in fanning cotmnu- sephte DUPUIS and their four children, nities where large families were a strong Oliver, Albert, Marguerite, and Nisette element in the economy and where long moved to the settlement of Pointes-des- hours of vigorous work pre~naturely Roches (Stoney Point). There they pur- caused the death of many fann wives. chased fifty acres of wooded land. Some timber was cut to build a log home and With an adolescent family and a some was cut to clear land for crop plant- new wife it became necessary to find a ing. Before long, old patterns were re- 1 larger home. Oliver purchased a 100 acre farm in nearby St. Joachi~nand 1897 with five children and two sets of deeded the original homestead to his parents. A house was rented, and work eldest child, Virginie, and her husband. was begun in Colt's Mill. Oliva was a The following year, 1897, an agent from weaver and Oliver became a watchman. the new Colt rubber mill in Bristol, Things did not go well. Olivia's mother, Rhode Island, came to the farm homes Marguerite GRENIER died of pneumo- of Ontario seelung industrious workers. nia. With this discouragement, the fam- ily moved to another textile town situ- This recruitment was not, of ated more inland - Arctic, Rhode Island. course, something new to French Canada, for industrial expansion in There they stayed until 1899, dur- Rhode Island reached a peak and neces- ing which time a son was born but later sitated the hiring of thousands of died at the age of six weeks. Later in manual, semi-skilled, and skilled work- that year a daughter, Lea, was born to ers. The state's population grew at a the couple. rate twice that of the rest of the United States. The number of French Canadi- The difficulties for adjustment ans coming to the United States between were overwhelming to Oliver, who was 1875 and 1890 had tripled since 1861, so used to the freedom of his own land the year that Marie-Louise BONIER and an abundance of fiesh air and physi- established in her book as the start of cal exercise. So much so that the fam- the true emigration of Canadiens. ily moved back to St. Joachun, Ontario and purchased a fann. Olivier 's parents, Thus, the beginnings of a change Joseph and Josephte DESCHAMPS in the lifestvle of the DESCHAMPS bought a small cottage in the village and family came about. For they, as well as lived out their years in the manner of several neighboring families were en- retired fanners. .. close to church and ticed to seek the riches and conve- store. niences of city life. Oliva, at the age of 17, had spent a year weaving in a woolen Oliver and Oliva had several more mill at Holyoke, Massachusetts. She children. Two sons died in infancy, knew that although the money to be daughter Delia was born in 1898 and made was small, it exceeded that to be Leon was born in 1899. However, the made from the sale of crops. She also struggle to resist an urban life began knew the joy of shopping for clothes in anew. In 1900, the EMERYs, neighbors a city and the joy of being able to save to the DESCHAMPS, were lured to some money each week. Other factors work in the new Parker Cotton Mill in of persuasion were better schooling for East Warren, Rhode Island, which was the children and the varied occu~ational recruiting weavers, spinners and card- choices that were available in and ers. The DESCHAMPS family were around cities. persuaded to accompany them. This time, however, they purchased some The decision was made. The property - a 16 room colonial house, DESCHAMPS fann was sold, and the renting the spacious top floor to a fam- family moved to Bristol in the fall of ily of Belgian immigrants. The prop- erty included over an acre of land which Mill, which of course was no different Oliver quickly converted into a veg- than other sweatshops of that era. But etable garden to supply the family's to Oliver it was an invasion of his pri- needs. here two more children were vacy and it exerted certain controls over born: Omer in 1901 andL6ona in 1903. his environment which he resented. A The family enjoyed the conveniences of severe bout of pneumonia was the oc- running water and electricity, and Oliva casion upon which the final move was was happy working as a weaver. made to return to the complete habi- tan! way of living. In 1905 Oliver made In 190 1 Oliver's daughter, Laura, the decision to go back to Ontario. married a carpenter from Quebec, and they settled in Warren, Rhode Island. This time the house in East War- Frederic and Midas were now old ren was rented out, that income being enough to become independent. Faced set aside for upkeep expenses. Oliver with the choice of continuing with city then purchased a 200 acre fann border- life or returning to an agricultural ing Lake Erie, with both wooded and lifestyle, they opted for pioneering in the cleared land. The farm had numerous open spaces of Saskatchewan and hit,evergreen, and willow trees. Live- Alberta. Leonie went back to Ontario stock and fowl were purchased. The where she married a former neighbor. fann buildings were accomodious and attractive. The young children enjoyed At this point we can see a diminu- the rural atmosphere and were not out tion in the size of Oliver's family, align- of place in the rural one-room school- ing it more closely with that of the ac- house attended by their neighbors. cepted norm in American cities where living space was at apremiwn. By 1905, Here, two more children were Oliver and Oliva were becoming more born, but died in infancy. Otherwise adjusted to a style more or less typical all went well until October of 1908 of the tunes. Oliva no longer had the when Oliver becane paralyzed by po- time to process foods such as cheese. lio and was unable to work the fann. Dairy and meat products were pur- His sons at home were much too young chased. Bread and pastries were still to help, and for the first time, he had to homemade though, as well as canned hire help. As a year passed, it became hits and vegetables. The children at- evident that he would no longer be able tended a nearby public school and be- to manage the fann. Oliva conferred gan to develop ~nglishlanguage skills, with the Cure who advised a move back thus initiating a gradual breakdown in to the house in East Warren, since Oliva the traditional culture values. could earn income as a weaver. Thus in 1909, out of necessity to earn 2 liv- In spite of these comfortable liv- ing, the family resigned itselfto urban- ing arrangements, Oliver was unhappy ization. with the factory work and citified liv- ing. He yearned to return to the fann. Attitudes this tune were different. He expressed a dislike for being "shut The family could no longer go back to up" in the noise and heat of the Parker a preferred way of life. Instead they had to use their energies and skills to American citizens, and although they make as good a living as possible, and did not participate in political inove- to maintain as many French Canadian lnents or vote in elections, legal and customs as possible. French was the political matters were subjects of dis- language spoken at home, although all cussions between them. Their children members of the family had become flu- were admonished to vote Democratic, ent in English. Ethnic publications such the party of the working people. Here as La Presse and the Ste. Antie-de- we can note a shlft from their narrow Beauprd magazine from Montreal were political views held in their village life a part of their reading matter. to their broader views held after they became part of a large democratic soci- Oliver joined the church societ- ety. ies for men such as the Sociiti Jacques Cartier, the Union Prayers, and the Oliva, Lea and Delia fell into the Catholic Order of Foresters. And, since urbanized pattern of a 5% day work he was now able to walk with a cane, he week, Saturday afternoon shopping trips led in the development of the St. Jean- to Providence or Fall River, Sunday Baptiste Cemetely, clearing brush and morning church activities, and Sunday marking roads and plots. He also as- afternoon relaxation. As the family be- sisted in the construction of the Calvary came assimilated into the community, Shrine. The women of the family joined they participated in the popular sports the Children of Mary and Ste. Anne so- of the day, such as ice skating, hockey, cieties. and croquet. There were funds avail- able now to obtain professional services The church was the center of such as those offered by the doctor, law- French Canadian social activities, with yer, and piano teacher. The three weekly whist parties, monthly dances, younger children attended school until annual banquets and clambakes - pro- they were old enough to obtain a work viding a much needed link with the pennit. At the age of fourteen, Leon former secure habitant life as well as began work in the factory, enabling providing a buffer against the seemingly Oliva to remain at home and take on the oppressive demands of factory work. duties of a typical American home- The church also helped these imtni- maker. Omer and Leona in turn began gants to maintain some identity in the work in the mills, bringing. - in sufficient face of a "Yankee" society that be- income for the family to purchase a large stowed upon them an inferior status. business block situated across from the These wonderfully resourceful and re- Warren Town Hall. This was to be used liable people whose status in French as rental property. In this fashion came Canada was earned on the basis of hard about a subtle but strong change in the work and goodness were now in the family econolnic pattern from that of midst of an industrial state that placed being the producers of food, clothing a higher value on the accuinulation of and shelter to that of using cash for the material wealth. acquisition of these goods.
In 1916, Oliverand Oliva became 1 The family acquired a telephone 6 1 when they were first installed in War- mainstream of middle-class business ren, but did not purchase an auto~nobile and professional life. since the horse and buggy taxis and later trolley cars were convenient. The rail- At his death at the age of 78 in road system was quite extensive and 1928, Oliver DESCHAMPES could not enabled one to travel where needed both claim to have left his family an inherit- quickly and inexpensively. ance of Canadian land or the security of the traditional French Canadian way Lea married in 1920 and settled of life. Nevertheless, he did endow in South Warren. Delia opened a milli- them with a legacy rich in the language nery shop in the family block and, with and culture of a proud people, strong her sister Leona, operated a successful in religious affiliation and joyous in the business for many years. Orner contin- gifts of nature. ued in factory work and joined the Vol- unteer Firemen's Association. Leon Editor's note: Leona M (LIES- started night school study in 1921 and CHAMPS) ROBINSON, the daugli~erof obtained his high school diploma. He Oliver and Oliva 15 /he mollier of rile studied further to become a radio opera- author: Marguerite Robinson is cur- tor in the U.S. Merchant Marine, travel- rently a professor at Trinidad State Col- ing throughout the world. Throughout lege, Colorado these busy years, Oliver, who had re- signed himself to a life of semi-retire- Bibliography ment, contributed to the family welfare in the way he knew best: that of pro- BONIER, Marie Louise, Deb~rrsde lo Color71e ducing wealth from the soil. He filled Fronco-Arnericoine cle Woonsocker. Rhrde Islono' Framinsham. MA: 1920 the larder with fresh vegetables, fruits, honey, and eggs. The DESCHAMPS BREDOMIER, Har5 C.; Socrol Problems in family became more involved in town America. New York: 1963. affairs and held a prominent place in the ELIOT, Sa~lluel,7'he PorL~oyRender. Boston: 1955.
Delia, Omer, lion and Leona later I HANDLN, Oscar, 771eAmericon.v.Boston: 1963. married with other first-generation JENKINS, Katl~leen,Monarol. Garden Cit?; NJ: Americans, not necessarily those of 1966. French Canadian heritage as would have been almost mandatory in Canada. They LE BOURDAIS, D. M.. Norron qfihe Nurll7. Ne\v moved to other parts of Rhode Island, York. 1953. not being quite as urbanized as Ameri- MAYER, Kurt B., Economrc De~~elopmenrorid can natives but certainly a functioning Popelorron Groit'rh rn Hhode lslond Providence: part of the industrialized society. Ur- 1953. banization had made a definite change McKELVEY, Blake; The Orboncotion o/Americo. in their lifestyle, and, compared to what ,860-191 j, New B~~,,.~~~,NJ: 1963, would have been had they- stayed- on their Canadian farm, a complete difference in the lives of their children who are in the Searching For Roots - Finding Friends
Searching for my roots has un- in the church cemetery. The view from veiled a plethora of information, an the elevated church grounds was truly abundanceofperplexingmysteries, and spectacular with a sparkling lake far a treasury of family heroism. The ap- below. However, my goal was to visit preciation and wonder this search has the church, take pictures, and gather as engendered are rewards in the~nselves. much data as I could about my elusive What I had not anticipated were the truly grandfather. 1photographed (hoping all extraordinary people I would meet on would be recognizable, I'm not noted my quest. Like many people, I subscribe as a great photographer, either) the ex- to the philosophical belief in the fun- terior of the church and parish hall, da~nentalgoodness of people, but 1 was, which were on the same lot. However, nevertheless, constantly amazed when 1 was dismayed when 1 tried the door of 1 encountered this goodness in real life. the library alias parish hall. An attached On a recent trip to hmouski, Canada, note infonned me that the multi-purpose for example, I was looking for St edificewasclosedfor twoweeks. Next, Mathieu's Church, site of the baptism I strolled across the lot to the stone of my maternal grandfather, Fran~ois- church whose foundation date (1866) Xavier Jean'. I arrived (after asking was prominently displayed. ' Eager to several working fanners for directions, visit the church I attempted to open the I'm not noted for my navigational abili- front door, LOCKED; the side door, ties) in the very tiny village also bear- LOCKED; the back door, LOCKED. ing the name of St. Mathieu.' Describ- Gazing at the panoramic water view, I ing the village as tiny hardly seems ad- consoled~nyselfwith the fact that I had, equate. The center of the town con- at least, visited the place of Pepere's sisted of one general store, one wooden initiation into the Church. In addition I building serving as parish hall, archives had seen the little village which, in my and library. opinion, had not changed much in the hundred and ten years since Fran~ois- There was also a one room bank Xavier Jean had left it. and a post office. Though the church was small, it do~ninatedthe area. Plain Finally done co~n~nuningwith wooden fannhouses sparsley dotted ei- nature and having given up all thoughts ther side of the road. As I parked my of breaking and entering. I was about car in the lot ajoining the church, I could to leave when a "mature" lady walked hear the low grumbling of a lawn mower into the lot and asked me if I were vis- 63 iting. 1 saw her eyeing the Rhode Island able to remember where these could be. license plates on lny car. I explained He dutifully noted my name and ad- my mission and my disappoint~nentat dress assuring me that if he found any finding the church locked. The woman further trace of my ancestors that he i~mnediately dug into her large well would send me the material . On leav- worn pocketbook andjubilantly dangled ing the rectoly, the kindly priest gave a key. "Co~ne,"she said, "let's have a me a medal, which was a replica ofthe nice tour of the church." (All conununi- church and a St. Mathieu Church paln- cated in French, of course) . We didjust phlet, both souvenirs of the last anlli- that. She happily answered my Inany versary celebration.' questions and seemed genuinely pleased that I was so interested in their tiny vil- As I drove slowly away (One lage and church. I was delighted with must drive slowly as the road is quite my good fortune. Little did I know that narrow.) 1 was happy indeed. I had seen my good fortune wasjust beyllling. My my grandfather's baptismal church, his tour guide suggested that I go to the childhood village and inaddition, I had "presbytere" to meet the "cure." I felt learnedmore about my great gandpar- apprehensive about this since I no longer ents and my great great b~andfather.s had any particular questions to ask him. Furthermore, I hesitated to disturb the Nearly tluee n~otithsafter return- person in question by my unannounced ing home, I received a ~nysteriouspack- presence. My lady guide absolutely in- age. What a delightful surprise ! The sisted. She stood like a sentry as I "cure" had found and sent me a copy climbed the old wooden stairs, appar- of the repertoire of the births, deaths ently afraid I would not follow her ad- and marriages of St Mathieu's parish vice. The pastor greeted me with enthu- 1866 -1984.6 In all honesty , 1 thought sias~nwhen I told him the reason for my he had forgotten my visit to R~inouski. visit to St. Mathieu's . He graciously Even today , 1 lnalvel at the kindness asked me to be seated while he sat be- and thoughtfulness of that country hind his desk with head bent, poring over priest and Iny "mature" lady guide. an old text. "Here," he read happily (en franqais, naturellement)" I found your There have been so many ad~en- great grandparent's fa~nily."All the tures on my genealogical pilgrimage. children's names were listed with dates At one point(1993), my search took me and other relevant details. I felt like a to Notre Dame Cemetery in Fall River. child on Christmas morning. I asked if Massachusetts.' I was looking for the 1 might copy from his text. "Oh! ~nais grave of cny maternal grandmother, non," he teasingly replied. Tucked be- Marie Grenier Jean. I was especially hind an old annoire was a modem copy interested in details about her death. machine. This priest appeared as fasci- All I knew about her was the date and nated as I was at finding my relatives' place of her marriage to my grandfa- information. He confided that he was ther and that shedied between 1910 and certain there were other documents 1915. No family rneinbers remembered about the "presbytere " that might be anything about Memere Jean because helpful, but at the moment he was un- she died when her three daughtersx,in- 64 cluding my mother, were very young. Memke Jean was buried. The family rumors were that she was buried somewhere in Fall River; how- I might still be investigating tny ever, even that was not certain. There grandmother's death if it had not been had been some hint of a short stay in for a wonderfully generous lady who New York state. Fall kver being a eagerly helped me. I stop by the cem- great deal closer than New York, I etery from time to time to visit Doris, started my search there. Manning the my friend and partner in research cemetery office was a Franco-American woman who readily shuffled hundreds The relationships geminated by of index cards on which the records my genealogical and historical inquir- were kept. (They are now computeriz- ies were not confined toNorth America. ing.) Before 1914 all the graves were While in France, I took the opportunity registered only in the nane ofthe owner to visit Rouen, a Nonnan city dating to of the entire plot. Thus, if one did not prehistoric times." I knew very little know the name ofthe registered holder about my Poulin ancestors. Frorn Iny of the plot, it was virtually irnpossible gandfather, Elzear, I had learned that to locate specific individuals. My re- our first Quebecois Poulin had emi- search here was fruitless, even after grated from this city." Since the Ar- searching all the Jean and Grenier plots. chives of Roue11 also contain many of Each time I cane across a new family the most significant docu~nentsrelating name that might lead to Memere's to the province of Nonnandy, this was grave, 1 returned to my " Lady of the a good place to begin my inquiry." Index Cards," always with disappoint- While studying the docu~nentsthere 1 ing results. One day, I jokingly sug- asked a young woman archivist to help gested to her, "Perhaps my grandfather me decipher the co~nplicatedsixteenth had no inoney and he buried his wife in and seventeenth century script. She not the cellar!" I hated to admit defeat but only helped me read the texts, but on I reluctantly laid that search aside. her break, invited me upstairs to view the ~nagnificentillurninations of the To my astonishment some church registers. She asked if 1 would months later, 1 received a phone call like some slides of the early illumina- from tny cemetery fnend, Doris. She tions from St. Maclou's Church's regis- hadtrackedmne totny scliool ofice. She ter, the church in which Claude Poulin said in an elated and excited voice, "1 and two ofhis children were bapt~zed.'~ think I found your grandmother, she's She offered to mail thern to me. It was not buried in the cellar!." Finding her an offer 1was happy to accept. 1 worked grave and the actual date of death pro- in the archves for Inore than a week that vided the route to her obituary9. The year and I saw my mend, Michelle, ev- inystery of the burial plot was solved. eryday discussing with her the progress It seems that great grandmother Grenier of my research. True to her word, a had retnanied in Canada after the death few weeks after my return home, I re- of her husband, Da~naseGrenier. Her ceived the beautiful slides of the illu- second husband's name was Thomas minations. They are now anlong some Laroche.Io It was in his family plot that of rny most prized possessions, but not 65 as precious as the friendship which I comes from the Seigneurie of houx. have enjoyed during the past ten years The village is located between with Michelle and her fatnily.ls On fol- high hills and Lake St Mathieu. Around lowing trips I have stayed in her home. the large lake there are numerous sum- Over the years she has sent me newspa- mer cottages for tourists who enjoy the per articles and books. Although she no advantages ofthe water6ont. The tour- longer works at the Archives, she has ists who are scattered over a large area, gone there to retrieve infonnation for do not disrupt the simplicity and tran- me. Each time I think of France or my quility of the village center. Poulin ancestors, I remember my dear "St. Mathieu's parish, founded in friend, Michelle. 1866 had as its first pastor, M. Antoine Chouinard, who had come from Saint- The pursuit of genealogical roots Jean Port-Joli. In his annual report for has disclosed fascinating events. Prob- the first year, he listed 785 parishioners. ing the history of my ancestors has There were 85 families. In 1966 at the filled me with awe. In addition , this time of the centenary the parishioners research into their lives has rewarded me numbered 160 families a total of 1060 with amusing adventures, rich experi- persons. Of these families 70 were ences and cherished fnends. fanners. The centenary in 1966 Endnotes Michel Jean. the first pioneer in the area of St Mathieu, was Elise Jean's ' Franqois-Xavier Jean was born father and great uncle to Fran~ois- to Leandre and Elise (Jean) Jean, Sep- Xavier Jean. Michel Jean originally telnber 25,1882 and baptized Septein- came from St Jean Port-Joli and mar- ber 26, 1882. His parents were related ried Sophie Da~nbroise( her dit name and had to obtain a dispensation to was Begeron) at St George of Cacouna many. Franqois -Xavier married Marie on October 16,1827. Grenier in St. Jean the Baptiste Church, Michel Jean's plot of land was Fall hver, July 30, 1906. He died at the so isolated that his only means of trans- home of his daughter, Lillian port was by using the lake. (Choquette) , May 23, 1953 in Adams, After living in the area for some MA. A well documented book on the time, Michel cleared a path from his Jean family was published in 1989. Les property to St. Simon. This path was cluatre freres Jean written by Luce known as "la route a Michel Jean." He Jean Hafher, Les Editions Septentrion, had three Micmac Indians : Abraham Case postale 430, 1300, rue Maguire, Rene, Jeannot Rene and Isaac Rene Sillery (Quebec), GlT2R8. This text who helped him work his fannland. concentrates on the seventeenth century. My copy of the St.Mathieu rep- Many of the Jeans were known by the ertoire is in the AFGS libraty. nameviens. ' Notre Dame Cemetery which is 'St. Mathieu is listed as having a located at 1540 Stafford Road was population of six hundred (Tourist pam- founded by Rev. La Fla~n~nein 1888. phlet 1994-95). The official name is The Oflice Hours are Mon.-Fri 8AM- Saint-Mathieu-de-Rioux. The latter title 3: 15PM; Sat. SAM- 12 noon. Can- etery visiting hours SAM-3: 15PM. cared both in Canada and the United Presently there are about 69,000 buried States originated from the marriage of here. Claude and Jeanne Mercier. '. Daughters of Marie Grenier " The Archives of Rouen are Jean were Rose (Laroche), Lillian housed in a large modern skyscraper (Choquette), and Antoinette (Poulin). building directly across Corneille Fall River Globe, May 1, 1912. bridge. The latter is one of the Inany "'Celanire Breton (Grenier) mar- bridges that cross the Seine riven ried Thomas Laroche on July 5, 1897 at I' Claude Poulin and Jeanne St Adnen d'Ibervilie. Thornas was the Mercier returned to Rouen from Cana- widower of M. Dubois. da. They remained in Rouen for an un- " Rouen has a long and distin- determined amount of time. Their chil- guished history . There are archeologi- dren, Pascal Poulin and Madeleine cal digs which have revealed arti- Poulin were baptized here. Pascal was facts which date from 1500-1 100 B.C. baptized February 15, 1645 and Made- (Michel Mollat. Histoire de Rouen, leine probably June 24, 1646. The Privat, Toulouse, 1979.) Claude Poulin family reappears in the Claude Poulin arrived in Que- annals of Quebec life at Cap Tounnente, bec June 11,1636. He was born in known as Beaupre in 1647. Rouen in 1615 and baptized in Saint '' Michelle is married and has Maclou. In 1639 he married Jeanne I three daughters; both she and her hus- Mercier , daughter of Loup Mercier and band are teachers. Jeanne Gaillard. Nutnerous Poulins lo- - Members' Corner
Michael S. POST of 7870 Fairchild Ave., Winnetka, CA 91306-2008 (e- mail [email protected]) is looking for an original copy (preferred) or a fac- sunile copy of Lagimodiere And Tlieir De.scendan/s, 1635-1885,published in 1980 by Hector COUTU. This book covers the LAGlMODlERE family and the hlrces- try of Louis RIEL. Any assistance will be rewarded and all expenses covered.
Victor J. ROY of 3505 Cameron Mills Road, Alexandria, VA 22305 is seeking the marriage and parents of Nazaire BOYER and Melitla BRIERE, which possibly occurred in the St. Timothee, Valleyfield, or Montreal areas of Quebec. Their son, Hermenegilde, married in Westerly, RI in June 1906 to Delia COULOMBE (or COLOGNE).
Rene H. BERNIER of 8 Honeysuckle Lane, Niantic, CT 06357 is seeking descendants of Fran~ois-RegisPELOQUIN, born 29 July 1819 in Sorel; married there on 10 January 1843 to Zoe JOLY; died 9 May 1885 in Sorel. Early in this century, one descendant, Louis PELOQUIN was living in Danielson, CT; others were known to be in western Massachusetts. 67 I VISA I
i The AFGS now accepts 1 1 Mastercard and Visa for all transactions:
Dues Purchases Donations Mistaken Identity
research, it so~neti~neshappens that we erioire des Mariages de Iro1s-l AFGS Coffee Mug Ceramic Mug White wIGold Trim AFGS Logo In Blue JE ME SOWIENS In Blue $7.50 ea + $2.50 slh R.I. residents please add 7% sales tax Please Allon1 4-6 Weeks For Delrvety (Orders Can Be Pard wrth Check, Ksa, or MasrerCard) Please Send Your Order To: AFGS P.O. Box 2010 Dept. GM Woonsocket, RI 02895-0950 East Meets West On 19 April 1997, I met my ing short oak) to indicate that he was American Indian cousins for the first the Foucault who lived by the short oak. time. It all began three years ago when By the next generation, the Foucault I, the family genealogist, found infor- name was dropped. mation on my Courchesne colonist an- cestor at the Monnon Church's Family Here my ancestors and Chalk's History Center at Worcester, MA. The part. His forebears moved to the Min- source which I consulted also listed the nesota territories. They married into the names and addresses of the researchers Indian tribes (Pend d 'Oreille, Spokane, who had submitted the information. The Lake, Sans Pail. Chippewa, Cree. first name to catch my eye was that of Yankronais Sioux, andlroquois). They David "Chalk" COURCHANE of Wen- lived by trapping furs to barter in the atchee, WA. This appeared to be a varia- white man's new world. My ancestors tion of my surname. I decided to call remained in Quebec until my grandpar- him and much to my surprise, not only ents settled in Holyoke, MA sometime was I taking to adistant cousin who was around 1920. I run the oldest of nine also a genealogist; but he was also a children; while Chalk is the youngest member of the Flathead Indian tribe. He of nine. He learned of my existence by and his family had grown up on the Flat- way of my article in the Spring i993 head Indian reservation in Montana, issue of JMS. where his sisters still reside. During my stay in Wenatchee, I The original colonists in my fam- had the opportunity to meet Chalk's ily were Jean-Franpois FOUCAULT and wife, Pam, and several members of their Elisabeth L~PR~VOST,who were tnar- family. Pam is a white person who grew ried at Notre Dame de Quebec on 14 up on the St. Ignatius Reservation. I November 1671. Their son, Jean- also met Gail and Bernard MORIN, Baptiste-Franpois, married Marguerite both of whom are also mitis. Gail is BERGERON on 6 February 1708 in the the author of several works on the mitis church of St.-Maurice at Trois-Rivieres. people (See JMS, Spring 1997 - Ed.) This individual added COURCHESNE to his name. At this time, we can only In the near future, Chalk and I speculate why this was done. Since the hope to travel to Quebec and to France names of father and son were so simi- to research our ancestors' histories. lar, may have added Courchesne (mean- P Tlte Lineuge of Puuline Courclre.sne ctnd Drtvid Courcltcme 1 Pierre FOUCAULT-Peronne BORDE Perigord, France I1 Jean-Franqois FOUCAULT-Elisabeth L~P&VOST 14 November 167 1, Quebec. Que. I11 Jean-Franqois FOUCAULTICOURCHESNE Marie-Marguerite BERGERON 8 February 1708, Trois-Rivieres, Que. IV Louis-Jean-Baptiste COURCHESNE Marie-Anne CHEVREFILSIBELISLE 10 February 1755, Baie-du-Febvre, Que. v Joseph COURCHESNE-Catherine CAYER Jean-Baptiste COUKCHENE- 14 February 1792. Yamaska. Que. Josephte LIONAIS ca 1795, Baie-du-Febvre, Que. v1 Hyacinthe COURCHESNE- Fran~oisCOURCHENE- Marguerite LEFEBVRE Marie-Franqoise BEAUCHAMP 14 February 1831, St. Francois-du-Lac. 8 November 1825, St. Boniface, Manitoba Que. VI1 Louis COURCHESNE- Franqois COURCHENE- Dulcinee BAILLARGEON Marie-Louise ST-PIERRE 10 September 1862, L'Avenir, Que I0 January 1860, St Joseph, Dakota Terr Vlll Henry COURCHESNE- Jean-Louis COURCHENE- Vctoria AUGER Marie-Alphonsine AZURE 16 November 1896, Weedon, Que 23 January 1882, St. Peter's CC, Montana IX Leopold COURCHESNE- Louis Luke COURCHANE- Claire ST. LAURENT Viola ASHLEY 18 September 1937, Holyoke, MA 6 February 1928, St. lgnatius Mission. Mont X Ludovit LINCZENY I- David COURCHANE- Pauline COURCHESNE Pamela Rae BARRICK 24 July 1979, Genesee, NY I March 1975. Ronan, MT Honey, Where's The Mail? interesting," said my wife, in a tone program? I love it. It spices up the mail which I perceived to be one of -slight, -1 but growing irritation. Hey, it's not my How did 1 come to this, rambling fault. When I'm in an active mode, I about Inail and grousing about return live for the mail. "Did it come? What addresses on Connecticut envelopes? cane? Really, nothing for me?," are all It's simple. I have leads out, all over frequent questions I'll pose to my bride, the world. I need the mail. My charts around the expected mail delivery time. are waiting. It all started about three For me, being in an active mode means years ago. My son Dan was an eighth that I have several leads out "on the grade student at the middle school in street," in process, pending. I need that Northbridge, MA. The whole grade was mail. It beco~nestnyfocus. 1tlunk, how assigned two major projects. One was can it take that long? Maybe I'll call on knerican i~lunigrationand the other them. So~neti~nesmy wife and children was on the Civil War. As I'm the com- will even stoop to jesting that good mail puter expert in the family, 1 help the kids had been received, when in fact it had glean nuggets of infonnation off he t7el. not. Not funny. No allowance. I think it's called the net because that's how you feel after su$it7g rl. Like some- Before someone tries to throw a one is going to throw a net over you! net over me, let tne explain. I get dif- So now I'm involved in the project. ferent mail from most folks. I wonder what the postman thinks of my mail. I chaperoned class trips to Ellis, Besides bills, ads, contests, and credit Island, NY and Washington, D.C.. The card offers, I get mail from foreign em- Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island trip bassies, from France, Belgiurn, Canada, was really inspirational. I wondered Scotland and local governments about my own ancestors and whether throughout the USA. Yes, I'm a gene- they had stood in "The Great Hall" at alogist. But does the postlnan know Ellis Island. I really didn't know a lot that? Does he care? What does he thlnk about my family history. Were my an- when I get routine mail from the state cestors at Bunker Hill, Valley Forge, or of Connecticut, with a return address of Gettysburg? When did my first direct a state agency dealing in drug and alco- ancestor arrive in the USA? At 37 years hol rehab? Nice touch, Connecticut. old, I had no clue. But I vowed to find Why not merge your vital records sec- out. 73 I set simple goals at first. At least gets of wisdom to beginning genealo- I thought they were simple. Interview gists, it would be this; If you are be- my parents in depth and find out when ginning your search for dead relatives, the first of our lines cane to the USA. 1 say a prayer and hope for the follow- confidently set a one year goal to finish ing: my charts. This is before I had ever heard ofthe AFGS, before I'd ever heard I) Hope they died in Massachu- that the Mormons were interested in I setts genealogy, and before I tried to read 2) Hope they came to the USA documents, written in the 17003s, in from Quebec. French. Like most beginners, I was ig- 3) Hope you live close to the norant and confident enough not to be AFGS, if you are of French Canadian dissuaded froin my goals. descent. 4) Hope fervently your relatives Before interviewing my parents in I were the subject of research done by depth, I took an inventory ofjust what I the Monnons knew. It was sad. I knew my grand- mother, Ger~naineACKAERT LA- Now, three years ago if I'd read MOUREUX, had been born in France, the above four statements, they would and had emigrated to the USA during have made no sense to me. Who cares WW I. I assumed the rest of ~nygrand- what state you die in, why would the parents had been boni in the USA. I Mon~ionsresearch my fainily history, knew nothing of iny great-grandparents. as none were Monnons? But as I got I knew nothing about when my first an- into the details of fainily tree research, cestor had come to the USA, but I was I found that like all other what I call sure it was hundreds of years ago. Of subsets of life, the genealogy world is course, I knew I was of French descent, full of specialists who have done an in- on most of ~nylines, as I can remember credible amount of work. I marvel at my grandparents speaking French at the work of devoted genealogists like home. But as incredible as it may seem TANGUAY, LOISELLE, RIVEST, and now, I didn't know they all came to the the incredible Monnons. USA froin Quebec. I assumed they cane froin France. 1 found that the world of records revolves around two things: Access and My parents told me as much fain- Itidices. Access to public records is ily history as they knew. I began the very limited. From my experience, the journey to the Northbridge Town Hall, records kept by the State of Massachu- the Massachusetts Bureau of Vital Sta- setts are the easiest to work with, as they tistics, and other public record reposi- are open to the public and are indexed tories. Don't let the word repository (birth, ~naniageand death), from the throw you. It's just anywhere that 1600's until the present. There are "stuff' is kept. One thing I discovered many guides about the availability of quickly about my distant relatives is that records and how to obtain them. As they all have one thing in common. They the obtaining of records is a science are all dead. If I could offer any nug- unto itself, I won't try to cover any of this here. I searched public records and the USA in 1917, along with her par- obtained all the birth, marriage and ents Hector ACKAERT and Eugenie death certificates I could find, in Mas- SAMYN. Also along were Madeline sachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Is- and Jeanne, sisters of my grandmother, land. What 1 discovered shocked me. and Albert, her brother. Albert married Madeline ZINNO and they settled in My ancestors might have fought Woonsocket, Rl. By the time I started the British during the 1600's and 1700's to do tny research, my grandparents had but it sure wasn't at Bunker Hill or all died. All I had left were several Gettysburg. Maybe on the Plains of boxes of papers and pictures I had ob- Abraham or at the Battle of Waterloo. tained from Albert ACKAERT, after he The first ancestor in my direct line to died. be born in the USA was Joseph GAUVIN, born on 16 December 1868 There were many pictures of my in Woonsocket RI, the son of Peter and grandparents visiting relatives in Paris, of Pepetue LEGACE. 1868! My whole France, during the 1960's. There were view of American history was changed pictures oftheln with little children who in a flash. My people didn't take sides would have been about my age. 1 de- in the Civil War because they weren't cided to somehow figure out who the here. Further research detennined most people in the pictures were and to some- of my ancestors did not arrive in the how make contact with them. My fa- USA until the late 1880's, or later. ther, Albert LAMOREAUX. told me he had visited Jean SAMYN, in Paris, So much for the ride of Paul RE- while he, my father, was stationed in VERE, two if by laud, one if by sea. Germany, with the U.S. Anny, in the Good-bye to the possibility of my an- 1950's. Jean is a cousin. My father told cestors perhaps hearing Lincoln's me that Jean had shown him a &weat time Gettysburg Address. It is unfathotnable in Paris, but that he had not contacted to think that in just over 100 years, vir- him since. In reviewing the box of pic- tually all traces of my foreign ancestry tures, I identified Jean SAMYN with my was unknown to me. The French lan- grandmother in several pictures taken guage, spoken in my grandparent's in France in the 1960's. home when I was a boy, is unknown to me other than courses taken in high My father told me he recalled that school. It makes me wonder whether Jean SAMYN would be about 75-80 the immigrants wanted so badly to fit in years old and that he been a prisoner of that they immersed themselves in the war for several years during WW 11, a melting pot. prisoner of the Gennans. He also re- called that Jean had worked for the In the last three years (really only French Postal System for many years. in winter, when the grass stops grow- Since I had nothing to lose, I decided to ing), I've had some interesting leads take what I considered a long shot which have led me to France and Que- chance. I wrote the French Embassy in bec. My grandmother, Ger~naine Washington, D.C., asking for the ad- ACKAERT (1893-1972) emigrated to dress of the French equivalent of the U.S. Postmaster General, which they hnn the pictures ofthe DEPUYDT fam- quickly provided. I wrote a short letter, ily. 1 asked him to drive to the church, in English (please don't scold me), to in Ypres, France, which was about ten La Poste, at a general address in Paris, miles &om where he worked, and see if stating my desire to make contact with he could find the family. I sent him $50 Jean SAMYN, a former postal worker. with my request. Again, about six I had no address or other identifying weeks later, 1 got a letter &om Michel data, other than the fact he had bee11 a DEPUYDT. Another link established. WW I1 POW. I wondered what would I will also exchange charts and infor- happen to a letter, received by the U.S. mation with him. Contrary to the as- Post Office, in Washington, D.C., writ- sumption in the USA that people from ten in French, asking about a postal France are arrogant and do not like e~nployeewho probably retired 30 years Americans, I have found exactly the ago. Perhaps the round file? Incred- opposite to be true. They have been ibly, I received a letter back, from Jean very helpful and seein very interested SAMYN and his wife, about six months in corresponding with me. later. I really drove my wife nuts during the wait for that return! They apologized Now, getting back to the mail. I for the delay in responding. Since then, was getting cocky now. Two long shots we have exchanged family information, that resulted in direct hits. I got to lec- charts, and most importantly, names, ture the kids about perseverance, tak- dates of birth, and addresses of their ing educated chances, doing one's families. They have children and grand- homework, and all those lectures in children about the same age as me and every Dad's memory bank. Someday my children, so maybe the hnk will re- I'll tell them it was a mixture of all of main. The moral of this story is simple, the above and one other time-honored "Take a chance." genealogical tool - Blind Luck! But more importantly, my link to France is I had another long shot payoff in established. Someday I'll visit there similar fashion. Again, all I had was with the kids. I would think the French pictures of my grandparents and a relatives would come over here some- French family, DEPUYDT (the name day. was on the back of the pictures, taken in 1965). The family was related to the When 1 first began searching ACKAERTJSAMYN lines. There was records 1was content to just fill in charts a picture of the DEPUYDT family at a with dates and places. With the help of French Church, in Ypres, France. I had the AFGS and Family History Centers, been in written contact with Willie many of my lines went back to the TILLIE (yes, that's his real name), who 1500's. It sometiines is too much data is a registrar of documents in Poperinge, to work with. As with all genealogists, Belgium. This is the region in Belgium I have one problem line. To be more where the ACKAERT line was from. He accurate, I have many problem lines, had sent me copies of birth, maniage and but one bothers me more than the oth- death certificates. ers. It drives me crazy that I can't find I wrote to Mr. TILLIE, sending any additional information on the PATTERSON line of my family. Blackstone River. Edmond PATTERSON, my great-great grandfather, died on 3 April 192 1, in I visited the Woonsocket Public Northbridge, MA. Actually, he was Library and viewed the microfilm of old found floating in the Blackstone hver, Woonsocket Call newspapers. In the 5 in Woonsocket, RI, after having been April 192 1 issue there was a sto~yabout missing for three weeks. My research Edmond's death. He was found in the into Edmond PATTERSON humanized river, in Woonsocket, three weeks after the records for me. being reported ~nissingin Northbridge, MA, which is located about 15 miles up- With most of my lines, the regis- stream born Woonsocket. The paper ters at AFGS transport me effortlessly stated that his son, 14 year old Marc back to the first generation in Quebec. PATTERSON, came to Woonsocket to You feel like a robot, grabbing huge blue identi@ the body. Marc PATTERSON DROUIN books, smaller parish regis- was my grandfather. The article went ters and other assorted repertoires. No on to say that the police believed standing in the aisles! But Edmond PATTERSON conllnitted suicide by PATTERSON was a problem. He first jumping in the river, in Whitinsville, comes to view 23 May 1905, when he three weeks prior. They sunnised this married Obelina GUILLEMETTE (a because the day of his disappearance widow), at St. Aime (now coincided with the one year anniversary Masseusville), county of Richelieu. In of the death of one of hs children. the St. Aim6 parish register, the blue Drouin books, the Loiselle and Rivest The death of one's child would microfilms, and any other sources I've surely be one of the very worst things been able to find, appeared the dreaded that could happen to you. Sure enough, symbol. The dreaded symbol, as you a search of vital records in MA indicated all know, is the THREE DOTS (...). Thls that Joseph Jean Charles PATTERSON, symbol means you are out of luck. No born 17 January 1909, had died in further data available. Woonsocket on 20 March 1920. Edmond PATTERSON disappeared one I started looking hard to discover year later, to the day. Even 75 years the parents of Edmond. His death cer- later, I can still feel what must have been tificate, filed in Massachusetts, stated a terrible time for the PATTERSONS. the all too familiar phrase, "Cannot be Was it suicide, or foul play? My uncle learned," in response to the block des- told me there was a family rumor that it ignated for parents of the deceased. might have been foul play. Right! I think we've all seen evidence that suggests that the data was probably At the time of his death, Edmond not sought actively by New England and Obelina PATTERSON had four civil authorities, for various reasons. children living with them, aged 14,8,7, The certificate listed an age, at time of and five years old. Another infant died death, as forty-six. His occupation was at birth, one died at three years old and listed as a tinsmith. The cause of death another, born in March 1920 also died. was listed as accidental drowning in the The couple was expecting another baby, who was born 17 July 192 1, three ments written in French? Come on months after PATTERSON apparently down. committed suicide. If suicide, what sort Like all of us, us being genealo- of agony would lead a Inan to abandon gists, I specialize in "stuff'. Stuff be- such a vulnerable wife and family. As a ing family tree stuff. Certificates, old result of Edmond's death, my grandfa- newspapers, untranslated documents, ther was forced to quit school to sup- computer discs, old pictures, I got 'em port the family. Then, like now, a lack all. Electric bill? Who knows. A copy of education severely lunits opportunity. of a 1830 probate record, in French, got The loss to the family was great. it right here. You know what I mean. I love stuff One of ~ny1997 goals is to follow the PATTERSON line back further. My But I do admit that I'm cursed beloved chart, chart # 1, has a gaping with the affliction we all have. Since I hole in it. I can't find the parents of a have gaps in my charts, I haven't taken lnan who died in tny hometown. Was the time to surrunarize my findings in a Edrnond PATTERSON not catholic? As publishable fonnat. I'm also uncom- PATTERSON is a Scottish name, how fortable with people going through my long had he been in Quebec? "stuff," fearing they'll disorganize my data. With the best intentions ofall New Curiously, the naturalization pa- Year's Resolutions, I resolve to publish pers filed by my grandfather, Marc this year. All of it. In book fonn. 1 PATTERSON, in 1943, listed his natio11- resolve to give copies of ~nycharts and ality as BRITISH! Maybe the Quebec obituaries to AFGS. 1 might even learn authorities treated the records of such to speak French. I promise. Public people (British) the sane way the Yan- procla~nationsare so much harder to kee officials treated our French Cana- slide on. dian immigrants. Who knows? But I'll find out. 192 1 is way too early to have Even Inore importantly, I resolve a gap in my charts. (Editor's note: At to fully document my life with pictures, that time. Canada was a Britishposses- videos, journals, news articles, and sion. Therefore, Canadian residents ap- whatever else I can think of. My wife, plying.for A~nericancitizenship were children, parents, house, everything. I considered British subjects, no/ Cana- can picture some descendant of mine, dian citizens.) suddenly catching the genealogy bug. He or she will be told of some distant Looking back on the last two ancestor, dead maybe 200 years. Me! years, I'm proud of what I've accom- Think how much that person would plished. My extended family will ask value a history written by me, not some me questions about the charts and so abstract ofpublic records. Or some data forth. Once in a while a nephew or niece base. Think how much we would value will ask if I had any infonnation about such a find. With that done, at least in our family tree. Do I have info? This is melnory, 1'11 be irn~nortal. Hey, who your lucky day. Do 1 have any docu- took the mail? AFGS Open House As the photos that follow show, our annual open house this year was an overwhelming success. Not only was it successful in tenns of attendence, but the public exposure received by the Society through our participation in Woonsocket's Jubili festival was invaluable. In addition, this was the ideal time to unveil our library's recent acquisition of the Drouin Institute's resources. The AFGS owes a great debt of gratitude to several people for this success. First to Claude Drouin, who made these resources available to us; to our Librar- ian, Janice Burkhart, who immediately recognized the value of these acquisitions to our Society; to AFGS member Lany Choiniere, whose generosity made these acquisitions possible; and finally, to Society publicist Sylvia Bartholomy, whose organizational skills made this day possible. Photos by Sylvia Bartl?olon7yand Robert Burkharl. rlerlicrrtes tire L)rouLz micrfiilm collection itr our librrtry. 79 clamrction commemorating the (c~lrlitionof the Drouin Institute resources to the AFGS Library. (Below) President Beau[lrv with AFGS Publicist Sylvia Brcrtholomy. (Above) President Roger Berrurlry rrwcrr(1.s A FGS member Larry Choiniere rrn Honorary Life Membership in recognition of hk rcssktrmce in obtrrining the Drouin Imtitute resources. (Below) Mr. Cluurle Drouin of Montrkr~lc~rklresses the rcssembiy (IS Presiricnl Beaudry cmrl Mrryor Mentrrrl look on. (Above) It was standing room only in the Library during the ceremonies. (Below) Bro. Louis Laperle, s.c., (I member of the AFGS Board of Directors, welcomes members and guests to the open house. (Above) The library is open to reseurchers after the ceremonies. (Bottom) Mayor Menurd, Sylviu Bnrtholomy, and an uni[ientified guest look (Above) Ed Poirier of Puirier Photogrrrpl?~in Woonsockef exhibits tris services. (Below) AFGS Gee-President Roger Bortholomy rlkcusses the Society's com- puter resources with some of our guests. (Above) Mr. Robert Quintin, representing Quintin Publicrrtions of Prrwtucket, RZ, dkcurses his jirm $ publicutions with one of our guests. (Below) AFGS volunteers, Laurrr rmd Emile Murtineuu pose with Juliette Gugnon, creator of the quilt depicting her generrlogy. Mrs. Gagnon 's quilt in its entirety. 86 (Above) Sister Colette Auger, representing 1'Uniorr St. Jecm-Bc~ptisteof Woonsocket, tells rrbout that orgcrnizc~tion's Malet Librc~ry,which is cleclicatecl to Frenclt and French-Ccrnarlirm works. (Below) AFGS Board member Lucile McDoncrlcl cmd Treasurer Therese Poliquin welcome new members to the Society. QUEBEC RESEARCH ALL PARISHES Let Me help you add siblings, baptism and burial dates to your family tree Beth Davies AG 69 W. 1080 N. American Fork, UT 84003 S.A.S.E French CanadianIAcadian Ancestors? Join the French Canadian/ Acadian Genealogists of Wisconsin for: * research assistance * stimulating meetings * Quarterly publication 9 9 $10.00 annual dues FCGW P.O. Box 414 Hales Corners, WI 53130-0414 Saint Anthony of Padua Church A Parish History 1895 - 1995 A Soltcover Book with 135 pages and over 130 illustra~ions Fully Indexed Donation $20.00 plus $3.00 I'ostagc and I-Iandling Please send a $23.00 check payable LO: St. Anthotzy of lladua Church 1359 Acushnet Avenue New Retlforcl, Ma 02746 88 Librarian's Report . .. to report to you. All of them will affect Canadian census films have been each of you. First of all, by the time you read Last, but certainly not least, the this report, the AFGS Lending Library Drouin Institute offered AFGS another should be up and running. We are all wonderful opportunity. We have pur- very excited about this new venture and chased the entire collection of the plan to continue adding to our lending Institute's libraw. This collection in- library holdings. This has been a huge cludes approximately 3400 volu~nes undertaking. Please bepatient with us! covering many areas of genealogy and We know that there will be some history: biographies, church histories, wrinkles that will need to be ironed out military histories, court records, her- at first. al+, family histories, seignieuries, wills, etc. Ths is a priceless collection with Secondly, by now I'm sure that many rarevolumes. Members who wish you have heard about our purchase of to "flesh out" their research will find the Drouin Institute microfilm collec- these books to be invaluable. In the tion. This is a fabulous collection that coming months, ths collection will be covers Quebec (French and English, cataloged and gradually integrated with Catholic and non-Catholic), French ar- our own collection. Our thanks go to eas of Ontario, parts of New Brunswick Mr. Claude Drouin for giving us the op- and parts of the United States. In addi- portunity to make this purchase. tion, there are notarial records, old news- papers, and various census records. We have had another busy pub- Since the collection includes birth, mar- lishing year. Our success in the sale of riage and death records, you will be able our publications has made it possible to to fill in much missing information on publish new titles. Please watch your your charts by using this collection. We mailings for announcements as we in- have started a new Reel Fr~endsdnve troduce these new books. We ask that to help us raise funds to purchase more you pass on these new book announce- lnicrofilm readers and to help cover the ments to your local libraries, in the hope cost of this collection. Many members that they will consider purchasing these have already made a donation. Because books for their genealogy sections. of the high cost of this acquisition, our 89 We are continuing our work on the projects continue to grow. thanks to all Blackstone Valley Heritage Corridor the loyal members who continue to clip, Project. We continue to gather material paste, copy and catalog this informa- from all of the municipalities that make tion. Pease keep up the good work. If up the corridor from Worcester, MA to you have obituary infonnation on fam- Providence, RI. These communities in- ily members, you might want to make clude Worcester, Millbury, Grafton, a copy and send it along to us. We can Sutton, Upton, Northbridge, Douglas, then add it to our collection. If you Uxbridge, Millville, Hopedale, Mendon, would like to join us in this project, and Blackstone in Massachusetts; please feel free to do so. just clip out Burrillville, Glocester, North Smithfield, pertinent information from your local Smithfield, Lincoln, Central Falls, newspaper and send it along to us. If Woonsocket, Cumberland, Pawtucket, you live nearby and would like to help and Providence in Rhode Island. Start- Noella and her crew in working on the ing with the vital records on file in our final pages of this project, please let us library, we are adding church records, know. This involves taping the clippings cemetery records, and funeral hope on sheets of paper and checking to see records for as many of these locations that all the pertinent information is as possible. To accomplish this very listed. This is a job that you can do at ambitious program, we need help! We home. need volunteers to copy microfilm records in the library. We need people Roger Bartholomy and his corn- to do data entry with their home com- mittee are working very hard to provide puters; we need people to approach these records and resources on CD-ROM for record-holding agencies and obtain per- our members' use at the library. These mission for us to copy their records, and resources add an exciting new dimen- finally, we need people to go to these sion to the tools available to our mem- locations with our copying machines. bers. If you know about a CD that you We also have research projects at librar- feel we should purchase, please let us ies and cityltown halls. This could be know. We also have extensive cerneteIy your chance to get involved and meet infonnation on the library's computers. new people in your Society. I really hope to hear from you, that is why I run re- We continue to make every effort peating this plea for help. I also wanr to to keep our library up to date and to thank those men~bersuho have come purchase new books as they become forward to offer their time, contacts, available. We thank those members and resources. Because of you, and who continue to donate books and cash people like you, we have recently added to our library. We could not possibly several new heral homes in Millbury, continue to increase our holdings at the MA to our list of resources. current rate without your continued, generous support. We thank you most Our Obituary, bride, and milestone sincerely. Hunror is (1 shock ubsorber on the rorid to life. Book Donations Quibec Studies: A Selected Anno- tated Bibliograply --donated by The Family History Book ofArnold Albert Roy. Jerome Brouillard -- donated by Richard and George Christian. Atlas ofCa~iada donated by Albert Roy. Mtal Records ofClintoti Co., NK 1996 - donated by Clyde M. Les Bernard-Brouillet - donated by Rabideau. Albert Roy. Histoire de la Race Fratiqaise aur Lr~fa1n11le.sGagnoti-Belzrle, 1635- itats-~nis- donated by Jean Marie 1985 - donated by Albert Roy. Hebert. Jacques Cbrtrer - Explorer and My Legacy - donated by Karen Navrgaior - donated by Albert Roy. Olival. St.-Francois Ile d'0rleati.s donated Collections of the New Bruns~~ick by Albert Roy. Hrstorrcal Society, Vol. I - donated by David Dumas. La Renaissance des Mitiers d 'Art azr Canada 1l.iati~ar.s- donated by Ascendance de Rijean Thirou - Albert Roy. donated by Richard and George Christian. Ke Frangaise, ljMars 1980 donated by Albert Roy. Records ofthe French Churcli at Narragansett - donated by Albert Une Amerique fianpise - donated ROY by Albert Roy. World War I Soldiers from Holyoke. Otie Piece in the Great Anierican MA -donated by Albert Roy. Mosaic - donated by Albert Roy. Bullet/ri of /lie Jersey Sociery in Les Preriirers Sergtieurs el Colotis de London - donated by Albert Roy. Ste.-Anne de la Perade - donated by Albert Roy. Linguistic and Cultural Heritage of rhe Acadians in Maine and New Ma Paroisse, St.-Jean Port-Joly - Brunswick - donated by Albert Roy. donated by Albert Roy. An Acadian Heritage from the Sai~it The WorkitrgPeople of'FaN River: John River Valley - donated by Essays and L)ocumen/s. 1870-1910 -~ Albert Roy. donated by Albert Roy. Fnnrilinrity breeds contenapt--nncl children! Reel Friends Donations Richard D. Wonnwood $35.00 A Friend $25.00 In rnelnory of Eugene & Antoinette A Friend $25.00 Jean Poulin $1610.00 A Friend $25.00 A Friend $1000.00 A Friend $25.00 Viateur & Sophie Pelletier $500.00 A Friend $25.00 Michael & Debra Bergevine $250.00 A Friend $25.00 Ernest P. Gagnon $200.00 Paula Tisdale Baptista $25.00 Annand & Mary Letourneau $200.00 Shirley A. Beaudin $25.00 Therese Poliquin $200.00 G. Fred Beaudry 111 $25.00 Dolores Laporte Nazareth $150.00 Hubert N. Belanger $25.00 A Friend $100.00 Diane Blair $25.00 Eugene A. Arsenault $100.00 Pauline Bourassa $25.00 In memory of Cecile Rose Marie Susan Rowntree Boykin $25.00 (Lariviere) Brouillette $100.00 Suzanne M. Caouette $25.00 Thomas Cartier $100.00 George Christian $25.00 David Coutu $100.00 kchard Christian $25.00 Louis C. Gaboriault $100.00 Dr. Pauline Courchesne $25.00 Alice K. Goman $100.00 Margaret DePriester $25.00 Betty Vadner Haas $100.00 Andre Dion $25.00 Lucile McDonald $100.00 Robert Duchanne $25.00 Donald St. hand $100.00 Russell A. Dugas $25.00 Fran Tivey-Jimmis $100.00 Gerard J. Gauthier $25.00 A Friend $75.00 Williain Gelineau $25.00 Roger Beaudry $75 .OO Annette Thibault Hardenburgh $25.00 Elda Mondor $75.00 Muriel Labrie $25.00 Elaine Smith $75.00 A. Michael Lemire $25.00 A Friend $50.00 Muriel L. Henault Locklin $25.00 Francis G. Blais $50.00 Edward J. Malo $25.00 Neil J. &Mary H. Bouchard $50.00 Rita McKeown $25.00 Charlene Gaboriault $50.00 Phyllis McPheeters $25.00 Roger P. Johnson $50.00 Jacqueline LaBrosse Miller $25.00 Raymond & Marguerite Ouellette Sylvia Liunoureux Morin $25.00 $50.00 Luci Ortner $25.00 Sandra M. Poirier $50.00 Susan A. Vennette Reed $25.00 Michelle A. Proulx & Charles T. Fayne Seney $25.00 Connell $50.00 Jeanne W. Swiszcz $25.00 Gilbert L. Rebideaux $50.00 Hany J. Lanoue $20.00 Robert Renauld $50.00 Thomas F. Bushery $15.00 Joan Winters $50.00 Dorothy Graham Caserta $10.00 Paul A. Salvas $40.00 Louis Deziel $10.00 Michele L. Pelletier $36.00 Thank You! -- - Dad: Son, eserytinre you (lo sonrething lvrong I get (mother grcry hair. Son: Gosh, Dark, iuhoteifer (lid you (lo to nrrrke Crcm(lprr bok(l? Questions and Answers / in 1824 (John Bloniasz) Antoine ROUSSEAU, slo Stanislas & Marie FAFARD on 12 May 1925 at St. 2318 Par. of Leon and Theodore SAU- Joseph, Springfield, MA. (L. Choiniere) CIER. They mar. sisters Clotilde and Desanges LAJEUNESSE in St. Peter's 2312 Mar. and par. of Joseph RAY- of Platsburg NY in 1869. (John MONDIREMOND and Judith LAVAL- Bloniasz) LEE. Their daughter m. Paul BEAU- DOIN on 13 Jan 1852 at St. Philippe, 2319 Mar. and par. of Joseph FORAND Laprairie. (S. Beaudin) and Cora WOADEDIWOODEN. Their daughter mar. Maurice Ozias BER- 2313 Mar. and par. of Luc LARIVIERES GERON on 18 Aug 1924 at St. Benoit, and Anne JEANNET. Their son Luc Brome Co., Que. (D. Ciriello) mar. Marguerite BLENIER on 28 Oct 1794 at St. Laurent, 1.0. (John Brown) 23/10 Mar. and par. of Edouard SO- RELLE and Rose BIENVENUE. (N. 2314 Maniage and parents of Jacques Sorelle) DUFRESNE and Angelique RAI- NAUD. Their son Basil mar Genevieve 2311 1 Mar. and par. of Louis GUE- GAUTHIERon 29 Sep 1812 at St. Hya- NARD/BRETON/ELIE and Franpoise cinthe. (John Brown) LECLERC, ca 1775. (A1 Larin) 2315 Mar. and par. of Germain THI- 23/12 Mar. and par. of Franpois GI- BAULT (b. 5 Oct 1833 at Rimouski) and RARD and Catherine POSE, ca. 1750. Caroline ROUSSEL (b. 23 Sep 1841 at (Al Larin) Cambelton, N.B.). (C. Grandmaison) 23/13 Mar. and par. of Darnase MAR- 2316 Mar. and par. of Thomas PARI- CEAU and Zoe DESCARAFFES, ca SEAU (b. Nov 1872) and Marie GAG- 1860. (A1 Larin) NON (b. 15 Nov 1866 at Ste. Anne, Que.). (John Bloniasz) 23/14 Mar. and par. of Pierre SYL- VESTRE and Catherine MORAND, ca 2317 Mar. and par. of John HUGHES 1725. (A1Larin) and Elizabeth SHAW. Their son John mar. Euphrosine PETIT in Beloeil, Que. 231151 Would like any information on Needham MORSE and Sophie HART and Rose CRODEN, ca Jul1859/1860. whose daughter was bapt. at St. Louis (Beverly Lamoureux) Church, Webster, MA on 5 Jul 1874. Sponsors were Clement BENOIT and 23/23 Mar. and par. of Joseph LA- Mary DUCHARME-BENOIT. (J.A. PERCHEJST. JEAN and Ursule BIS- Choiniere) SON. Their son Franqois married Therese DESROSIERS in Berthler on 23/16 Mar. and par. of Adelard DU- 21 Jan 1794. (T. Soucy) ROCHER and Denise ST. CYR, ca. 1890's. (Darlene Durocher) 23/24 Any info about Josephine MARTINEAU, b. about 1864-68 to 23/17 Seeking any infonnation regard- David and Alvina ROUX and mar. on ing Emma MARTINEAU b. about 1876- 24 Jun 1894 in Springfield, MA to 7 in PQ, probably near Ste. Sophie de Adolphus DAMAR, slo Louis and of Megantic/Plessisville. Moved to Aga- Amelia GOKEY. (Ken. Martineau) wam, Hampden Co., MA. At Milln- caque Village with family about 1879. Thefollowing answers were received (Ken Martineau) from Al Berube. Once again, thanks A L 23/18 Par. of Isaac SYLVESTRE who inamed Victoire LAMBERT at the Ca- 2211 Guenette PIERRE (Etienne and thedral of St. Jean on 9 Feb 184 1. (Pe- Marie-Josephte LACASSE) and Cecile ter Sylvestre) LEFEBVRE-VILLEMURE (Joseph and Marie-Franqoise JEANNON) m. ca 23/19 Mar. and Par. of Franqois-Xavier 1800, place unknown. SYLVESTRE and Marie MICHAUD. They produced at least four children in 2215 Jean-Fran~oisMICHAUDIDE- St. Barthelanyfiom 1829to 1842. (Pe- VOST (illegitimate child of Celeste ter Sylvestre) MICHAUD) mar. twice. First to Vitaline DUBE at Ste. Modzste, Rivi- 23/20 Mar. and par. of Franqois PALIN ere du Loup; and second to Aglae and Genevieve LARIVIERE dit PA- LEVESQUE. QUET they had a son Fran~oiswho married Suzanne MAESIL on 28 Sep 2218 Michel LEBEL (Vincent and Rose 1795 at Longueuil. (Michael Bisaillon) CORMIER) mar. Josephine CARON (Paul and Philomene MARQUIS) on 28 23/21 Mar. and par. of Antoine DAU- Oct 1882 at Grand Sault, N. B. TANTJIUTAUT and Marie-Elisabeth LAHAYEILAHAISE. They had a 2219 Charles RICHARD (No parents daughter, Marguerite, who married given) and Julie-Pelagie RICHARD (no Charles ALIX on 24 Nov 1794 at parentsgiven) weremar. on 6 Feb 1872 Beloeil, Vercheres Co. (Michael Bi- at Richibucto, N. B. Witnesses were saillon) Charles THIBODEAU and Blanche RICHARD. 23/22 Mar. and par. of William RILEY 94 22/10 Nicolas RICHARD (no parents 1855 at St. Lazare de Bellechasse given ) and Marguerite RICHARD (no parents given) were mar. on 17 Nov 22/24 Edmond TURENNE (Joseph and 1862 at Richibucto, N. B. Witnesses Louise MARTEL) and Sophie RECU- were Barthelemi and Catherine RICH- YER (Joseph and Sophie MORENEY) ARD. mar. on 15 Nov 1869 at St. Didace, Que. 2211 1 Jacques DAIGLE (Jacques and 22/28 Louis ROBICHAUD (no parents Marie JARED dit BEAUREGARD) and listed) and Zoe CHARRON (widow of Marie LEDOUX dit DUBOUR(G) Franqois BENOIT and daughter of Jean- (Franqois and Helen TETREAU) were Baptiste and Marie-Anne DUCHES- mar. on 7 Jan 1799 at St. Hyacinthe, NEAU) mar. on 25 Jan 1895 (or 1885) Que. Ledoux is undoubtedly a mistake in the Methodist Church of Acton Vale, of the parish priest . Que. 22/12 Michel ST. PIERRE (Michel and 22/29 Alfred PINSONNAULT (Pascal Marie-Josephte-Brigitte OUELLET) and Cecile GABORIAULT) and Philo- and Marie-Anne ENGLAND (b. 25 Aug mene-Philonise PELADEAU (Amable 1780 and bapt. 15 Aug 1781; probable and Marguerite COURVILLE) mar. ca d/o William and Annie SNIDER), mar. 1840. on 2 1 Jan 1799 in a Protestant ceremony at Trois Rivieres. 22/30 Maxime MONETTE (Franqois and Marie NANTEL) and Josephine 22/13 Jean-Baptiste NADEAU (Fran- CONSTANTIN-DUTRISAC (Augustin qois and Marguerite FORCIER) and and Josephte TAILLEFER) mar. on 23 Agathe THEROUX dit PLASSYILA- Feb 1846 at Ste. Therese de Blainville, FERTE (Joseph and Agathe PAREN- Que. TEAU) mar. on 16 Oct 1780 at St. Michel. de Yamaska. Thefollowing are possible rrnswers re- ceivedfrom A1 Berube. 22/18 Joseph LAPRISE (Cyrille and Philomene GOULET) and Angele 2212 Joseph BENOIT (Firmin and TURGEON (Narcisse and Scholastique Madeleine ROY dit DESJARDINS) CHABOT) mar. on 3 Sep 1888 at St. and Marguerite DESMARAIS (Chrys- Magloire. tophe and Catherine CARTIER). (Mar- guerite Chrystatin was possibly named 22/19 Antoine HEBERT (Antoine and as such because of her father's given Julie YON) and Philomene-Phoebe name.) Mar. on 28 Sep 1812 at St. LAMBERT (no parents gven) mar. ca Michel de Yamaska. 1870. 2213 Louis BRODEUR (Joseph and 22/20 Cyriac CHABOT (nor CABOT) Cecile CHABOT) and Marie SENE- (Landry and Melanie NOLIN) and CAL (Louis and Marie VINCENT) mar. Marie-Anne GOSSELIN (Antoine and on 6 May 1856 at Notre Dame de Marie-Clemente LABONTE) mar. 3 Jul Granby. 95 AFGS RESEARCH POLICY STEP ONE: WHAT YOU SEND Your request and a self-adressed stamped envelope. Indicate your choice of the type of research to be done according to the following descriptions: A. Single Marriage - Only one marriage to search. Marriages of parents will be counted as additional single marriages and billed as such. Rates are $5.00 per marriage for AFGS members and $10.00 per marriage for non-members. B. Direct Lineage - A straight line of either husband or wife back to the i~runi- grant ancestor. This will include each couple, their date and place of marriage, and their parents' names. Origin of the itntnigrant ancestor will be included if this infonnation can be obtained. Price for this service will be detennined by the number of generations found times the applicable rate quoted above for single marriages. C. Five-Generation Ancestral Chart- Standard five-generation ancestral chart of 3 1 ancestors with 8 marriages found. The last col~unnof names will give parent's names only; no lnamages as they will start a new chart. Prices for this service are $35.00 for AFGS members and $50.00 for non-members. NOTE: Do not sendpaynierit in ad~,arice STEP TWO: OUR JOB After receiving your properly submitted request, we will immediately start your research. We will then notify you of our findings and bill you for the research perfonned according to the applicable rates quoted above. STEP THREE: YOUR APPROVAL After receiving our report and billing statement, return the top poltion with a check for the proper amount payable to AFGS, or your credit card infonna- tion. Upon receipt, we will forward your requested research. All requests not resolved by the Research Cormnittee will be placed in the Question and Answer section of Je Me Souvieri.~. Agrrin, plercse (lo not send payment in rrrlvcrnce! GENEALOGICAL MATERlALS & PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE Vol. Ill, No. 2 Marcli 1980 52.50* Vol. Ill, No. 3-4 October 1980 $5.00* Vol. IV, No. I December 1980 52.50* *Please add $2.00 for postage and handling Vol. V. No. 2 Autunln 1982 Vol. V1; No. I Spring 1983 Vol. VI. No. 2 Autunm 1983 Vol. VII, No. 1 Spring 1984 Vol. VII, No. 2 Winler 1984 Vol. VIII, No. 1 Sunuiier 1985 Vol. V111, No. 2 Winter 1985 Vol. IX, No. I Sunaiier 1986 Vol. IX, No. 2 Winter 1986 Vol. X, No. I Sumnicr I987 Vol. X; No. 2 Winter 1987 Vol. XI, No. 1 Su~iilncr 1988 Vol. XI, No. 2 Winler 1988 Vol. XII, No. 1 Su~i~lncr 1989 Vol. X11, No. 2 Winter 1989 Vol. XII1, No. I Sununer 1990 Vol. XIII, No. 2 Winler 1990 Vol. XV, No. 2 Autlunn 1992 Vol. XVI, No. I Spring 1993 Vol. XVI, No. 2 Autwiln 1993 Vol. XVII, No. 1 Spring 1994 Vol. XVII, No. 2 Autunm 1994 Vol. XVIII, No. 1 Spring 1995 Vol. XVIII, No. 2 Aulu~iin 1993 Vol. XIX, No. 1 Spri~is 1996 Vol. XIX, No. 2 Autunui 1996 Vol. XX: No. 1 Spring 1997 INDEX OF JEME SOUVIENS - SEPT 1978 THRU AUTUMN 1981 **Please add $1.50 for postage and handling Baptisms of Ste Cecilia's Chrrrrh (1910-/Y88), Prn~,trrcket.Rhode lsla~d Published by AFGS Spiral Bound, 466 Pases. $35.00 & $3.50 Postage, ($8.00 Canada) Baptisn~sof SI Stephe11k Chrrrch (1880-1986). Attleboro (Dodge~~ille).Massnchrrsen.~. Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 3 17 Pages. $25.00 & $3.00 Postage, ($7 00 Canada) Baptisnts of St Joseph's Chrrrrh (1893-1991). Pa.scoag, Ilhode Islni~d. Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 349 Pages. $35.00 & $3.00 Postage, ($7.00 Canada) Bapt~snisofSt John the Bapt~stChrrrch (1873-1989). West Wa~uotk,Khode I~latrd Publ~shedby AFGS Sp~ralBound, 2 Volumes, 1260 Pages $60 00 & $6 50 Postage. ($1 1 00 Canada) Baptisms of St James Chr~rch(1860-1991). Ma~~i~ille.I Baptrmis of St Joseph's Church (1872-1990. North tir051~e11ordale.C~IIII~CIIL~~I Pubhshed by AFGS Splral Bound, 2 Volumes, 770 Pages $45 00 & $5 00 Postage, ($9 50 Canada) Births of Swntrsea, Massochrrsetrs (1879-1973). Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 359 Pages. $35.00 & $3.00 Postage, ($7 00 Canada) Births of Peterboro, Newt Hanipshirr (1887-1951). Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 454 Pages. $35.00 & $8.00 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Baptisms of St. Joh11 the Baptist Chrrrch (1884-1988), Paw,trrcket, Rhode lsla~d Published by AFGS Spiral Bound, 765 Pages. $40.00 & $5.00 Postage ($9.50 Canada) Boptisnts ojNotre Dome Church (1873-/988), Cr,~tralFd$ Rhode Island Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 2 Volumes, 1244 Pages $50.00 & $6.50 Postage ($1 1 .OO Canada) Baptisn~sof St. Joseph's Chrrrch (1872-1990). North Grosife~rordnle,Co~i~~ecticrrl. Published by AFGS. Spiral bound, 2 Volumes. 770 Pages. $45.00 & $5.00 Postage ($9.50 Canada) Marr~agesofSt Johtt the E~wt~gel~st('ho~rch (1872-1986). Slalers~~~lle.Khode l~lot~d Published by AFGS Soft Bound, 3 10 Pages $28 50 & $3 00 Postage ($7 00 Canada) Marriaga of St Joseph S Chrrrch (1872-1986). ash tot^. Ithode Isla~rd. Published by AFGS Soft Bound, 246 Pages. $24.00 & $3.00 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Marriages of St Stephe11's Chrrrch (1880-1986). Attleboro, Mnssnchrrsetts. Published by AFGS. Soft Bound, 225 Pages. $19.95 & $3.00 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Marriages of St Joseph j Chr~ruh(1905-1986). Attleboro, Massachr~setts. 98 Published by AFGS Soft Bound, 232 Pages. $22.50 & $3.00 Postage ($7.00 Canada) The Fratrco-An~rricat~Marriages of New Bedford, Massachrrse~ts,(1865-1920) By Albert Ledoux, Published by AFGS. Soft Bound, 478 Pages. $40.00 & $350 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Marriages of Ste Cecilia :v Ch~rrch(1910-1986). l'a~r~tnckrr,lthode lsln,rd Published by AFGS. Soft Bound, 398 Pages. $35.00 & $3.50 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Muwiages of Sl Matthen, 's Church (1888-1986). Fall Rilre Marriages of St Joh~rthe Baptist Ch~trch(1873-1980). West Wmick,Hhode 1.slarrd. Published by AFGS. Soft Bound, 2 Volumes, 622 Pages. $50.00 & $4.50 Postage, ($8.50 Canada) Marriages of St Johr~the Bapnsf Chrrrch (1884-1986), Pan tr~ckel.Rhode Islmrd Pubhshed by AFGS Sp~ralBound, 496 Pages $50 00 & $3 50 Postage, ($8 00 Canada) Marriages ofSt Joseph's Chrrrrh (1872-1990). North Gros~rr~ordale.Coi~ttecricrrl. Includes mission records from St Stephen Church, Quinebaug, CT. Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 484 Pages. $50.00 & $3.50 Postage, ($8.00 Canada) Marriages of St Joseph .k Ch~rrch(1929-I980). Wootrsockel, Rhode fs/atd Published by AFGS Spiral Bound. 248 Pages. $20.00 & $3.00 Postage, ($7 00 Canada) Marriages of St Agalha 's Chrrrch (1953-1986). Wootmockel. Hhode Islatrd. Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 119 Pages. $15.00 & $3.00 Postage, ($7 00 Canada) Marriages of 01rrLady Qrreer~of Martyrr Chr~rch(1953-1986), Wc~or~socket,I Les Mariages drs Ilrs dr Mndrleit~es.PO., (I 794-1900). By Rev Dennis M. Boudreau. Includes all marriages of the islands as well as many others from areas where Madelinot families settled, extending some lines beyond 1900. Complete listing of Madelinot Boudreaus from 1794- 1980. Published by AFGS Soft Bound, 326 Pages. $21.00 & $3.50 Postage. ($8.00 Canada) Mmiages of Sacred Heart Chrneh (190-1-1990). North At/leboro, Mos.scrchraetts Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 242 pages. $35.00 & $3.00 Postage, ($7.00 Canada) Marriages ofHoly Fatrrily Chrrrch (1902-1987), Woorrsockrt,Hhode Islatrd Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound 686 pages. $45.00 & $4.50 Postage, ($8 50 Canada) Marriages of St Joseph's Chrrrch (1893-1991), Pascoag, Hhode 1.slmd Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound 276 pages. $35.00 & $3.00 Postage ($7.00 Canada) Marriages cfSt Theresa k Chrrrch (Jrrly 1929-Jrore 1987), Black.storre, il.lnssacnriseio Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound 132 pages $15.00 & $3.00 Postage ($7.00 Canada) Marriages of St Theresa's Chrrrch (1923-1986), Nn.rorrl~ille.Hhode 1.rlard Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 65 Pages. $15.00 & $2.50 Postage ($5.00 Canada) Marriages of St Joseph's Chrrrch (1875-1989). Narick, RhoJe 1.sIntJ. Published by AFGS Spiral Bound, 410 Pages. $40.00 & $3.50 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Marriages ofBlackstotre, Mrrssachrrsetts (1845-1900). Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 601 Pages. $35.00 & $4.50 Postage ($8.50 Canada) Marriages of l'eterboro. New Hnnrpshire (1887-1948). Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound 559 Pages. $35.00 & $4.00 Postage ($8.50 Canada) Marriages ofNotre Danre C'hrrrch (1873-lY88), C7errtrrrl lirlls, / Marriages of Blessed Sacranierrt Ca~holicCh~irch (1892-1995j, Fall I Fratico-An~ericarrBrrrials of the Bepherr H. Foley Froreral Honie (1911-1985). Attleboro, MA. Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 326 Pages. $30.00 & $3.50 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Metlard Frrtaral Honir (1970-1990). Woorr.socker, Rhode 1.slarrd Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 272 Pages $25.00 & $3.00 Postage ($7.00 Canada) 100 Hickey-Grerrier Finrerl Honre (1911-1987). Brockt~~rr.Massnchr~selts Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 412 Pages. $35.00 & $3.50 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Elmwood Mentorial-Mernrier 's 1:rnrernl Service (1934-1990). Burliirgtlolr. I trmoirt Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 248 Pages. $30.00 & $3.00 Postage ($7.00 Canada) Brir ials of Gilmair-lhlade Firtiera1 Honie (1920-lY69/, Pi~niamcY. N G~o~~~etio~dnlt..('7 Published by AFGS Spiral Bound, 563 Pages $35 00 & $4 00 Postage ($8 50 Canada) Birrials of Gilnmil-Valade Frrrreral Honre (1960-1995), I?rrttmnni & N. Grosveirordale. C1: Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 458 Pages. $35.00 & $4.00 Postage ($8.50 Canada) Brrrrals ofGrlniai~-i'nladeFnireral Home (1970-1990). Prrarnnr & N. Grosvenordale. CT Published by AFGS Spiral Bound, 458 Pages $30 00 & $3 50 Postage ($8 00 Canada) Brrrials ofPotliir Fr~ireralHome (1893-1960). West Wanvick, Rl Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 2 Volumes, 1068 Pages $50.00 & $5.50 Postage ($9.00 Canada) BIii'iak ofrhe Lamorrrerrx Frureral Honre (1930-1980), New BedforJ, MA Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 304 Pages. $25.00 & $3.50 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Brrrials of the Ainlair Frrireral Honie (1944-1992). Fall Ril~er:MA Published by AFGS Spiral Bound, 373 Pages. $30.00 & $3.50 Postage ($8.50 Canada) Deaths of SI Joseph's Chrrrch (1872-1990). North Gros~~eiiordale.(~oiriieclicrrt Published by AFGS Spiral Bound, 576 Pages $35.00 & $4.00 Postage ($8.50 Canada) Burials ofthe Alfred Roy R- Soir.~Finreral Homr (1904-lY94), Worcrsrei; M~~ss~lchr~aett.~ Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 2 Volumes, 1286 Pages $50.00 & $6.50 Postage ($11 00 Canada) Brrrials of Ihe Joseph Lurixoir B Sons Frureral Honre (1911-1988). Wooirsockel. Rl Published by AFGS Spiral Bound, 624 Pages. $35.00 & $4.50 Postage ($8.50 Canada) Baptisnis. Marriages R- Brrrials of Sacrrd Heart Catholic Chrrrch (1879-1990), West Th- ompsotf, Coie~ecticrrr. Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 234 Pages. $30.00 & $3 00 Postage ($5.50 Canada) Baprisn~s& Marriages of Our Lady of Good Hell, Calholic Chrrrch (1905-1995). Mnl,le~dlle, Rhode Islm~d Published by AFGS. Spiral Bound, 298 Pages. $30.00 & $3.00 Postage ($8.00 Canada) Baptisnis R- Mnrriages of St. Michael Caiholic Chrrrrh (1922-1995). Ocem~Grove (Su,ntneo, MA) Published by AFGS, Spiral Bound, 409 Pages. These maps illustrate the counties within the province as well as the cities and towns. Lists county population and has location index. The following are available: Alberta, British Co- lumbia, Manitoba, Maritime Provinces, Yukon & Northwest Territories, Newfoundland, Ontario, Quebec, & Saskatchewan. Quebec map $4.00, all others $3.00. Postage (in mailing tubes) $3.50 ($8.00 Canada) Postage (folded approx. 8 112 X 11) $2.00 ($5.00 Canada) Eiphr- Getrerariorr Family Tree Charr. 23" X 28"; Heavy parchment-like stock; Shipped in mailing tube. $4.00 & $3.00 Postage, ($8.00 Canada) Srarrdard Fnnrily Grorly Sheeis. 8 112" X 11"; Punched for ;-ring binder, Places to record pertinent data for a couple and up to 15 children. Reverse side blank for notes and references. Minimum order 100. $3.50 per 100 & $2.00 Postage, ($3.00 Canada) Srrnight Line Chart. 12" X 18"; Designed by Gina Bartolomucci. Handsomely decorated borders printed in brown ink on 24 pound aged tan antiqua parch- bond. Suitable for other uses. Shipped in mailing tubes. $2.00 & $3.50 Postage, ($8.00 Canada) FIve Getreratiot~Chart. 8 112" X 11 "; Standard pedigree chart; Punched for 3-ring binder. Improved version, designed to be either handwritten or typed. Minimum order 100. $3.50 per 100 & $2.00 Postage, ($2 50 Canada) 7h1getreraliorr Farr Charl. 25" X 36 112"; Printed in two colors on heavy paper, suitable for framing. Space for 1,023 ancestral names. Shipped in mailing tube. $6.00 & $3.00 Postage. ($7.00 Canada) La C~tisinede Ie Grnndnlere I. Reprint of our first cookbook Completely re-typed and re-indexed Contains hundreds of our favorite recipes Spiral bound 102 $7.95 & $2.50 Postage, ($4.00 Canada) La C~~ishiede le Grandmere 11. All new edition, over 400 recipes, traditional and current in English. Spiral bound with plasticized cover. $7.95 & $2.50 Postage, ($4.00 Canada) Both cookbooks may be purchased for $13.00 & $3.00 Postage ($4.50 Canada) Begi~inh~gFranco-American Gn~ealogy. by Rev. Dennis M. Boudreau. Describes how to research French- Canadian roots including valuable references, resources and addresses for research. Spiral bound; 75 pages. $7.00 & $2.50 Postage,- ($4.00 Canada) UNITED STATES: Checks payable to the American-French Genealocical Soci- ety, or MastercardIVisa. CANADA: Postal money orders payable to the American-French Genealogical Society or MastercarcWisa. US.funds only. Prices are subject to change- without notice. An orderform which you may~ -pho- rocopy is printed on the next page for your convenience. GENEALOGICAL MATERIALS & PlIBLICATIONS ORDER FORM L1 0 A ACCOUNT NO. EXP DATE R. I. res. add 7% tax: SIGNATURE ALL AMOUNTS PAYABLE IN U.S. FUNDS Total Enclosed: HI------I Canadian orders please use postal money order. Personal checks drawn on a foreign bank cannot be accepted. Prices subject to change without notice. Make all checks payable to: American-French Genealogical Society Plerue photocopy this form -Do not terlr this book! 8 Fran~oisLACOMBE BORN: 182.1 PLACE; LC%, Qur. ~IARR: 19 Jn11851 4 Josepl~LACOMBE PLACE: st. c~wsis,Que DIED: 30 hlar 1894 BORN: 1855 PLACE: kuiston, ME PLACE: Levis. Que. MARR: 3 Feb 1880 9 M.-Cesarie THlBEAULT PLACE: Levis, Que. BORN: 3 .hg1831 DIED: 6 Nov 1914 PLACE; C'"'d* DIED: 170L1 1904 2 Edouard LACOMBE PLACE: Leviston. ME PLACE: L,,,ua,. BORN: 19 Dec 1886 PLACE: Leivision, ME 10 Tho~llasGAGNON MARR: 26 Jan 1910 BORh: PLACE: Le\viston. ME PLICE: DLED: 29 Dec 1943 ~IARR:17~~~ 1860 PLACE: ~e\,.i~to~~.ME j Georgians GAGNON PLACE LWS. yur DIED: BORN: 1863 PLACE: PLACE: St. Bernard. Que. DIED: 27 Apr 1914 11 MargueriteMARCOUX PLACE: Auburn. ME BORN: PLACE DIED: PL.\CE: , Rosario Robert LACOMBE BORN: 23 Nov 1912 PLACE: Lewiston, ME MARR: 3 No\- 1941 12 Gabriel BLANCHERE PLACE: Selma, AL BORN: DIED: 7 Feb 1985 PLACE: PLACE: Reseda, CA IIARR: 7 \11r 1834 6 cllarles BLANCHERE PLACE: sle. Clnac. Uue- SPOUSE: DIED: BORN: PLACE: Virginia May PLACE: St. Anselme, QuB MARR: 21 NOY1871 13 Reine C&PEAU PLACE: St. Anselme, QuesonN: DIED: PLACE: UIEV: 3 Clarisse BLANCHETTE PLACE: PLACE: BORN: 28 Aug 1873 PLACE: Ste. ~laire,Que. 14 Pierre BLOUIN DIED: 10 No\, 1913 PLACE: Le\\iston, ME PL*CE: ~IARR: 23 Jcn, 183s PLACE: St IIYIII~..ULIC owu: PLACE PLACE: DIED: PLACE: nous: PL.1CE: oleo: SUBMITTED BY: PLACE. hta J. LACOMBE 18645 Hatteras St.; Unit 204 Tarzana, CA 91356 8 Jacques ROBERT IBORH; RMu1717 PLACE: Boualr~~llr,Qui MARR: I1 Ju, 1745 PLACE Bauch~nillc.Q~~i PLACE: Longueuil, Que MARR: 30 Sep 1782 9 Mars MARTMBAUT PLACE: 9.Philippe. Que.$nn: 25at 1719 DIED: 8 Sep 1826 PLACE: Uuoclrrr'~llc.Vue PLACE: Laprairie. Que. Ft"piE: PLACE: Laprairie, Que. 10 Joseph ROBIDOUX MARR: 4 Jul 1806 BORS: 22Aug 1730 PLACE: Laprairie, Qut. PL.ACE: Laprairie,Qui. DIED: LIARR: 12Jas 1756 PLACE: M.-Marg ROBIDOUX PLACE: St. Co~wtaat.Vus BORN: 17 Jan 1757 :FiE: PLACE: St. Constant, Que. DIED: J Feb 1786 11 M-Margunte DUPUY PLACE: St. Philippe. Que. GORn: 14Nov 1735 PLACE: Lnpraric, Qui. DIED: PLACE: 1 Theophile J. ROBERT BORN: 16Oct 1817 PLACE: Laprairie, Que. 12 JosephNORMANDIN PLACE: MARK: 26Szp 1757 6 Paul NORMANDM PLACE: ~a~~~~~.qu, BORN: PLACE: PLACE: PLACE: Laprairie. Que. Bons: 28hlrr 1731 DIED: PLACE: Laprairie, Que 14 Jean-Baptiste GERVAIS DIED: PLACE: PLACE: L4pr;,s,r..yta NARK: I Jul1765 DIED: PLACE: PLACE: DIED: PLACE: BORN: PL.ACE. DIED: SUBMITTED BY: PLACE: Helen W. HAMILTON 115 W Atlantic Bvd. Ocean Cit): NJ 08226 I) Magloire VETUIBELAIR BOKI*: 8Ju1 1839 PLACE: St Peade-klqol. Uue hlARK; 26Aug 1861 PLACE: St. Pade-Bagut. Quc DIED: BORN: IO Jun 1875 PLACE: Ste. Cecile. Que. MARR: 15 Feb 1897 9 I Sophie TRUDEAU PLACE: St. Cyrillc. Qud. uoas: DIED: 28 Jun 1966 ::;:&: PLACE: Blackstone, MA PLACE: St C?;ille, Qu6 10 Joseph CARTlER MARR: 26 Dec 1928 BORh: PLACE: Bellin~iam,MA PLACE: DIED: 18 Auz- 1987 .\r~l)u...... 25.a1864, PLACE: WOOD.:RI 5 PLACE: Piareville. Uur PLACE: St Frs-du-Lac, Q DIED: 8 Feb 1956 11 Ahce GAUTHIER PLACE: Woon . RI BOR~: PL.ACE: DIED: PLACE: Eugene Maurice BELAIR Sr. BORN: ll Feb 1933 PLACE: Bellingham; MA MARR: 4 Jul 1959 12 Andre FLUEnE PLACE: Woonsocket, RI DIED: PLACE: st. Hugll=%.QU~ PLACE: htAKH: IZJan 1863 SPOUSE: Claire Cora HEROUX MARR: 29 Jan 1894 13 1 Matli1ldaBR0DEUR PLACE: Arctic Ctr., RI BORN: DIED: 17 Dec I950 PL.*cfi PLACE: N. Snfld.. RI :rdK: BORN: 24 Aug 1902 1 PLACE: N.D.-des-~ois,Q 1.1 BWIOCOTE DIED: 23 0ct 1982 BOKK: PLACE: Woonsocket, RI 1 PLACE: PLACE; Unonu~wnd\lllc.~uc~d~~Ile.~u~ DIED: PLACE: St. Cyrille. Que. PLACE: Woonsocket. RI BOH~: PLACE: UIEU: SUBMIITED BY: PLACE: Eugene M. BELAIR 46 Bnttany Fanl~sRd. Apt. 225 New Britain. CT 06853-1224 Index To This Issue 72 BRODEUI<: Juseph 95 ACKAERT, Albert 75 BERGERON; Maurlcc Ozlas 93 BKODEUR. Louh 95 ACKAERT Gennalne 75 BIENVENUE, Ro5e 93 BRODEUK. Mathllda 107 ACKAERT, Hector 75 BBEAU, Lbna Jesslc 107 BKOSSEAU. Mans-Loutsc !06 ACKAERT, Jme 75 BIGGAR, H P 22 BW;Patnck 54 ACKAERT, Madeline 75 BISSON, Ursule 94 ALEXANDER, Bob 49 BLAIS, Enuna 13 C ALEXANDER, George 49 BLAIS, Francois-X.avicr I4 ALEXANDER, John 49 BLANCHETIF: Charles I05 CANNAUAR. P 54 ALEXANDER, Willard 49 1 BLANCHEITE, Clarisv I05 CAREY, Phllmion 16 ALE, Charles 94 ; BLANCHETTE: Gabriel I05 CARON, Josephine 94 ALLAIRE, Georgianna 40 1 BLENIER, Marguerite 93 CARON, Paul 94 ALLAIRE, Sophia 46 1 BLOLIIN, Malnna I05 CARTIER, Catherme 95 ALLARD, Gentlain 50 1 BLOUIN, Pierre I05 CARTER. Joseph 107 ARCHAMDAULT, Elntire 40 : BOISSONNEAULI; Alice 50 CARTIER, Louix 107 ARCHAMBAULT, Joseph 45 BOISSONNEAULI: ArIhur 50 CAYER Calhcrlne 72 ARCHAMBAULI- Joseph-Moisr BOISSONNEAULI: lklmit 49 CHABO'I'. Cecile 95 20 BOISSONNEAWC klphlne 49 CWOI, Cvr~ac 95 ARCHAMBAULT, Toussaint 20 BOISSONNEAULT, Edmk 50 CHABOT, Landn 95 ASHLEY. Viola 72 BOISSONNEAULl, Gabrielle 50 CHABOl. ScholasUque 95 AUDET dit LAPOINTE, BOISSONNEAULI., George 50 CHARKEI-I'E, Josph L. 45 Ferdinand 14 BOISSONNEAULT, Rosalie 49 CIWON, Jan-Bnptiste 95 AUGER, Victoria 72 BOISSONNEAULI; Tornmy 50 CHARRON, Zoc 95 AZURE, Marie-Alphonsine 72 BOISSONNEAULT, Will) 50 CHEVERUS. John 53 BONER. Manr-Lou,= 59 CIEVREFLS/BBLISLB; Marie- B BORDE. Peronne 72 Annc 72 BOUCHEK, Alberl 50. 51 CHOINEIE. Flora 93 BAILLARGEON, Dulcin6r 72 BOUCHER. Alfred 51 CHOWLERE, Swnislas 93 BARRICK, Pamela Rae 72 BOUCHER, Aunt hu 50 ! CLEVELAND: Grover 35 BARTHLETTE, Wiltizd 45 BOUCHER, Dunalda 50 , CLOUI'EK: Zacharie 17 BEAMAN, Willard W. 43 BOUCHER, Eva 51 COLE. George 20 BEAUCHAMP, Marie-Franqotse -- BOUCHER. Ida 50 COLE: Kate 20 12 BOUCHEII, LOUIS 51 COLL;. Marw Lllcll 211 BEAUDOIN, M.-Sophle I05 BOUCHER, Mann 17 CONNELLEY Peter 54 BEAUDOIN, Paul 93 UOUCIIEK. Mar! CONSIANIN, Auguatln 95 BEAUVAIS. David 49 BOUCHER, Man Jane 50 CONSTANIIN-DU I'KISAC BELAIR, Eugene Maurlce Sr 107 BOUCHER, Rosz-Alha 50 Jorephine 95 BELAR, Eugcnc 0. 107 BOUCHEK. Ihirisc CONI'LE, 'Shhese 50 BELAND, Celantre 14 BOURGERY, Leon 45 , CONTW, William J 45 BELISLE, Arthemise 40 BOUSQUET. Mane-El~sakth 20 CORMIEK. Rose 94 BELL, Alexander Grahaltt 35 BOUSQUEC O'Neil 45 COVER: Theodore 45 BELLANGER, Alcide 45 BOUSQLiET>Oscar 45 COTE, Angrlina 40 BENOlT, Clement 94 BOYER, Henttenegilde 67 I COTE, Anna 107 BENOlT, Finnin 95 BOYEK. Nawire 67 COTE: Bmnu 107 BENOIT, Franpls 95 BRADY, John 54 8 COTE: Joseph M 45 BENOIT, Joseph 95 BRASSARD, Adolphr 50 COUILLARD, Ciuillaunle BERGERON; Arnaud 69 BRASSARD, Allne 50 17, 21, 22, 23 BEKGEllON dit JOHIEL, Jacques BRASSARL). Juliette 50 COUILLARD. Loulse 25 69 BRASSARD, Margaret 50 COUILLAIW. Marguerite 25 BERGERON, Marguerite 7 1 BKASSARD. Maur~cc50 COULOMUL. Dclt;~ 67 COLIRCHANE, David 71, 72 I DESCHAMI'S, 1.w 59, 61, 62 FONI-AINE. Vbctor 1I COURCHANE, Louis Luke 72 / DESCHAMPS. !.&on 59. 61. 62 PONIAINE. wilvr 1: 40: 41 COURCHENE, Franpais 72 DESCHAMPS. I.coni3 61 I'OIWD. Jusoph 93 COURCHENE, Jean-Baplistc 72 DESCHAMPS, Lionlr 60 FOKCER. Marguenlc 95 COURCHENE, Jean-Louis 72 i DESCHNVIPS, Marguerite 58 FOKGEI, Edvard 45 COURCHESNE, Henry 72 DESCHAMPS, Mldas 60 FOUCAULT. Jean-Bapllste- COURCHESNE, Hyacinthe 72 DESCWS, Nisettr 58 Franpo,s 7 1 COLIRCHESNE. Joseph 72 ! DESCHAMF'S; 0liX.a 59, 61 FOUCAULT, Jwn-l'ranpis COURCHESNE, Leopold 72 ! DESCHAMPS, Oll\rr 71. 72 COURCHESNE, Louis 72 ! 57. 58, 59, 60. 61 FOUCAULT, Plerre 72 COURCHESNE, Louis-Jean- I DESCHAMPS. On~er 6 1, 62 FOUCAUL.T/COUIlCI IESNE. Baptiste 72 I DESCHAMPS. Virginie 59 Jwn-Frenqois 72 COURCHESNE, Pauline 72 1 DESJARDINS, P.E. (Father) 36 FOUCHEK; Antoinette 50 COURTEMANCHE;Alkn 45 / DESMARAIS. ~hq~tophe95 FOUCHEK; Beatrice 50 COURTEMANCHE, Evariste 20 I DESMARAIS, Marguerite 95 FOUCIER: Gabrielle 50 COURVLLE, Marguerite 95 ! DESSAINT dit ST -PIERRE, FOUCHER, Man 50 COUTU, Hector 67 I Marguerite I4 FOUCHER, Narcisse 50 c&PEAU, Reine I05 DOUCET, Mrc. Louts-Joseph 69 170UCHEK, Pete 50 CRODEN, Rose 91 ! DUBE, Vlwllne 94 FOUCHEK, Wlllitd 50 ' DUBEY, Frank 38 FOIIRNIEK, Marcel l 5 DUCHAKME-BENOIT. Mar\ 94 DUCHESNEAU, Mane-Anne 95 G DAIGLE. Jacques 95 DLIFRESNE. Bas11 93 DAIGNAULT, Alice 40 DUFRESNE, Jacques 93 GAB0KLALn;l: Ce~.~le95 DAIGNAULT, Elise 40 DUMONT, Andri 5 l GAGNON, Gcorgima I05 DAIGNAULT. Eliz~beth 10 DUMONT Donald 51 GAGNON. Mane 9.: DAIGNAULT, Eln~ire 40 DUMONT, Glon;i 51 GAGNON. 'Thomas 105 DAIGNAULT, Elphege J 40 DUMON'I'. Jules 50 GARAND. Mageca J 45 DAIGNAULT. Eugene J. 40 DUMONT, Lam 51 GARDE; Hc~wK. I5 DAIGNAULT, Eustache L. 40 DUMONT, Launcr 51 GARNEAU, Ida 33 DAIGNAUI.T, Exilia 10 DUMONT Ilohn 5 l CARNEAU, Willie 45 DAIGNAULT. Flurina 40 DUPONT: Siuntes 17 GAULIN, Alphonsr 40 DAIGNAULT, Godfroro!. 39 DLIPUIS: Jranne-d'Arc 50 GAULW, Alphunse Jr 42 DAIGNAULT, Godlioy Jr 40 DUPTPUIS, Jossphte 58 GAULIN, Florina 10 DAIGNAULT, Marceline 39 DUPUY, Marie-Marguntc 106 GAUTHEK, Allcc 107 DAIGNAULT, Marguerite 40 DUROCHER, Adelard 94 GAUTl Ell. Cdclle 49 DAIGNAULT, Melanie 40 DUSOE, Harold 1;. 45 GAU.lHIER dl1 S.I-(XKMAW DAMAR, Adolphus 94 DUSOE, Nelson A 45 Adelillde I? DAMAR, Louis 94 DUTANT/DIITAUT. Mar& 91 GAUIHLEK, Eugene 45 DAUTANTDUTAUT. Anto~ne GAUTHIEK, Geneweve 93 94 GAU-IHIEK, George 49 DAVENPORT, Dudley 53 GAUTHIER. G~rard 49 de CHAMPLAIN, Sanluel 2 1, 48 EDISON Thomas A 35 GAUTHLEK, Joseph 49 de COMBALET, Madanie 23 ELLIOI, Nalhan~el 41 GAU'I'HIER, Paullne 49 DECONING, Eleulhier L. 45 ENGLAND. Mane-Anne 95 GAUTHIEK, Roland 19 DeGENTILLY, Franpis 47 GAUVIN. Joseph 75 DENAULT, Veronlque 106 GAUVIN, I'eter 75 DENEAU, Llonel 50 GELINAS, Dzlu~is 45 DENEAULT, E\ansle J 45 FAFARD, Mane 93 GENDREAU, Edmond 50 DENEAULT, George J 45 FENWICK, Bened~ctJuxph 53 GENDKEAU. Paul 50 DENEAULT, Ontdilce P 45 FERSCHKE, Jul~us 20 GENDKEAU. Krnr 50 DENIS, Adolphe Anbro~se 48 FLEW.Peter 45 GENDREAU, Klta 50 DENIS dit LAPIERKL Obclrnc FLUEITE. Adelnrd N. 107 GENDKEAU. ThAr6sc 50 5 4 FLUEITE. Andre 107 1- GEN-FILLY. Josephtne 47 DEPUYDT, Michel 76 FLUETIE, Mane-Anne 107 GEKRNU), Satlies J 56 DERRE De GAND, Franpis 24 FONTAINE, Charles 41 GEKSl-EK, Etclha 47 DESCARAFFES, Zw 93 FONTAINE. Clara 41 GERVMS, Jean-Daptiste 106 DESCHAMPES, ~osephte 59 FONTAINE, Grace E. 41 GEKVAIS, Mane-l.ouiw 106 DESCHAMPES, Oliver 62 FONTAINE, John B. 41 GILBERT Alextmdcr 42 DESCHAMPS, Alben 58 FONTAWE. John Baptisle 4 I GILBERT koy Phillips 43 DESCHAMPS, Delia 59, 61, 62 FONTNNE, John Kaylrond 42 GILBEICI; E Oscar 4.; DESCHAMPS, Fredrnc 60 FONTM, LcRoro!. N. 41 GLBEIII. E E llena 43 DESCHAMPS, Joseph 58, 59 FON-IAINE, Makl 41 GILBERT. Elnn~aJ 43 DESCtIAMl'S. Laura 60 FONIALNE; Oliver Walter 42 GLLBERI', Joseph 43 FON'I'ALNE, Paul Nrlson 42 CILUCRI. I.esllc Phllllps 43 GILBERT, Williant H. 43 LcrARDlF, Oll\.ter 24, 25 GIILES, Jules h. 45 LEVESQLJE, Aglae 91 GERARD, Franpois 93 LNCZENYI. Ludovit 72 GOKEY, Atttelia 94 LIONAIS. Joscphtc 72 GOODFELLOW, HelAne 20 LOUSCHE. Louse 17 GOSSELIN, Antoine 95 LUCIER. Okllne 42 GOSSELW, Marie-Anne 95 GOULET. Eli 45 M GOULET, Joseph 45 GOULET, Oliver 45 MAESIL, Suzarulc 94 GOULET, Ph~lo~ttene95 WET. Perr~ne 17 GRENIER, Ma~uerilr59 MARCEAIJ. Daensr 93 GRONDINES, Leo 45 MAI What a great way to start our our books are housed on shelves in one twentieth year! The recent acquisition room; our microfilm/fiche collection is of the Drouin Institute k research ma- stored in two other rooms; and our com- terials makes the AFGS the premier puterized resources are rapidly growing. French-Canadiangenealogicalsociety in The first Je Me Souviens was hand the U.S. and in much of Canada. The typed, printed at a local quick-print shop, Drouin Institute, until its recent demise, and bound with two staples. Today, this was apmfessional research organization publication is typeset on modem com- basedin Montrkal. They were probably puter software and professionally best known for their publication, Dic- printed and bound. The press run for tionnaire National des Canadiens - this issue will set a new record. Franqais. This three-volume set has since become a bible of French-Cana- We call your attention to the pho- dian genealogy, along with Tanguay and tographs in this issue which were taken Jetti. The most important part of our at our annual open house in August. acquisition is the collection of several This open house was held in conjunc- hundred reels of microfilm containing tion with the Jubilt; Franco-Americain, actual church records from the found- a week-long festival held each year in ingof the parish to approximately 1940. Woonsocket to commemorate our It is impossible to estimate the value of French-Canadian heritage. At this this resource to researchers. The sec- year's open house, our Drouin collec- ond part is a collection of printed and tion was formally dedicated by Woon- bound volumes covering, for the most socket Mayor Susan B. Menard and part, the subjects of genealogy, history, other local dignitaries, and received ex- and heraldry for not only French tensive coverage in the local press. Canada, but also many volumes cover- ing British, Irish, and other nationalities. Another event of interest to Many of these books are rare and have French-Canadians was the dedication of been out of print for lnany years. the Museum of Work and Culture in October. This facility is a project of the We have made much progress City of Woonsocket in conjunction with since our early days. Our library, back the Blackstone River Valley National then, was housed in two gray metal cabi- Heritage Conidor Commission and the nets that had to be moved into another Rhode Island Historical Society. This is room at the end of the evening. Today, a must see for all AFGS members. 112 OFFICERS President: Roger Beaudry 730 Manville Road Woonsocket, RI 02895 (401) 762-5059 Vice President: Roger Bartholorny 286 Grandview Avenue Woonsocket, RI 02895 (401) 769-1623 Secretary: Alice Riel 19 Mowry Avenue Cumberland, RI 02864 (401) 726-24 16 Treasurer: Therese Poliquin 88 Woodward Avenue Seekonk, MA 0277 1 (508) 336-9648 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Eugene Arsenault Bro. Louis Laperle Leon Asselin Gerard Lefrmcois Janice Burkhart Lucile McDonald Paul P. Delisle Henri Paradis Robert Edwards George W. Perron COMMITTEE HEADS Membership: Therese Poliquin Library: Janice Burkhart Publicity & AFGnewS: Sylvia Banholomy Research: Ray Desplaines Cemeteries: Roger Beaudry Je Me Souviens: Paul P Delisle