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.*
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