The Obituary of Athala Albert nee Caron, 1918, Lowell, Massachusetts

Follow up to a previous Tombstone Tuesday featuring the memorial of Joseph Albert and his wife, Athala Caron

Published in The Lowell Sun, December, 19, 1918, pg. 7.

ALBERT--The many friends of Mrs. Joseph Albert, wife of the well known undertaker, nee Athala Caron, will be grieved to learn of her death which occurred this noon at her home, 173 Aiken street, after a lingering illness at the age of 54 years, 4 months and 19 days. Mrs. Albert was born at St. Jean Port Joli, Que., and came to this city 34 years ago. She was a prominent member of St. Joseph's parish and always active in the parish affairs. She leaves to mourn her loss besides her husband, four daughters, Rev. Sister Marie Albert of the Grey Nuns of the Cross of Ottowa, Ont., Misses Maria, Dorila and Claire Albert of this city; a son, Joseph Albert Jr., three brothers, Andre Caron of Chandlers Que., Andre Caron of Notre Dame du Lac, Que., and Pierre Caron of this city; a sister, Mrs. Thomas Beaulieu of Notre Dame du Lac. She was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis and St. Anne's sodality of St. Joseph's parish.

Published in The Lowell Sun, Monday, December 23, 1918, pg. 11.

ALBERT--The funeral of Mrs. Joseph Albert, wife of the well known undertaker, took place this morning from her home, 173 Aiken street and was very largely attended. The funeral cortege composed of 35 automobiles left the home at 8:45 o'clock and wended its way to St. Joseph's church, where at 9:00 o'clock solemn high mass of requiem was celebrated. The congregation at the church was very large for the deceased was one of the best known members of St. Joseph's parish. In attendance were the children of the french-American orphanage accompanied by the Sister of Charity, pupils of St. Joseph's convent and the following delegations: St. Anne's sodality, Mesdames C. Lirette, Z. St. Hilaire and J. St. Pierre; Third Order of St. Francis, Mesdames J. Tetreault, E. Dupont and M. Cote. The celebrant of the mass was the pastor Rev. Eugene Turcotte, O. M. I., who was assisted by Rev. Charles Denizot, O. m. I., as deacon and Rev. Armand Baron, O. M. I. as sub-deacon. The choir, augmented for the occasion, rendered the Gregorian mass under the direction of Telesphore Malo. The bearers were H. Michaud, A. Michaud, T. Lamire, F. Albert, W. Bouthillette, W. Perron, S. Belanger and E. Cossette. Burial was in St. Joseph's cemetery, where the committal prayers were read by Rev. Aurelien Mercil, O. M. I. Funeral arrangements were in charge of Napoleaon Bilodeau and James W. McKenna.

Tombstone Tuesday: Joseph Albert and Athala Caron, Cimetière Saint-Joseph, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

Buried here is Joseph Albert and his wife, Athala Caron.  Baptized at the parish of  St-Eloi, Riviere-du-Loop, Quebec on the 26th of February, 1869,  Joseph was the son of Felix Albert (Fermin, Celeste Bergeron dit Damboise) and Marie Desneiges Michaud (Alexandre, Zoe Pelletier). Athala, Joseph's wife, was born, according to the headstone, in 1864. However, I can only find one baptismal record for an Athala Caron and that is in 1861 at St-Jean-Port-Joli, L'Islet, Quebec. The father of the aforementioned Athala is documented as being Moise Caron and the mother is Apolline, I can not read the mother's surname.

Below is the baptismal record for Joseph Albert from the parish of St-Eloi, Riviere-du-Loop. According to this record he was born le vingt duex ? (22)  du meme mois (of this month).

[Gabriel Drouin, Institut Généalogique Drouin, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Le Fonds Drouin 1621-1967, Quebec vital records, 1869, St-Eloi, Co. Riviere-du-Loop, pg.4, B.12., Joseph Albert, register photocopy to the Greffe of Riviere-du-Loop]

Joseph Albert and Athala Caron were married 17 Aug 1891, in Lowell, Massachusetts in a ceremony performed by Rev. A. Amyot. (click the image to enlarge)

[Massachusetts Archives, Albert , Joseph,  Lowell , 1891, vol. 416, pg. 212]

In the record cited above, Athala's mother is only recorded as being Apolline.

On 23 June 1900 the family of Joseph Albert was enumerated in the 12trh census of the United States, living at Jodoin Place in Lowell, Massachusetts. Joseph, the head, is recorded as being born in Feb of 1868. He is 31 years old and, according to the census, has been married for 9 years. He was born in Canada-French (Quebec) as were both his parents. The year of his immigration to the United States is 1881, he has been here for 19 years. He is an alien immigrant and his profession is that of an Undertaker with zero months not employed. Also, according to the census, he can neither read nor write, but he can speak English. Joseph Albert rents his home.

Athala, Joseph's wife, is enumerated as being Athela. according to the census, she was born Nov. 1864. She is married and has been for 9 years, four children out of five births are living and she too was born in Canada-French, as were her parents. Her year of immigration is 1883 and she has been in the United States for 17 years. The status of her citizenship is blank, she can read and write and speak English.

The children of Joseph and Athala are recorded on the census as follows:

1. Marie A. - daughter/w/f//Aug/1892/ 7/s/Mass/CanFr/CanFr/at school/10/yes/yes/yes
2. Bernadette - daughter/w/f/Aug/1893/6/s/Mass/CanFr/CanFr/at school/10/yes/
3. Joseph Jr. - son/w/m/July/1897/2/s/Mass/CanFr/CanFr/
4. Blanche - daughter/w/f/June/1898/1/s/Mass/CanFr/CanFr/

There is also a Pierre Caron living with the family, he is enumerated as being Joseph's brother-in-law. Recorded as being born in February of 1864, if Pierre is Athala's brother this date certainly conflicts with her  given birth date, doesn't it? I believe the census records Pierre as being widowed, he was born Canada-French, as were both his parents. His year of immigration is 1883, he has been in the united States for 17 years, he's an alien and his occupation is that of a Hostler (?). He can read, write and speak English.

In 1910 the couple, Joseph and Athala, are living on Cheever st. in Lowell. There are two more daughters, Dorila, age 7 and Claire, age 4. According to the census, Athala has now given birth eleven times but only 6 children are living. Joseph is still an undertaker, but now he owns his own shop and is also an employer.

In 1920 Joseph Albert is living with three of his daughters, Dorila, Claire, Maria F, a son-in-law, Edward J. Lynch, who is Maria's husband, and a maid. Athala, Joseph's wife, died in 1918 and Joseph will die on 27 September 1930. Please click the link above to read Athala's obituary. I am still searching for Joseph's.

In 1930 Joseph's son, Joseph Jr, is recorded in the 1930 census, on April 2nd of that year, living at 476 Merrimack st., he is recorded as being 32 years old. His wife, recorded as Florina, is 19. Age at first marriage for both of them is their age at which the census was taken. There are no children. Joseph Jr. is noted as being an embalmer in a Funeral parlor. Is Joseph Jr. getting ready to take over his father's business or had he already?

If anyone knows Apolline's maiden name I would be grateful if you could contact me at callmeshell at gmail.com.