CHAPEL, LaPrairie, QC

Main altar of the convent chapel of the Sisters of Providence,

a Roman Catholic religious community that sent members to the U.S. to educate the children of Québec families, who emigrated, mostly in search of work in the factories along the many river banks of New England. This community is one of many to whom we owe thanks for preserving the French language among future generations of Franco-Americans. The convent has since been sold and is now an independent living facility for seniors. Click on the orange TITLE to learn more about this Québec community that was founded by the widow, Émilie GAMELIN, in Montréal, QC

OBITS: Arsenault, Carmichael, Duval

The following appeared in the 2006.04.29 edition of LE REFLET, a weekly newspaper in the MONTÉRÉGIE, published in Delson, QC. The English synopsis is mine.

Edmond ARSENAULT from Brossard, QC, b. 1929, d. 2006.04.22. He leaves behind his wife, Monique GERVAIS, his 2 sisters, 3 brothers & 8 children: Daniel (Marie-Josée), Claude (Claire), Hélène (Giles), Michel (Thérèse), Pierre (Monique), Suzanne (Jean), Jean (Josée), Anne-Marie (Sylvain), 22 grandchildren, 3 great-grandchildren. Burial is at Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery.
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Jean-Pierre CARMICHAEL of Saint-Constant, QC, b. 1922, d. 2006.04.25. He leaves behind his wife, Jeanne-d'Arc LATULIPPE, his children: Suzanne (Kevin), Jean-Pierre (Monique), Édith (Jean-Charles), Lucie, Bernard, Chantal, Hélène (Yves), Jocelyn, his dog, Cléo, his grandchildren & great-grandchildren. Burial is at the Cemetery of Saint-Constant, QC
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Armand DUVAL died 2006.03.30 at the age of 82.

B. J. WILLIAMS

Author, artist and friend, many WILLIAMS ended up in Québec because their ancestors came to Nova Scotia via the Underground Railroad in order to escape slavery in the U.S. From the Maritimes, the WILLIAMS headed west, some remaining in Québec. Other descendants eventually returned to the U.S. B.J. did not do any genealogical research on his WILLIAMS family, so, at this point, we don't know how they ended up in Wappingers Falls, NY. On the other hand, BJ left NY to live for a few years in New Orleans, follwed by a year in Australia. and is now in California where he continues writing. Click on BJ's name above to check out the books he has written and many of his paintings. In the NEWS section of his homepage, you will find his monthly report as to his productivity.

St. Anne's church

Woonsocket, RI

a painting by
CONNIE LEMONDE

A Franco-American born in New England of Québec ancestry, Connie uses her many talents (painting, writing, composing) as a means of vivifying her heritage. Able to maie use of the media, she also belongs to a local organization of Les Dames du Richelieu, who wish to keep the French language alive. You may learn more about Connie by visiting her BLOG. Simply click on the above orange TITLE.

CHARRON & DUCHARME Association

North American Association
of
CHARRON & DUCHARME

has one of the most complete databases of these families. As you know, the DUCHARME's were originally CHARRON's who took on the "dit DUCHARME" of whom many dropped the "dit" and became simple DUCHARME. Through the generations and because of immigration to areas that were not French-speaking, the spelling sometimes changed and the surname was anglicized to DU CHARME, DUSHARME, DESHAW, DUCHONG, DUCHARNE, etc.
For the CHARRON and DUCHARME among you, it may be well worth your while to become a member of this Association, which provides useful information about our ancestors. Check out their site by clicking on the TITLE above.

ROY: from QC to NH to CA

(1)
Nicolar LEROY dit ROY+Jeanne LELIÈVRE
1658.02.01
Saint-Rémi-de-Dieppe, Rouen, Normandie, FRANCE
(2)
Guillaume ROY+Angélique BAZIN
circa 1689
La Durantaye, Bellechasse County, QC
(3)
Michel ROY+Marguerite ÉMOND
1733.05.04
Notre-Dame-de-Québec City, QC
(4)
Guillaume ROY+Marie-Louise THERRIEN
1768.01.24
Saint-Charles, Bellechasse County, QC
(5)
Guillaume ROY+Marie-Louise NOËL
1803.06.27
Saints-Gervais-et-Poitras, Bellechasse County, QC
(6)
Jean ROY+Archange CÔTÉ
1832.02.14
Saints-Gervais-et-Poitras, Bellechasse County, QC
(7)
Jean-Marie ROY+Angèle THÉBERGE
1868.02.24
Saint-Raphaël, Bellechasse County, QC
(8)
Jean ROY+Emma BERGERON
1898.01.10
Manchester, NH
(9)
Origène ROY+Obéline DIONNE
1926.06.14
Manchester, NH
(10)_
Janet ROY+Armand MARTEL
Manchester, NH
(11)
Cynthia MARTEL+Paul MARCOUX
Suncook, NH
Now living in California

Cindi shares her life in CA via photos of her family and pets on her Webshots site. You can get there quickly my clicking on the TITLE of this BLOG.

DUCHARME: from QUÉBEC to ONTARIO

(1)
Pierre CHARRON+Judith MARTIN
1632
St-Martin-de-Meaux, Champagne, (Seine et Marne) FRANC
(2)
Pierre CHARRON+Catherine PILAT/PILARD
1665.10.19
Notre-Dame-de-Montréal, QC
(3)
François CHARRON dit DUCHARME+Marguerite PIETTE
1701.01.30
Saint-Pierre-de-Sorel, Richelieu County, QC
(4)
Jean-Baptiste DUCHARME+Geneviève VANASSE
1765.07.27
Saint-Joseph-de-Lanoraie, QC
(5_
Amable DUCHARME+Marguerite PLOUFFE
1814.01.31
Saint-Joseph-de-Lanoraie, Berthier County, QC
(6)
Amable DUCHARME+Julie JOLY
1836.07.24
Saint-Joseph-de-Lanoraie, Berthier County, QC
(7)
Jacques DUCHARME+Rose LAROCHE
1862.11.04
Saint-Joseph-de-Lanoraie, Berthier County, QC
(8)
Joseph DUCHARME+Rosa-Anna GÉNÉREUX
1895.02.23
Sainte-Geneviève-de-Berthierville, Berthier County, QC
(9)
Bernadine DUCHARME+Louis ROBERGE
1926.05.04
New Liskeard, ON
(10)_
Fleurette ROBERGE+William BURAK
Larder, ON

Fleurette has becautiful ancestral and modern pictures on her Webshots site.

UPHILL and DOWNHILL

and Everywhere in between
by
CONNIE LEMONDE

my favorite Franco-American author & my friend, Connie has written and produced 4 family-oriented plays for the stage and radio. But, this is her first POETRY book that reveals her life experiences as a Franco-American living in New England for the most part. This book of poetry also contains some of her songs, which she has recorded on CD. I do hope you have an opportunity to share in the flavor of your French-Canadian ancestors by feeling their emotions through Connie's poetry.

Boarding School: MANCHESTER' NH

Saint-Vincent-de-Paul
Boarding School
Corner of Lake Ave. & Beech Street
Manchester, NH

The school was originally founded for French-Canadian orphans on August 11, 1892. Situated in St. Augustin parish, it was built to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the priesthood of Rev. J. A. CHEVALIER, who was the founding Pastor of the parish. The Sisters of Providence from Montréal, QC (then known as the Filles de la charité, servantes des paurvres-FCSP) accepted the responsibility and took over the orphanage on December 7, 1892 opening the doors to 12 orphans (7 boys, 5 girls) on December 19. One of the boys was very ill and died within a few days, which was a tragic beginning.
The Sisters soon found the house too small to accommodate all who came to them so Father CHEVALIER erected a larger building the following year. Between December 1892 to July 1895, the Sisters cared for 291 orphans. In those early years, though, not all the children were orphans as we think of them today. Some were placed at the school because their parents could no longer care for them or perhaps the mother had died, etc.
Classes and religious instruction were in both English & French as many of the parishioners were immigrants from Québec.
The Sisters also visited the poor and the sick in their homes and cared for some elderly boarders.
The school was going strong in 1941 when it celebrated its 50th anniversary. It closed on September 23, 1958. I was not able to discover why it was closed, but most of the Sisters' boarding schools and orphanages had closed by that time because of changing social needs.
Should anyone wish to obtain school records of relatives having attended St. Vincent de Paul Boarding School in Manchester, NH,they are most probably in the archives of the Community in Montréal, QC

Sisters of Providence
General Administration
12055, rue Grenet
Montréal, QC
H4J 2J5
CANADA

OBITS on our WEBSHOTS site

Copies of OBITUARIES & MEMORIAL CARDS
may be found in the albums
on our WEBSHOTS site
http://community.webshots.com/user/murmurd

ALARIE, ALLAIRE, ARSENEAULT, AUCLAIR, AUDET, BEAUDOIN, BOILY, BOUDREAU, BOURGEOIS, BRAULT, BRUNET, CANTIN, CARRIER, CHARPENTIER, COURSOL, DAVIAU, DEMERS, DESPART, DIONNE, DROUIN, DUCHARME, FERLAND, FREGEAU, GIRARD, GRÉGOIRE, LACOURSIERE, LAFOND, LAMOTHE, LAUZON, LEFEBVRE, LÉVESQUE, LUPIEN, MANARY, MARENGER, MARTEL, MERCIER, NADEAU, NOLET, PAPINEAU, PARADIS, PERREAULT, POULIOT, ROY, TARDIF, THÉRIAULT, TURMEL, VIAU, VOYER

EPIDEMICS in QUÉBEC

1687	Épidémie de rougeole/MEASLES dans toute la colonie.
1699	Épidémie de petite vérole/SMALLPOX – 100 morts.
1701	Épidémie de picote/CHICKEN POX durant l’hiver à Québec.
1702	Épidémie de petite vérole/SMALLPOX débutant en novembre à Québec. Elle s’étend rapidement à toute la colonie et fait de deux à trois milles morts incluant les amérindiens. L’épidémie fait de 200 à 300 morts dans la ville de Québec.
1710	Épidémie de fièvres malignes, appelées maladie de Siam/DEADLY FEVER called the SIAM illness, dans toute la colonie.
1717-1718	Épidémies de fièvres malignes/DEADLY FEVER dans toute la colonie.
1729	Épidémie de picote/CHICKEN POX.
1733	Disettes et épidémies dont que l’on compte jusqu’à 2000 malades en même temps à l’Hôpital général de Québec.
1734	Épidémie de variole/SMALLPOX dans toute la colonie.
1735	Grave maladie contagieuse/CONTAGEOUS DISEASE à Montréal apportée par les vaisseaux du roi.
1743-1745	Épidémie de typhus/TYPHOID FEVER dans toute la colonie.
1748	Augmentation anormale des décès à Saint-Augustin, ce qui laisse supposer une maladie.
1749	Épidémie de fièvre/FEVER et décès nombreux.
1750	Épidémie de typhus/TYPHOID FEVER dans toute la colonie.
1755	L’année de la grande picote, épidémie de petite vérole/SMALLPOX qui aurait peut-être été transportée par les troupes revenues de Carillon.
1756-1759	Épidémie de typhus/TYPHOID FEVER dans toute la colonie.
1765	Épidémie de nature inconnue qui fait monter le taux de mortalité dans la colonie.
1783	Durant l’hiver, 1100 personnes meurent de la picote/CHICKEN POX et des fièvres rouges/RED FEVER.
1784	La plus grande épidémie de variole/SMALLPOX depuis 1760. Elle affecte plus particulièrement la région du Richelieu.
1797	Épidémie de nature non précisée/NON SPECIFIC EPIDEMIC.
1809	On signale en plusieurs endroits une épidémie appelée melancholy épidemie/EPIDEMIC OF MELANCHOLIA, cette maladie de nature inflammatoire se soigne par la saignée.
1819-1821	Épidémie de variole/SMALLPOX qui a décimé une grande partie de la population amérindienne.
1832	Épidémie de choléra. Elle sévit en Europe et frappe le Québec, 4420 personnes en sont atteintes et 1904 en meurent.
1847	Épidémie de typhus chez les immigrants et de typhoïde à Montréal/THYPHUS among immigrants and TYPHOID in Montréal.
1854	Dernière épidémie de choléra à Québec à l’été. En 22 ans les épidémies ont fait 8300 victimes pour la ville de Québec seulement.
1889	Épidémie de picote/chicken pox.
1918	Épidémie mondiale de grippe espagnole/SPANISH FLU.

Extracted from La Lignée, bulletin du Club de généalogie de l'Hydro-Québec, vol. 2, no 1 (hiver 95).

ANCESTORS

Dear Ancestor...

Your tombstone stands among the rest;
Neglected and alone.
The name and date are chiselled out
On polished, marbled stone.

It reaches out to all who care
It is too late to mourn.
You did not know that I exist
You died and I was born.

Yet each of us are cells of you
In flesh, in blood, in bone.
Our blood contracts and beats a pulse
Entirely not our own.

Dear Ancestor, the place you filled
One hundred years ago
Spreads out among the ones you left
Who would have loved you so.

I wonder if you lived and loved,
I wonder if you knew
That someday I would find this spot,
And come to visit you

Author Unknown

Franco-American News & Events, 4: Enquête Géolinguistique

Franco-American News & Events, 4: Enquête Géolinguistique

FRANCO-AMERICAN: Connie LEMONDE

Connie LEMONDE, a Franco-American author, artist, composer, poet, from Woonsocket, RI now has her own BLOG. We've written about her before. It is now your chance to go directly to her BLOG to check out her paintings and novels, which reflect Québec culture as was lived by our ancestors and was transformed by their descendants. Franco-Americans still carry on Québec traditions, albeit with an American flavor. Enjoy & learn about your Québec ancestry by visiting Connie's BLOG:

vintagenovels.blogspot.com/

OBITS: LAVOIE, Laurette; PERRON, Denis

The following appeared in the 2006.04.22 edition of LE REFLET, a weekly newspaper in the MONTÉRÉGIE, published in Delson, QC. The English synopsis is mine.

Laurette LAVOIE-LAPLANTE died March 18, 2006 at the age of 82. She left behind her sister, Jacqueline (Gérard VIAU)) & her brother, André (Jacqueline BELLEMARE).
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Denis PERRON died March 29, 2006 at the age of 75.

RIMOUSKI, QC

CEMETERY VANDALIZED

Over the weekend about 100 tombstones were vandalized in the only cemetery of Rimouski, QC. Most dated from the 1800's and earlier and were made of granite slates; therefore, the damage is extensive and estimated to be about 100,000$.
Let this be a reminder to us, who are researching our ancestors. When visiting a cemetery, let's bring a camera along so that we may photograph family tombstones. It is up to us to preserve our history so that our descendants may learn about the stock from whence they hail. The memory of our ancestors and the education of the young are in our hands. It is up to us to preserve such artifacts, which have been left behind and which remind us of their toil. Let us give thanks to our ancestors for who and what we are.

OBITUARY: Hubert AUCLAIR "Blacky" (1942-2006)

The following appeared in the 2006.04.15 edition of LE REFLET, a weekly newspaper in the MONTÉRÉGIE, published in Delson, QC. The English synopsis is mine.

A resident of Delson, QC, Hubert AUCLAIR died 2006.04.10. He was the husband of defunct Patricia FRIEND. He leaves behind his grieving children: Keith (Sophie), Stéphane (Isabelle), & Shawna (Jean-Michel), 6 grandchildren: Nicholas, Gregory, Anthony, Emeric, Felix & Danik. The funeral was held April 15 at Saint Andrew church in Delson, QC followed by internment at the Protestant Cemetery in Delson.

PROXIMO News

An article in the April 7-13, 2006 edition of PRIXIMO (http://www.radiovm.com) announced that the parishioners of St-Bernard church (built 1912) in Shawinigan, QC have accepted an offer to sell the church & surrounding land for $50,000 despite its $1.7 million value. The church had to close its doors last December because of lack of funds.
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In 1734, a young, black, Portuguese slave was condemned to be burned at the stake in MONTRÉAL, QC for having set fire to her master's home.

Connie LEMONDE, Franco-American author

Connie LEMONDE, a Franco-American author, artist, composer, musician & singer, has recently sent in her second novel to the publisher. Her novels give you insight into the life of French-Canadians and their descendants as they merged with their American neighbors. Connie lives in Rhode Islaqnd.

Title: THE FAMILY SECRET, distorted images and the long road to truth.
1940's - Vermont - Francophone family secretiveness and cultural changes throw their load on six-year-old Michelle. Years later, secret comes out. Michelle'ss devastation leads to former friends and fascinating, life-changing events.