L'Etoile Tuesday: Publicite a Les Canadiens-Francais de Lowell Mass

L'Etoile, once a very popular Franco-American newspaper, was published in Lowell, MA from 1886 up until 1957,  it's available for viewing on microfilm at several repositories in the area, including the Pollard Memorial Library in downtown Lowell.

The advertisement for the publication L'Etoile below was published in 1896, on page 88 of Les Canadiens-Francais de Lowell Mass. This book, which I believe celebrates the Franco-American community's presence, and influence within the city of  Lowell at the time, was written and published by Avila Bourbonnière. It is to be noted that in 1898, Avila was an assistant city assessor for ward 5. And, in 1899 he made run for the position of Chairman of the Board of Assessors. However, I believe he lost, because in 1900 he returns to Quebec.

A man of many hats, while Avila was here in Lowell, he was a notary public, as well as the secretary for L'Union Franco-Americaine, and the secretary for the Candadian Cooperative Bank, which was located on Middle St.  He was also a general agent at the Columbia Aid Association of Boston, which was located on Central St. A publisher, and secretary of the Société de Publications, Francaises des Etats-Unis; and the Club Democratique Cando-Americain. The list of everything that he was involved in within this city is quite capacious. I am glad that I decided to research him.  It is to be noted, (yes, I write a lot of notes) that Avila's oldest son, Joseph A. (baptized as Joseph-Pierre-Avila in 1871 ) was quite active within Lowell's Franco-American community as well, and I have tried not to confuse the two men. As far as I can see, the younger Avila, as I call him, was almost always referred to as Joseph A.

Baptized at the parish of Notre-Dame-de-Montreal as Michel-Etienne-Avila Gaudry on 27 Dec., 1847, Avila was the son of Michel Gaudry dit Bourbonnière and Catherine Vinet dit Souligny. Marrying Catherine-Concorde-Cornelie Mignault (Pierre-Emile, Justine-Adelaide Leclerc) on 18 May, 1870 at the the parish of St-David-d'Yamaska, thier marriage was largely attended. Naturalized in Lowell, at the Police Court, on 28 October, 1887, Avila and his wife, Cornelie, as far as I can tell thus far, had 9 children, four of whom were born in Lowell. His last known occupation is that of an assurance inspecteur in 1911. However, in his burial record he referred to as being a publiciste. Avila lived to be 75 years old, and died on 30 Dec., 1922. He was buried on 2 January, 1923 in parish cemetery of Notre-Dame-de-Montreal, and like his marriage, his funeral was equally attended.

*Please feel free to contact me for source information.*

Wordless Wednesday: Pepere & Memere Robillard - 1965

Tombstone Tuesday: Cimetiere St-Joseph, East Chelmsford, Massachusetts

L'Etoile Tuesday: Les Avis de Deces de Mon Arriere-Grand-Pere, Joseph-Arthur Robillard

L'Etoile, once a very popular Franco-American newspaper, was published in Lowell, MA from 1886 up until 1957,  it's available for viewing on microfilm at several repositories in the area, including the Pollard Memorial Library in downtown Lowell.

Publie samedi, 30 janvier, 1937 dans L'Etoile, Lowell, Massachusetts, Etats Unis.

DECES
---------
ROBILLARD --Nous sommes au regret d'announcer le deces ce matin de l'um de nos vieux concitoyens, M. Joseph-Arthur Robillard, a sa demeure au no 90 rue Aiken appartiement 9, apres un longue maladie suportee avec une patience exemplaire, a l'age de 69 ans, 3 mois et 19 jour. M Robillard, qui demeurait en cette ville depuis 50 ans, etait tres bien connuet estime  de tous. Il laisse dans le deuil son epouse, Mme Philomene Robillard, nee Foucher; deux filles, Mme. Leo Patenaude et Mme Francois Fournier de cette ville; trois fils, MM Rosario et Heria Robillard de Central Falls R.I. et M. Antonio Robillard de Lowell; et un frere, M. Jerome Robillard de Cohoes, N. Y. Il etait membre de la Ste-Famille de la paroisse St-Joseph et des Forestiers Catholique, Cour Ste-Antoine, no 566. Les funerailles auront lien mardi matin a 8 heures de la demeure mortuaire au no 90 rue Aiken appartement 39. A 9 heures a l'eglise St-Jean-Baptiste son service solemnel sera celebre avec diacre, sous-diacre et choeur de chant. Parents et amis sont pres d'y assister. l'inhummation aura lieu dans le lot de la famille au cimetiere St-Joseph. MM Amdee Archambault et Fils on la direction des funerailles.

My translation:

DEATHS
---------
ROBILLARD - We regret  to announce, this morning, the death of one of our older citizens, Mr. Joseph-Arthur Robillard, at his residence no. 90 Aiken Street apartment 9, after a long illness, endured with exemplary patience, at the age of 69 years, 3 months and 19 days. Mr. Robillard, who lived in this town for 50 years, was well known, and held in high esteem by all. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Philomene Robillard, nee Foucher; two daughters, Mrs. Leo Patenaude and Mrs. Francois Fournier of this city; three sons, Mr. Rosario Robillard, and Heria Robillard of Central Falls R. I., and Mr. Antonio Robillard of Lowell; and a brother, Mr. Jerome Robillard of Cohoes, N. Y. He was a member of Ste-Famille of St-Joseph Parish and the Catholic Foresters, Court of St. Antoine, No. 566. The funeral will be Tuesday morning at 8 o'clock in the funeral home at no. 90 Aiken Street apartment 39. At 9 o'clock at St-Jean-Baptiste, a service will be celebrated with solemn deacon, subdeacon, and choir singing. Family and friends are requested to attend. Interment will take place in the family lot at Cimetiere St-Joseph. Funeral under the direction of Mr. Amdee Archambault and Son.

Amanuensis Monday: Petition for Naturalization- Joseph Arthur Robillard

Amanuensis Monday is a daily blogging theme, originating at John Newmark's Transylvania Dutch, the theme encourages the transcription of family letters, journals, and other historical artifacts.

Last winter, Diane Leedburg Laferriere, a fellow member of the GLGC, and I took at trip to the NARA at Waltham, and this was one of the documents I rec'd.  Joseph Arthur, as if you didn't already know, was my paternal great grandfather : )
 
[Police Court, Lowell, Mass - Minor Series, Vol. 1892 - 1897;  Pet.  No. 1, pg. 645]


Commonwealth of Massachusetts

MIDDLESEX, SS.
To the Honorable the Justice of the Police Court of Lowell, holden at Lowell, in
the District of Lowell, in said County of Middlesex on the            Thirteenth       
day of September A. D. 1895.

RESPECTFULLY REPRESENTS                   Joseph Arthur Robillard         
of Lowell,               in said County, an alien, that he was born at       Ste Melanie
                           P.Q                         , in           Canada              , within
the dominions of Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
                                                                                                                      
on the       twelfth       day of               Oct                , A.D. 1867, and is now
     twentyseven         years of age, that he emigrated from      Canada        and
arrived at         Lowell           , in the United States of America, on or about the
fifteenth day of              Jauy [sic]                , A. D. 1884, being then a minor under
the age of eighteen years, to wit, of the age of        seventeen      years, that he
has ever since resided withing the United States, being more than five years now last past,
that he now resides at No.              36 Aiken Ave                                Street, in
Lowell,                                 , in the District of Lowell, in said County of Middlesex,
and that his occupation is that of a                  weaver            ; that he desires and
it has been for three years last past, his bona-fide intention to become a citizen of
the said United States, and to renounce all allegiance, and fidelity to every foreign
prince, potentate, state and sovereignty whatsoever, and particullary to Victoria, Queen                                             as aforesaid, and that he has duly filed in said Police Court  of Lowell his application for Naturalization.  Wherefore he prays to be admitted by this Honorable Court to become a citizen of the said United States, according to the laws in such cases made and provided.

                                                                      /s/   Joseph Arthur Robillard  

MIDDLESEX, SS. SEP 20 1895, 189     .  Signed and sworn to,

                                                                     /s/ Edward W Trull
                                                                                           Asst clerk.


[Police Court, Lowell, Mass - Minor Series, Vol. 1892 - 1897;  Pet. No. 1, pg. 645A]

WE,                Camille Roussin           residing at No.             3 Salem         
Street, in             Lowell                    , and            Joseph Roy             , residing
at  No.      4 Willie Ave           street, in                        Lowell                 , both in said County, and both citizens of the United States of America, on oath, severally depose and say, that we have known         Joseph Arthur Robillard             , the foregoing petitioner, for more than five years last past, during all which time he has resided within the United States of America, and at least on year thereof in said Commonwealth, that he has during that time behaved as a man of good moral character, attached to the principles of the Constitution of the United States, and well disposed to the good order and happiness of the same; that he arrived in the United States while a minor aforesaid, and resided in said United States five years before he arrived at the age of twenty-one years,  and that we verily believe it has been, for three years past, his bona-fide intention to become a citizen of this United States.

                                                                       /s/ Camille Roussin
                                                                       /s/ Joseph Roy

MIDDLESEX, SS. SEP 20 1895 189     . Signed an sworn to:

                                                                       /s/ Edward W Trull
                                                                                             Asst clerk

I,  Joseph Arthur Robillard do solemnly swear that I do absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign prince, potentate, state and sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly to Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,                                           whose subject I have heretofore been, that I have never been any of the orders of nobility, nor borne any hereditary title, and that I will suppoert the Constitution of the United States of America.
So help me God.
                                                                      /s/ Joseph Arthur Robillard

MIDDLESEX, SS. SEP 20 1895 189   
                     Sworn and admitted a citizen
                                                                     /s/ Edward W Trull
                                                                                           Asst Clerk