The Death Notice of Lewis Wells, Lowell, Massachusetts

Update: I opened my 1900 census of Frank and family with photoshop. I can see now that Frank is 32 yrs old so I am going to go do a poking around in New York right now.

I can't rightly call this an obituary in today's sense of the term. It's just a small little block of print, with not much information at all. However, there is enough information for me to know that this is the father of Frank and William Wells and grandfather of Agnes, Victoria, William, Helen, Francis, Flora, Viola, Kenneth and Charles Wells.

Published in The Lowell Sun on the 21st of Sept. 1922. Unfortunately, I only have a cropped image and forgot to write the page number down.

WELLS -- Lewis Wells, aged 83 years, a resident of this city for the past 40 years and a veteran of the Civil war, former member of Company C, 22Nd New York Regiment, died today at his home, 113 School street. He leaves two sons, Frank F. and William Wells, both of this city; 14 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

I have a few census records that track the family of Lewis' son Frank, however, my search ends in 1900 Cheshire county New Hampshire. I do not know who Lewis was married to or his son Frank for that matter. I all know about Frank's wife is that her name was Harriet. Both the 1900 and 1910 census records that I have are barley legible. In a 1920 census record of School St. in Lowell, MA. Frank, Lewis' son, is enumerated as being born in New York. It states his parents are born Canada French. Harriet, Frank's wife, is born Canada French and Frank's father, Lewis, or Louis as he is enumerated, who is living with the family, is enumerated as being born in New York.. That's a little conficting don't you think? The parental birth information given for Frank, states Canada French, for both parents, mother and father, while the birth place information for Lewis or Louis, who IS Frank's father, states New York. Anyway, the census goes onto document that Lewis' parents, whom ever they may be, were also born Canada French.

Married Fifty Years: Mr & Mrs. Frank Wells, Lowell, Massachusetts

Published in The Lowell Sun Monday April 11th 1938, pg. 12.

Fifty years of wedded life was celebrated on Saturday by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Wells, of 113 School street. In the morning, a solemn high mass was celebrated at St. Rita's church by Rev. Fr. McGrath, with Masters Milton Williams, J. Ganley, Edward Eichstadt and Paul Eichstadt as acolytes. Mr. and Mrs. Wells were attended by thir oldest daughter Mrs. Leandre Bourque, and Mr. Bourque, and by Lorraine Parent and Thelma Wells, as flower girls. More than 175 friends and relatives attended the dinner served at 113 School street in the afternoon. A reception followed, marked by the presentation of a purse and many other gifts to the celebrants. Music was provided by George Vane.

Mr and Mrs. Wells aare widely known locally. They were married in Hinsdale, N. H., and came to Lowell 36 years ago, where Mr. Wells became employed at the Merrimack mills and later at the Saco-Lowell shops as a mechanic. Thirteen children have been born to them, nine of whom are living, as follows: Agnes, now Mrs. Leandre Bourque of North Billerica; Victoria, now Mrs. Raymond Chandonnet of Crystal Lake North Chelmsford; William of Lilley avenue; Helen, now Mrs. Samuel Goulet of Hampshire street; Francis, of 565 Stevens street; Flora, now Mrs. Joseph Silva of 113 School street; Viola, now Mrs. Wilfred Parent of 44 Adams street; Kenneth and Charles, of 113 School street. There are 19 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

William H. Wells' daughter, Thelma, one of the flower girls, was born 18 August 1930 in Lowell, Massachusetts. She married my father's brother, Francis H. Robillard on 4 Sept. 1954 at St. Michael's church in Lowell and passed away on 3 Jan 1983. Please see the label Wells for more information.

The Obituary of Mrs. J. Leander Bourque, North Billerica, Massachusetts

Published in The Lowell Sun and Citizen-Leader Wednesday January 21st 1942, pg. 3.

Mrs. Agnes Louise (Wells) Bourque, wife of Leander Bourque, a well known resident of North Billerica for the past 27 years, died early this morning at St. John's hospital following a short illness. She was a member of St. Andrew's parish and of the Blesssed Virgin Sodality.

Surviving her are herhusband, five sons, Edward F. Bourque of Boston, Leonard C. Bourque of North Billerica, Lawrence O., Alfred D. and Raymond A. Bourque of Hartford Conn.; her mother, Mrs. Frank Wells of Lowell; four sisters, Mrs. Raymond Chandonnet of North Chelmsford, Mrs. Samuel Goulet and Mrs. Joseph Silva of Lowell, and Mrs. Wilfred Parent of Buffalo, N. Y.; four brothers, William, Francis and Kenneth Wells of Lowell, and Charles Wells of North Billerica, and by three grandchildren. The body will be removed to her home, 11 Beacon street, North Billerica tomorrow afternoon when relatives and friends may call.

Treasure Chest Thursday: The Robillards

Following in the footsteps of my earlier Wordless Wednesday post, here is another photograph of the Robillard Reunion ca.1978.

This photo includes my grandparents as well as all of my paternal uncles and aunts with their spouses at that time.

Back row: Joe, Jim, Bob, Frank, Joe (my Pepere), Jerry (my Dad), Leonce Chandonnet, Richard, and Robert Greene

Front row: Evelyn Robillard (Falk), wife of Joe; Pauline Robillard (Barraclaugh), wife of Jim; Lorraine Robillard (Mercier), wife of Bob; Louise Robillard (Wright), my Memere and wife of my Pepere Joe; Pauline Robillard (Maille), my Mom and wife of Jerry; Rose Chandonnet (Robillard), wife of Leonce; Cheryl Robillard (St-John), wife of Richard.

Like the previous Wordless Wednesday photo, this too was also rec'd from my cousin Alan in Alaska.. All of my scans from this event are in .tiff format, which is too large a format to post here. However, I have chosen a few that I will be converting to .jpg and they could appear here on my blog in a future post..

Note: there is one spouse missing from this photo, my Uncle Frank's wife, at the time, Thelma Robillard (Wells), I believe she was sick during time.

The Obituary of Thelma M. Robillard, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1983

Thelma M. Robillard
...52 years old
Mrs. Thelma M. (Wells) Robillard, 52, wife of Francis H. Robillard, of 163 Meadowcroft St., died yesterday at St. John's Hospital. Born in Lowell she was the daughter of the late William H. and Clara J. (LeBlanc) Wells. She was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church. Surviving her besides her husband are threee sons, Alan F. Robillard of Alaska, Wayne E. Robillard and Norman P. Robillard, a senior at Lowell High School; two daughters, Mrs. (Paul) Lemire and Miss Gail S. Robillard of Lowell; a brother, Leon W. Wells of Pelham; also two grandchildren, James A. Obara and Christine A. Obara both of Lowell.

Publication from the Lowell Sun. Date and page are unknown. Copy rec'd by me from Meg Lemire-Berthel (Robillard).

It is to be noted, because the obituary doesnt make it clear, Thelma Margaret Robillard nee Wells died 3 Jan 1983.

The Obituary of Francis H. Robillard, 1993 Nashua, New Hampshire, husband of Thelma Wells and Evelyn O' Connor

Francis H Robillard
....formerly of Lowell
PITTSBURG N.H. -- Francis H Robillard, 67, of Route 3, formerly of the Centralville section of Lowell, died Thursday morning at the Nashua Memorial Hospital. Mr. Robillard was the husband of Evelyn M (O'Connor) Robillard.
Born in Lowell on Feb. 12, 1926, he was a son of the late Joseph and Louise (Wright) Robillard. While living in Lowell he was a communicant of St. Michael's Church.
He was also the husband of Thelma M (Wells) Robillard who died in 1983.
Until his retirement he had been employed by the Laborers Union, Local 429.
During the Korean conflict he served as a sergeant with the Army's 27th Ordnance Maitenance Company. He received the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars.
A resident of Pittsburg for the past seven years, he was a member of the Pittsburg Grange, the Ridge Runner Snowmobile Club and the Pittsburg Historical Society.
Surviving him, besides his wife, are two daughters, Mrs Frederick (Margaret) Lemire-Berthel of Londonderry and Gail S Robillard of Lowell; three sons, Alan F Robillard and his wife Sandra of Wasilla, Alaska, Wayne E Robillard of Hudson and Norman P Robillard of Lowell; a stepdaughter, Shaelagh Kennedy of Nashua; five stepsons, Sean Dillion of Pittsburg, Timothy Dillon of Indianapolis, Ind., Kerry Dillon of Chelmsford, Mass., and Michael Dillion of Nashua; two sisters, Rose Chandonnet of Florida and Joan Greene of Lowell; five brothers, James Robillard of Sanford, Maine, Joseph Robillard of Pembroke Pines Fla., Robert Robillard of Lowell, Richard Robillard of Alaska abnd Jerome Robillard of Merrimack; six grandchildren, James A and Christine Obara, Joseph and Jessica Robillard, Arielle and Dominique Rivera and several nieces and nephews.

Publication information unknown. Rec'd copy from Margaret Lemire-Berthel nee Robillard 17 Nov 2007.