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Le FORUM Journal Franco-American Centre Franco-Américain

6-2019 Le Forum, Vol. 41 No. 2 Lisa Desjardins Michaud, Rédactrice

Gérard Coulombe

Guy Dubay

James Myall

Juliana L'Heureux

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Recommended Citation Michaud, Rédactrice, Lisa Desjardins; Coulombe, Gérard; Dubay, Guy; Myall, James; L'Heureux, Juliana; Lacroix, Patrick; Staples, Ann Marie; Moreau, Daniel; Lessard, Treffle;e P rreault, Robert B.; Gauvin, Marie-Anne; Bérubé, Robert; and Chenard, Robert, "Le Forum, Vol. 41 No. 2" (2019). Le FORUM Journal. 91. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/francoamericain_forum/91

This Book is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Le FORUM Journal by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Authors Lisa Desjardins Michaud, Rédactrice; Gérard Coulombe; Guy Dubay; James Myall; Juliana L'Heureux; Patrick Lacroix; Ann Marie Staples; Daniel Moreau; Treffle Lessard; Robert B. Perreault; Marie-Anne Gauvin; Robert Bérubé; and Robert Chenard

This book is available at DigitalCommons@UMaine: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/francoamericain_forum/91 Le FORUM “AFIN D’ÊTRE EN PLEINE POSSESSION DE SES MOYENS”

VOLUME 41, #2 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 In This Issue: THE AMERICANIZATION OF THE MADAWASKA ACADIANS

by GUY F. DUBAY Madawaska, ME (See page 3) History, Heritage, and Survival: Rassemblement 2019, Part I & II

by Patrick Lacroix Historian (See page 15) Finding the Franco, Part I: Introduction & Who do you belong to?

By Daniel Moreau (See page 24) Websites: Le Forum: http://umaine.edu/francoamerican/le-forum/ Oral History: https://video.maine.edu/channel/Oral+Histories/101838251 Library: francolib.francoamerican.org Occasional Papers: http://umaine.edu/francoamerican/occasional-papers/ Résonance, Franco-American Literary Journal: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/resonance/vol1/iss1/ other pertinent websites to check out - Les Français d’Amérique / French In America Calendar Photos and Texts from 1985 to 2002 http://www.johnfishersr.net/french_in_america_calendar.html Franco-American Women’s Institute: http://www.fawi.net $6.00 Le Forum

Sommaire/Contents Lettres/Letters...... 3, 21, 23 Patrick Lacroix...... 15-17 History, Heritage, and Survival: L’État du ME...... 4-26, 28-32 Rassemblement 2019, Part I Le Centre Franco-Américain Separation, Family –– the End of our Université du Maine Franco-American Experience History, Heritage, and Survival: Orono, Maine 04469-5719 by Gérard Coulombe Rassemblement 2019, Part II [email protected] Téléphone: 207-581-FROG (3764) More of The Early years in Biddeford POETRY/POÉSIE...... 28 Volume 41 Numéro 2 by Gérard Coulombe SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 La Pie Bavarde BOOKS/LIVRES...... 32-33 Publishing Board par Marie-Anne Gauvin Don Levesque GENEALOGY...... 25-27, 34-39 Paul Laflamme Lin LaRochelle Treffle Lessard...... 25 Louella Rolfe L’État du NH...... 20, 21 Robert Bérubé...... 34-38 Kent Beaulne La cour de l’école Robert Chenard...... 38-39 Joe Arsenault Tony Brinkley The School Yard in 1961 Music/Musique...... 29 Rédactrice/Editor par/by Ann Marie Staples Lisa Desjardins Michaud Coin des jeunes...... 30

Mise en page/Layout Lisa Desjardins Michaud James Myall ...... 10-13 The Year Maine Went Mad –– the Know Composition/Typesetting Nothingism of 1854-5 Lisa Desjardins Michaud Aide Technique Fear Prejudice, and Vaccinations Lisa Desjardins Michaud Daniel Moreau Juliana L’Heureux...... 13-15 Tirage/Circulation/4,500 Acadian celebrations & family reunions planned in August at CMA 2019 Imprimé chez/Printed by Centre Franco-Américain, Orono, Maine Biddeford update about the Lincoln Mill NOTICE! Publié 4 fois l’an par le Centre Franco‑Américain. Please check your Le Forum est distribué surtout aux Franco‑Américains Tower Clock and bell restoration des États‑Unis. Les énoncés, opinions et points de vue mailing labels, new formulés dans Le Forum sont ceux des auteurs et ne Pictures of the Franco-American Day in format for subscription représentent pas nécessairement les points de vue de the Maine State Capitol expiration. Month/ l’éditeur ou de la rédactrice, ou du Collège des arts et Year. des sciences libéraux à l’Université du Maine. Le Forum is published 4 times a year by the Franco‑American Center. Le Forum is distributed in Abbonement au Le FORUM Subscription particular to Franco‑Americans in the United States. Si vous ne l’êtes pas abonnez-vous –– s.v.p. Statements, opinions and points of view expressed are –– Subscribe if you have not not necessarily those of the editor, the publishers or the Endowment College of Liberal Arts & Sciences of the University of Maine. Nom/Name: Tous les textes soumis doivent parvenir à —For- One way to support ward all submitted texts to: Lisa D. Michaud, Rédac- Le FORUM while Adresse/Address: trice-en-chef/Editor-in-chief, Le Forum, University of at the same time re- Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5719, U.S., au plus tard Métier/Occupation: quatre semaines précédant le mois de publication—at serving life income least four weeks prior to the month of publication. is the establishment Ce qui vous intéresse le plus dans Le FORUM section which interests you the Les lettres de nos lecteurs sont les bienvenues— of a charitable gift most: Letters to the Editor are welcomed. annuity with the La reproduction des articles est autorisée sans Je voudrais contribuer un article au Le FORUM au sujet de: préavis sauf indication contraire—Our original articles Franco-American I would like to contribute an article to Le FORUM about: may be reproduced without notice unless otherwise Centre Le FORUM indicated. Fund at the Uni- L’équipe de rédaction souhaite que Le Forum soit versity of Maine Tarif d’abonnement par la poste pour 4 numéros un mode d’expression pour vous tous les Franco‑Amér- Subscription rates by mail for 4 issues: icains et ceux qui s’intéressent à nous. The staff hopes Foundation. Call États-Unis/United States –– Individus: $20 that Le Forum can be a vehicle of expression for you 1-800-982-8503. Ailleurs/Elsewhere –– Individus: $25 Franco‑Americans and those who are interested in us. Organisation/Organizations –– Bibliothèque/Library: $40 Le Forum et son staff—Universitaires, gens de la Le FORUM communauté, les étudiants -- FAROG, Centre Franco-Américain, Orono, ME 04469-5719 2 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 younger sister whose children do not speak had children while her husband was educat- Lettres/ it, although their father did, as he was Fran- ed to be a teacher as I was, and he served the co-American, too, as both of his parents, State of Vermont in their Department of Ed- Letters as were mine, and my wife’s parents were ucation before he retired, having done it all Franco Americans, that is, their parents from having been teacher to superintendent, were all from the Province of Quebec, not going on to become a director of special Where are the from the other Province whose government education services for the State--Fran- expelled a goodly number to a totally for- co-American though he was; his wife, my Franco-Americans? eign country and, where there language younger sister and he had five children—all Whatever happened changed, forced by numbers’ dominance, Americans and “Anglos,” as are their chil- entirely, as were we, forced, eventually to dren and mine and the grandchildren, too. to Frenchie? speak English, primarily, at first, and, over There’s a world of us, don’t tell, and time, exclusively. we were not all from the Province of Que- By To this day, my brother-in-law prefers bec. We had already spread out, the reader Gérard Coulombe French, as it is his primary language. I am might recall, from what was then Quebec, not going to quibble with people who do not and so you find a Coulombe” in California, recognize our French as French; derogative- the one that brought you Trader Joe’s—be- Where is “Frenchie” in the family? ly, our “speak” is “Canuck” French, and so lieve it or not. He does not exist. be it, although I recall reading Theophile Unrelated Coulombe’s are in jail for a “There are no more Franco-Ameri- Gauthier, and I knew that what I could read variety of reasons, one for “killing” a twen- can.” Pardon me! My wife, Juliette, and I, , was reading and speaking and writing was ty-year old cat he shared with his partner. Gerard, and my brother-in-law, Raymond French. The chosen method was unusual, although are among the last Franco-Americans. Oth- What other people thought was B.S. the couple separated over it, they were back ers, from the immediate family, those I can I knew it even though they did not, but together. count on the fingers of my hands, as I call they meant well, as that is what some of Remember Coulomb’s law. out their names, are Franco-Americans, no my Friends had heard about the Canuck Notoriety exists in many families. more. My children and grandchildren are Franco-American. No less among Franco-Americans and not, well our daughter, a bit, but not the My youngest sister might have had a Canadians. triplets, not their older sister, not any of tougher time of it. She was of a different kind Here we are, mostly, still, assimilated. my sister’s children and not their children, of schooling than mine was, and even as I And, then, what will it matter? and so on. say that, I do not know what I mean, except Whatever it is, we are likely to read Before I forget, I have to ad , the eldest that she remained in the community where about it. of my nephews, David, for he still speaks we were born, even after I left, I, having en- Those of use who still read, that is, if some French, as I recall. Maybe some others listed, serving in the Korean War and having you texted, recently. still do, but I so seldom speak to them that the indoctrination into different cultures that No matter our ancestry. I think everybody speak English, only, now. I hadn’t had in my own home town. We will be in a registry, on line, The exception, still, would be my Meanwhile, my sister, she married, some time. THE AMERICANIZATION OF THE Dear Le Forum; MADAWASKA ACADIANS I enjoy every issue! Please renew my subscription for GUY F. DUBAY, Madawaska, ME by another 2 years. I shall start my presentation smack- St. John River. Looking at these merchant dab in the middle with a look at entries of trader accounts practically feels like we are Thank you! the merchant trader accounts of Abraham looking at the persons' check book with & Simon Dufour of 1844-1848 or more deposits (credits) and debits. David Lemay, Dover Foxcroft, ME specifically with the account of Regis 0n January 3rd, 1846 Daigle traded a "Bonhomme" Diagle 1808-1880 in the load of 64 1/2 bushels of oats for a credit of Dufour Journal of accounts. Some four £8 17s 4 1/2d. with an additional £1 12s 3d years after this granson of the Madawaska for taking the load up river to the St. Francois pioneer of 1785 had become American, Re- river lumber operations. The account mere gis "the Goodman" was already a member cites the site of the operations but elsewhere of the Board of Assessors of Madawaska we learn tha the firm of Hammond & Ath- Plantation, Maine. In the 1850 U.S. census erton of Fredericton, N.b. had a lumber Daigle’s real estate valuation is given at operation in that area at this time. Travel $1000 which sets him at the upper end of to the St. Francis river from Madawaska, property valuations among settlers along the (Continued on page 21) (More Letters on page 23) 3 Le Forum Northeast corner of Missouri—Kirksville is the name of the nearest town on the highway Separation, Family –– the End of North to Minnesota. In any case, here I was with a job go- our Franco-American Experience ing with “Bud,” to his hometown, a name, by Gérard Coulombe I’ve forgotten. I was welcomed there and roomed with Bud, and, on occasion, when he needed help, I would join in doing the By the end of my freshman year at the From there, it had been to Boston chores. University, I knew that I had a job because where we hooked up to other cars and a new As Bud had promised, it did not take my roommate said that we had one. “Bud” engine, and, then, as a troop train proceed- us long to get a job, as Bud knew people. Our had always been up front with me. I trusted ed to Albany, around the corner to Buffalo, first job was working construction--foun- him. Unlike “Bud,” I was a veteran attending and then to Chicago, stopping at just about dations, they were. The two of us worked a college on the Korean War G.I. Bill. Other- every station in between until we reached two-bag cement mixer. Shovel the sand and wise, I would have re-enlisted. Saint Louis, and, then, swung further South gravel in, poor the bags of concrete mix in, I had enlisted, in the first place for still until we reached San Antonio. bucket the amount of water into the mixer a simple reason. I was very upset with Upon disembarking, all of us were and get it turning so that the slurry would the religious brothers who had taught me, hustled into an irregular formation in open tumble over and over until the concrete was that none of them had recommended that air, just off the troop train and the tracks ready only as Bud knew how to make it. I attend college. Not one of them spoke to and ordered to attention by an assortment of It was our job, one, to operate a ce- me about college, and I suspected that they drill sergeants, whereupon the loudspeaker ment mixer, two, to wheel barrows full up spoke only to some few of the fifty or so cracked, noisily, until the voice announced – each of us had one — up the plank walk to who graduated that year, 1950, from Saint that we, the United States, were at war the platform from which we, three, poured Louis High School. with North Korea. Bam! I was reflecting our loads into the in-place forms. I had witnessed, one morning, toward upon that when we were all tasked, first to It was a tough job for a college kid., the end my senior year, upon entering class the barbers who shaved the hair from our and more so to a Vet like me unaccustomed earlier than usual, that the teacher was to hard work, for my tools had always been speaking to two of my classmates about As for myself, I just a screwdriver and a continuity checker. This college, no less. And, later, I wondered, why wheelbarrowing was tough of muscles, hard not me? I found it so irritating that when a wondered about the mess I on our hands and back But Bud had told the friend called to ask if I would take the bus was in, but, looking around, friend who had hired us for the job that we with him to Portland, Maine, from a Bidd- I sure had a lot of company. were up to it. And, I tell you, it was one hell eford Drug Store near the corner of Main and of a hard job. Hard on the muscles, hard on U.S. Route one to visit all of the recruiting the hands, the back and the legs. It was hard stations in downtown Portland , I agreed. heads, leaving us all bald with some of us on my spirit, too. Would I, could I, make it? That afternoon, we both came back shamed a little, I guessed from some of the I went to bed tired, exhausted, not to Biddeford on a return bus, and, having guys with perplexed looks on their faces, as teary, but maybe a bit weepy. All the hard already signed up for the Air Force, but if they might have been thinking that they work I had done so far was basic training needing a parent signature on a release just might have made a mistake, there was drill and barrack fighting. form, there was still some work to do. My no undoing going forward. My joints hurt, my fingers were locked Mom and his Mom signed. Mom did not As for myself, I just wondered about in place. I could hardly open my hands; ask any questions. She simply said that my the mess I was in, but, looking around, I sure stretching fingers was near impossible; dad would be surprised in the morning when had a lot of company. standing up straight hurt, as did squatting. she would tell him. Dad worked the second After basic training, and the hell that It took a while toughening up, getting rid of shift, and would not be home until after that was, other than the challenge that it was, the hurt feeling, needing a reminder, what’s midnight, as he always walked to and from I ended up being a radar mechanic in the this hard work for? work, never having owned a car. service, where, perhaps, the best thing that I And then, we were freed. We were Gerard Beaudoin, a classmate, and learned and never forgot while in Mississip- re-assigned to a crew with the job of remov- I, had not doubted that each of our mothers pi, that is, which had nothing to do with any ing the structure of a bridge over a road would sign, and had agreed to take the next kind of knowledge in particular, is knowing crossing a stream and replacing it with a bus back to Portland later that afternoon. We how deep the water is at the end of a pier concrete abutments and slab, instead. returned by bus to the recruiting station on before one dives in. The location was just great, out in the a base in South Portland, and from there, My training was as a radar mechanic. country with woods on the North-Westerly having been inducted, we were transported And it had me, first, assigned to the Naval side and woods and a grassy woodland field by a military bus to the Portland train station Air Station in Saint Paul / Minneapolis, Min- on the other. This job was located above US where we boarded a passenger car on a side nesota where we awaited the induction of the Route 2, not far from Rumford where the track that was awaiting a final boarding of Minnesota Air National Guard and members Androscoggin River crosses under Route 2. enlistees from other communities around of that outfit assigned to our real destination Just about there is an a juncture that headed and beyond the Portland area including which was a small, newly constructed, up Route 5, going up to Andover, Maine. lower Maine. non-operational radar station, situated in the (Continued on page 5) 4 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (Separation, Family –– the End of our Since we were near farm country and word they would have used. Someone might Franco-American Experience continued Maine Forests, game warden were around, have whispered, “Asshole,” but I never from page 4) checking out the few farm owners about and heard anything like that. Besides, I thought Sometimes, Saturdays, maybe , we what deer problem they might have eating that I had been pretty much Anglicized or, worked on a much bigger project. I rode a their corn and stuff like that. What product for that matter, had had enough Southern crane’s cable ball down, into a large caisson was being used by farmers to keep the deer drawl drilled into me, I know I used it, that built on the floor of the River; it was where away and so save the crop of corn, mostly. it came out naturally because it hadn’t been there was work to do to prepare for the Joe Zale who owned the farm up a that long from my discharge, a year’s not that pouring of concrete, I guessed. But I didn’t way was keen on protecting his crop. He much time to loose what’s well ingrained. care to work in a caisson with water on all might have played the game with the war- There was another time that I enjoyed sides and having a crane over our heads, den. But if there was deer about eating up our stay, camping out in the field, and that swinging, toing and froing. the corn, he might take one down, now and was when I was invited to have dinner with All in all, the regular day in and out then. And I think that’s what the warden was a family whose land was down a side road a job was a good job. We joined a crew that looking for. way. He, too, had a family, another of girls altogether made five of us working the job. One night, we were up late around the rounding it out. All of us sat at the large All the others, including my buddies were campfire after a feed and some desert that dinner table . There was a lot of chatter, as experienced jobbers at all kinds of tasks Joe’s young daughters had brought down I recall, and the Mrs. was happily chortling and with all kinds of equipment, including for our desert. Their mom did things like around, busily supplying us all with good heavy equipment. that for us. food and good cheer. My job was all manual, hammer and I felt as if I were being treated like the crowbar stuff, but round spade work, mostly, golden boy come courting. in blue clay. And everybody else, A few weeks later, I thought it time Slinging a hammer was taught to me suspected, but never said or to head home because my clothing needed by the boss man soon after he saw me drive asked if I was “Canuck.” cleaning . a spike into a plank for a temporary wooden My sister where I went to wash my bridge across the stream so we could remove Although, I don’t think it clothes rather than trouble my mother at the old crossing. was a word they would have home already had six kids and had to do a My old boss showed me by saying, lot of washing. So, it was easy for her to “ ’Gimme’ that!” He held the spike in one used. accommodate me in her home. It was best. of his old, black veined hands, he slammed Our mom and dad had moved in five years the hammer down on its head, and, in just It was late, we were dousing the fire I had been gone from home when the time two slams of the hammer, he had driven before going to bed when “Bud” spotted a I had enlisted. that spike through the plank. light up on the temporary bridge we had I recall my sister saying that she had “No tap, tap,” he said. “You go home.” built, and then the beam switched towards never seen a wash as dirty as mine. She had I also learned that digging into blue us, and, then, Bud, whatever he was think- had to put my stuff through a few wash cy- clay, sucking water, was a very back-break- ing, picked up his long gun [all I knew was cles before she had decided that perhaps they ing, arm aching, water sucking job just to that I had once fired an M1 Garand rifle on would not have withstood another attempt cut into a spade full of it, lift it up and out a firing range and carried one on some guard to thoroughly clean them. with water holding it down, and you lifting duty, but Bud wasn’t fooling, he raised it and In the interim, I visited what I project- with all your might to break the suction lift- let go a round up in the air. ed to be my future mother-in-law, who, by ing up on your spade until it broke free, and, Soon enough we heard some hailing, the way, died at ninety-one, having requested then, you could turn, and shove your wet, saying, “We’re Forest Rangers” or some- her oldest daughter’s Rose’s husband Fer- blue block of clay aside into the pile that a thing like that. Soon that was followed by nand, or “Buster” to bring her a lobster for bucket loader would pick up an move. No. a chat and what the hell and all that was dinner. That’s when she was in the hospital, We wheelbarrowed it away or someone did. hollered coming from both ways. terminally ill, whereupon, having finished The good part was that “Bud” sug- The explanations and introductions her lobster and the tamale, she proceeded gested we live on site. We brought every- were made. They left and we went to bed. to die, happily. thing we needed from his home and set The next day, Zoe Zale, after work at the What my future mother-in-law had up home in a clearing about some twenty paper mill in Rumford came over to talk said to me on my visit is that she looked yards from the work site and not far from the about what he had heard and the part he had forward to her daughter marrying a local stream where we drew our water and at first seen from the deck of his farmhouse, which doctor. Juliette had just finished at Saint kept the food that needed “refrigeration.” I knew from an earlier visit had an inline Vincent’s Hospital School of Nursing from Well that was a dumb thing to do, we latrine attached to the house, a series of one which she had graduated and working off soon found out, as the animals, starting with plank with four holes for an indoor latrine. a loan by being employed as a nurse, of beavers new their way around and had soon I never asked about its cleaning , but I admit course, by Saint Mary’s in Lewiston. broken into our water-cooled stashes and to using it one day, as I needed to. I returned to my job on Sunday. I gotten away with stuff. We had the idea of The boss called me, “Hey you.” Bud didn’t have a car; I really didn’t drive. My hanging stuff from a tree, but some birds, big called me, “Gerr.” And everybody else, parents had never owned a car, so I would ones got into that stuff. We then switched to suspected, but never said or asked if I was guess, all these later, that I got back in caching all our stuff in the tent. “Canuck.” Although, I don’t think it was a (Continued on page 6) 5 Le Forum (Separation, Family –– the End of our was in his life-time a principal, superinten- and theirs more easily, of course, became Franco-American Experience continued dent of schools, and a deputy commissioner thoroughly Americanized, so to speak, from page 5) for special education in Vermont. They although they were from their time of their had four children, one girl, and four boys. births, Americans, whereas, my and my a combination of hitch-hikes. I was well All of them had children of their own. The sisters’ upbringing and culture was in the accustomed to hitchhiking, as I had done it oldest of the children earned a doctorate in main French. We spoke it because we grew before, cross-country a few times. exotic, esoteric, and ancient Chinese and up with the language and then we played I need to say something about my two works for the State Department. His wife outdoors in French because everyone else sisters. Therese [with the accents] was the is a Chinese refugee, and now due to her up and down the block and across town, oldest. Julienne the youngest. I was older education as an architect now in charge of spoke it. Biddeford, Maine, in the 1930’s, than both. I knew Therese better. ambassadorial residences in different parts 1940’s and mid 1950’s was all French, by By this time, both of my sisters were of the world. The three brothers and one that, I mean our neighborhood was French married. sister all live in the Capital area of Vermont. and we were comfortable being French. Therese married a Collard, who sur- One lives near the University. The youngest From the time I enlisted, I left being French vived her. His mother just happened to have of the boys has lived at home. He is single behind me. No one called me “Frenchy” been French Canadian from a mid-Canada and has increasingly been a companion to or anything like that. I don’t even recall Province. Therese and her husband had his Mom, my youngest sister, who enjoys being called, “Gerard!” Like many others, six children. David, the oldest is married. traveling and maintaining, both, a Yankee in those days, “Hey,” and whoever it was, He went to college and became an aircraft and French-Canadian patois. The two other was looking you in the eyes. There were engine manufacturer’s inspector. Deborah boys have families who enjoy all of the Cajuns in the military. I tried engaging one married to a retired textile manufacturer opportunities that Vermont provides its in French, and I had no idea what he said lives with her husband in the Texas Pan- citizens. in his patois, as much as I was hearing him handle, Denise married a lobsterman in My sisters pretty much retained their say what he was saying, but in accent and Maine, Peter is in fabrication and lives French. They frequently spoke it and so the Southern drawl added, we agreed that I with his wife in Maine, Julienne married a did the children for a while. But that Pret- wasn’t understanding his primary language. teacher, G. Asselin who is deceased. He ty much disappeared for all, my children

listments, as neither of us drove or had a car More of The Early years in available to us. But it did not matter because neither one of us drove. My parents never Biddeford had a car, so, they had no need to drive. From a Memoir, Leaving Maine We lived in a second-floor flat of a four– story building, a popular type of structure By Gérard Coulombe throughout New England to accommodate Fairfield, CT families without the means of owning their own homes. We graduated from Saint Louis High For those of us who went from our We were French and Catholic. We School in Biddeford, Maine, in mid-June, grammar schools to high school, we did started out speaking French at home because 1950. Our class was small mainly because so because we were motivated. Either our our parents were of first and second genera- many of the boys from grammar school parents motivated us, or we saw the need tion French-Canadian extraction in Maine. had dropped out to enter the work force as for further education, which was available My paternal grandparents had emigrated to planned, either for them or by them, to help to us. We could have attended the public the State of Maine from lower Québec in the support the family or start a family as soon as school, and some students from our Catholic 1890’s or even earlier. That’s estimation, for they became established in a permanent job. grammar schools might have attended public they had died before I was born, and I only Later, I learned that many more of schools, it would have been anathema for vaguely knew where they had lived at the members of our class had gone to college those of us whose parents strongly adhered bottom of Hill Street, in the parish my father than I had originally thought, angry as I to the Catholic faith to have attended public had us move to. was, that I had not been given any direction schools. It would have taken an atheist [I My father spoke French only. My about further education. But giving direc- never met one in Biddeford], a fallen away maternal grandfather was from Canada by tions, particularly of the guidance variety Catholic [but never a convert to Protestant- way of Berlin, New Hampshire. My mater- or even a lecture or two on the possibilities ism as there was no such person, or a French nal grandmother’s brother had fought in the afforded by colleges and the mysteries, to Catholic who had done the unthinkable in Spanish American War. He was known for most of us, I think, that beyond the walls of a staunch Catholic family and married an his annual black bear hunt and his fishing. I local academia there were colleges opened “Irlandais” which is not the same as an recall the latter because he took me fishing to our social and or financial standing and American or one of the Protestant beliefs. once, and I only managed to catch sunfish, the possibilities they held, for certainly most I had a phone call from a classmate although I confess to have been happy with of us were already acquainted with the jobs who asked if I would go, with him, to Port- my catch, such as they were. Uncle Noé available to us and to the probabilities of land by bus to visit the military recruiting continued to hunt bear throughout his life personal advancement being low and very offices to learn who would take us and which and to bring his catch of fish to the house. competitive. of the different branches were offering en- (Continued on page 7) 6 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (More of The Early years in Biddeford Our mother, Clara, had worked at went on or off for various reasons. As a boy, I continued from page 6) Pepperell Textiles in the spinning room. She had the full range of the neighborhood as far became a stay-at-home mom once married to as we could walk in a day when I was only As proof of his bear kill, he never failed to my father. He was unemployed at the time five years old. It is truly amazing that we bring us a “share” of bear steak. that I was born, but he soon had a job with had such a full range of the town to amuse Parenthetically, a quick check of our the Works Progress Administration during ourselves in and at such a young age. family name in Canada reveals that the first the Depression as a day laborer working For the time we spent on Bradbury male in Canada with the family’s surname, on roads and town bridges. Then, we lived Street, our family of five, my parents, two Coulombe, arrived from France in the year in an apartment that was really the second younger sisters and I, lived among a bunch 1670. At the time, there was only one way floor of my grandfather’s half of the duplex of “Irlandais.” We were surrounded by to describe Biddeford-Saco, on the Saco on Cutts Street. It stood at the side and in Irish children in the streets and forced to River in the county of York. They were the shadow of the Roman Catholic Church play with them whenever they let us play the towns that depended on the textile of Saint Joseph on elm Street, the same U.S. in their pick-up games of stickball in the mills for employment and the majority of Route One that runs through Fairfield, CT, spring and summer. Otherwise, we roamed employees, men and women, was our hometown, today. I was the eldest of the our playgrounds. French-Canadian. children in my family, born in Biddeford, They were no ordinary playgrounds Of the two cities, Biddeford was and I had two sisters who followed my birth. like the one at Bradbury School on our predominantly French-Canadian. That is to All three of us were born in my Street. Bradbury extension was an unfin- say, the majority language was French. It maternal grandparents’ house. One of my ished street in that it dead-ended at a blasted was somewhat different in Saco, where the mother’s many sisters, Eva, was the one to but ungraded rock ledge that continued to majority of the populace was staunchly En- stay behind to take care of her parents, my the street perpendicular to it above. There glish and Protestant. Although many spoke grandparents. My grandmother was blind. was an abandoned granite quarry with French and there were a number of residents My grandfather was a retired mill teamster. water in it where I recall having seen kids who attended mass at French-speaking My aunt always “loved me,” but she did not swim. Friends had warned me that it was a parishes, much of the town had managed to love my two sisters. In her eyes I could never dangerous water hole. But I was too scared remain Anglo. That is, the preponderance of do any wrong. My sisters nearly always did. to ever approach it as I so feared the devil homes in Saco were Anglo, and the domi- One of the terrible things they did was to pull implanted by nuns at the very center of our nant language on the Street was English, flower heads from their stems as bouquets minds and souls because the talk was that whereas in the homes, on the streets and in for our mother. I did not do that because I some kids had drowned in it, and we had the commercial establishments of Biddeford, was engaged with my “grandpère.” been forewarned not to play on the ledges the language spoken was French or as some We moved to Bradbury, the street cut into the granite faces where blocks of it preferred, Canadian French. around the corner from Cutts Street when had been cut out. We did play in the woods Nearly all the merchants on the street the stress and strain of getting along with back there, beyond the quarry and scarred spoke or had someone waiting on customers my aunt, who was nursing my blind grand- ourselves over the hoboes we believed who spoke French. My uncle was a butcher mother at the time became too much after camped there overnight. at the A&P, and he spoke French and most grandmother died and my Aunt Eva stayed The other places we played were in the probably English, although I can’t say that on to nurse my elderly grandfather, the only back of the shoe shop, where we picked up I ever heard him speak the latter. In other man I ever knew who ate all of his food loads of shoe nails that we used for our own words, along with Lewiston, Westbrook, with his knife. He would, at times use his constructions with hammers we sneaked out and some other communities in Central and pocketknife for the same reason, as it was of the shed at home. The wood we used to southern Maine, the near dominant language for him as for others, the favored utensil. build our backyard forts for our tin soldiers was French Canadian. Until the start of the Many of the homes and apartments came from the box shop, which was down Second World War, the language of our on Bradbury were owned by the Irish, with Bradbury and across the e tracks along the elementary schools was French. whom we “Canucks” did not get along—this river. We collected all kinds of pieces that Some people may laugh at that, and, as only from the recollection of the protective we might have used as kindling but chose a matter of fact, many did laugh at our accent way our parents had to look over us as we to assemble them when we played fort with for the way we spoke our French. “Canuck” played out on the street. We lived on the sec- our First World War tin soldiers, positioning was the derogatory term defining Franco ond floor of a six-apartment, three side–by them in the trench battlefields we construct- Americans and a Canadian hockey team that side, box building. We played in the sand in ed, some times, with the help of our father had adopted the term as its nickname, one back of the house in an area either separated who was on weekends attuned to playing that we, by and large, hated. On the street, by a stand-along shed or another house on a with us whenever he wasn’t working in the “Canuck” meant “dumb” or “stupid” or both parallel, adjoining street to ours. shed fashioning pieces for his machines he depending upon its context. If we as children The Boston and Maine tracks were not used at the mill. My dad as a pretty smart were not aware of this appellation, we were so far away. We could hear the rumbling of toolmaker who used ordinary metal working indeed pretty stupid because we resented the train trucks and the hoot of the steam tools available at “Ushers Hardware.” being called that, and, as the underdog, even horns, as the freight and passenger trains I recall many experiences as a boy though we were the dominant minority in rolled along on their way to Portland or because my mother was busy with the girls, the city, we certainly did not appreciate the Boston. We could hear them as they stopped my two sisters. I was allowed to roam the appellation. or slowed down along the way as signal sets (Continued on page 8) 7 Le Forum (More of The Early years in Biddeford Latin responses to the service of the Mass father had with the Irish and the Church in continued from page 7) on my mother’s knees and had already general. I understood later that the Pope streets. I do not recall any friend with whom started serving at the church on Elm Street settled the problem by telling the Fracos to I was with for the day. Whoever they were, around the corner from where we had lived fall in line of else. we managed to get around from Mr. Shaw’s on Cutts Street to the side of the church. I My father would not end up having to woods and the pool of deep water from a guess I was just about five when I also served speak Irish to get along. It’s not something stream into which we swung from a rope mass at the convent the nuns had behind the he ever expressed, but I knew that living tied to a limb over the pool and dropped huge Saint Joseph’s Elementary School on door to door with the Irish was not some- from once over the center without hurting Emery Street. thing he would unnecessarily endure. Just ourselves. The naming of streets suggests some- as the French settlers of Canada didn’t like It was imitative of a lot of things we thing more than one place to another. Al- the blokes, my dad could not more stand the saw older boys do. There were bonfires though Cutts intersected Bradbury Street, Irish than his brothers and ancestors could from dry Christmas trees collected from the two streets were not only home to French stand the blokes from Montréal or Québec the neighborhood and kept hidden in an old Canadians who lived in the neighborhood. because of the Dieppe raid later, an attempt barn until George Washington’s Birthday on The Irish also lived in the same neighbor- involving a Canadian division to assess the February 22.when they were taken out for hood because the French church, Saint Jo- capabilities of German troops in Fortress a bonfire. There was the July th4 fireworks seph, and the Irish church, Saint Emery were Europe. The exercise was a complete failure fun that we had because firecracker packets just three short intersections apart off Elm involving a single Canadian Division. The of various sizes were freely available from Street, Rout 1, going through the western result in Montréal, as I heard it from my the neighborhood variety store. Although edge of town. So for my dad, the move to cousin, dead men and prisoners of war, is the newspaper reported damaging accidents his former parish, Saint André represented a that for the rest of the War many French involving face and limbs, we somehow man- move to a thoroughly French neighborhood, Canadian would-be enlisted men ran for the aged the nickels and dimes it took to buy all which, he thought would help solve some of Provincial forests to escape service. that we could from the varieties of fireworks the problems of language growing up where In closing, that last story might be a available. We could blast away or freely we had once lived, in the midst of an Irish fabrication concocted my father’s nephew hurl strings of them to explode away as the speaking bunch of kids. Mon pėre wanted who worked in Montréal at the time I heard string broke apart and explosive petards or us growing up speaking French. him tell the story while we sat on a park individual bombs flew in multiple directions. There was another reason that I could bench while he ate his lunch because he was We moved from Bradbury to Freeman not have understood at the time. That was on a break and did not have much time, cer- Streets, or to be more specific, from my the preferred appointment of a French tainly no time to show a youngster around. mother’s parish to my father’s parish, from speaking Bishop as opposed to an Irish I certainly never saw him again. Bud I did Saint Joseph’s to Saint André’s, where I Bishop to the diocese of Portland. And that see his sister in Trois-Rivière many, many entered second grade and continued my kind of discontent with the Irish Bishop on years later when her husband, in bed ill, sat duties as an altar boy. I had learned the my dad’s part was the primary fight that my on the pot, dying. who had come to the US in earlier decades. The Year Maine Went Not only did many Irish not speak English Mad – the Know (speaking the native Irish language instead), and often arrived destitute of any resources, Nothingism of 1854-5 but they were overwhelmingly Catholics, and even seen as racially different from the April 7, 2019Acadians, Biddeford-Saco, Brunswick, Ellsworth, Home, Anglo-Scottish descendants. While Irish-Americans were their Jesuits, Maine, Religion primary target, other groups also incurred the ire of the Know Nothings. French Ca- By James Myall fact, a nod to the clandestine nature of these nadian immigrants shared many of the same gatherings. When pressed, members would characteristics the Know Nothings despised, A political realignment. Promises to says they “knew nothing” about the group and the small but growing Franco commu- drain the swamp and put Americans first. or its beliefs. As the members organized nity is Maine was caught up in the nativist Attacks, both verbal and physical, on im- themselves more formally as a political violence as well. migrants and minorities. In 1854 and 1855, party, they called themselves the “American In its Aug 24, 1855 issue, the Union Maine, like much of the country, was shaken Party” or the “Native American Party.” But and Eastern Journal of Biddeford, which was by the rise of the Know-Nothing movement. the “Know Nothing” label stuck. sympathetic to the Know Nothing cause, Its anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic rhetoric The Know Nothings organized them- reprinted the text of a pamphlet it had printed overturned state politics and spilled over into selves in opposition to the recent surge in up for a local Know Nothing group. The mob violence. For a brief period, much of immigration to the US, particularly the principles of the movement were: the state went mad. influx of Irish immigrants in the wake of Americans alone are capable of The Know Nothing movement had its the Great Famine (1845-9). The Irish were origins in secret societies across the United seen as a different kind of immigrant from ruling themselves… States. The name given to the group was, in the “traditional” English and Scottish people (Continued on page 9) 8 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (The Year Maine Went Mad – the Know Nothingism of 1854-5 continued from “Father Bapst, SJ, page 8) Catholic Priest of We stand firm as a surge-beaten Ellsworth, Closes the rock in our opposition to the over- Door of the Public whelming tide of foreign and pauper School Against the immigration… Children of Papists.” Cartoon from the We oppose the naturalization Ellsworth Herald, Feb of foreigners and equalization with 24, 1854. our own citizens until they have been twenty-one years on our soil…. We oppose with all our hearts… the insidious aims of the Church of Rome to obtain political and secular As a political movement, the Know against Franco-Americans, and enforcement power in the Republic… Nothings (officially known as the American of the law was often lop-sided. We are in favor of other coun- Party) had some short lived electoral success At the local level, Know Nothings tries supporting their own paupers in mid 1850s. In Maine, their candidates campaigned against what they saw as Cath- instead of dumping them here to helped wrest control of the legislature olic influence on local school boards, and away from the incumbent Democrats and any erosion of the traditional public school burden us…. elect Anson P. Morrill, running on a joint curriculum , which in this period include a We are bitterly and fervently Republican-American ticket, as Governor. substantial dose of (Protestant) Bible study. opposed to the designing knaves The incoming legislature set to work with In Ellsworth, the Know Nothing who…have used [immigrant voters] a series of anti-immigrant measures. They group was known as the “Cast Iron Band” through bribery, corruption, and banned newcomers from serving in the and led by William Chaney, the editor of militia, and added a 3-month residency the Ellsworth Herald newspaper. (In honor their own their own easily excited requirement before new citizens could vote. of Chaney’s nativist sentiments, the paper prejudices as tools for their own More drastically, they removed the ability of later became the Ellsworth American). personal advancement. state and municipal courts to naturalize new Conflict broke out between the Cast Iron citizens, forcing immigrants to travel to the Band and Father John Bapst, a Swiss Jesuit The synthesis of the Know Nothing federal courts to apply for citizenship. who oversaw a sprawling parish in central message was that poor immigrants were The Know Nothings also supported Maine. A native French-speaker, Bapst had flooding the United States, bringing strange Maine’s powerful temperance movement, been assigned to Maine initially to minis- customs with them, nursing divided loyalties which had already achieved the first state- ter to the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy and with a secret foreign agenda. These same wide prohibition of alcohol anywhere in people, but later oversaw several small but immigrants were being used as pawns by the country in 1846. The so-called “Maine growing immigrant parishes as far afield as corrupt politicians (especially Democrats) Law” was partly inspired by stereotypes of Skowhegan and Eastport. to rig elections. A message that sounds drunken Catholic immigrants, especially the Father Bapst had moved to Ellsworth familiar today. Irish, but it was also used to discriminate in 1854 to establish a church for the grow- ing Catholic community in town. While his very presence was probably enough to infuriate the nativists, Father Bapst became their sworn enemy after he encouraged Catholic children at the local school to ask to be excused from studying the King James Bible. When the school board (stacked with members of the Cast Iron Band) refused, Fa- ther Bapst helped the children’s parents take the case to court. In a landmark ruling, the state Supreme Court sided with the school board. The precedent in Donahue v Richards stood in US law for half a century before minority religious rights were accepted in public schools. Undeterred, Father Bapst established Advertisement for the “American Citizen,” A Know-Nothing newspaper in Boston, 1852. a parish school for the Catholic children to The protesters in the illustration carry anti-Catholic placards, and in the upper right, a attend. This only seems to have escalated divine hand seizes a basilisk wearing the Papal tiara snaking out of St Peter’s in Rome. (Continued on page 10) 9 Le Forum (The Year Maine Went Mad – the Know the name “Archangel Gabriel” whipped a premises at all hazards. Then I went crowd into a frenzy in the days following the Nothingism of 1854-5 continued from to the end of the hose and took the page 9) city’s Fourth of July celebration. On July 6 a mob attacked the Old South Church, which nozzle. First of all I turned it across tensions. Someone broke into the public was being rented by the local Catholic con- the street and swept that crowd of school and vandalized their Bibles. In re- gregation for worship. The parishioners were persons who stood there shouting in sponse, the windows of the parochial school a mixture of Irish and Acadian immigrants an insulting fashion. They scattered building were broken and a bomb was set largely engaged in shipbuilding. The mob off on the school house steps. smashed the church’s windows, destroyed like flies before a shower. Then I put Ellsworth was not the only scene of the pews, and hoisted an American flag on water on the fire. [But] the building mob violence in Maine at the time. Irish the spire before setting the building on fire. was ruined. and Franco-American communities in Bath, The whole structure was destroyed. Brunswick, and Lewiston all experienced But Ellsworth was to host the greatest Know Nothing attacks in the space of a few outrage of the Know nothing fever. months. In the face of the escalating tension in A history of St John’s parish in Bruns- Ellsworth, the bishop of Boston had Bapst wick recalls how the early parishioners faded leave town for several months. But when a campaign of intimidation in this period he returned in October 1854, the Jesuit’s enemies were still waiting for him. There was such antipathy be- tween Protestant Americans, the Irish and Canadians, that often, during encounters on the street and even in the factory, things came to insults and to blows. “We did not dare go out at night, a witness told John Hilling, “Third Phase, Burning of the us, for fear of finding ourselves in a Old South Church,” Bath, 1854. Image: Maine Historical Society/Maine Memory fight. If you wanted to go to the post Network office to get your mail? We would all get together as a “gang” to protect In Lewiston, another small congrega- ourselves in case we were attacked. tion had its house of worship destroyed by What’s more, it was unthinkable to go a nativist mob. The Catholics of Lewiston, denied a permanent home by the Franklin out on the town, for young men and Company that ran the town, were worshiping for young ladies alike. We would just in a chapel formerly used by another denom- stay quietly at home. ination. On December 8 1855, the building In Brunswick, things didn’t on Lincoln Street was set ablaze. Franklin Father John Bapst, SJ, ca 1860. Image: come to these excesses of savagery, Company agent Albert Kelsey recalled the John Bapst Memorial High School/Maine incident much later: Memory Network. but it is reported that one evening, returning to Topsham and passing One night, someone set fire to On the very night Father Bapst set foot by a small house on the edge of the the little church …. The alarm of fire in Ellsworth again, members of the Cast Iron river, occupied by two Canadian was given and I hurried down to the Band abducted him at night, took him to the town wharf, and tarred and feathered him. families, Labbé and Lévesque, some scene. I found five or six hundred of these fanatics tried to demolish On the verge of hanging the priest, the mob Lewiston people standing on the was talked down into tying him to an iron it and to throw the debris into the street opposite the burning building. rail and attempting to ride him out of town. river. They did not get to bring their They were hooting and yelling and A group of armed Catholics eventually found criminal project to completion; but a jeering. The fire engine had come to Father Bapst bloodied and unconscious and alone, and brought him to safety. woman, who was then alone and sick the scene but someone had cut the in the house, was so frightened that The events in Ellsworth shocked hose. At that juncture I ordered out Mainers and the nation. The “Ellsworth she died a few days later as a result the hose from the Bates, as the build- Outrage” was reported far outside the state. of this fear. ing was almost directly in the rear of While some newspapers downplayed it’s the mill. I posted men along the hose significance, most Americans saw the attack Meanwhile, worse attacks occurred in on a member of the clergy by a mob of vigi- neighboring Bath and Lewiston. In Bath, a and told them that if anyone attempt- visit by an itinerant preacher, who went by ed to cut it, to hold those men on the (Continued on page 11) 10 to the disease. SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 Fear, Prejudice, and Vaccinations May 1, 2019Augusta, Health, Lewiston-Auburn, Maine, Politics, Quebec By James Myall British scientist Edward Jenner in Maine’s public health officials scram- 1796. The invention of the smallpox bled to respond to the threat of an epidemic. vaccine had been a great advance in They were contending with a misinforma- public health that saved countless lives. tion over the effectiveness of vaccinations, But in Montreal in 1885, large and xenophobic sentiment which blamed im- numbers of French Canadian families had migrants for the threat. The year was 1885, not been vaccinated. Eventually, 3,000 “Sanitary Precautions against a Smallpox and the threat was coming from Canada. people, overwhelmingly French-Canadian, Epidemic – An Inspector of the Board of In the spring of 1885, a smallpox would die duding the city’s epidemic. Health Vaccinating Tramps in a Station epidemic had broken out in Montreal, then As word of the outbreak reached the House,” Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper, a city of around 200,000 people. Ironically, American press, officials were worried. In April 19 ,1874. Image: New York Public the disease came to the city from the United states like Maine, large numbers of French Library (Continued on page 12) States, via a worker on the Grand Trunk Canadians were immigrating to work in the Railway on the Montreal-Chicago line. Con- state’s industrial cities or crossing the border (The Year Maine Went Mad – the Know ductor George Longley had been diagnosed to work in the logging industry contempo- Nothingism of 1854-5 continued from with smallpox at Montreal General Hospital rary accounts describe new trainloads of page 10) but the facility refused to admit him, fearing immigrants arriving in Lewiston every day. the disease would spread to other patients. It seemed quite possible that the disease lantes to be shameful. Father Bapst himself So Longley turned to the French hospital, would find its way into Maine. received a warm welcome in Bangor, where the Hôtel-Dieu, took him in. From there, Officials sprang into action. The State he would take up residence for the next five the disease, sometimes known as the “red Board of Health had been newly created years. Local officials even awarded him the death,” spread rapidly among the poorer in 1885, and coordinating the response to freedom of the city to show their repudiation French Canadian population of the city. smallpox became its first major task. Larger of the prejudice he had faced in Ellsworth. Despite its virulence, smallpox was cities employed their own physicians and After Bangor, Father Bapst moved to preventable. A vaccine (the first vaccine health boards to oversee efforts, while in Massachusetts, where he helped found Holy to be discovered) had been developed by rural areas, the state sought assistance from Cross and Boston Colleges. The trauma at the US Marine Hospital. Ellsworth apparently haunted him for the The primary initiative was a massive rest of his life, causing him to have night- vaccination campaign, particularly in towns mares decades later. with sizable Franco-American populations: The Know Nothing mania faded as In Bangor, the City Doctor visited quickly as it flared up. In Maine, as else- all 69 schools in the city during October where, the movement lost support quickly and September, vaccinating 1,180 children. in the later 1850s. Events like those at In Augusta, Dr Brickett went from Ellsworth rightly destroyed the Know house to house in the Sand Hill neighbor- Nothings’ reputation. But the groups also hood, with the assistance of an interpreter, struggled to find a common position on vaccinating 515 people at the expense of slavery, which soon replaced immigration the city. He noted that he was “treated with as the greatest political issue of the time. In great politeness” and that the houses were Maine, many Know Nothings drifted into “in a neat and clean…and [good] general the new vigorous Republican Party. The sanitary condition” last gasp of the American Party was in the In Westbrook, the Board of Health presidential election of 1860, when many offered free vaccinations to inhabitants over former Know-Nothing politicians supported the age of two, citing the “presence of so the third-party candidacy of Senator John large a number of Canadians in our midst” Bell of Tennessee. and the “humanitarian” and “commercial” Though the formal role of the Know consequences an outbreak would have. Nothings was at an end, their influence in These vaccinations were generally Maine lived on. Their anti-immigrant sen- Notice of Vaccinations, Scarborough, 1902. given at the city’s expense, and particularly timents would resurge in future decades, Image: Scarborough Historical Society & targeted children, who were most vulnerable while the policies they championed, espe- Museum / Maine Memory Network cially prohibition, lingered for generations. 11 Le Forum (Fear, Prejudice and Vaccinations continued riot broke out, and a mob stormed city hall. The outbreak was also largely from page 11) localized to Montreal, as Dr Louis Martel of Lewiston explained. Origi- Maine authorities also targeted nally of St-Hyacinthe, QC, Dr Martel lumber camps which employed large had practiced in Montreal before numbers of French Canadian work- coming to Lewiston. Martel gave an ers. The state set up an inspection interview to the Lewiston Gazette station at Moose River, on the major which was reprinted in Le Messager overland route from Quebec into (where Martel was one of the edi- Maine. All travelers were required tors). In addition to a misinformation to be vaccinated unless they had re- campaign spread by proponents of cently had one. However, there were homeopathic medicine, Montreal’s reports that some immigrants were French Canadians had some reasons “escap[ing] by passing in the night.” to distrust vaccines: The vaccination campaign seems to have been largely success- “I witnessed the smallpox ful. Just a handful cases of smallpox were reported in Maine that year. epidemic which hit Montreal in “An Incident of the Small Pox Epi- 1872. There was some opposition to On the other hand, it’s pos- demic in Montreal,” Harper’s Weekly, Nov sible that the public health scare 28, 1885. Image: New York Public Library vaccination, for two reasons. Firstly, was overblown. Le Messager of Lewiston because two reputable doctors, one complained in an October 14 editorial that The report of the Maine State Board of whom was a university profes- the outbreak of smallpox had given the of Health for 1885 cited a “strange fatality English language press in Canada the “the sor, were themselves opposed; also of ignorance of race” among Montreal’s eagerly-sought-after occasion to spew its because the virus used was bad; so French Canadians, but also said that the hateful bile against the French Canadian race “superstitious error” was due largely to the bad that in some cases arms had to which it resents.” The American press, they “demagogism of charlatans” – advocates be amputated.” contended, was “no longer hide what they who argued that vaccination itself was really think of our race, from whom they are dangerous. The board scathingly called Doctor Martel also pointed to an- perhaps already thinking of relinquishing the death of the 3,164 people in Montreal other reason that smallpox didn’t take hold their hospitality in this country.” They also – mostly children – an “experiment on a in Maine. Because very few of Maine’s accused the Maine press of repeating “hate- gigantic scale” by “the anti-vaccinations.” Francos came from Montreal, the state’s ful slander” without questioning the source. However, accounts of the trouble in exposure to the disease was limited. In fact, The prejudice of the disease-carrying Montreal (then and now) also often leave out the efforts at vaccination were somewhat immigrant is a long one, and one that’s been important historical context. Anglo-French duplicative: repeated in our own times. Additionally, relations in Canada were particularly tense French Canadians had long been charac- in the summer and fall of 1885. The An- terized as ignorant peasants held back by “During the year I was City glo authorities had arrested Franco-Métis Catholic “superstition.” On September 30, Physician in St-Hyacinthe, it was resistance leader Louis Riel in May, and the Portland Daily Press said that French would execute him in November, prompting my duty to vaccinate all children Canadians were “paying dearly” for their widespread protests. The French Canadians over six months, by going from house “superstitious prejudice” in its coverage of of Montreal were in no mood to have gov- to house. I don’t remember any ob- the outbreak. ernment mandated vaccination imposed on Another example comes from the jections or discontent. I hesitate to them. Gardiner Home Journal of September 16, believe that I would be received with 1885, which wrote: anything other than open arms in presenting myself to Lewiston homes “There is some advantage in with the same mission. I vaccinated us not having cotton mills, with the more than 2,000 French Canadians accompanying French Canadian in this city, and of that number, I don’t population: we are not liable to have remember a single adult who had the small pox imported so soon.” not been vaccinated at least once in their life.” There certainly was opposition to vaccination among Montreal’s French Ca- nadians. Not only was a large portion of the population unvaccinated when the disease “Immigrant Inspection Service.” Image: broke out in the Spring, but when the city National Library of Medicine authorities tried to mandate vaccination, a (Continued on page 13) 12 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 Acadian celebrations & family reunions planned in August at CMA 2019 April 12, 2019, Franco-American News and CultureGrand Pre, New Brunswick Canada, Prince Edward Island

By Juliana L'Heureux

This popular party is held once every five years during the month ofAugust. My photographs were taken when the events were held in Madawaska, Maine and when we visited Grand Pre, Nova Scotia. (Fear, Prejudice and Vaccinations continued from page 12) The 1885 smallpox scare is both simi- lar and different to our current conversation about vaccinations. Then, as now, immi- grants faced prejudice and were unfairly ma- ligned as vectors of disease. Then, as now, public health was threatened by a mistrust of vaccinations, fueled by a misinformation campaign. The public health response in 1885 was quite different to today’s. While the question of mandatory vaccination for school children has divided Mainers, there was a consensus among the politicians My husband and I attended the Acadian festival held in Madawaska, Quebec and New of 1885 not only that vaccination was a Brunswick Canada. We attended a reception held at the Fraser Mansion in Madawaska. public good, but that it was worth spending taxpayers’ money to improve the health of Congrès mondial acadien (CMA) is a perfect opportunity to immerse in the Acadian immigrants – quite the opposite of some of history and culture, while enjoying a visit to the beautiful Canadian Maritime provinces. the hostile rhetoric we’ve seen today. This year, there are twenty locations to explore in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island during the festivities planned in August 2019, during the Congrès mondial acadien. The CMA goal is to strengthen the ties that unit all Acadian communities throughout the world, all while showcasing a modern and authentic Acadian culture and identity. The Congrès is also an opportunity to welcome all those who are interested in l’Acadie and love its culture. Family reunions are a major part of the CMA, as they have been since the first one. As of April 11th, 36 families registered for the events and several more are expected. A partial list of the family reunions are at this site here https://www.dropbox.com/ preview/Public/Acadian%20festival%20Copy%20of%20CMA%20family%20list.xlsx- ?role=personal When my husband and I visited the CMA held in Madawaska and About James Myall New Brunswick, a few years ago, we While I currently work for an Augusta- were impressed by the numbers of A cultural based non-profit, I spent four years as people who participated. Two events exhibit we the Coordinator of the Franco-American we particularly remembered were the visited at the Collection at the University of Southern joyous tintamarre, which is essentially Saint David’s Maine. In 2015, I co-authored "The Franco- a fun filled noise parade. Of course, Church, when Americans of Lewiston-Auburn," a general the celebration of Acadia Day with a we attended history of that population from 1850 to Mass celebrated on the Feast of the As- the CMA in the present. I was also a consultant for the sumption, is the memorial to Le Grand Madawaska. State Legislative Task Force on Franco- Dérangement , the 1755 deportation of Americans in 2012. I live in Topsham with the Acadians, who were brutally forced my wife and two young daughters. out of Nova Scotia. Our Lady of the [email protected] Assumption is the patron saint of the Acadian people. (Continued on page 14) http://myall.bangordailynews.com/ 13 Le Forum (Acadian celebrations & family reunions The Congrès take place every 5 and all kinds of experiences will be offered. planned in August at CMA 2019 continued years. The location of the 2024 edition will Each night, the action will move to from page 13) be announced by the Société nationale de the big stage nearby, for diverse shows. On Marc Poirier is the CMA 2019, di- l’Acadie, in June of this year. The Société August 16th, will be the special 25th anni- rector of marketing and communications. nationale de l’Acadie is the group that su- versary show, that will highlight artists that I was delighted with the well organized pervises the selection of the location of each performed in the first Congrès in 1994, like information he sent, after we spoke about Congrès and sets the main guidelines of the the legendary Acadian group 1755, famous the schedule. organization of the event. Cajun signer Zachary Richard and artists Check the website CMA 2019 here CMA 2019 will be the first to be that played in other editions of the Congrès. for details about the schedule and practical held in Prince Edward Island and it will Extrême frontière will showcase more than information, including links for some lodg- be the second time for southeastern New 50 artists and musicians. ing locations. Brunswick. The name Extrême frontière comes Following is Poirier’s well written The framework of the Congrès are from a novel from the late famous Acadian narrative about the CMA highlights: in the 20 host municipalities. There are 12 poet Gérald LeBlanc, who made Moncton This year’s Congrès will be the sixth in New Brunswick: Saint-Louis-de-Kent, his home. and will mark the 25th anniversary of the Rogersville, Richibucto, Bouctouche, Co- Other components of the Congrès will first Congrès in 1994 that was held in south- cagne, Shediac, Cap-Pelé, Beaubassin-Est, be a three-day popular conference called eastern New Brunswick. The other Congrès Saint-Antoine, Dieppe, Moncton and Mem- Grand parle-ouère (the big talk) where were held in 1999 (Louisiana), 2004 (Nova ramcook. topics concerning modern Acadie chosen Scotia), 2009 (Acadian Peninsula) and 2014 Eight host municipalities are in Prince by the participants will be discussed. There (Madawaka, New Brunswick – northern Edward Island (PEI): Souris, Charlottetown, will also be an Economic Forum, a Youth Maine – an Témiscouata region in Québec, North Rustico, Miscouche, Summerside, Event, a Women’s Summit, a senior event near the border of New Brunswick). Wellington, Abram-Village and Tignish. and a First Nation component that are not Each of the host municipalities have yet defined. one day designated as their special day The events are expected to attract of activities, that they organize. Since the participants from Canada, New England, Congrès lasts for 15 days and there are 20 Louisiana, and many other US states and host municipalities, some will share the internationally, of which several tens of same days. thousands will be attracted to the family The highlight of the Congrès will be reunions. the opening day, August 10th, in Abram-Vil- Contact Marc Poirier for more in- lage PEI, the 135th anniversary of the adop- formation at this email: marc.poirier@ tion of the Acadian flag and anthem on the cma2019.ca 14th, in Miscouche PEI, the national Acadia day on the 15th, and closing day in Shediac New Brunswick, on the 24th. About Juliana L'Heureux One major part of the Congrès will Juliana L’Heureux is a free lance writ- be held in downtown Moncton New Bruns- er who publishes news, blogs and articles wick, at the Extrême frontière space, from about Franco-Americans and the French August 16 to 23, along the Riverfront Park culture. She has written about the culture and Downing Street. This area will be open in weekly and bi-weekly articles, for the Grand Pre Nova Scotia site where the 1755 to pedestrians only for the duration of Ex- past 27 years. trême frontière. It will have an outdoor urban deportation of the Acadian people began. http://francoamerican.bangordai- (L’Heureux photograph) festival feeling with booths and pavilions, where art, genealogy, street artists, food, lynews.com/author/jlheureux/ Republic, during our visit there, to wait for Biddeford update about the famous medieval Astrological Clock to chime on the hour, as a reminder about our the Lincoln Mill Tower destined mortality. Of course, London’s Big Clock and bell restoration Ben, on the historic Parliament building, is a focal point on the city’s landscape. In downtown Portland, Maine, the big City April 26, 2019Franco-American News and CultureLa Kermesse, Louise Hall tower clock, the municipal statuesque Merriman Monument Square and the Congress Street By Juliana L'Heureux Hay and Peabody clocks are included in the BIDDEFORD, ME – Historic clocks destinations, if restoration efforts continue city’s historic charm. are often interesting destination locations to progress. Therefore, it seems timely to create for tourists. In Biddeford, the Lincoln Mill For example, my husband and I joined a historic landmark in Biddeford, by re- Clock Tower and bell could be one of those with the crowds in Prague, in the Czech (Continued on page 15) 14 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (Biddeford update about the Lincoln Franco-Americans, and all of Bidd- Mill Tower Clock and bell restoration eford’s residents, and visitors were familiar continued from page 14) with the clock, when it stood on the roof of the Lincoln Mill building, located on the corner of Lincoln Street and Main Street. It was considered to be a civic honor for individuals to be invited to ring the bell in the clock tower. Many of those who rang the clock’s bell even carved their names into the walls of the clock tower. The history of the Lincoln Mill began in 1853-54, when the Saco Water and Power Company built the Lincoln Mill. In 1853, the clock was constructed. In the 1870’s the tower and clock were moved to the top of the stairwell of the Lincoln Mill. Merriman says the 166 year history Lincoln Mill Clock Tower is undergoing of the clock tower is inter woven with Bid- a restoration effort. The bell is located in deford’s industrialization and the region’s another location, as reported in a prior preeminence as a manufacturing leader, a blog. Photo by Louise Merriman position it held during the 19th and into the 20th centuries. storing the Lincoln Mill Tower Clock and City leaders are asking for the public’s bell. Thanks to civic leadership by Louise support to help the restoration project. This Merriman, this lovely tribute to Biddeford’s old historical clock tower in Biddeford, be- Ringing the bell in the clock tower was industrial past might become a focal point longing to the Lincoln Mill, needs a major considered to be a privilege. Many who were for cultural tourism. Merriman is helping helping hand. If everyone who considered ringers wrote or carved their names in the to lead efforts to restore the Lincoln Mill it worthy would donate whatever you can clock tower’s walls. Tower Clock and its bell in a visible location afford, the bells would toll again…” said where the public and tourists can experience Michael A. Caron on his social media page. spell for dinner. And, its final peal was the city’s industrial history. I appreciate the updated information (..closing…) time, at sunset in summer or Merriman’s leadership in the resto- Merriman sent about her preservation lead- at 7 PM or 7:30 PM in the winter.” ration efforts to save the Lincoln Mill Clock ership progress. In a series of educational Merriman will be presenting infor- and Tower were reported in a previous blog presentation slides, she described how the mation about the Lincoln Mill Clock Tower posted at this link here. Lincoln Mill Clock and Tower with the bells history and restoration, beginning on June My report described how the Bid- were the “heartbeat of our community”, in 21, at the 37th annual Biddeford La Ker- deford Lincoln Mill Clock represents the Biddeford. She quotes “The Men and Times messe Festival. Information about the 2019 city’s pride as an industrial leader in manu- of the Pepperell, the ringing of the bells, ” festival is available at this link: http://www. facturing, during the 19th and 20th centuries. how the “…mellow-toned bell of the mill lakermessefestival.com/ Support for the historic clock’s res- rang six times daily. The first bell came at “Indeed, the Lincoln Mill Clock Tower toration is significant to the large Fran- twenty-five minutes before sunrise, when is steeped in Biddeford History,” says Mer- co-American communities who reside in the sun rose the mill had been at work for riman. “People timed their lives by the bell York County’s industrial region, and near a quarter of an hour. The bell rang again to when it rang in the Clock Tower.” the cavernous buildings where thousands of open and close a forty-five minute interval the residents’ ancestors worked in the textile before breakfast; at noon it rang twice to Contact Louise Merriman at lou- and shoe manufacturing mills. open and close another forty-five minute [email protected] for more information. (N.D.L.R. Part I & II first appeared on Patrick’s Blog at http://querythepast.com/) happen every spring. The latest installment of the Ras- History, Heritage, and Survival: semblement, an annual tradition for the Franco-American Centre at the University Rassemblement 2019, Part I of Maine, was a tremendously thought-pro- voking and inspiring event, not least by 019-05-02 PL Franco-Americans, Heritage and Memory, Historical Memory, Public virtue of the diverse voices that shared the History, Survivance stage. As a gathering of scholars, students, creative writers, artists, and community by Patrick Lacroix, Historian members, the event continues to offer insight on Franco-Americans’ history, memory, What do you call a gathering of Fran- icans? If you are in central Maine, it’s a and identity. Immense thanks and kudos co-Americans and friends of Franco-Amer- Rassemblement, and you are sure to see it (Continued on page 16) 15 Le Forum (History, Heritage, and Survival: of French-Canadian descent faced on U.S. seems to long have been elites’ preferred Rassemblement 2019, Part I continued soil. No one denies it. It is, in fact, central designation and seems to have become a from page 15) to Franco-Americans’ historical conscious- more common label only in recent decades. ness. But researchers can do more to explore There is still some resistance to the term. I are due to Susan Pinette, Director of Fran- how Francos reacted and found modes of leave the matter to those who claim that her- co-American Studies, and Lisa Michaud, expression, which were religious but also itage… whatever “that” might mean to them. the Community Engagement Coordinator, political. At times they resisted, at times At last, there is the big question of for the event’s success. they conformed. Often they eagerly moved Franco-American solidarity—whether Fran- This being my first Rassemblement— between two cultures—one of baseball and cos truly support one another. Beliveau and caveat lector—I was thrilled simply to listen motion pictures, the other of parish rites and others recalled that doubts among fellow and learn. But I was also privileged to share bilingual schooling—and this only served Francos sank Elmer Violette’s congressional some of my research and engage historically to raise suspicions among their neighbors. campaign in the 1970s. That, of course, is with other attendees. But the way in which Franco-Americans assuming that solidarity, no matter what, The weekend was prefaced with a interpreted opportunities and viewed life in should trump other interests that might arise, panel titled, “Franco-Americans, Acadians, the United States appears to have undergone as some early twentieth-century editors and and the Great War: The Legacies of World a significant shift in the period anchored by activists argued. With the Franco-American War I.” the Great War; further exploration of the community—even this is a lofty term— Severin Beliveau—an attorney, for- crucial era may change how we understand being more diverse and divided now than mer state legislator, and prominent advocate Francos’ “arduous ascent,” as I put it. With- perhaps at any point prior, unequivocal of Franco-American rights and culture—dis- out offering my research (indeed, still in its solidarity might be too remote a luxury. The cussed his father’s experience in the Great preliminary stage) as the last word on the governorship of Paul LePage has had the du- War through the lens of his diary. (Stay tuned subject, I hope I invited scholars to keep bious virtue of showing how unlikely Franco for his book!) Historian Mark Richard built probing longstanding narratives. political consensus has become—and with upon prior research to discuss the effects Our moderator, author David Ver- good reason.[2] of xenophobia on Franco-Americans; he mette, actually opened up the discussion by Historical research on Franco-Amer- notably drew from F. X. Belleau’s letter sharing some of the dominant narratives of icans, however anchored in past events, on the balance of survivance and legal the Franco-American community. inevitably touches on these identity-related Americanization. Doctoral candidate Elisa In regard to their relationship to the themes, the first one in particular. Sance brought much-needed attention to the past, some Franco-Americans speak of dec- All historians are implicated in this. struggle for equal rights in education in the imation and decline; some offer a resolute, From a personal standpoint, none of my Saint John River valley, in northern Maine. “We are still here!” Although few broached research is prescriptive.[3] I write about past I learned a great deal from all three of my the question, the Rassemblement seemed people in past circumstances as honestly co-panelists, as I am sure our audience did. in its humble but spirited way to weigh in and as far as my sources will enable me. I I added my own touch by delving favor of the latter. believe this is true of most of my colleagues into the relatively unexplored field of Fran- Another important theme is the issue in the field—although few would relinquish co-American politics by addressing electoral of labeling. Again, few touched on this. Yet their own agency as citizens. Yet I am keenly success in the context of hardline Ameri- it is apparent that many in the community, aware that my findings may not coincide canism. As many in the room recognized, regardless of generation, grew up identifying with Franco-Americans’ vision of their own my findings did not coincide perfectly with not as Franco-American, but as French or past—or that they may interpret my research existing narratives on the subject. French-Canadian, or even Acadian in some in ways I had not intended or expected. The There is ample knowledge of the dis- areas of Maine. The term Franco-American Rassemblement was especially helpful in crimination and marginalization that people this regard. Although I have been engaging with Franco-Americans for years, the event enabled me to better understand how history, memory, and identity can dialogue with one another. As I have previously argued,

conceiving of rather different Currently on display at the Franco- destinations, academics and members of American Centre is the art of cartoonist the Franco-American community should Peter Archambault. continue to nudge one another, urging one another on—here, in the direction of justice in our day, in the direction of an honest portrayal of our past. This means withdrawing from the debate as to who has the whole truth, or useful truths, and approaching one another with charity and

(Continued on page 17) 16 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 But to a great extent they will always be in History, Heritage, and Survival: the cage of their upbringing. Few returned to Labbé’s model, but, from hearing other Rassemblement 2019, Part II voices at the Rassemblement, I could see the truth in it. Some individuals might have 2019-05-09 PL Franco-Americans, Heritage and Memory, Historical Memory, Public left Berlin or Lewiston or Manchester, but History, Survivance they understood how much Berlin and the other cities had made them and, in a sense, are still with them. by Patrick Lacroix, Historian Along the way, we were treated As the Rassemblement moved past (Robert Perreault provided an interesting to creative writing and performances by academic history—and well past the First footnote to the diary’s story the following Joan Vermette, Susan Poulin, Normand World War—on April 26 and 27, we had day.) Pelletier, a professor emeritus at the Beaupré, and Robert Perreault. Chelsea the opportunity to ponder the theme of this University of Maine, shared his own Franco Ray of UM–Augusta shared her study of edition. Artist and performer Abby Paige story, from humble origins in Berlin, New Franco-American plays and students of the had proposed the “Ship of Culture” as a Hampshire, to a successful career in French University of Maine and Université Laval theme and invited us to consider the ship of education—after bucking French-language also stepped forward to share their work. Theseus, the mythical founder of Athens. pedagogies long at odds with the lived ex- Regrettably—travail oblige—I missed the When Theseus returned to Athens, his ship perience of Franco-Americans. second day’s afternoon and evening pre- was long kept in the harbor and it began A rich discussion ensued, with many sentations, although I trust that they were to fall apart. Little by little, over time, the Franco-Americans in the room sharing their just as inspiring. Athenians replaced its every part and piece view of the past, of their identity, and of their (Continued on page 18) with new materials, leading some to ask relationship to one another. To Quebec-born whether this was still the same ship The- Yvon Labbé, long a leading figure at the (History, Heritage, and Survival: seus had sailed in or a new one. Applying Centre, this discussion was nothing new, Rassemblement 2019, Part I continued the story to the last hundred years of Fran- nor were some of the proposed answers. from page 16) co-American history, attendees recurrently “We had the same conversations in this very humility. returned to the question of cultural legacy room” in the early 1970s, he explained. But and change—how much has been preserved, whatever disagreement there might be in the Thus, having shared my findings, I how much lost. room in 2019, it was nothing as compared was happy to simply listen. In this regard, I was especially absorbed by the pre- to the often heated and sometimes bitter in my next post, I will move beyond big sentations of Keith Chevalier and Raymond debates of nearly fifty years ago—not merely historical—often unanswerable—questions Pelletier, who touched on the matter of between young Franco-American activists to discuss what I heard Friday evening and physical and human artifacts in the telling and the higher powers of the University of Saturday and what we might make of Fran- of Franco-American history. Chevalier, an Maine, but among Francos. co-American life in 2019. As always, stay archivist at St. Anselm College, discussed Labbé proposed his own metaphor— tuned for more. the challenges of preservation in the transi- culture as a cage. His emphasis was less tion from physical records to microfilm to on confinement than on the way in which [2] I am reminded of an incident digitization. He brought to our attention a we are products of our formative years. that took place along Lake Champlain in severely, irreparably redacted diary to exem- A person might push out the cage’s walls upstate New York, in the early 1790s, af- plify the purposeful silences in the archives. and bars and, every now and then, its roof. ter French-Canadian soldiers had settled the area. Amidst an escalation of conflict among the settlers, Jacques Rouse visited a neighbor, sword in hand, and asserted that Cut-out from a he was “full of grief that, so few Frenchmen four-decades- as we are here, we cannot live in concord old copy of together.” See The Moorsfield Antiquarian, Le Forum – a vol. 1, no. 2 (1937). relic of a far more turbulent [3] A person of Franco-American era among descent recently told me, in almost as many Franco- words, “Don’t tell me who I am.” I make Americans no such claim, of course, but the exchange goes to show how difficult it is to disentangle historical research from identity.

http://querythepast.com/rassemblement- 2019-part-1/ 17 Le Forum (History, Heritage, and Survival: Rassemblement 2019, Part II continued from page 17)

Although my first post on the Rassem- blement focused on history and memory, I also want to salute three initiatives showing that all things Franco-American are not relegated to the past: Jesse Martineau and Mike Camp- bell, respectively host and producer of the French-Canadian Legacy Podcast, shared with attendees the tremendous conversations they have had on the past, present, and future of Franco-Americans. Picking up on the Theseus analogy, Jesse likely spoke for the entire group in explaining, “I have no idea whether it’s the same ship, but it’s still a cool ship and we want to bring others on board and check it out.” As he has stated before, he does not see the culture as dying, but as Jesse Martineau and Mike Campbell present their podcast to a packed house different, and the podcast is an eloquent at the Rassemblement. testimony to that idea. Jessamine Irwin, a former University documentary film on the Francos of Maine rapher, writer on Franco-American themes of Maine student now teaching at New York with Natalie Baird. (writ very large), and long-time professor University, shared her experience as guide The first issue of Résonance, a liter- at Université Laval. He passed away almost and leader of an alternative spring break. ary journal dedicated specifically to Fran- exactly two years ago, leaving behind a rich Self-selecting students from NYU have par- co-American culture, appeared earlier this output of research, a blog chronicling his ticipated in a cultural enrichment program year and the Rassemblement provided an explorations of French America, and, for that have taken them through francophone opportunity to cheer its launch. The journal those who knew him, very fond memories New England to Quebec City. They have had is under the editorship of poet and library as well. I hope his spirit of adventure and the opportunity to meet people who grew up cataloging manager (at Harvard, no less) discovery continues to offer inspiration—in with the French language and French-Ca- Steven Riel. It is available online and merits particular, to discover others and understand nadian culture in the United States, but also much more than a heavy skim. them on their own terms. recent French-speaking immigrants who Beyond fruitful but less formal discus- The Rassemblement was, in my case, have come from other countries and conti- sion, the weekend closed with an homage one opportunity to do so in some small nents. Jessamine is currently developing a to Dean Louder, an American-born geog- measure; I hope to find many more. Pictures of the Franco-American Day in the Maine State Capitol

May 17, 2019Franco-American News and CultureAlphonse Poulin, Armand Mentré, Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center, Diane Cyr, Heather Pouliot, Le Club Calumet, Lisa L. Newell, Lorraine Pouliot, Rachel Desgrosseilliers, Rep. John Martin, Rep. Margaret Craven, Senator Susan Deschambault, Severin Beliveau, Susan Poulin occasion when Franco-American Day at the By Juliana L'Heureux State Capitol has been celebrated. AUGUSTA, ME- Franco-American Day at the State Capitol was a cultural Listed here are the 2019 Hall of Fame success. inductees: On Wednesday, May 16, 2019, the Maine Legislature held a joint session in Dolard Gendron of Androscoggin the House of Representatives to recognize County the Franco-American heritage evident Caroline Dubois of Aroostook County throughout the state. Eleven citizens were Robert Lacasse of Kennebec County inducted into the Franco-American Hall Heather Pouliot prepared Acadian Alphonse Poulin of Kennebec County of Fame during formal legislative ceremo- buckwheat pancakes called ployes. They Karen Rancourt-Thomas of Kenne- nies. This special recognition for and about were a delicious success served in the State bec County Franco-Americans marked the seventeenth Capitol Hall of Flags. (Continued on page 19) 18 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (Pictures of the Franco-American Day in language. Indeed, the occasion was a bi- Ployes are delicious Acadian buck- the Maine State Capitol continued from lingual French and English celebration. wheat pancakes. They are served with offer- page 18) Enthusiastic cultural pride was evident. ings of butter, brown sugar, Maple syrup or Roger Hurtubise of York County Franco-Americans shared their stories with molasses. Ployes are often served at local Susan Poulin of York County the public and among each other, as though events and fairs. Armand E. Cote- posthumous all were attending a family reunion. Raymond Gagnon – posthumous Priscilla Gendron – posthumous Reverend Father Rudolph J. Leveille- posthumous

Among the inductees recognized in the Guests attending the Franco-American Day Franco-American Hall of Fame were in the Maine State Capitol were (left) Hon. Alphonse Poulin of Kennebec County and Rep. Margaret Craven, of Lewiston, Rachel Susan Poulin of York County. Although they Desgrosseilliers, executive director of the are not directly related to one another, they Museum L-A, in Lewiston and the Consul learned, at the ceremonies, that they share General of France in Boston, Armand the same first immigrant ancestor, who Mentré. arrived in Quebec in the early 17th century. Franco-American cultural pride was evident Heather Pouliot (left) with Lorraine Pouliot in the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. of Augusta, prepared ployes to serve in the State Capitol Hall of Flags during Franco- American Day.

Awards were presented to the induct- ees in a Hall of Flags ceremony following the joint legislative recognition session. A joint session of the legislature was led by Senator Mark Lawrence of York County and Rep. John Martin of Eagle Lake. Presenta- tions of the awards were given by Senator Susan Deschambault and Representative John Martin. Le Club Calumet in Augusta was among Le français était la langue du jour! the Franco-American exhibitors. Lisa In fact, the diversity of French language ac- L. Newell is president, pictured with a cents heard in the State House conversations plaque, engraved with the surnames of the Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center were interesting to listen to; because, they Acadians who were deported during the was among the Franco-American Day were examples about the cultural diversity 1755 Acadian expulsion, a terrible period in exhibitors. Pictured with Severin Beliveau, within the French speaking communities. North American history known as “le grand the Honorary French Consul to Maine Counsel General of France Armand derangement”. Information about Le Club with Diane P. Cyr of Biddeford and Nicole Mentré recognized and complimented the Calumet is available at this website: www. Morin-Scribner. Maine Legislature for leading the Fran- calumetclub.com. co-American Day ceremonies in French For information about the Biddeford and English. In the Hall of Flags, cultural exhibits Cultural & Heritage Center check this “I appreciate the diversity of accents were hosted by Le Club Calumet and the website: www.biddefordculturalandheri- being heard today,” he said. “French is a Biddeford Cultural and Heritage Center. tagecenter.org. universal language”. A delicious “ployes” cooking exhibit was In fact, the Maine State Capitol was hosted by Rep. Matthew Pouliot’s family, C’était une bonne journée filled with people who were speaking French his wife Heather Pouliot and his Memere Franco-Américaine! and interested in learning more about the Lorraine Pouliot, of Augusta. 19 (Suite page 19)

Le Forum protège les occupants de la cour contre les et créent un protocole strict à suivre avant deux chutes d’eau sale de la rivière Coche- de grimper sur les poteaux. La cour de co qui hurle vers le moulin Wyandotte. De Sur l’asphalte du côté à gauche on a temps en temps, à midi et quart, le moulin peint les lignes essentielles pour jouer au l’école en 1961 Wyandotte déverse sa teinture dans la rivière base-ball, tandis que les lignes de hop-scotch et la vapeur caustique remplie vite la cour, se trouvent sur l’asphalte du côté droit. Mais Ann Marie Staples, ainsi que toute la ville jusqu’à la mairie. La c’est le côté droit qui a le trésor. Il s’agit Rochester, NH cloche pour faire rentrer les élèves ne sonne de la plate-forme de ciment nichée dans un À droite se trouve un édifice à trois pas longtemps après ces déversements. Au coin au pied du mur où les écoles primaires étages. Il est tellement long qu’on ne voit printemps, quand la rivière se réveille et et secondaires se rejoignent. Ensemble, les pas la rue River derrière lui. Ses murs sont commence à courir au sérieux, les fils de murs et la plate-forme servent d’une jolie construits de briques rouges et une ins- fer de la clôture se font réchauffés par des scène pour de beaux spectacles improvisés. cription gravée sur une plaque de bronze centaines de petites mains – quelquefois Quand le camion vient verser ses tonnes de identifie le bout le plus moderne donnant de grandes mains aussi. En été, les lilacs charbon, il les verse dans le trou au centre sur la rue Bridge « École Secondaire de au bord de la rivière derrière la clôture de cette plate-forme. Il faut sonner la cloche, Notre-Dame du Saint-Rosaire, 1948. » Si produisent un vent qui est doux quand il se car ça cause une poussière affreuse qui colle on se tient au centre de la cour on voit tout rend à l’édifice de briques rouges, mais qui à tout, surtout quand le monsieur remet le le panorama du rectangle : le couvent accro- devient bien énervant quand on s’approche couvert de fer au trou et fait son balayage. Le ché à l’ancienne école, l’école primaire de à la clôture. lendemain, le calme retourne. C’est au bord 1935 jointe à l’école secondaire, l’église et La terre est toute couverte d’asphalte de cette plate-forme que les plus grandes sa sacristie, le presbytère, et l’incinérateur noir abîmé ici et là. Aucun brin d’herbe ne filles s’asseyent et discutent les garçons où les grands garçons brûlent les décombres pousse, sauf dans les fissures, cependant le qu’elles regardent se secouer au côté gauche. chaque après-midi. On voit surtout le moulin bedeau les tue avec du goudron chaque été. Au fond du rectangle se trouve un Wyandotte derrière la rivière. Une ligne blanche est peinte la longueur énorme vieux couvent à quatre étages, Comme ceux de l’école secondaire, de la cour la divisant en deux. La division construit de bois et peint entièrement d’un les murs de l’école primaire sont faits de est juste parce que le poteau télégraphique gris pale. Celles qui y habitent doivent se briques rouges, sans doute crées dans les érigé exactement dans le centre de la cour soulager avec les vents divers des arbres qui brick-yards de Gonic. Le mur qu’on voit de est exactement au milieu de la ligne. C’est poussent autour. À la porte de l’ancienne la cour est décoré de huit énormes fenêtres sur ce poteau où l’équipement de basket-ball école en bois accrochée à ce couvent, on qui sont tellement grandes que le bedeau est monté. Cet équipement de basket-ball voit une inscription presque tout effacée peut grimper sur leurs rebords et faire cinq fait face à gauche et surveille la clôture et la proclamant faiblement, « -cole de Notre pas. Ces énormes fenêtres sont presque rivière. C’est là où les garçons doivent jouer – du -osaire. » Les rideaux blancs dans la toujours embellies par les chefs-d’œuvre des leurs jeux de garçons. Ils ont la rivière. Le vingtaine de fenêtres du couvent et son jeunes artistes qui trouvent leurs inspiration côté à droite ne se plaint pas car il possède ancienne école défient l’asphalte noir et la assis derrière elles. les huit balançoires et les merveilleux po- peinture grise autant qu’ils défient le poison Au côté gauche de la cour, c’est une teaux de fer qui les supportent. Les balan- du moulin et la poussière du charbon. Il n’a autre histoire. À gauche une clôture de fil çoires sont dominées par les filles. Chaque jamais été nécessaire d’inscrire, « Ici pros- de fer borde la cour sur toute sa longueur septembre, les écolières établissent l’ordre père un peuple têtu. » passant derrière l’église et le presbytère. Elle entre-elles avant d’utiliser des balançoires ator where the big boys burn school trash towards the Wyandotte Mill. From time to The School Yard every afternoon. You can especially see the time, at a quarter past twelve, the Wyandotte Wyandotte mill behind the river. dumps its dyes into the river and the caustic in 1961 Like those of the high school, the steam quickly fills the school yard, as well grammar school walls are made of red as the whole downtown all the way to City Ann Marie Staples, brick, undoubtedly fabricated in the Gonic Hall. The bell that calls students back to class Rochester, NH brick yards. The wall that you can see from rings not too long after these dye dumps. In the yard is decorated with eight enormous the spring when the river awakens the starts A three-story building is to the right. windows that are so big that the janitor running for real, the chain links get warmed It’s so long that you can’t see River Street can climb up onto their sills and take five up by hundreds of little hands – sometimes behind it. Its walls are made of red brick steps. These enormous windows are nearly big hands, too. In summer, the lilacs on the and a bronze inscription identifies the most always embellished by the masterpieces of river banks behind the fence send a breeze recent part of the building fronting on Bridge the young artists who find their inspiration that’s quite gentle by the time it reaches Street as “Our Lady of the Holy Rosary High seated behind them. the red brick building, but it becomes very School, 1948.” If you stand in the middle On the left side of the yard it’s a whole exciting as you get nearer to the fence. of the yard you get a panoramic view of the other story. On the left, a chain link fence The land is totally covered in black whole rectangle: the convent hooked on to borders the whole length of the school yard, asphalt with a little wear and tear. Not a the old wooden school, the 1935 grammar passing behind the church and rectory. It pro- blade of grass grows, except in the cracks, school joined to the high school, the church tects school yard occupants against the two but the janitor kills them off with tar during and its sacristy, the rectory, and the inciner- falls of dirty Cocheco River water rushing (Continued on page 21) 20 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (The School Yard in 1961 continued from right side. But it’s the right side that has the school connected to this convent, you can page 20) treasure. It’s a cement platform wedged in see a faded painted inscription weakly an- the summer. There’s a while line painted the corner formed by joining the grammar nouncing “ – ool of Our --- of – osary.” The down the center of the school yard dividing and high schools. Together, the walls and white curtains in the twenty odd windows in it in two. It’s an even division because the platform make a pretty stage for improvised this convent and its old school building defy phone pole stuck exactly in the middle of performances. When the truck comes to the black asphalt and gray paint as much as the yard is exactly in the middle of the line. deliver its tons of coal, it dumps them into they defy the mill’s poison and coal dust. It On this pole is where the basket ball back the hole in the middle of this platform. They has never been necessary to inscribe, “In this board and hoop are located. It faces left have to ring the bell then because it creates place prospers a stubborn people.” and oversees the chain link fence and river. a horrendous dust that sticks to everything, It’s there where boys must play their boys’ especially when the man puts the steel lid games. They have the river. The right half back on the hole and does his sweeping up. of the yard doesn’t complain because it has The next day, things are normal again. It’s the eight swings and the fabulous iron poles along the edge of this platform that the big holding them up. Girls dominate the swings. girls sit and talk about the boys they see Every September, school girls establish horsing around on the left side. order among themselves before using the At the far end of the rectangle you see swings and create a strict pole climbing an enormous old four-story convent, built protocol. of wood and painted entirely in pale gray. On the left side of the asphalt yard, They who live in it must find comfort in the somebody painted a baseball diamond, while various breezes that the few surrounding a set of hop-scotch lines was painted on the trees produce. At the door of the old wooden

(THE AMERICANIZATION OF THE boots, I'll freeze my toes off if I goo on the On Feb. 19, 1846 the account shows MADAWASKA ACADIANS continued from river with these boots. 5s paid to Antoine Beaulieu. That is he gets page 3) two day's wages (twice 2s 6d). I read that by horse & sleigh, was on the frozen rivers Daigle: Look, young man, when you as saying he's got his new boots and he's of the season. get to the Dufours, pick yourself out a good back from Portage Lake and he gets his Four days later, once again, this time, pair of boots and charge it to my account, salary anyway. a load of 77 bushels of oats earned Daigle but that's going to come out of your wages. I don't know what farm work was be- a credit of £10 11s 9d. with a credit of £1 ing done in the spring, but Antoine Beaulieu 1s. 6d. for the delivery of the load "Hez" Again on Feb. 14th, 1846 a credit of gets a credit of 1s 5d on May 25 and 5s on Drake" In the 1850 U.S. Census we find £12 12s 6d for 101 bushels of oats and £3 June 16th 1s 10 1/2d on July 17th and 2s Melzar Drake at Portaage Lake where he 3 s 1 1/2d for the transport of this load to on Sept. 19. is lumber camp foreman of the Shephard Thomas E. Perley. The Perley brothers of We learn in a letter of the Assesors of Cary operations on the Fish River. Cary, of Fredericton had a lumber operation on what Madawaska Plantation to Bishop Fenwick Houlton, Maine, at some point was a U.S. we now call Perley Brook in Fort Kent which of Boston that Regis Daigle indeed is one Congressmen regarded as a hick from Maine empties into the Fish River just below Fort of those municipal officers. by John Quinch Adams. Kent Mills. Allow, once more a little poetic license That same day, Feb. 4, 1846 there’s a So there we have it, the newly Amer- here. The Petiton of the residents of Mad- purchase of a pair of boots for his employee icanized Madawaska farmer was a supplier awaska for the right to build a chapel "In the with the account debited at £1.. We know of fodder for the oxen of various lumber middle of the plantation is addressed to the from other citations in the account who the operations From St. Francis to Fort Kent to Right Reverend ------Fenniwick Bishop employee is, in deed the 1850 U.S. Census Portage Lake in Maine.; of Bangor, He there is no such office as a gives Antoine Beaulieu as a resident in the In the middle of winter, we are not Roman catholic Bishop of Bangor. But let us Daigle household. seeing the Acadian farmer hibernation in his look at this from a Madawaska oerspective Allow me, if you will to take a bit of home spending the evening relating folklore of 1846. Bangor? Boston? what the hell is poetic license and imagine the following or listening to his widowed mother telling the difference, isn't it all "from" away" as conversation of that day. stories, à la Longfellow fashion of what the the Aroostook County folk put it? Isn't it al Acadians called "le grand Dérangement" way out thre beyond the Haynesviile woods? Daigle: 'Toine go hitch up the horses, (The Great unsettling). No, in these two I'm being facetious and playful here in we’re going up river again. Winter months there was £38 14s 6d. to be putting it that way, The honorable municipal earned in shipping farm produce to the lum- officers do not even know the bishops' first Beaulieu: Today? ber camp operations. Various citations in the name and they spell the Bishops' surname accounts show a day laborer's wage to have with two "n's". Sorry about that, folks, But Daigle (with exasperation) What do been 2s 6d. a day. Multiply that amount by the good bishop does grant the peti these you mean, today? eight and you get £1. £38 at 8 days salary new American citizens are not Red Sox fans vakye gives us a value of 304 days' wages yet with the ball park name spelled with but Beaulieu: Well, Monsieur, Look at my of the time. (Continued on page 22) 21 Le Forum (THE AMERICANIZATION OF THE Cyr has been engaged in a lumber drive on American experience. MADAWASKA ACADIANS continued from the Green River in New Brunswick which Irish Catholics who especially impact- page 21) empties into the St. John River opposite ed on our regions Madawaska history includ- present day Grand Isle. Maine. But I want ed Edward Kavanaugh, ,U.S. Congressman one "n" in Fenwick. But the good Bishop here to single out the closing of the account in 1831 and acting governor of Maine in does grant the petitioners their request and on April 5, 1848 where we set amounts deb- 1843 and James C. Madigan, Esq. from the he dies a month later. ited in favor of his employees among whom same town and parish as Kavanaugh who However, we have the Journal of his are his brother's in law, Germain Dubé and sent Madigan here to organize plantation successor, the Right Reverend, John Bernard Magloire Dubé. Especially noteworthy are government here following the adoption of Fitzpatrick recorded during his 1847 Sum- the credits in value of £152 19s 8 1/2 pence the Treaty of Washington of 1842. mer trek to Madawaska to personally look at for effects left in the lumber camp, for the It must be noted that the State of church conditions there. But one more look driving of 276 tones of logs and for the Maine first incorporated the town of Mad- at the petition is necessary. The Madawaska residue of logs remaining in the Green River. awaska in 1831 covering some 4000 square residents state that in their attendance at the Cyr had married Helen Dubé. The miles on both sides of the st. John River. The parish church in St. Basile, N.B, the build- Dubé name is not Acadian, it is French 1840 U.S. Census enumerates residents here ing hardly accommodates them and they Canadian, i.e. Quebecois, but Francis Cyr, two districts or listings: Madawaska North sometimes have to follow services from like Regis "Bonhomme" Daigle is a grand (now New Brunswick) and Madawaska out in the church yard. Then too they state son of a Madawaska pioneer. He is given South, (now Maine). that during the ice out season, they can not as Francois Cyr, son of Hilarion, who it turns John G. Denae of Ellsworth and cross the river in time to perform their Easter out was a son of Joseph Cyr land grantee in Edward Kavanaugh of Newcastle, Maine duties. Then they play their American card. the British land grant to Madawaska settlers were sent here in 1831 bringing with them They tell the American bishop as a further in 1791. Regis Daigle, son of Jean Baptiste a Warrant for the first Town Meeting of reason for wanting a chapel on this side of Daigle, was the grand son of Joseph Simon Madawaska as incorporated by the State of the border is "In case of a War with Great Daigle who receive lot 25 the British land Maine In Pl. Chapter 151 of 1831. The Town Britain. What better appeal could the present grant to the Madawaska settlers in 1790 warrant was signed by William D. William- to an American to serve their hearts' desire? son of Bangor, as Aroostook County had not A final remark states: "Your Lordship yet been incorporated.. The meeting was set will be please to direct your answer to Fran- I read into this the to take place at Pierre Lizottes' resident, but cis Thibodeau, Justice of the Peace.. Make leery of reprisal from the British, Lizotte note that his Justice of the Peace served as rapid willingness of the did not let them in his home. Being that the a State Representative in 1849. An Acadian Acadians to adopt Ameri- meeting took place on a bright August day, who is now a state officer.. We look once the meeting was held in Lizotte’s yard. more at the Dufour Journal of Accounts can governance. Come September with the first state and find Francis Thibodeau's account a election to be held in Madawaska, Lizotte credit of £4 3d. for a load of hay of one ton, won election to the office of State Represen- 6 hundredweight, and 84 pounds delivered The Land Grants take us back to the tative. Lizotte however declined to serve , "au Lac." We are not told which lake that beginning of the story, but I shall once more stating in a letter to Maine Governor Samuel applies to but at the time lumber operations concentrate on the Americanization phase of Smith, "I was born a British subject and also took place on La Temiscouata at the the story by regarding next the 1844 Census Intend to die so." As a south shore resident, head of the Madawaska River. of Van Buren plantation in which Francis The Treaty of Washington of 1842 rendered Then In April 1847 one ton, 5 hun- Cyr, cited is a resident. My concentration Lizotte an American dred and 54 pounds of hay was taken from here again is on the Acadian municipal of- Now back to the officers of Van Buren his farm of a credit of £1 11s 10d. Again ficers here just two years after the Treaty of Plantation, we note that Paul Cyr, State Rep an Acadian now Americanized conducting Washington rendered them American. in 1852 and 1859 sent his son Alexis Cyr business in French with accounting in Brit- In this census record of the heads of to Worcester College after which Alexis ish currency for supplying farm produce to household s of Van Buren Plantation on May Cyr served as State Representative in 1864, lumber camp operations on both sides of the 31st 184 we have as plantation assessors 1877, and from 1883 to 1887, which last International border. three Acadians, Paul Cire, , Joseph Cire and years was the date of his decease. As subse- Now, a look at another account, that Bellonie Violette who each in turn would quent family history has it , this Alexis Cyr of Francois Cyr who resides on river lot serve as members of the Maine House of rep- has among his grandsons, no less that Leo G. 358 near the easterly bound of the State of resentatives. Joseph Cyr served in Augusta Cyr, U.S. Ambassador to Rwanda during the Maine. In the report of December 1844 of in 1846, Paul Cyr Serve as representative in Lyndon Baines Johnson administration and the Land Commission set up by the Treaty 1851 and 1859 and Bellonie Violette went Edward P. Cyr who first won election as a of Washington of 1842, "to quiet the settler's to Augusta in 1867 having served not only State senator from Madawaska in 1960 Aye, claim, Francois Cyr claims that lot cited as a local office but having been an a Com- An Acadian dynasty in American politics. stating that he has been in occupation of missioner of Aroostook County in 1859. Belonie Violette (1818- 1879), Like that lot since 1838. Among his neighbors are They each went to Augusta as Democrats Paul Cyr (1796-1865) an assessor of Van Abraham Dubé and Magloire Dubé, who as following the era of Jackson Democracy in Buren Plantation also had a son, Frederic it turns out are his brothers in law. which the Irish Catholics in Main hand an Violette (1844-1911), a grist mill owner of The account, however shows that influence among the Acadians in their new (Continued on page 23) 22 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 Salut Le Forum; (THE AMERICANIZATION OF THE Lettres/ MADAWASKA ACADIANS continued from I loved reading Wilfred Bergeron's page 22) Letters "Mémère Bergeron" article In the Spring Violette Brook who went to August as Ste 2019 issue. Then, flipping some pages, I Rep in 1897 and a nephew Neill Violette found "Wyandotte" by chance, and had a Dear Le Forum; (1882-1935 who served in the State House pile of joyful flashbacks. I know his sub- in 1911. Neill Violette stayed on in Augusta jects well! serving as Deputy forest commissioners in Just to say what a nice job you contin- Back in 1996, I wrote a little descrip- the 1920 and state Forest Commissioner at ue to do on The Forum - the Spring issue tive composition for a UNH course assign- his decease in August in 1935. During his 2019 has several particularly interesting ment. My subject was the school yard men- term of service the lumber industry in Maine stories that brought us a lot of information. tioned in Chip Bergeron's Wyandotte poem. saw the entry of the Paper Industry in Maine We did spend four months in Paris this So, I'm sending you my little 1996 forest land ownership and at that time we get year and returned at the end of March to be composition en français with sort of an the erection of Forest Fire protection and witness to a snow storm on April 9 and to equivalent en anglais to do with as you observation towers on the mountain tops in the catastrophic fire at Notre Dame from a please. Maine's wild land townships. distance - we are still in shock. I'm also pasting the Google Maps In Belonie Violettes 1867 term of street view URL for what is left of the service we get the state passing a resolve Thanks again for your dedication! buildings in my composition: the sacristy "To render legal the doings of Van Buren (now daycare?) and grammar/high school Plantation". We have no documentation Anita & Gerard Tassel (now K-8). to determine the nature of those doings Bangor, ME However some family story is noteworthy. Bellonie Violette' grandfather ,Francois https://www.google.com/ Violette (1744-1824) was one of the land Dear Le Forum; maps/@43.303872,-70.979029,3a,85.4y,143.74 grantees of 1791 with a lot located at the h,102.36t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKHU85jhfU- mouth of the Grand River in present day RaRY2tE7o0V6Q!2e0!7i13312!8i6656 Please keep them coming –– I really St. Leonard, N.B. In 1825, his son Francois Violette (1774-1856) applied to the British enjoy them! Now, I have so much more to read in authorities in New Brunswick for the right this issue! to set up a gristmill on the Piquanositac Thanks! stream (Now Violette Brook in Van Buren Good job! Maine. Now get this In 1824 this Francois Violette served as a Captain in the York Evelyn Joiner Ann Marie Staples County militia of New Brunswick.. In 1831 Lake Forest, CA Rochester, NH He diplomatically received the American visitors, Deqne and Kavanaugh answering Chère Le Forum; Dear Le Forum; their questions to their satisfaction. The Dean-Kavanaugh Report cites instances of Il y’a de nombreuses années , nous Many years ago, we subscribed to resistance to the American visitors. avons souscript à votre journal, Le Forum, your journal, Le Forum, and each new In 1844 when Belonie Violette serves et chaque nouvelle publication nous fait con- publication made us know the life of our as assesor of Van Buren Plantation, the naitre la vie de now ‘cousins’ franco-améric- now Franco-American ‘cousins’. They carry former British militia captain is now of re- ains. Ils portent des noms comme Pelletier, names like Pelletier, Cyr, Soucy, Martin and tirement age and we find in the Aroostook Cyr, Soucy, Martin et combien d’autres. many others. Registry of Deeds in Houlton, Maine, the Merci pour votre dévouement inlass- Thank you for your tireless dedication Life support mortgage of Belonie Violette in able à cette magnifique revue. to this wonderful magazine. favor of his father, for title to lot 301 which Vous trouverex c-inclus un cheque You will find a check to cover the cost includes the grist mill site of 1825. I read pour couvrir un peu le coût de cette revue of this publication that we have received for into this the rapid willingness of the Acadi- ans to adopt American governance. Belonie que nous avons reçu depuis de nombreuses many years. années. went to Augusta as a Democrat but his son went to the State House as a Republican, as Regards, did Belonie Violette's son Neil Violette. In Amicalement vôtres, Alphée et Jeannine Cyr the interval between the father's service and Alphée et Jeannine Cyr St-Basile, N. B. the sons' service in a state office, we have the St-Basile, N. B. Republican ascendency in Maine.

23 Le Forum Finding the Franco, Part I: immigration dwindled and borders became more restrictive, the identity slowly shifted to Franco-”American”, as seen with the term Introduction & Who do you belong to? “Loyal but French,” meaning that they were loyal to their country of the United States, By Daniel Moreau but they were still French and they had no plans of giving that up. Introduction cause of the relationship between multiple Another significant change in the individuals. The Franco-American Com- Franco-American Community is Assimila- munity is of course a community, meaning This is the first part to an eight part tion, a subject non-Anglo-Americans are all that by definition, each Franco-American is series of compositions with the goal of iden- too familiar with. It starts as acculturation. different from the next. tifying what it is to be Franco-American and Those who completely identify with their As each community, members have to police the policing of Franco-American culture meet and adapt with the “native” their differences, but also their similarities identity. I will be looking at how those my culture. A form of acculturation can be seen which are more often than not in the name age (Millennials and Gen Z) find identity and in the imagery of the Pilgrims shaking hands itself. For instance the Franco-American whether or not they as individuals choose to with the indigenous peoples as grade school Community is comprised of Franco-Amer- identify with their Franco-American roots. would like you to believe, but if you know icans (who knew) sharing the common What does it mean to be Franco-American? history, you know this was not the truth. thread of their culture. Not all communities What does it mean to be American? How Acculturation is always violent and messy, are based around culture. Because culture is being a Franco-American different from as people are afraid of people different is such a large thing, I’ll use the commu- being another culture? Through this series I from themselves. After acculturation comes nity I am part of home in Auburn, which expect that some will be insulted, however, assimilation. Aspects of the culture are lost has the commonality of the Stevens Mill with a subject as vast yet specific as this, it with the children, and they become more is to be expected. The subjects and questions “Apple-pie, white-picket fence, American.” presented in this series do not necessarily After acculturation comes The road to assimilation is not a linear road, represent Le Forum or the Franco-American assimilation. Aspects of the but instead a winding network of highways, Centre, but only represent myself as a writer. roads, streets, and trails that lead to differ- If you disagree with anything I will present, culture are lost with the chil- ent places. It is different for every person. you can write a nicely worded article to be dren, and they become more Another note is that you can go in reverse presented in Le Forum, though I may not “Apple-pie, white-picket fence, on the network of assimilation. For instance, care to read it. the Franco-American culture which was American.” lost with my parents, is that of which I am Who do you belong to? rediscovering. This is not an isolated event, neighborhood, the subject of which vari- I know more than a handful of individuals We are not unique. Though we like ates over time. Neighborhoods change over my age who have done a U-turn on the net- to think we are, there is always going to be time, sometimes for the better, sometimes work to assimilation, I call these individuals someone in this world who talks, thinks, and for the worse, sometimes in no general revivalists. More often than not, those who likes the same things as we do. The thing is, direction whatsoever. New houses, houses never truly assimilated are eager to see those we rarely ever get to meet this person. There going vacant, changes in land value, etc. younger than themselves who have become are over 7.5 billion people on this earth. 327 The neighbors are different, but share the these revivalists. million people in the United States, 1.34 commonality of the community subject. But it isn’t easy even if you want to, million in Maine, and 11 thousand in Orono. These people change, too. Everything in the for many revivalists of the Franco-American These numbers are difficult to comprehend community changes, except for that subject culture, if you did not grow up speaking the so let’s bring it to more of a ratio form. For at the very root. same localized French language as your every single person in Orono, there are 134 In turn, the Franco-American Com- grandparents did, relearning the French other people in Maine, 30 thousand people munity changes, and what makes a com- language can damage the view of that one in the United States, and 700 thousand munity is a collection of individuals. When true goal. I, as many others who lost the worldwide. Basically, for every person in the Community changes, it doesn’t change French-Canadian language, go along with Orono, there is an entire Denver, Colorado as one complete entity but instead with a learning Parisian French, and once the reviv- representing the worldwide population. few people to a large percentage of people. alist has learned that language, often, if they The odds that your “twin” would be in the And this change doesn’t happen quickly but are not specifically informed, may assume same town as you are very slim. Of course, instead, with time. I do not mean this in the that is the language of their grandparents. it doesn’t take many things for people sense of an event, but in social and change in However, the Franco-Americans of New to get along with eachother and create a identity. According to Mark Paul Richard’s England have their own special language community. My neighbor in Auburn has book Loyal But French which highlights the denomination of French that identifies very different political opinions than I do, Franco-Americans of Lewiston, he states Franco-American culture as an identifiable however we still get along because we are that the French-Canadians kept their identity culture. But that’s not something I will lead part of the same community. Community through regular visits or new immigrants into right away, that will be saved for Part is putting differences aside for the greater from members of French Canada. Once this II of Finding the Franco. 24 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 Sevestre perpetuated their name by giving birth to twelve children, of whom are six sons and two dauthers are known. They had to make an alliance to gain widespread ac- ceptance and declare their fathers’ patronage in the region of Québec, the coast of Beaupré and the Beauce. March 8, 1658 worried by the absence of a church in Beaupré, Étienne de Lessart and his wife Marguerite brought forth an idea that, three centuries later, is not forgotten. Ardent “to contribute something to the glory of God and to his service, and seeing the inclination and the devotion that The Lessards the inhabitants of Beaupré have had for a by Treffle Lessard long time, is to have a church and a chapel to Charles Sevestre in the approximate year in which they can attend the divine service of 1637. This land “close to Montreal” will Stephen Lessart, (Étienne de Lessart) and to take part in the sacraments of our later be known as Lanoraie. In 1668, this ancestor of the Lessard families was born in mother the holy church,” Étienne de Lessart lordship, which had not been resolved, was Normandy, 1623. One does not know his donated a portion of his land on which will recaptured by the authorities of the country origin except that of the name of his parents, be raised the first chapel dedicated to the and distributed among the heirs. It is of Jacques (James) and Marie Herson and that good Saint Anne. little interest to Lessart who sold it to his (1) of the village where he grew, Chambois Pursuant to a requirement from the brother-in-law, Louis de Niort de la Noraye, Normandie France. donors, the construction of the chapel begins in 1698. Étienne de Lessart has twice been (2) It is believed that Étienne de Lessart during the weeks following the customary granted lordship. It is to him that the Ile- came to live in New France approximately ceremonies The 13th of March 1658, Père aux-Coudres was granted in 1677 and he 1645. In June 1646, he is present at a bap- Jean de Quen, the interim governor Louis sold it to Monseigneur de Laval in 1687. tism celebrated in Trois-Rivières and, the d’Ailleboust and l’abbé Guillaume Vignal Étienne de Lessart and Marguerite Servestre following year, he is the messenger of good participants in the blessing at the church meanwhile have other concerns. In 1684, news. It is he who announces the next arrive construction “at the site of Petit Cap, (Little renewing the grants made in 1658 and 1661, of help promised by France. The event is Cape) while the interim governor placed the couple chose their place of burial “in noted in these terms: “On this same day the first stone.” June 16, 1659, Monseigh- the nave” of the church at Saint-Anne de (June 21st) Mr. de Lessart returning from neur(6) de Laval can finally visit the first one Beaupré. In 1699 “victims of old age and (3) Tadoussac brought the first news from of three churches, which will be raised at exhaustion,” they submitted themselves (4) France given to him by Captain Le Fèvre Petit Cap, in the XVIIth century. In 1661, to their sons Prisque and Joseph. Étienne arriving at l’Île Percée (...) that five vessels tides have eaten away “the soil from under” died in the month of April 1703, and then made ready to come and that peace was the little chapel where “wonders” were al- in 1720, 17 years later his wife Marguerite, attained in France.” ready occurring by the intercession of Saint approximately age 86, joined him. th The 10 of February 1651, Olivier Anne. Étienne de Lessart and Marguerite And there in St. Stephens’ (à la Le Tardiff, Co-Lord of Beaupré, grants to Sevestre submitted a new plot of land for Saint-Étienne) since 1703, mass is celebrat- (5) Étienne de Lessart a parcel of land 2 1/2 the construction of a new chapel. ed as promised to the ancestor in 1661. As miles in depth with ten acres of frontage, Charles Sevestre died in 1657 and his for the bench that he had constructed in the on the banks of the Saint-Lawrence River. wife, Marie Pichon in 1661. In the month of church and that would be occupied by him This land is one of the most beautiful. It will February 1662, they officially began the di- and by the eldest son of his descendants, also be one of the most frequented in North vision of the goods left by this couple, which would forever be reserved and was contin- America...Captivated by life in New France, must be divided between the children of the ually occupied by Lessards until 1931, then, Étienne de Lessart chooses this part of the first marriage of Marie Pichon and those of one got rid of it for the sum of sixty-five world for his children to be born. The young Charles Sevestre. Seven heirs claim their dollars. girl that he loves was born in Paris around share of houses, lands, furniture and debts Étienne was a very active man. He 1634. She is eighteen years old, and has to be equally divided. But the division of carried on business relations with many already lived in New France for seventeen a house in quarters or the division of land Merchants such as Charle Auber, Sieur de or eighteen years of her life. Marguerite or a lordship is not made without difficul- la Chesnaie de Québec and Daniel Baille, Sevestre is the daughter of Charles and ty. Also, after having all items recorded, Sieur de Saint-Meur de la Rochelle in Marie Pichon who arrived here with three justly estimated and numbered, prompt France. Étienne owned a boat, a rather large children born of the first marriage of Marie action was demanded: “Antoine Boutin one considering the times, about 30 by 13 Pichon with Philippe Gauthier, including age seven or eight years old was called to feet. It had a cabin at either end that made two girls from Marie’s second marriage. choose the numbers at random.” Étienne it seem elegant indeed and was configured Charles Sevestre is an admired man who has de Lessart had just inherited one fourth to carry cargo, often between Québec and “prominence.” His lineage perpetuate itself in a house situated on rue Notre-Dame, in Sainte-Anne; but his principal occupation until today by his dauthers. the lower city of Québec. The heirs had to Étienne de Lessart and Marguerite further share a lordship granted according (Continued on page 32) 25 Le Forum (The Lessards continued from page 25) the Lanoraie fief in 1688. seems to have been farming. Married to Marquerite Sevestre, Étienne (de) Lessard: Note that the Étienne de Lessard was survived by a large de was dropped in the late 1700’s and that family of six boys and two girls. Lessart was recorded as Lessard. Variations Étienne de Lessard, son of Jacques of the Surname are: DeLessard-Dessa- de Lessard and Marie Herson, was born in liers-Lessart and Lessard. Chamblis, diocese of SEE (Orne) in Nor- There is an estimated population of mandy. In 1645, at the age of 22, he left over 5,800 Lessards in the United States France on a ship to come to New France and over 37,000 Lessards in Canada, the (Canada). At the time only a few people majority living in and around Québec. The from Europe lived in the colony of France. United States census Records up to the 1900 Étienne owned a boat and was as- Census list over 89,000 Lessards. sociated with Martin Grouvel who was a Most Lessards can trace their ancestry navigator from Québec. This work gave Notes: to a single individual: Étienne de Lessart him the opportunity to go from Tadoussac (1) and Marguerite Sylvestre. to Trois-Rivières on the St-Laurence River Chambois: A small community of the Born in 1623 in Normandy Franc. for the purpose of transporting merchandise. diocèse de Sèes, in lower Normandy of the dépar- tement de l’Orne located about 14 km north-east Étienne de Lessard arrived in Québec in Surely he was trading furs, because in those of Argentan. 1645. Lieutenant junior grade of the militia days it was the best way to make money of Cote de Beaupré, he became co-lord of quickly. (2) Étienne de Lessart: (de) signifies (of). It is believed that it dates as far back in time be- fore surnames existed. To distinguish individuals who occupied the same name, the area, the village and other means were added to their birth name to set them apart thus becoming a surname.

(3) Tadoussac: A community in the vicinity of Trois-Rivières. (Three Rivers)

(4) Captain LeFèvre was a mariner in- volved in the shipping trade.

(5) A parcel of land: The land granted to Étienne in 1651, situated at Ste. Anne de Beaupré, was named, Saitn-Étienne, (Saint Stephen) and cleared by indentured workers whom he had in his service.

(6) Monseigneur means, Monsignor

(7) Seigneur means Lord, a title given to a nobleman. Étienne inherited this title from his father.

FRENCH-CANADIAN INFLUENCE IN THE John C. Fremont

UNITED STATES Jean-Charles FREMONT, son of a Québecois, was, in 1846, commander of the Anne-Marie Perrault, #2238 was established by Father Pierre GIBAULT. pueblo of Nuestro Senora of Los Angeles, an army which eventually defeated Mexicans. American-Canadian Genealogist Americans called him the “patriot priest”, FREMONT became governor of California Vol. 20, Number 1, Issue 59 because he promoted independence in Illi- until it was annexed into the Union in 1850. Winter 1994 nois. In 1795, Father Jean François RIVET, a native of France, opened the first school, He was the first presidential candidate of the a French-language facility, with the bless- new Republican party. His platform had four Vincennes, Indiana ing of George WASHINGTON. A library points: (1) to stop the progress of slavery opened with 5000 volumes from the personal in the free territories, (2) to admit Kansas In 1732, Francois BISSOT de Vin- library of the bishop of Vincennes, Simon to the Union. (3) to change the politics of cennes founded the city of Vincennes, BRULÉ de Bémur, from Rennes. The li- then president Pierce, (4) to build the Pacific Indiana. It was a fortified town, developed brary still exists and is recognized as one of Railroad. We all recall that FREMONT was to protect traders up and down the Missis- the best American libraries on the history of defeated by Buchanan. sippi. In 1785, the first permanent parish French in what became the United States. (Continued on page 28) 26 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 PLEASE HELP US....

Greetings! My name is Meghan Murphy, and as well as being a student here at the University of Maine, I am also a proud Franco-American and the president of FAROG. FAROG is the Franco-American Resource Opportunity Group here at the Centre. As well as having a super cool acronym, we also host monthly dinners and holiday parties for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Mar- di-Gras and more! We are a modest group and we exist for the simple purpose of gathering Franco’s together to enjoy the amazing culture we all share. We are cur- rently re-doing our office space to accommodate our busy schedule of representing Franco’s at multicultural events around campus, holding food and toy drives yearly, a full class schedule for all of our officers, and spending quality time with our amazing community members. We are accepting and appreciating donations for our self-run office remodeling, our monthly dinners, and our expenses for running the club whether it be napkins and silverware, or table cloths and food for meetings. We thank you for taking the time to read our request, and we hope to see you soon at one of our gatherings. Please follow us on Facebook, FAROG@FrancoAmericanROG, for updates on upcoming events and following our activities! Please consider supporting our student group! Make checks payable to FAROG. Thank you very much and hope to see you soon!

The top Surnames for MAINE are:

1. SMITH 2. BROWN 3. JOHNSON 4. DAVIS 5. CLARK 6. MARTIN 7. WHITE 8. JONES 9. WILLIAMS 10. ALLEN 11. PELLETIER 12. MICHAUD 13. THOMPSON 14. HALL 15. ANDERSON 16. YOUNG 17. LIBBY 18. ADAMS 19. CYR 20. OUELLETTE 21. MILLER 22. STEVENS 23. TAYLOR 24. GRAY 25. ROBINSON 26. GRANT 27. ROY 28. WILSON 29. CAMPBELL 30. KING 31. GAGNON 32. MOORE 33. COTE 34. MURPHY 35. MORIN 36. MITCHELL 37. PERKINS 38. WOOD 39. ROBERTS 40. SHAW 41. NADEAU 42. PERRY 43. JORDAN 44. BAKER 45. CURTIS 46. BEAULIEU 47. CARTER 48. MERRILL 49. THOMAS 50. BAILEY 51. PARKER 52. CARON 53. JACKSON 54. LEWIS 55. RUSSELL 56. WALKER 57. BOUCHARD 58. FOSTER 59. SMALL 60. COLE 61. DYER 62. HARRIS 63. TURNER 64. CHASE 65. RICHARDSON 66. SAWYER 67. NELSON 68. COLLINS 69. KELLEY 70. THIBODEAU 71. COOK 72. ROGERS 73. WRIGHT 74. HIGGINS 75. RICHARDS 76. LEVESQUE 77. BERRY 78. SULLIVAN 79. REED 80. MACDONALD 81. HILL 82. WARD 83. BROOKS 84. MCLAUGHLIN 85. THERIAULT 86. YORK 87. DAY 88. BENNETT 89. POULIN 90. MURRAY 91. SCOTT 92. BELANGER 93. KIMBALL 94. ROSS 95. LEE 96. DOW 97. GOODWIN 98. ELLIS 99. HANSON 100. REYNOLDS

Some of the above Anglicized are also French such as Libby, King, Young, Taylor, Foster, Wood, Baker, Dyer, Murray, Rogers, Brooks, Lewis, Richards, York etc. 27 Le Forum POETRY/POÉSIE... MEMORY FOR SALE

“In Memory of Mr. and Mrs. Edward M. Niles” reads the tiny tarnished brass plaque as I wipe away the dust with my index finger.

Who might they have been? They, whose names someone long ago affixed, with hope for posterity, to the middle door of this ornate walnut Victorian-era confessional through which have entered dozens of good shepherds to help cleanse and soothe the ailing souls of generation after generation of their repentant flocks. No, not today. Today, I can only walk down this aisle, lined also with old claw-foot bathtubs, sinks, toilets, Could they have been wealthy, prominent members of the parish, iron radiators, doors, windows, moldings, whose generous bequest easily covered the cost of this confessional? porch rails, columns, and so many more remnants Or—though much less likely—were they simple folk, of our demolished heritage, humble, and of modest means, to ask the clerk—out of mere curiosity, mind you— whose heirs made an overwhelming sacrifice “How much for the confessional?” for love of parents and as a testimony to their profound faith? For here, in the gargantuan warehouse Perhaps my questions will forever go unanswered of the local salvage company, near the millyard, because although this confessional within earshot of speeding highway traffic rests in familiar company beside pews, communion rail, and the rush of the Merrimack’s waters, sanctuary chairs, tabernacle, stained-glass windows, lies the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Edward M. Niles. and other furnishings of worship, I can’t walk down this aisle before me Anyone care to buy a memory? to ask the pastor, “Who were these special people whose memory we’re being asked to honor ––– by Robert B. Perreault for all time?”

(FRENCH-CANADIAN INFLUENCE IN French in 1970, and raised sheep for wool. were reflected in 427 Franco parishes in THE UNITED STATES continued from New England, representing 30% of all Ro- page 26) First Fire Company in San Fran- man Catholic New England parishes. Also cisco part of this: 1,000 priests and 264 colleges, Hot Water in your Hotel? Thank The first fire company in San Francis- high schools and parochial schools, serving Remi Nadeau co was founded by a group of Francophones 8,000 students. and was named, “Companie Lafayette des In 1940, 82% of all Franco immigrants A Québec native, NADEAU built a Echelles et de Crochets” (hooks and Lad- to New England still spoke French. In his covered wagon, grew grapes, developed ders). campaign speeches in the area, Francklin the largest vineyard in the world, built the Roosevelt occasionally spoke French. first hotel in the West to boast hot and cold French-Canadian Immigration to running water and an elevator and was the United States widely known in Los Angeles as the “crazy Frenchman”. You will find a street in the In 1808, 300 Franco families had City of Angels named for NADEAU. moved to the Québec border of Vermont. In 1837, Vermont became the refuge of the Pa- Gold in California: Charles triots, following the failure of the Papineau Prud’homme Rebellion. Between the years of 1870 and American-Canadian 1890, 200,000 French-Canadians crossed Genealogical Society In 1842, Charles PRUD’HOMME dis- into New England. Between the years of P.O. Box 6478 covered gold in California. Many French- 1890 and 1910, the number decreased to Manchester, NH 03108-6478 man came to the Gold Rush from France 150,000. For the entire period of 1871-1931, and their descendants still live in the town the number was 1,600,000 from the province of Battlemountain, Nevada, completely sur- of Québec and 400,000 from France. https://acgs.org/ rounded by Amerindians. They still spoke In 1950, the results of this emigration

28 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 Canadian Maritimes. MUSIC/MUSIQUE What I most enjoyed about watching National Award Recipients Don and Cindy perform was the pleasure of feeling like they were comfortable guests in my home, as though they just stopped by to Honored Franco-American say “bonjour”. Their joy of performing is as much a part of their talent as are their expert musician couple perform during musical abilities. Saint John Baptiste celebrations St. John Baptist program are held annually around the saint’s feast day of June 24, to honor the cousin of June 23, 2018 Franco-American News and CultureFranco-American Jesus Christ and the patron of Quebec. In fact, there are places in France where Collection, Franco-Gendron Center, Lewiston Maine, National Heritage the ceremonies continue to be a tradition, Fellowship said Mary Rice-DeFosse, who is a French By Juliana L'Heureux professor at Bates College and a member No, not today. Today, I can only walk down this aisle, of the Franco-Gendron Board of Directors lined also with old claw-foot bathtubs, sinks, toilets, LEWISTON, Me– It was a special he taught himself how to play the tunes on and the Franc-American Collection Board iron radiators, doors, windows, moldings, occasion to enjoy the performance of the the recordings. “I would go to sleep while of Directors at the University of Southern porch rails, columns, and so many more remnants talented Don and Cindy (Lebrecque) Roy, listening to the long playing records,” he Maine Lewiston Auburn College. of our demolished heritage, when the talented musical couple from told the audience who attended the duo’s Congratulations to the vibrantly to ask the clerk—out of mere curiosity, mind you— Gorham performed on Friday, June 22, at performance in Lewiston. talented Don and Cindy Roy! Maine is “How much for the confessional?” the Saint John Baptiste celebration held at Among those attending their en- fortunate to have you among the state’s rec- the Franco-Gendron Center, on Cedar Street joyable performance was Marie-Claude ognized Franco-American musicians. Your For here, in the gargantuan warehouse in Lewiston. Francoeur, the Quebec delegate to New NEA National Heritage Fellowship honor is of the local salvage company, near the millyard, England, who came from Boston to attend. well deserved. within earshot of speeding highway traffic and the rush of the Merrimack’s waters, lies the memory of Mr. and Mrs. Edward M. Niles.

Anyone care to buy a memory? Don and Cindy Roy with Marie-Claude Francoeur, from the

––– by Robert B. Perreault Quebec Delegation to New England from Boston, at the Franco-Gendron Center in Lewiston, Maine

In fact, the talented Maine musical duo (Congratulations to Madame Francoeur for will be inducted into the National Heritage celebrating her birthday during the June 22 Fellows by the National Endowment for the program!). Arts, during the organization’s September During their 40 year partnership, the Don and Cindy Roy performed at the 28, 2018 ceremonies. They are expert per- Roy’s have performed at Carnegie Hall, at Franco-Gendron Center in Lewiston formers. Don Roy is a masterful fiddler, he the Lincoln Center in New York City, the Maine on June 22 for the Saint John even makes violins. His talented wife Cindy Kennedy Center and the Library of Congress Baptiste program. accompanies him on piano and entertains in Washington DC. Don Roy is a leader with step dancing during certain segments among Maine’s best fiddlers. He attributes of the music. They are fun to watch and their his talent to a deep respect he holds for the http://francoamerican.bangordailynews. personal chemistry demonstrate their joy in musical traditions he grew up with in his com/2018/06/23/franco-american-news- performing lively Franco-American music. family and his Franco-American heritage. and-culture/honored-franco-american- In fact, Don Roy learned to play the His family lived in Rockland when he musician-couple-perform-during-st-john- violin at 15 years old. He played music with grew up and their Franco-American roots baptist-program/ his Uncle Lucian, who is also a talented originated in the Winslow area of Maine. fiddler. He taught himself the Franco-Amer- During school vacations, he would go to ican music and fiddling by ear, while lis- Westbrook to fish and play music with his tening to long playing records of fiddlers Uncle Lucien. His wife Cindy grew up in a music. He would put the records on a stack Franco-American family and her ancestry is and set the playing speed at 16 rounds per traced to the French-Canadians who came minute, so he could hear the notes while to Maine from Prince Edward Island, in the 29 Le Forum Coin des jeunes...

Les Couleurs/Colors

Draw a line from the English to the French color.

1. Brown 1. Noir 2. White 2. Bleu 3. Light Purple 3. Gris 4. Violet or purple 4. Rouge 5. Yellow 5. Orange 6. Beige 6. Marron 7. Pink 7. Beige 8. Red 8. Violet 9. Orange 9. Mauve 10. green 10. Brun 11. Blue 11. Blanc 12. Gray 12. Rose 13. Black 13. Bleu 30 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (N.D.L.R. Reprinted from Le Club Français Newsletter, Le Fanal. Publié par Marie-Anne Gauvin dans Le Fanal (Le Club Français) en avril 2008. Soumis par Jacqueline Blesso. LA PIE BAVARDE À tous et à chacun: Là, il trouva un garçon pris dans la boue jusqu’à la ceinture. Le fermier Fleming Un envoi qui mérite d’être lu vient sauva le jeune d’une mort lente et terrifiante. de mon amie qui habite dans une banlieu Le lendemain, une diligence grand de Chicago et qui a joué un role innoce- luxe arriva à la maison du pauvre Écossais. Le fils du fermier Fleming fut instruit ment dans l’enchaînement des évènements Un noble en vêtement élégant descenda et dans les meilleures écoles en finissant ses menant aux fonds en fidéicommi Mikesell. se présenta comme le père du garçon que le etudes à St. Mary’s Hospital Medical School L’article semble avoir été écrit en 2001 et fermier Fleming avait secourut. “Je veux à Londres. Par la suite il se fit connaître à la copie sur America on Line est daté de vous payer,” dit L’aristocrate. “ Vous avez travers le monde entier comme le célèbre 2004. L’auteur m’est inconnu. Je l’ai traduit sauvez la vie de mon fils.” “Non, je ne peut Sir Alexander Fleming qui a découvert la en français parce que c’est écrit en anglais. pas accepter de paiement pour ce que j’ai pénécilline. fait,” répondit le fermier écossait en refusant Deux ans plus tard, le fils du même LE TITRE: Moment propice, Endroit cet offre. À cet instant le fils du fermier vint noble qui fut sauvé du marais fit une pneu- favorable à la porte du taudis familial. “Est-ce votre monie. Comment lui a-t-on sauvé la vie cette (The Right Time, The Right Place) fils?” demanda le noble. “Oui,” répondit fois. La pénécilline! Le nom du noble? Lord Le sujet: Amitié fièrement le fermier. Je vais vous faire un Randolph Churchill. Le nom du fils? Sir marché. Permettez que je fasse instruire Winston Churchill. Il s’’appelait Flemming ce pauvre votre fils du même niveau que mon fils. Si fermier écossais. Un jour, en travaillant pour le jeune retient quelque chose de son père, Votre pie bavarde. Marie-Anne faire vivre sa famille, il entend un appelle, sans doute il deviendra l’homme dont Au secours “ ,” venant d’un marais tout près. nous seront fiers tous les deux.” Ce Il mit ses outils de côté et courut au marais. fut ce qu’il a fait.

À tous et à chacun: façon. Soudain, tout près de moi, un son l’antenne installée dans un poteau dehors comme si quelqu’un avait lancer une grosse rendant meilleure réception de la radio. En Comme vous le savez tous, nous roche dans le trou d’eau. FLOC! Un grand suivant le fil de l’antenne, le tonnerre avait avons cinq sens, l’ouïe, l’odorat, le gout et cri m’a échappé tellement ça m’a fait peur. pénétré dans la maison et brûlé l’intérieur le toucher. En général, nous ne sommes pas Je ne l’avais pas vu mais un castor, lui, de la radio. Il a continué à suivre le fil qui conscients de ces sens qui nous permettent m’avait vue. Lui aussi, je crois avait été brûlait àu fur et à mesure qu’il avançait de fonctionner normalement. Une inter- surpris. C’est leur façon de nous avertir. Il jusqu’au sous-sol en s’évadant par le fil de ruption de la normale nous fait réagir de se claque la grosse queue plate sur l’eau. Je terre à l’extérieur. différentes manières. l’ai vu s’en aller la tête sur l’eau suivant le Ce petit récit prouve que plusieurs courant, fier de son coup! La vue m’a aidée sens, louïe, l’odorat et la vue ensemble Par exemple, l’ouîe permet la percep- à comprendre ce qui s’était passé. peuvent s’engager à nous surprendre ou tion des sons. Si c’est trop fort nous avons De temps en temps, plusieurs sens à nous prévenir du danger. Ma foi, j’étais envie de se mettre les mains sur les oreilles, ensemble nous font réagir. Longtemps tellement traumatisée que j’ai eu peur l’organe de l’ouïe. C’est une réaction nor- passé, 1944, j’étais assise à lire dans un jusqu’au lendemain quand j’ai pu enfin male qui veut protéger les parties délicates fauteuil à bascule dans le petit salon de la maîtriser mon énervement. Heureusement, internes. De nos jours ceux qui travaillent maison familiale et mon père supposément jamais plus ai-je eu peur des tempêtes de près de ou avec des machines bruyantes écoutait la radio dans l’autre coin du salon. tonnerre. Apprécions tous nos cinq sens. Ils doivent se protéger en portant des cache- Je crois qu’il sommeillait plutôt, les jambes sont merveilleusement créés. oreilles. allongées devant lui. Ma mère dans la cui- sine, la première à réagir au pet qui nous a Votre pie bavarde. Marie-Anne Si le son est bref mais très fort, il peut paru comme un coup de fusil. Sans avoir le nous faire sauter ou nous faire échapper un temps de réagir au cri de mort de ma mère, cri de surprise. Je me rappelle qu’un beau la radio s’est mise à péter du feu. Aie! Je suis matin j’étais allée essayer de pêcher dans le restée figée dans ma chaise. Mon père s’est petit ruisseau qui se vidait dans le lac pas très vite replier les jambes. Tous les deux, nous loin de mon chalet. Je suis arrivée avions la vue fixée sur les étincelles qui pétil- silencieusement au bord d’un remous. laient en arrière de la radio et qui roulaient J’ai envoyé ma ligne dans ce remous avec vers nous sur le plancher. Puis une odeur un ver de terre accroché au hameçon. J’étais de foudre et de fumé nous avertissaient que seule. Tout était silencieux sauf quelques quelque chose brûlait. Nous avons compris oiseaux et le ruisseau qui chantaient à leur plus tard que le tonnerre était tombé dans 31 Le Forum BOOKS/ LIVRES... French-Canadian Legacy podcast

April 5, 2019 Franco-American News and CultureFleur de Lys, French-Canadians, Haiti, immigration

By Juliana L'Heureux

Good questions were posed during my “by race, ‘uncongenial'” to the institutions podcast interview with Jesse Martineau on familiar in New England traditions and the French-Canadian Legacy podcast. In politics. (p. 67). Moreover, one politician fact, the interview is now live at this site. even wrote an essay in the Cyclopaedia of We enjoyed an uplifting discussion Political Science (a publication that began Immigration history then and now. about Franco-American identity. publishing in 1881) about how “Institutions Franco-Americans are unaware about the In the podcast, I was able to reflect which were successful with the well-trained discrimination experienced by their ances- about the history of Franco-Americans and and thoughtful New England Community, tors. In fact, there are many Franco-Amer- cultural identity. Although I’m not a so- could not work with the “mixed and ignorant icans who are unaware about where their ciologist or anthropologist, my experience population.” Other opinions about the im- grand-parents came from when they immi- writing about the culture has exposed a migrants to New England, claimed that the grated to New England from Canada. It is universal theme about the Franco-American new arrivals of Irish and French-Canadians a tribute to today’s French-Canadians that subtitle, being a Quiet Presence” (per Dyke “caused a shock to the population”. their outreach programs to Franco-Ameri- Hendrickson). In fact, Franco-American Of course, today, the Franco-Ameri- cans have supported building those historic history does not blend with the homogenized cans who are descended from the French-Ca- cultural connections. For example, signing Great American Melting Pot, the Fleur de Lys agreements with because the history of immigra- Franco-American cultural associa- tion, beginning in 1604, with the tions, are among these efforts. failed St. Croix Island settlement, pre-dated the Plymouth Colony. Blaine House distinguished guests Instead, Franco-Americans have on March 19, 2019 (left) Severin experienced the marginalization Beliveau of the U.S., Stephanie Jean of their history, and culture, large- of Haiti, Marie-Claude Francoeur of ly because of language, religious Quebec, Armand Mentre of France and immigration discrimination. and Marc Jacques of Canada. This It’s important for Fran- historic photograph (photo credit co-Americans to have their stories Juliana L’Heureux) is an example told. It’s important because of the of how the French and the French- credit deserved for the sacrifices, Canadians have reached out to and contributions they have made Maine’s Franco-Americans and for the development of the indus- other French speaking cultures. trialization of New England, for their patriotism and as examples of the immigrants’ American Dream. nadians, are assimilated into 25 percent of In my opinion, learning about Fran- It’s interesting to read about the histo- Maine’s population. Franco-Americans are co-American history is important because ry of immigration attitudes that were framed Maine’s largest ethnic minority. “Maine the experiences of our ancestors and im- during the 19th century’s industrialization is the most French of the New England migrants will connect us to what we are of New England. In the book, “Ancestors states,” said Severin Beliveau, in a 2016, witnessing today, with the immigrants who and Immigrants: A changing New England speech given to the American Council of are desperately fleeing economic insecurity Tradition“, by Barbara Miller Solomon, Quebec Studies, published in Le Forum, a and persecution in their native countries. published in 1956, she described attitudes University of Maine quarterly journal. This Our immigration histories share their human about immigrants that were held in the past. cultural transition, from French-Canadians condition. Unfortunately, many of the attitudes seem to to Franco-American citizens, occurred While browsing through some of the have transcended time. There are definitely within three to four generations after the materials I’ve collected about French-Cana- parallel opinions between then and now. arrival of the first immigrants, as described dians and immigration, I found a reference In fact, the book described an “An- in Solomon’s history. published in “The Franco Files“, by the glo-Saxon complex”, documented in 1880, As I prepared to answer the thought- Franco-American writer Jo Anne Lapointe, by noted academics who complained about ful questions asked during the interesting attributed to John Lambton (1792-1840), how the Irish and the French Canadians were podcast, it occurred to me how many (Continued on page 33) 32

(Continued on page 34) SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 BOOKS/ LIVRES... Franco-America in the Making: The Creole Nation Within

Jonathan K. Gosnell U of Nebraska Press, 2018 - History -

Every June the city of Lowell, Massa- festation and persistence of hybrid Fran- chusetts, celebrates Franco-American Day, co-American literary, musical, culinary, and raising the Franco-American flag and host- media cultures in North America, especially ing events designed to commemorate French New England and southern Louisiana. To culture in the Americas. Though there are shed light on the French cultural legacy in twenty million French speakers and people North America long after the formal end within the new and evolving field of post- of French or francophone descent in North of the French empire in the mid-eighteenth colonial Francophone studies by exploring America, making them the fifth-largest eth- century, Gosnell seeks out hidden French the story of the peoples and ideas contrib- nic group in the United States, their cultural or “Franco” identities and sites of memory uting to the evolution and articulation of a legacy has remained nearly invisible. Events in the United States and Canada that qui- Franco-American cultural identity in the like Franco-American Day, however, attest etly proclaim an intercontinental French New World. Gosnell asks what it means to French ethnic permanence on the Amer- presence, examining institutions of higher to be French, not simply in America but of ican topography. learning, literature, folklore, newspapers, America. In Franco-America in the Making, women’s organizations, and churches. This Jonathan K. Gosnell examines the mani- study situates Franco-American cultures

(French-Canadian Legacy podcast Maxi's Secrets continued from page 32) (or, what you can learn from a dog) the 1st Earl of Durham: “He thought that French Canadians, whom he described by Lynn Plourde as a people ‘without history and without Illustrated by literature’, would gradually abandon their Maira Kalman (cover art) identity.” https://www.cbc.ca/history/EPIS- Nancy Paulsen Books/Pen- CONTENTSE1EP7CH5PA1LE.html guin It’s important to set the record straight To be honest, I never dreamed of getting a dog. and prevent that wrong minded prophesy Maxi was a bribe from my parents. from happening. Timminy is moving to a new town and going to a new school for grades 5-8, where he’s the shortest Franco-Americans have a special kid at the school and where his dad is the new assistant immigration history and the 400 years of principal. No wonder his parents get him a dog as a historical stories continue to be told. “bribe!” But Timminy and his parents get more than they bargain for. Their new Great Pyrenees puppy Maxi (short for Maxine) is large, lively, “Merci!”, to Jesse Martineau, for and lovable, but also DEAF. While Timminy is busy feeling sorry for himself after getting bringing attention to this history in the teased at school and shoved into lockers, Maxi and their next door neighbor Abby who’s French-Canadian Legacy podcast. blind show Timminy that you don’t have to be just like everyone else to ‘fit in.” But will Timminy learn that lesson along with all the other secrets to life Maxi tries to teach him?

https://francoamerican. https://www.lynnplourde.com/index.php/books?bid=35 bangordailynews.com/2019/04/05/ franco-american-news-and-culture/ french-canadian-legacy-podcast/

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(Continued on page 34) Le Forum https://robertberubeblog.wordpress.com/ possédais au sujet de cette famille ances- trale étaient la chanson de Célina Lepage, la courte histoire concernant l’exil et bien La vieille photo entendu la photo des Racette-Moisan. Trois éléments qui manquaient de liens entre eux. par Robert Bérubé Et la vie continua… Une photo en noir et blanc révélant un quitté St-Jacques comme plusieurs Québé- Lorsque j’avais le temps, je m’adon- passé vieux de plus d’un siècle. Dans la pho- cois du temps et s’étaient aventurés au nais à mon passe-temps d’apprenti généal- to, il y a deux personnes assez âgées. Elles Massachusetts afin de survivre. Ils étaient ogiste et je faisais des découvertes. La sont assises sur des chaises de bois devant des réfugiés économiques et la vie aux États- première fut le recensement américain de une maison en bois. La vieille femme porte Unis pour cette famille n’était pas plus facile 1880. Ce document me révéla que la famille un bonnet. Son mari, un homme à la barbe qu’elle ne l’avait été au Québec. Célina Moisan-Lepage vivait à Chicopee Hampden blanche, porte un grand chapeau. Il y a deux Lepage, la fille aînée d’Euphémie et d’Israël, dans l’État de Massachusetts. Israël (33 ans) enfants. Une fille et un garçon au seuil de avait raconté les péripéties de sa vie à ses et ses filles Célina (16 ans) et Délia (15 ans) l’adolescence. Il y a aussi deux jeunes hom- enfants et à ses petits-enfants, et à ma mère travaillaient dans un ‘cotton mill’, une usine mes, affichant des moustaches, des complets Huguette Marion. Maman nous avait régalés de tissage de coton. Les sœurs Louisia (11 et des chapeaux melon. Il y a quatre jeunes avec les histoires d’aventures de sa grand- ans), Parmélia (9 ans) et Wivina (Ouivina) femmes. Les robes sont longues reflétant la mère aux États. Pendant de nombreuses (7 ans) fréquentaient l’école et les deux mode du temps. Toutes les personnes portent années tout ce que je savais, c’est que Célina plus jeunes Malvina (4 ans) et Luména (2 des souliers et elles sont endimanchées. et ses sœurs avaient travaillé dans des usines ans) vivaient à la maison. Une dernière fille Tous ont un air très sérieux sauf la vieille de textile à Holyoke, au Massachusetts. Ce Alexina est née au Massachusetts après le qui affiche un début de sourire. Quelle était n’était pas une vie facile. Ils vivaient dans recensement. Dans le document l’épouse l’occasion qui a engendré cette photo? Un une communauté d’exilés canadiens franco- d’Israël se prénomme «Molzer» (34 ans) et mariage? Des funérailles? Impossible de phones parsemée d’immigrants de diverses son rôle était de «keeping house» donc elle déterminer en regardant cette photo. origines européennes. Célina connaissait était ménagère du foyer. Ce prénom m’était Depuis un très jeune âge, j’ai été un un peu l’anglais, assez pour travailler. Elle étrangé et il me fascinait. Je ne voyais passionné de la généalogie. Lorsque j’avais avait appris une chanson bilingue et elle la aucun lien phonétique entre Euphémie et 18 ans, l’oncle maternel de ma grand-mère chantait à ses descendants. Molzer. Ce n’est qu’en feuilletant davantage maternelle, Hormidas Lepage, me donna ‘I went to the market mon petit panier le document que j’ai constaté que presque une copie d’une photo de la famille de ses sous mon bras. I went to the market mon pe- toutes les épouses originaires du Canada grands-parents maternels accompagnés de tit panier sous mon bras. The first girl I met français portaient le nom Molzer. Une mère quelques membres de leur famille. Il m’a was la fille d’un avocat. I love you et vous en anglais est «mother». Certes, le recenseur dit : «Y’a pu personne qui veut ça sauf toi! ne m’entendez guère, I love you et vous ne comprenait mal l’accent francophone et » Il ajouta : «C’est une copie d’une photo m’entendez pas…’ toutes les «mother» héritèrent du prénom qui a été envoyée à des gens de la famille La famille Moisan-Lepage a vécu aux Molzer. Notre bonne Euphémie Moisan exilée aux États-Unis. » Je voulais des États-Unis pendant dix ans. Les conditions s’était faite américaniser et fut transformée précisions concernant la photo. Qui étaient de vie étaient très difficiles et dans les usines, statistiquement en Molzer Lepage. les personnes dans la photo? Quelle était le travail encore plus dangereux. De plus, Le deuxième document trouvé fut un la circonstance? En quelle année la photo un des moulins avait brûlé et plusieurs per- condensé d’histoire produit par la société avait-elle été prise? Malgré son âge avancé, sonnes avaient péri. Le manque de sécurité historique du Nouvel-Ontario intitulé «Vern- Hormidas était centenaire et plus, il possé- financière et physique, l’isolement, la pres- er et Lafontaine». On y raconte : dait une mémoire encyclopédique de son sion du clergé de rapatrier les exilés furent «Grand branle-bas dans la colonie. histoire familiale. les raisons principales qui ont motivé leur M.I. Lepage arrivait avec ses huit filles. Huit «Tout ce que je sais c’est que les retour au Canada. Une odyssée monumen- filles dans une paroisse de colons. Que de deux vieux sont Louis Moisan et Eulalie tale les attendait car la famille retournait au mariages en perspective…» Racette! Pour les enfants, je ne pourrais Canada mais non au Québec. Ils devenaient La chroniqueuse oublie de mentionner pas te dire qui est qui. La photo a été prise des pionniers d’une nouvelle colonie dans le fait que Monsieur I. Lepage et ses huit à St-Jacques-L’Achigan au Québec! Pour le nord de l’Ontario. Ils quittaient une ville filles étaient aussi accompagnés de son l’année, je sais que c’est avant le départ de américaine moderne, en pleine révolution épouse et de leur mère Euphémie Moisan. mes parents qui sont déménagés au Massa- industrielle, pour vivre dans un pays où il Ayant vécu la transformation de son nom, chusetts vers 1877. Ils étaient allés travailler n’y avait que peu de population. En quelque la pauvre femme était maintenant reléguée dans les usines de tissage. » sorte, ils devenaient les premiers habitants à l’oubli. Tel est le sort de plusieurs de nos La mère d’Hormidas, Euphémie dans un territoire immense et éloigné avec pionnières en terre Nord-Américaine. L’his- Moisan, était aussi la fille d’Eulalie Racette une profusion de lacs, peu de terres cultiva- toire est injuste envers nos mères! L’arrivée et de Louis Moisan. Cette Euphémie que je bles, des forêts immenses et des maringouins des Moisan-Lepage en territoire de coloni- ne pouvais identifier dans la photo, et ce, gros comme des rats. Tout était à découvrir. sation eu lieu en 1887. Personne n’a décrit à cause des ressemblances avec ses sœurs Tout était à construire. Un avenir se dressait. la route précise et les défis encourus par avait épousé Israël Lepage. Euphémie et Pendant de nombreuses années les cette famille lorsqu’ils ont quitté Chicopee Israël, accompagnés de leurs filles, avaient seuls renseignements et documents que je (Suite page 35) 34 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (La vieille photo suite de premiers membres de cette famille à s’ex- mon ancêtre Louis, de son épouse Eulalie page 34) iler aux États-Unis. Louis Moisan avait un Racette, ses enfants et ses frères et sœurs. Il Hamden au Massachusetts pour se rendre à frère qui avait quitté St-Jacques l’Achigan parle du quotidien, du journal ‘La Minerve’, Verner, en Ontario. Ce qui est dit cependant en 1838. Il s’appelait Thomas Moisan. Son du curé, de ses vaches, de ses agneaux et de c’est qu’ils sont arrivés durant la nuit et qu’il histoire témoigne d’une vie extraordinaire. ses chevaux et de ce qui lui tient à coeur. Il n’y avait ni hôtel, ni maison, ni famille qui rapporte des détails concernant la santé et les attendaient. Le train arrêta à une ving- En 1838, âgé de 28 ans, Thomas Mois- la condition de vie de ses proches. Le vo- taine de kilomètres de leur destination finale. an s’est rendu à New-Orleans en Louisiane cabulaire et les expressions sont empreints La dernière partie de leur périple est presque pour assumer le poste de trappeur pour la de catholicité, d’archaïsme et de terroir. Ce incroyable. Les dix membres de la famille «American Fur Company». En 1839, il qui est des plus touchants c’est la salutation ont dû se transporter eux-mêmes, en utilisant traversa les Rocheuses pour se rendre à Fort de la fin : deux vélocipèdes manuels sur les rails. La Vancouver, voyage long et très périlleux. «Je suis ton tendre frère rédactrice précise qu’un voisin «ne put leur Durant ce temps, il a occupé les fonctions Louis Moisan qui ne t’oubliera ja- offrir que le plancher de la cuisine ce que la de mineur en Californie, d’employé chez mais.» famille Lepage accepta avec plaisir». Ch- McLoughlin et ensuite d’engagé chez la Le lecteur se demande si les deux aque fois que je relie ce passage je suis très «Hudson’s Bay Company». En 1842, il a frères se sont revus au moins une fois avant ému. Les défis qu’ils ont surmontés dénotent établi une réclamation territoriale à Salem de mourir. Je doute… la dureté d’une vie de colonisation et d’une en Orégon, devenant fermier et propriétaire terre inhospitalière, mais aussi leur force de d’un grand domaine. Le 3 octobre 1842, Une seconde lettre écrite par un autre caractère et, surtout leur détermination de Thomas avait épousé Henriette Longtain frère, Pierre, le 25 mars 1888 est adressée surmonter des obstacles en dehors de toutes fille d’André Longtain et de Nancy Okana- à la veuve de Thomas Moisan, Henriette mesures humaines.

À Verner, la vie des Moisan-Lepage continua… En 1888, Euphémie Moisan donna gan. Durant sa vie, Thomas a géré plusieurs Longtain. Pierre parle du deuil éprouvé suite naissance à un fils, Hormidas Lepage. Hor- entreprises et est devenu riche. Il a construit à la mort de Thomas. Henriette dans une cor- midas bien entendu, était l’arrière grand-on- une très belle maison qui, à l’époque a respondance antérieure avait demandé aux cle qui m’avait donné la photo. Les huit filles fait beaucoup d’envieux. Cette maison est Moisan de lui faire parvenir des photos de Lepage se sont trouvé des conjoints et à elles maintenant un musée. Thomas Moisan est famille. Pierre confirme que les photos de fa- sont seules les ancêtres d’une bonne partie aujourd’hui considéré comme un des pion- mille lui seront remises dans quelques temps de la population du Nouvel-Ontario. niers et fondateurs de l’État de l’Orégon. par le Missionnaire Monsieur Delorme. Il Connaissant ma passion pour la Bien que la vie extraordinaire de termine sa correspondance en indiquant qu’il généalogie, plusieurs descendants de cette Thomas Moisan mérite une attention toute est son beau-frère pour la vie. famille me firent don de photos, et je les en particulière, tel n’est pas le but premier de Une photo en noir et blanc révélant un remercie. Le séjour des filles Moisan-Lepage mes propos. Une autre découverte m’atten- passé vieux de plus d’un siècle. Dans la pho- aux États-Unis était bel et bien documenté. dait! En approfondissant mes recherches j’ai to, il y a deux personnes assez âgées. Elles Adolescentes, Célina et ses sœurs profitèrent découvert que Thomas Moisan entretenait sont assises sur des chaises de bois devant un peu de la vie américaine. Le legs pour la une correspondance avec ses neveux et une maison en bois. La vieille femme porte postérité, de leur exode à Chicopee Hamden, ses frères dont Pierre de Montréal et Louis un bonnet. Son mari, un homme à la barbe fut une trentaine de belles photos prises par Moisan de St-Jacques. Mon Louis Moisan! blanche, porte un grand chapeau. Il y a deux un photographe professionnel. Celui qui était le père d’Euphémie Moisan, enfants. Une fille et un garçon au seuil de Il y a quelques mois, je recherchais des grand-père de Célina Lepage, qui était la l’adolescence. Il y a aussi deux jeunes hom- renseignements additionnels au sujet d’Eu- mère de Maria Fortin, qui avait donné nais- mes, affichant des moustaches, des complets phémie Moisan et de ses parents Louis Mois- sance à Huguette Marion, ma mère. et des chapeaux melons. Il y a quatre jeunes an et Eulalie Racette. Ma grande découverte Le 27 juillet 1861, Louis Moisan avait femmes. Les robes sont longues reflétant la fut celle d’apprendre qu’Euphémie Moisan rédigé une longue lettre à son frère Thomas. mode du temps. Toutes les personnes portent et son époux Israël Lepage n’étaient pas les Cette lettre donne un aperçu de la vie de (Suite page 36) 35 Le Forum https://robertberubeblog.wordpress.com/ (La vieille photo suite de page 35) The old photo by Robert Bérubé

A black and white photo revealing a to survive. They were economic refugees past of more than a century. In the photo, and life in the United States was no easier there are two elderly people. They sit on than it had been in Québec. Célina Lepage, wooden chairs in front of a wooden house. the eldest daughter of Euphémie and Israël, The old woman wears a bonnet. Her hus- had recalled and shared the adventures of band, a man with a white beard, wears a her life with her children and grandchildren big hat. There are two children. A girl and a one of whom was my mother Huguette boy on the threshold of adolescence. There Marion. Maman had entertained us with her are also two young men, with mustaches, grandmother’s stories of adventures in the suits and bowler hats. There are four young States. For many years all I knew was that women. The dresses are long, reflecting Célina and her sisters had worked in textile the fashion of the time. All the people are factories in Holyoke, Massachusetts. It was wearing shoes and their Sunday best. All of not an easy life. They lived in a community them show a very serious look except the of French-Canadian exiles dotted with immi- old woman who displays what seems to be grants from various European backgrounds. the beginning of a smile. What was the oc- Célina knew a little English, enough to work. casion that spawned this photo? A marriage? She had learned a bilingual song and had A funeral? It is impossible to determine the sung it to her descendants. occasion by looking at the photo. “I went to the market mon petit panier From a very young age, I was a sous mon bras. I went to the market mon pe- passionate genealogist. When I was 18, tit panier sous mon bras. The first girl I met the maternal uncle of my maternal grand- was la fille d’un avocat. I love you et vous mother, Hormidas Lepage, gave me a copy ne m’entendez guère, I love you et vous ne of a photo of the family of his maternal m’entendez pas…” des souliers et elles sont endimanchées. grandparents shown with some members The Moisan-Lepage family lived in Tous ont un air très sérieux sauf la vieille of their family. He said, “There’s nobody the United States for ten years. The living qui affiche un début de sourire. Quelle était who wants those souvenirs except you!” He conditions were very difficult and even more l’occasion qui a engendré cette photo? Un added, “This was a copy of a photo that was dangerous in the textile industries. In addi- mariage? Des funérailles? Impossible de sent to exiled family in the United States I tion, one of the mills had burned and several déterminer en regardant cette photo. wanted some details about the picture What people had perished. The lack of financial Je pouvais maintenant conclure que was the circumstance? When was the photo and physical security, isolation, and pressure la photo de Louis Moisan, d’Eulalie Rac- taken? Despite his advanced age, because from the clergy to repatriate the exiles were ette et de leurs enfants avait été prise avant Hormidas was over one hundred years old, the main reasons for their return to Canada. 1877, avant le départ d’Euphémie Moisan he displayed an encyclopaedic memory of A monumental odyssey awaited them as the et d’Israël Lepage. Un des destinataires de his family history. family returned to Canada but not to Québec. cette photo était, sans aucun doute, Thomas Hormidas stated: “ All I know is that They became pioneers of a new settlement Moisan. Le fait de recevoir une photo était the two old folks are Louis Moisan and in northern Ontario. They were leaving a la seule façon de voir sa famille lorsque Eulalie Racette. As for the children I could modern American city, in full industrial rev- l’on vivait aux deux extrêmes d’un conti- not tell you who is who.The photo was olution, to live in a country where there was nent durant les débuts d’une colonisation taken in St-Jacques-L’Achigan in Québec. little population. In a way, they became the en terre américaine. Mais, quel précieux As for the year, I know that it was before first inhabitants in an immense and remote témoignage! my parents departure when they moved to territory known for its a profusion of lakes, Massachusetts around 1877. They had gone not much cultivated land, immense forests, to work in the weaving mills. “ and gigantic mosquitoes. Everything was to Hormidas’ mother, Euphémie Moisan, be discovered. Everything had to be built. was also the daughter of Eulalie Racette and This was the beginning of new future. Louis Moisan. This Euphémie, that I could For many years, the only information not identify in the photograph, because of and documents that I possessed regarding her resemblance to her sisters, had married this family of ancestors were Célina Lep- Israël Lepage. Euphémie and Israël, ac- age’s song, the short story about their exile companied by their daughters, had left St. and return and the Racette-Moisan photo. Jacques as had many Québécois of the time And life went on … and had ventured into Massachusetts in order (Continued on page 37) 36 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 (The old photo continued form almost incredible. The ten members of the Although the extraordinary life of page 36) family had to transport themselves, using Thomas Moisan deserves special attention, two manual rail carts! The writter states this is not the primary purpose of this text. When I had the time, I devoted myself that a neighbor “could only offer them the Another discovery awaited me! In deepening to my hobby as an apprentice genealogist floor of their kitchen as lodging.. .and that my research I discovered that Thomas Mois- and I made discoveries. The first was the the Lepage family accepted this offer with an had a correspondence with his nephews American census of 1880. This document pleasure”. Every time I read this passage and brothers including Pierre from Montréal revealed to me that the Moisan-Lepage I am very moved. The challenges they and Louis Moisan from St-Jacques. My Lou- family lived in Chicopee Hampden, Mas- overcame denote the harshness of life of is Moisan! He was the father of Euphémie sachusetts. Israël (33) and his daughters pionneers in an inhospitable land, and also Moisan, grandfather of Célina Lepage, who Célina (16) and Délia (15) worked in a all their determination to overcome obstacles was the mother of Maria Fortin, who had cotton mill, a cotton weaving plant. Their beyond ordinary human measure. given birth to Huguette Marion, my mother. sisters Louisia (11), Parmélia (9) and Wiv- In Verner, the life of Moisan-Lepage On July 27, 1861, Louis Moisan wrote ina (Ouivina) (7) attended school and the continued … a long letter to his brother Thomas. This two youngest ones Malvina (4 years) and In 1888, Euphémie Moisan gave birth letter gives an insight into the life of my Luména (2 years) lived at home. One last to a son, Hormidas Lepage. Hormidas of ancestor Louis, his wife Eulalie Racette, his daughter Alexina was born in Massachusetts course, was the great great-uncle who had children and his brothers and sisters. He talks after the census. In the document the wife given me the picture. The eight Lepage about everyday life, about the newspaper of Israël is named “Molzer” (34 years) and daughters had found spouses and are the ‘La Minerve’, about the priest, about his her role was “keeping house” so she was a ancestors of much of Northern Ontario’s cows, his lambs and his horses and what he housewife. That name was foreign to me population. loves. He reports on the health and living and it fascinated me. I did not see any pho- Knowing my passion for genealogy, conditions of his family. The vocabulary netic link between Euphémie and Molzer. It many descendants of this family donated and the expressions are marked by catho- was only by flipping through the document pictures to me, and I thank them for it. The licity, archaism and ‘terroir‘. What is most that I noticed that all the French-Canadian Moisan-Lepage girls’ stay in the United touching is the greeting of the end: mothers were identified with the name States was well documented. The legacy for “I am your tender brother Molzer. Of course, the enumerator did not posterity, of their stay in Chicopee Hamden, Louis Moisan who will never forget understand the French-speaking accent and are some thirty beautiful photographs taken you. ” all the “mothers” inherited Molzer’s as a by a professional photographer on tin plates. The reader wonders if the two brothers first name. Our good Euphémie Moisan had A few months ago, I was looking for ever met again, at least once, before they been Americanized and was statistically additional information about Euphémie died. I doubt it… transformed into Molzer Lepage. Moisan and her parents Louis Moisan and A second letter written by another The second document that I discov- Eulalie Racette. Euphémie Moisan and her brother, Pierre, on March 25, 1888 is ad- ered was a summary of a history produced husband Israël Lepage were not the first dressed to the widow of Thomas Moisan, by the Historical Society du Nouvel-Ontario members of this family to go into exile in the Henriette Longtain. Pierre speaks of the entitled “Verner and Lafontaine. ” It stated: United States. Louis Moisan had a brother mourning experienced after the death of (translation) “Great commotion in the col- who had left St-Jacques l’Achigan in 1838. Thomas. Henriette in an earlier correspon- ony, Monsieur I. Lepage has arrived with His name was Thomas Moisan. His life his- dence had asked the Moisans in Québec to his eight daughters. So many marriages tory is a testimony to an extraordinary life. send her family pictures. Pierre confirms should occur!” In 1838, aged 28, Thomas Moisan that the family pictures would be handed to The columnist forgets to mention traveled to New Orleans, Louisiana to her in a short while by the Missionary Mr. the fact that Mr I. Lepage and his eight assume the post of trapper for the Amer- Delorme. He ends his correspondence by daughters were also accompanied by his ican Fur Company. In 1839, he crossed indicating that he will remain her brother- wife and their mother Euphémie Moisan. the Rocky Mountains to Fort Vancouver, a in-law for life. Having lived with the transformation of her long and perilous journey. During this time, A black and white photo revealing a name, the poor woman was now relegated to he worked as a miner in California, as an past of more than a century. In the photo, oblivion. This is the fate of many pioneers in employee of McLoughlin, and later as an there are two elderly people. They sit on North American soil. History is unfair to our employee of the Hudson’s Bay Company. wooden chairs in front of a wooden house. mothers! The arrival of the Moisan-Lepage In 1842, he established a territorial claim The old woman wears a bonnet. Her hus- in colonisation territory took place in 1887. in Salem, Oregon, becoming a farmer and band, a man with a white beard, wears a No one has written about the challenges owner of a large estate. On October 3, 1842, big hat. There are two children. A girl and a surmonted by this family when they left Thomas married Henriette Longtain, daugh- boy on the threshold of adolescence. There Chicopee Hamden in Massachusetts to travel ter of André Longtain and Nancy Okanagan are also two young men, with mustaches, to Verner, Ontario. What is stated though is . During his life, Thomas managed several suits and bowler hats. There are four young that the family arrived during the middle companies and became rich. He built a women. The dresses are long, reflecting of the night and that there was no hotel, no very nice house which at the time made the fashion of the time. All the people are house and no family to greet them. The train some people envious. This house is now a wearing shoes and their Sunday best. All of stopped twenty kilometers from their final museum. Thomas Moisan was a pioneer of them show a very serious look except the destination. The last part of their journey is the State of Oregon. (Continued on page 38) 37 Le Forum BOOKS/ LIVRES...

Robert Chenard

(The old photo continued from page 38)

old woman who displays what seems to be the beginning of a smile. What was the oc- casion that spawned this photo? A marriage? A funeral? It is impossible to determine the occasion by looking at the photo. I could now conclude that the photo- graph of Louis Moisan, Eulalie Racette and their children had been taken before 1877, before the departure of Euphémie Moisan and Israël Lepage. One of the recipients of this photograph was, without a doubt, Thom- as Moisan. Receiving a photograph was the only way to see one’s family when siblings lived at the two extremes of the large North American continent. 38 SUMMER/ÉTÉ 2019 Franco-American Families CRÉPEAU of Maine par Bob Chenard, Maurice Crépeau, born 1639 in France, died 1704 in PQ, son of Jean Crépeau and Suzanne Faumoleau of the town of les Roches-Beritaud, depart of Vendée, ancient province of Poitou, France, Waterville, Maine married on 12 October 1665 in Québec city to "Fille-du-Roi" Marguerite Laverdure, born 1646 in Les Familles Crépeau France, died 1727 in PQ, daughter of Martin Laverdure and Jacqueline Leliot (or Laliot & Lecat) from the parish of St.Nicolas-des-Champs, Paris, France. The town of les RochesBeritaud is located 37 miles west-northwest of the city of Parthenay. Welcome to my column. Over the years Le Forum has published numerous 1 Maurice 12 Oct 1665 Marguerite Laverdure Québec city 2 families. Copies of these may still be avail- 2 Maurice 06 Feb 1702 Marie Audet St.Jean, I.O. 3 able by writing to the Franco-American 3 Basile 1m. 26 Nov 1725 Marguerite Raté St.Pierre, I.O. Center. Listings such as this one are never " 2m. 18 Apr 1746 M.-Elizabeth Matteau Château-Richer 4 Charles 20 Apr 1740 Agnès Charland Château-Richer 5 complete. However, it does provide you with Pierre 06 Nov 1752 M.-Josette Dorval St.Pierre, I.O. 6 my most recent and complete file of mar- 4 Maurice 13 Jul 1778 Marguerite Cloutier Château-Richer 7 riages tied to the original French ancestor. 5 Joseph 26 May 1777 M.-Josettte Gagnon Château-Richer 8 How to use the family listings: The left-hand 6 Pierre 17 Aug 1778 Charlotte Bussière St.Henri 9 column lists the first name (and middle name 7 Joseph 1m. 08 Feb 1813 Marguerite Martin St.Jacques-l'Arch. or initial, if any) of the direct descendants of " 2m. 09 Feb 1819 M.-Thérèse Moreau l'Assomption 10 the ancestor identified as number 1 (or A, in 8 Joseph 17 Jul 1797 Thérèse Trudeau St.Michel-Yamaska 11 some cases). The next column gives the date 9 Joseph 10 Jan 1809 Reine Laflamme St.François-du-Sud 12 of marriage, then the spouce (maiden name 10 Stanislas 12 Sep 1848 Henriette Richard St.Edouard 8A 11 Jérémie 01 Mar 1824 Marguerite Théroux St.Michel-Yamaska 13 if female) followed by the town in which the 12 Laurent 03 Feb 1845 Rosalie Martin Ste.Marguerite 14 marriage took place. There are two columns 13 Régis 16 Feb 1857 Marie Crépeau St.David-Yamaska 15 of numbers. The one on the left side of the 14 Marie 30 Jan 1872 Georges Gaboury St.Évariste (to Augusta) page, e.g., #2, is the child of #2 in the right Laurent 06 Jun 1876 Virginie/Eugénie Pelchat St.Honoré 13A column of numbers. His parents are thus Napoléon 18 Feb 1884 Adèle Dulac St.Honoré 13B #1 in the left column of numbers. Also, it Séraphie 09 Feb 1886 Majorique Cloutier St.Honoré (to Augusta) should be noted that all the persons in the 15 Olivier 19 Aug 1884 Marie Février-Laramé St.David-Yamaska 17 first column of names under the same num- 17 Albert 08 Jul 1913 M.-Rosa Brouillard St.David-Yamaska 17A ber are siblings (brothers & sisters). There may be other siblings, but only those who The following are descendants of the above who married in Maine: had descendants that married in Maine are listed in order to keep this listing limited in 8A Edmond 08 Apr 1882 Clara Lemire Biddeford(St.Jos.) size. The listing can be used up or down - to 13A M.-Louise 14 Jan 1901 Louis Betit (Bétil) Augusta(St.Aug.) find parents or descendants. The best way Léa 10 Feb 1901 Évangeliste Bédard Augusta(St.Aug.) M.-Anne 16 Jun 1901 Louis Tondreau Augusta(St.Aug.) to see if your ancestors are listed here is to Philippe 07 May 1906 Joséphine Breton Waterville(SFS) look for your mother’s or grandmother’s 13B Séraphine 25 Aug 1901 Joseph Cloutier Augusta(St.Aug.) maiden name. Once you are sure you have Alphonsine 1m. 10 Apr 1913 Gédéon Trépanier Augusta(St.Aug.) the right couple, take note of the number " 2m. 21 Jan 1956 Joseph Huard Waterville(ND) in the left column under which their names Marie 09 Oct 1916 Wilfrid Poulin Augusta(St.Aug.) appear. Then, find the same number in the 17A Henry-Wilfred 30 May 1940 Arlene-Frances Lowell Biddeford(St.Mary) right-most column above. For example, if Rose 31 Aug 1940 Charles Bélanger Biddeford(St.And.) it’s #57C, simply look for #57C on the right Maurice 12 Oct 1940 Blanche Hamel Biddeford(St.And.) 17B above. Repeat the process for each genera- Lucille 26 Aug 1940 Lawrence Burke Biddeford " rev. 25 Oct 1940 (Wilfred) Burke Biddeford(St.Mary) tion until you get back to the first family in Léandre 21 Oct 1950 Jacqueline St-Louis Biddeford(St.Jos.) 17C the list. The numbers with alpha suffixes Walter-G. 07 Apr 1951 Lucille-L. Dumas Saco(NDL) 17D (e.g. 57C) are used mainly for couple who Madeline 05 Sep 1953 James-M. Shafer Biddeford(St.And.) married in Maine. Marriages that took place Roger-L. 27 Feb 1954 Barbara Lessard Biddeford(St.Mary) 17E in Canada normally have no suffixes with the 17B Raymond-M. 02 Sep 1961 Monique Levasseur Biddeford(St.And.) rare exception of small letters, e.g., “13a.” Gérard-A. 31 Aug 1963 Gabrielle-M. Jacques Biddeford(St.Jos.) If there are gross errors or missing families, Norman-Paul 28 Jan 1967 Diane-A. St-Ours Biddeford(St.Jos.) my sincere appologies. I have taken utmost Lucien-Fernand 10 Oct 1970 J oanne-Elaine Vallière Biddeford(St.And.) care to be as accurate as possible. Please Robert 27 May 1972 Elaine Fecteau Biddeford(St.Jos.) 17C Judy-Ann 23 May 1970 Francis Grégoire Biddeford(St.Jos.) write to the FORUM staff with your correc- Susan 07 Sep 1970 Gérard Goulet Biddeford(St.Jos.) tions and/or additions with your supporting Diane-Rita 30 May 1975 Ronald-Richard Vase Biddeford(St.And.) data. I provide this column freely with the Thérèse-Irène 11 Sep 1976 Gary-Wayne Corey Biddeford(St.And.) purpose of encouraging Franco-Americans 17D Denis-Marcel 08 Oct 1983 Linda-Ann Lambert Saco(NDL) to research their personal genealogy and to 17E Carol-Ann 12 Sep 1975 Roland-R. Hurtubise Saco(HT) take pride in their rich heritage. 39 Université du Maine Non-Profit Org. Le FORUM U.S. Postage Centre Franco-Américain PAID Orono, ME 04469-5719 Orono, Maine Permit No. 8 États-Unis Change Service Requested

THE FRANCO AMERICAN CENTRE LE CENTRE FRANCO AMÉRICAlN DE OF THE l’UNIVERSITÉ DU MAINE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE Le Bureau des Affaires franco-américains de l’Université du The University of Maine Office of Franco American Affairs was Maine fut fondé en 1972 par des étudiants et des bénévoles de la founded in 1972 by Franco American students and community volun- communauté franco-américaine. Cela devint par conséquent le Centre teers. It subsequently became the Franco American Centre. Franco-Américain. From the onset, its purpose has been to introduce and integrate the Dès le départ, son but fut d’introduire et d’intégrer le Fait Fran- Maine and Regional Franco American Fact in post-secondary academe co-Américain du Maine et de la Région dans la formation académique and in particular the University of Maine. post-secondaire et en particulier à l’Université du Maine. Given the quasi total absence of a base of knowledge within the Étant donné l’absence presque totale d’une base de connaissance University about this nearly one-half of the population of the State of à l’intérieur même de l’Université, le Centre Franco-Américain s’efforce Maine, this effort has sought to develop ways and means of making d’essayer de développer des moyens pour rendre cette population, son this population, its identity, its contributions and its history visible on identité, ses contributions et son histoire visible sur et en-dehors du and off campus through seminars, workshops, conferences and media campus à travers des séminaires, des ateliers, des conférences et des efforts — print and electronic. efforts médiatiques — imprimé et électronique. The results sought have been the redressing of historical neglect Le résultat espéré est le redressement de la négligence et de l’ig- and ignorance by returning to Franco Americans their history, their lan- norance historique en retournant aux Franco-Américains leur histoire, guage and access to full and healthy self realizations. Further, changes leur langue et l’accès à un accomplissement personnel sain et complet. within the University’s working, in its structure and curriculum are De plus, des changements à l’intérieur de l’académie, dans sa structure sought in order that those who follow may experience cultural equity, et son curriculum sont nécessaires afin que ceux qui nous suivent puisse have access to a culturally authentic base of knowledge dealing with vivre l’expérience d’une justice culturelle, avoir accès à une base de French American identity and the contribution of this ethnic group to connaissances culturellement authentique qui miroite l’identité et la this society. contribution de ce groupe ethnique à la société. MISSION OBJECTIFS: • To be an advocate of the Franco-American Fact at the Uni- 1 – D’être l’avocat du Fait Franco-Américain à l’Université du versity of Maine, in the State of Maine and in the region, and Maine, dans l’État du Maine et dans la région. • To provide vehicles for the effective and cognitive ex- 2 – D’offrir des véhicules d’expression affective et cognitive d’une pression of a collective, authentic, diversified and effective voice for voix franco-américaine effective, collective, authentique et diversifiée. Franco-Americans, and 3 – De stimuler le développement des offres de programmes • To stimulate the development of academic and non-academic académiques et non-académiques à l’Université du Maine et dans program offerings at the University of Maine and in the state relevant l’État du Maine, relatant l’histoire et l’expérience de la vie de ce groupe to the history and life experience of this ethnic group and ethnique. • To assist and support Franco-Americans in the actualization 4 – D’assister et de supporter les Franco-Américains dans l’ac- of their language and culture in the advancement of careers, personal tualisation de leur langue et de leur culture dans l’avancement de leurs growth and their creative contribution to society, and carrières, de l’accomplissement de leur personne et de leur contribution • To assist and provide support in the creation and implemen- créative à la société. tation of a concept of pluralism which values, validates and reflects 5 – D’assister et d’offrir du support dans la création et l’implémen- affectively and cognitively the Multicultural Fact in Maine and else- tation d’un concept de pluralisme qui value, valide et reflète effectivement where in North America, and et cognitivement le fait dans le Maine et ailleurs en Amérique du Nord. • To assist in the generation and dissemination of knowledge 6 – D’assister dans la création et la publication de la connaissance about a major Maine resource — the rich cultural and language diversity à propos d’une ressource importante du Maine — la riche diversité of its people. 51