The Second GALPSGC: Alouette, Gentille Alouette..

Published for The Second Great American Local Poem And Song Genealogy Challenge hosted by Bill West at West In New England.

I present to you something very near and dear to my heart.

According to Wikipedia, the song Alouette was first published in A Pocket Song Book for the Use of Students and Graduates of McGill College in 1879 and is said to be a song that was sung by the French fur traders. Also, published in a Canadian Folk-life and Folk-lore, by William Parker Greenough in 1897, it is a song about plucking the different body parts of a lark and just thinking about the lyrics makes me laugh.

Remembering the song with great fondness, every time I sing it, and I do, I am reminded of my maternal grandfather, Pepere Maille. Although he was born and raised here in Massachusetts, he spoke with a slight French accent, with some words being more pronounced then others. Remembering when he used to place me on his knee in my Memere's kitchen and bounce me on his knee while he would sing, is something I will never forget. I have shared this song with my youngest daughter Sabrina. When she was smaller, and had an interest in such things, we used to listen to, and sing, it together and have some great laughs at the cost of that poor bird!!



[Grennough, William Parker. Canadian Folk-life and Folk-lore. New York: George H. Richmond, 1897. 141. Google Books]

I don't think my translation is spot on, aren't a bird's beak and nose one in the same?

Lark

*Lark, nice Lark, Lark I will pluck you,
I will pluck your head, I will pluck your head,
And your head, and your head Ohhhhh,

Lark, nice Lark, Lark I will pluck you
I will pluck your beak, I will pluck your beak
And your beak, and your beak,
And your head, and your head, Ohhhhh,

Lark, nice Lark, Lark I will pluck you,
I'll pluck your nose, I will pluck your nose,
And your nose and your nose, and your beak and your beak,
And the head, and the head, Ohhhhh,

Lark, nice Lark, Lark I willl pluck you,
I will pluck your back, I'll will your back,
And your back, and your back, and your nose, and your nose,
And your beak, and your beak, and your head, and your head, Ohhhhh,

I will pluck your legs, I will pluck your legs
>And your legs, and your legs, and your back, and your back,
And your nose, and your nose, and your beak, and your beak< And your head, and your head, Ohhhhh,

Lark, nice Lark, Lark I willl pluck you,
I'll pluck your neck, I will pluck your neck
And your neck, and your neck, and your legs, and your legs,
And your back, and your back, and your nose, and your nose
And your beak, and your beak and your head, and your head Ohhhhh

*Repeat this bar once for 2d verse twice for 3d verse etc.

Enjoy!

Foodie Friday: Cretons

I made some cretons the other day. Using the recipes I received from my cousin Roger P. Foucher as a guide,  my recipe is as follows:

• 4 lbs of fresh ground pork
• 1 med onion, chopped fine
• 3.5 tsp of celery salt
• abt. 2 tbsp of Bell's (give or take a bit, I didn't measure the Bell's)
• 3 - 4 cups of water (cover pork mixture completely with water)
• Pepper to taste.

Lightly brown pork and onion, then add all of the seasonings, except for the pepper. Add the water and bring mixture to a boil, lower heat and lightly simmer for about 3 - 4 hours or until all the water is gone. You don't want to rush it.

While the mixture is simmering make sure you mash the pork rather frequently (potato masher or wooden spoon, I used both) you want it to be very fine by the time it is done cooking. Once most of the water is gone you can add your pepper. I like pepper.

Cool mixture in the pot (slightly warm to the touch), then pack the mixture into to small containers with tight fitting lids (I reused the containers I've collected from Cote's Market) or you can pack the mixture into molds for a fancier presentation. Then refrigerate overnight. I think I got 5 containers of an unknown size (I'll check on the sizes) out of this recipe.

The fat will rise to the top upon refrigeration and will probably end up sticking to the cover of your container. You can just scrape this off when you open it for the first time.

Enjoy your cretons on toast or crackers. With mustard or with out. Brian said he likes it and that the flavor is very good, just the way he likes it. I, myself, was stark raving mad over it. I think we only have 2 containers left *oink*. However, next time I think I may refrigerate the mixture in the pan that it was cooked in, then pack it into containers. I think doing it this way will make the fat that comes to the top easier to remove.

Treasure Chest Thursday: A Celebration of Life - Part I

Treasure Chest Thursday is a daily blogging prompt from GeneaBloggers - the genealogy community's resource for blogging.

This week for Treasure Chest Thursday I am celebrating the life of my mother by presenting a few pages from her baby book.

Born on 11 March, 1944 in Chelmsford, MA, Pauline Gail Maille was the daughter of Paul Maille (Cuthbert, Rose Therrien) and Rita Moran (John, Yvonne Ferron). She married my father, Jerome Charles Robillard (Joseph, Louise Esther Wright) on 13 Nov., 1965, in Lowell. Next Friday, November 5th, will mark the 28th anniversary of her death.

Cover	Page 1 Given by Mother - "44" GAILMAILLE
Page 2 "Pauline Gail Maille"	Page 3 TODAY I CAME INTO THE WORLD AT 711 O'CLOCK AM. ON SaturDAY THE 11 of March 1944 DOCTOR Dr. Namay NURSE

Page 5 "Pauline Gail Maille"

Note: There are known errors in the above chart.

Page 6 GIFTS Grandma F - Dress + slipp Irene - sweater set Aunt Blance - sweater + bootie Aunt Vic - blanket Elileen Poole - blanket - Mrs Poole - candy - Aunt Jenny - Dress - Doris Stafford - Dress Mrs L. Maille - Locket Mrs C. Therrien - sweater Mrs Mary Alain - $1.00 Mrs Rose Moran $2.00 Mrs. L Malnloney 1.00 Lillian Alrich Blanket Mrs Martineau Blanket Flowers: Mother - Pat+Chickie Paul - Mr + Mrs D Putnam Risa Blacher- Doris + Aunt Blanche

Mystery Monday: Mr. & Mrs. Paul E. Maille's Mystery Vacation - Solved

***Mystery Solved! Thanks to the great detective work of my fb friend and fellow genealogist, Albert Riezebos, the statue in the picture below is believed to be that of Saint Brother Andre Bessette, located at L'Oratoire Saint Joseph du Mont-Royal, Quebec (St-Joseph's Oratory of Montreal). Please read my original post below.***

Mystery Monday is a daily blogging prompt from GeneaBloggers - the genealogy community's resource for blogging.

I am posting this picture of my maternal grandparents, Paul E. Maille and Rita G. Moran, for this week's Mystery Monday in hopes that somebody will recognize the place in which the photograph was taken.

If you look closely, you will see that my grandfather is holding a home movie camera. This is why I am assuming that they were on vacation. I am also assuming that is was taken in a church yard somewhere, or perhaps a cemetery. Although I don't really believe the latter to be the case. The photograph, which you can plainly see, is severely damaged. This is the condition in which I found it. It was taped to the inside of my mother's scrapbook along with many other unidentified photos.  If you recognize this place, or have first hand knowledge of when and where this photograph was taken I would appreciate it if you could please leave a comment or contact me personally at callmeshell at gmail dot com...

Almost Wordless Wednesday: Louis Gaspard Alfred Robillard - Editeur et Proprieteur du Pionnier et President de l'U.F.C.

Wordless Wednesday is a daily blogging prompt from GeneaBloggers - the genealogy community's resource for blogging.

In a follow up to last week's Wordless Wednesday I am posting another image of L.-G. I have cropped the original, from BAnQ, in order to compare it with the image I posted last week. I believe both of these images are of the same man. However, in this week's image he appears to be quite a bit older. Originally published in Le Monde illustre, vol. 18 no. 913. pg. 404  on 26 Oct., 1901, it is believed that L.-G. and his family fled Quebec in early 1902, shortly after this article went to print. 

Le Monde Illustre was published in Montreal between the years 1884 & 1902. A portion of the publication has been scanned and images are available for viewing from the BAnQ here. The page that the image below comes from is also available. My plan is to extract the text and translate it. Hoping that it will offer more clues as to why L.-G. and his family left Quebec.

 
The image above comes from the Revues d'un autre siècle collection at the Bibliotheque et Archives nationales Quebec (BAnQ) online and is used with permission. BAnQ allows, without special authorization, use of content from its Web portal for educational, private study or research purposes, provided the source of the images and/or texts is clearly indicated.

Reproductions of these images are also available. For more information on ordering please see this link.

Tombstone Tuesday: Louis Mayotte, Cimetiere St-Joseph, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

Louis Mayotte, the son of Olympe (Jean-Louis, Eualie Roberge) and Marie Alice Blanche Jodoin (Joseph, Parmelie Dupont), was the brother of my youngest daughter's great-grandmother, Celine Courtois nee Mayotte. Louis died in Lowell Massachusetts on 15 February, 1934 at the age of 26. He is buried in Section Q, lot 89 with his parents and two of his brothers, Olympe Gerard and Jerome. I have included his obituary below.

Unfortunately, the exact publication information of the obituary is not known. However, I am led to believe that it was published in the Franco-American newspaper, L'Etoile. I have included a translation below.

M. LOUIS MAYOTTE
         EST DECEDE HIER

Ce jeune boulanger etait proprietaire de la boulangerie Sunkist  dans la rue Cheever. ---Funerailles a 9h.15 lundi matin a St-Jean-Baptiste.

C'est avec regret    que les nom breux amis de M. Louis Mayotte du numero 201,   rue  Cheever  apprendront la nouvelle de sa mort survenue hier apres-midi a l'hopital St-Joseph, a l'age de 26 ans, 7 mois et 19 jours.

Il etait ne et avait ete eleve en cette ville depuis cinq ans il etait proprietaire de la boulangerie Sunkist, situee sur la rue Cheever. Il etait un jeune homme d'un caratere doux et aimable et un jeune Franco-Americain estime.

Il laisse son espous Mme. Lilliane Mayotte nee Frenette:, deux enfants, Andre et Paul mayotte; ses parents, M et Mme Olympe (Jodoin) Mayotte; deux soeurs, Mlls Celine et Therese Mayotte, et trois freres, Jerome, Gerard et Robert Mayotte. ? etait membre de la Societe de la Sainte-Famille de la paroisse St-Joseph. Le defunt tut transporte a la demeure de ses parents, 215 rue Cheever par l'entrepreneur M-R. Laurin.

Ses funerailles imposantes auront lieu lundi matin a 8h.15 de la demeure mortuaire. Le service solennel sera celebre a 9h.15 en l'eglise St-jean-baptiste avec diacre, sousdiacre et choeur de chant. Parents et amis sont pries d'y assister L'inhumation se fera dans le lot de la famille au cimetiere St-Joseph.

Les arrangements funeraires ont ete confies l'entrepreneur M.-R. Laurin.

My translation:

MR. LOUIS MAYOTTE
         DIED YESTERDAY

The young baker was the owner of the Sunkist bakery on Cheever street. ----Funeral at 9:15 Monday morning at St-Jean-Baptiste.

  It is with deep regret that the many friends of Mr. Louis Mayotte, number 201, Cheever street,. will learn the news of his death yesterday morning at St.-Joseph hospital, at the age of 26 years, 7 months and 19 days.

He was born and bred in this city and became the owner of the Sunkist bakery, located at Cheever street, five years ago. He was a young man of  character,  sweet and kind, a young Franco-American that everybody loved..

He leaves his bride Mrs. Lilliane Mayotte nee Frenette; two children, Andre and Paul Mayotte, his parents, Mr. and Ms. Olympe (Jodoin) Mayotte, two sisters, Misses Celine and Therese Mayotte, and three brothers, Jerome, and Robert Gerard Mayotte. He was a member of Societe de la Sainte-Famille at St-Joseph parish. The undertaker M R Laurin carried the deceased to the house of his parents, at 215 Cheever St

An impressive funeral will begin Monday morning at 8:15 at the funeral home. The funeral service will be held at 9:15 at St-Jean-Baptiste with deacon, sub-deacon and choir. Friends and family are invited. The burial will take place in the family plot in St-Joseph's cemetery.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to undertaker M.-R. Laurin.

Thank you to Ruth Major Lapierre & Sue Johnson nee Mayotte. Ruth, the author of  Major Boutron et/and compagnies, helped me with the obituary translation and Sue sent me the very nicely photographed photos you see above as well as a copy of the original obituary clipping.

L'Etoile, 1886 - 1957, Lowell, Massachusetts

Today I am working on extracting and translating a few obituaries that I think were published in the Franco-American newspaper L'Etoile.  The word étoile, in French, means star. From the personal collection of Susan Johnson nee Mayotte, the obituaries  I have are .jpg copies of  originals that were clipped out of a newspaper. The text is all in French, so I'm only guessing that they were published in L'Etoile. However, the years of death (1934 & 1938) for the persons the obituaries were written for fit the dates of publication  for this newspaper (1886 to 1957). Also, I believe it may have been the only French newspaper published in Lowell at the time these obituaries went to print. So the likelihood that they were published in L'Etoile, in my opinion, is high. 

L'Etoile is available on microfilm at the Boston Public Library. Also, the Library of Congress states that the Institute Canada-American Bibliotheque in Manchester, NH, has copies of the original newspapers. Where is this Institute Canada-American Bibliotheque? Do they mean the ACGS? I'll have to look into this as Manchester is certainly closer to me then Boston.

Update: After a bit of  research  I am led to believe that L'Institute Canada-American is now called the Association Canado-Americiane. The ACA is a Franco-American fraternal benefit society and, according to their website, they are located at 52 Concord Street in a historic building in downtown Manchester, NH. The ACA shares the building with The Franco-American Centre and I think it is here that I will find those original copies of L'Etoile. I'm going to call them in the morning to confirm this information. Also, I do believe I will be able to find copies of L'Etoile at the Center for Lowell History, located at 40 French St. in downtown Lowell. I have submitted a query asking them if the collection is complete and if the copies are originals or on microfilm, as I would really prefer to view original copies over microfilm.

Funeral Card Friday: Jerome C. Robillard

Funeral Card Friday is a daily blogging prompt from GeneaBloggers - the genealogy community's resource for blogging.Originating from Dee Akard's blog, Funeral Cards and Genealogy, Dee encourages those of us who genea-blog to share our funeral card collection on the first Friday of each month and since I have managed to collect a few, I have decided to participate.

This week I present my father's funeral card. Not really a funeral card though, as he didn't have a funeral. This card is more like a memorial card. I received it from the McKenna-Ouellettte Funeral Home, in Lowell, MA., on the day of his wake along with another laminated card preserving his obituary. When I went into my Robillard files earlier this morning to find the card, so I could scan it, I read the poem again and it brought back a flood of emotion.

In Loving Memory of
Jerome C. Robillard

January 2, 1943
February 22, 2009


AFTERGLOW
I'd like the memory of me
To be a happy one. I'd like
To leave and Afterglow of
Smiles when day is done.
I'd like to leave an echo...
Whispering softly down the
Ways of happy times and
Laughing times and bright
And sunny days. I'd like
The tears of those who
Grieve to dry before the
Sun of happy memories
That I leave behind when
Day is done.


McKenna-Ouellette Funeral Home

I miss you Dad..