Sunday, November 11, 2012

In Their Honor - The Franco-American War Veterans' Memorial - Cimetiere St-Joseph, Chelmsford Massachusetts



Originally posted for Tombstone Tuesday on May 25th, 2010, I thought it appropriate to re-post this blog for Veteran's Day this year. In doing so, I'd also like to take this time to thank all of the Veterans everywhere for serving our Great Nation. Thank-you.

 This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave.-- Elmer Davis

The the Franco-American War Veterans' Memorial at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Chelmsford, Massachusetts was dedicated on Tuesday, May 30th, 1933 and sits at what was once the main entrance of the cemetery along Riverneck Road. It's made from the highest grade granite and is twenty-one and one-half feet long, five and one-half feet in height, by one and one-half feet wide, it is surmounted with 3 flag staffs.

On the left and right sides of the monument there are the following inscriptions; A LA MEMOIRE DE CEUX QUI TOMBERENT, and  EN L’HONNEUR DE CEUX QUI SERVIRENT  which translate to: IN MEMORY OF THOSE WHO DIED, IN HONOR OF THOSE WHO SERVED. In the center of the monument there is the inscriptions GUERRE MONDIALE, 1917-1918 and LES FRANCO-AMERICAINS RECONNAISSANTS. which translate to:  WORLD WAR 1917 - 1918, GRATEFUL FRANCO-AMERICANS

According to Albert V. Cote's website, The Franco-Americans in Lowell, Massachusetts, the monument was refurbished by the Franco-American War Veterans, Post No.4 of Lowell, MA, in the early 1990s. This refurbishment added two brass plates (I did not find) and the English translations of the left and right side inscriptions. Also added was the inscription, FRANCO-AMERICAN WAR VETERANS POST NO. 4 1995. And to the back of the monument, Refurbish Committe May 27, 1995. Ronald Sevigny, Roland Provencher, Arthur Papillion, Ronald Guilmette, Leo Cloutier and Leo Martin.

The first Veteran to be buried at the memorial  was *Alfred Peter Barron, Seaman 2 Cl., USN. He died on 11 October, 1933 and was interred on 14 October.



Also laid to rest, in order of interment, are:

Hormisdas Gauthier
*Ernest Villandry
*Oscar Rene
*Peter Dufour
Joseph Forbes
Alexandre Gagnon
*Mathias St. Laurent
Gilbert Richard
*Harry Porter (Ira F. Porter)
Ovila Briere
Salluste Fournier
Joseph Bedard
*Walter St. Hilaire
*Peter Desmarais
*Louis Dube
George A. Richard
Louis Provencher
Rocky Ambrosino
Ovila Frenette
Antonio Roussell
Joseph R. Laferriere
Victor Charette
Rosario Martineau
Raymond O. DeMange
Raymond A. Ferris
Roland Gagne
Henry J.Couture
Armand J. Carbonneau
Leo S. Harnois
Raymond P. Vincent
Perley R. Munsell
Omer Frechette
Raymond. E. L'Heureux
William B.Aresenault
Paul J. Pare
Arthur J. Proulx
Gerard R. Gauthier
Paul L. Greenwood Sr.
John H. James Jr.
Franklin D. Ambrosino
Walter, J. Ciesla
Raymond J. Landry
George N. Gilbert
Joseph R. Corcoran
Joseph Leo Lacourse
John J. Mele Jr.
Eugene Sylvain
Daniel Lavoie
Calvin Simpkins
Robert W. Finn
Leo R. Plante Jr.
Norman M. Ayotte
Daniel A. Thompson
Ralph N. Biron
Richard J. Marshall
Donald G. Foote
Paul H. Durand
Thomas Olivera
Armand Bibault





On May 31, 1933, there was an article that appeared in Lowell Sun describing the dedication ceremony of this memorial on pages 6 & 7. I have extracted some of that article below. 
Erected to honor the memory of Franco-American war heroes, this monument was dedicated on Tuesday, May 30, 1933 in an open air ceremony at St. Joseph's cemetery in Chelmsford, Massachusetts. The dedication was largely attended and a musical program was provided by an augmented choir under the direction of Telesphore Malo, director of the choir at St. Joseph's parish.
Delegations from the many Franco-American organizations in the area were there, as well as: Guard St. Louis, Sacred Heart Guard, Franco-American veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, United Spanish War Veterans, Boy Scouts of America, the C. M. A. C. and the Jewish War Veterans. There was a mass and the eulogy was delivered by Rev. J. A. Fortier, OMI, a former war chaplain and pastor of Notre Dame de Lourdes church in Lowell . The monument, unveiled by Spanish war hero, Lieut. Georges Charette, U. S. N. retired, was presented to the Franco-American population by Arthur H.R. Groux, president and general chairman of the committee in charge of erecting it. Received and accepted by Rev. Louis G. Bachand OMI, superior of St. Joseph's parish, he gave a brief acceptance speech. Also, a burial plot was presented to the American Legion and accepted by Commander James H. Rooney, followed by a few words by Rev. Willliam F. Mahan, OMI, chaplain of the post.
Among those in attendance were Rep, Edith Nourse, Mayor Charles H. Slowley, Rep. Henry Achin Jr., Col. Charles A. Stevens, Rep. Frank E. Maclean, Postmaster Xavier A. Deslise and the following goldstar mothers: Mrs. Olivier Renaud, Mrs.William H. Cloualre, Mrs. Philomene April, Mrs. Eugene Lajeunesse, and Mrs. Ralph Lashua. The following delegations represented Franco-American societies: CMAC, Alphonse Fortier, Leo Barou, Ferdinand Rousseau; Council J. N. Jacques of  l'Union St. Jean Baptlste d'Aremique, Telesphore Leblanc, Edouard Casaubon, Eugene Gullbault; Council Ste. Therese, Mrs. Eva Michel, Mrs. Florida Nadeau, Miss Adeline Martin; Council Carillon, Olivier 'A. Page; National Benevolence union,; Louis N. Milot, Eugene Longval,; Donat Vadeboncoeur; Court Pawtucketville ACF, Pierre Leblanc, Joseph E. Lambert, Josephat Sawyer; Pawtueketville Social club, Origene Descoteaux, James St. Hilalre, Emilien Leblanc; CCA, George Pednault, Achille St. Pierre, Alfred Beauchesne; Court St. Antoine OFC, Onesime Tremblay, Joseph Magraa, Armand Beauchesne; St. Joseph's alumal, Stanislaus 0. Paquln, Rev. Brother Alphonse, Richard L. Provencher; Court Ste. Marie, ACF, "Joseph A. Plante, Albert Morln, Zotique Sauvageau; Franco-American Educational association, Mrs. Louis P. Vincent, Mrs. Napoleon Lozeau, Mrs. Clarina H. Morier, RN; Franco-American Civic League of Massachusetts, Lowell branch. Joseph A. Legare, Joseph A. Routhior, Albert J. Blazon; Cercle St. Louis, Elzear J. Dionae, Orlando P. Viau, Joseph A. Biron; Club Lafayette, Dr. Raymond Gendreau, Alphonse Coutu, Georges D. Dozois; Ste. Marie's parish, Edouard Gadreau, Edmond Gendreau; Notre Dame de Bon Secours society, Miss Julia Landry, Mrs. Eugenie St. Ives, Mrs. Jeremie Champagne; Court Ste. Eveline ACF, Mrs. Jules G. Deschenes, Miss Rosa Gagnon; SI. Jean Baptiste ACA, Charles Brousseau, Donat and Omer Joyal; United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, local 1610, Philippe Chaput, Damiens Descoteaux. Victor Breton; Franco-American Naturalization association, E. Lajeunesse, Emllien Leblanc, Louis Harnois.
The committees in charge of arrangements follow: General committee, Arthur H. R. Gtroux, president; Maxime Cornellier, secretary; religious program, Maxime Cornellier, chairman; Joseph T. Dusseault, Louis Renaud, Joseph Payotte, Joseph I'Heureux; invitations committee, Dcwey Archambault, chairman; Arthur Monty, Elphege Phaneuf, Onesime Tremblay, Paul Dostaler; committee on speakers, Donat Brunellc, chairman; Zenon Chouinard, Hector Duputs, Barnabe Dusseault, Joseph Robillard; transportation, Heclor J. McDonald, chairman; Alfred S. Gagnon, Donat Dery. Edmond I,. Belley; reception committee, Hon, Arthur I,. Eno, chairman; Albert L. Bourgeois, Paul R. Foisy, Lucien R. Brunelle, Lazare Boule. and Rozider Leclair.

Monday, November 05, 2012

Dr. J. E. Robillard of Southbridge and Lowell

In an attempt to connect another Robillard to my line, I began researching Dr. J..E. Robillard. I had run across his headstone a few years ago and decided it was finally time to figure who he was. Joseph Emile Robillard, D.D.S., had an office in downtown Lowell, Massachusetts for decades. However, before he opened his own practice in Lowell he was employed by the practice of  Dr. T. J. King.

I find this early 20th century advertisement  to be quite humorous.
I wonder if that's Dr. King himself?



A son of Louis Emile and Eliza nee Pinsonneault, Joseph Emile Robillard was probably born on March 19, 1880 in Brookfield, Worcester County, Massachusetts.

Joseph went college in Montreal, as well as in Maryland.. He married Ida Tarte (Joseph, Elisabeth Courville) in 1906 at St. Joseph's church rectory and they had 5 known children.

The following excerpt describing their wedding ceremony was taken from "The Frater of Psi Omega" vol. v, no.1, pub. Nov. 1905. The Supreme Council, Tiffin, Ohio. If you click the image below it will take you to the publication, as it appears on Google Books.


At the time of his death in 1950, Dr. Robillard lived on Harris Ave., located in the Highlands neighborhood in Lowell. Buried together with Ida's parents, Joseph Emile and Ida were interred at Saint-Joseph Cemetery in East. Chelmsford, Massachusetts. 




Joseph Emile Robillard and I are related very distantly. We are 6th cousins 2x removed, with the progenitors being Claude Robillard and Marie Grandin. Below is a quick detailess ahnentafell just to show his direct Robillard line.

  --- 1st Generation ---


1.  Joseph-Emile1 Robillard (1621)


    --- 2nd Generation ---


2.  Louis-Emile2 Robillard (1619) married Eliza Pinsonneault (1620).


     --- 3rd Generation ---


4.  Jean-Baptiste3 Robillard (1617) married Henriette Page (1618).


       --- 4th Generation ---


8.  Raphael4 Robillard (1615) married Marie Louise Vadnais (1616).


        --- 5th Generation ---


16.  Michel5 Robillard (1613) married Marie Josephe Rondeau (1614).


         --- 6th Generation ---


32.  Pierre6 Robillard (1292) married Marie
Angelique Marette dit Lepine dit Richard (1293)  He married Marie-
Jeanne Provost (1398) 


        --- 7th Generation ---


64.  Pierre7 Robillard (822) married Catherine Coutou (836) 



          --- 8th Generation ---


128.  Claude8 Robillard (808) married Marie Binard (812) He married 
Marie Grandin (809)He married Marie-Francoise Guillin (823)

Sunday, November 04, 2012

Greater Lowell Genealogy Club - November, 2012 Meeting

Yes, I'm still alive. Our next meeting is Saturday, November 17, 2012 from 1:30pm until 4:30pm at the Pollard Memorial Library in Lowell. We will begin to research some passports that were found in the attic at Lowell City Hall. Please bring your laptops and research skills. It is also to be noted that membership dues are going up in January. So if you haven't paid for 2013 yet I recommend that you do it now, before the increase. See ya!