Mappy Monday: 12 West Street, Lowell MA

Happy New Year, everyone!

I've had this little ancestor mapping project on the back burner for a while now. On the back burner I say, mainly because most of the buildings and or addresses that I'm looking for within Lowell don't exist any more. Ideally, I wanted to start with my first known Robillard ancestor to come to the city and map where he or she lived and then climb the ladder, but... that isn't working out too well. So, I guess I'll just go at it all willy nilly like... Who cares, anyway?

12 West St. was the address of the home that my Pepere Robillard and his family lived at in 1930. April 10th, 1930, to be exact. West St. is in Centralville, right off of Lakeview and runs all the way up to Colburn. According to the 1930 census, my Pepere, Joe, was 32 years old that year, as was my Memere, Louise (Wright). Pepere, who was naturalized in 1898, rented his home for $18.00 (is that per week?), and worked as a loomfixer in a silkmill. Memere was home with the kids. The kids, all 5 of them, were between the ages of 2 and half and 13 years. Uncle Jim was the oldest, Uncle Bob the youngest, and, I just have to mention this, Aunt Joan, well... She was on her way. As my Memere was abt 8 months pregnant at this time. What about Uncle Richard and my Dad, you ask? They weren't even a thought in 1930.  Pepere & Memere's neighbors were the Gilbride family at, what appears to be, 14 West St. and the Grotton (or is it Grafton) family at 10 West.

If you look at the map below, you'll see that I marked the current address location.  The house is a very modest one, maybe a starter home, or would you call it a cottage? I do believe the house that is there may be the same house that was there in 1930, although I'm not sure. I keep thinking about the flood of 36 and the more I do the more I doubt that this is the same house. What about the development of the VFW Highway? How did that change the landscape? Shit, I don't even know when it was put in, so I don't know. I tried to do a history of the address at the Middlesex North Registry of Deeds website to figure that out, but I was unsuccessful.

The house at the current address in the map below looks white, but I can tell you it's now 2 shades of a really ugly blue. Yes, I went and hunted it down, even took a few photographs early one weekday morning. Uhuh, that was me standing in the middle of your street with the camera. Can you say wackado?

I wonder how long my Pepere & Memere lived on West St, and if my Uncle Bob remembers it. I kinda doubt he does though, he was, after all, only 2 years old and I know my Pepere & Memere moved around a lot. I mean a lot, always following the work I was told... I could, I suppose, revisit the directories to find this out. Someday.

Anyway, I guess I'm going to try and go backwards from here (then forward again, think 1940 census). In 1920 my Pepere lived at 299 Moody, I doubt the actual building still exists and that the street has been renumbered many times? Do they do that? Renumber streets? Of course they do... I'll go see what I can find.


View Larger Map

Wordless Wednesday: Pepere & Memere Robillard - 1965

Amanuensis Monday: Petition for Naturalization - Joseph Wright

Yup, I'm jumping on the Amanuensis Monday bandwagon...

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

Joseph Wright is one of my paternal great-grandparents, father of my Memere Robillard, Louise Esther Wright.

---

[U.S. District Court, Boston Mass; Vol. 123, Page 163]

United States of America
Massachusetts District, SS. _____________
To the Honorable the Judge of the District Court of the United States, within and
       for the District of Massachusetts.

RESPECTFULLY represents          Joseph Wright   26  High St    Neponset  
of  Boston                               in said District,  by occupation a      Nailmaker  
an alien,  and a free white person,  that he was born in          the Isle of Mann   

                                                                                                on or about 
the       19th       day of          November        in the year of our Lord eighteen
hundred        fifty three     and is now about            thirty          years of age;
that he arrived at Boston        

                                          in the United States of America, on or about the
               Twelfth           day of            March          in the year of our Lord
eighteen hundred and          seventy         being then a minor under the age of
eighteen years;  that is then was and still is, his bona fide intention to reside in and
become a citizen of the United States of America, and to renounce all allegiance and
fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate and Sovereignty whatsoever --- more
especially to Victoria, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,

whose subject he has heretofore been.
     And the said petitioner further represents, that he made a primary declaration
of his intention to become a citizen of said United States, before the Honorable
                                         Court,                                                    or the Clerk
thereof, on the                                  day of                                       A.D. 18    
     And the said petitioner further represents, that he has ever since continued to
reside within the jurisdiction of said United States, that he has never borne any
hereditary title, or been of any of the orders of nobility; that he is ready to renounce
and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, Potentate, State or
Sovereignty whatsoever, and particularly to Victoria, Queen as aforesaid,

 whose subject he has heretofore been ; that he is attached to the principles of the
Constitution of the United States of America, and well disposed towards the good
order and happiness of the same.
   And the said petitioner further represents that he enlisted in the Volunteer forces
of the Armies of the United States, and that he was honorably discharged therefrom
on the                                            day of                                           A. D. 18
     Wherefore your petitioner prays, that he may be admitted to become a citizen
of the said United States of America, according to the forms of the statute in such
case made and provided.

/s/ Joseph Wright                                     /s/ Joseph Wright
Oct 20th 1883 . Sworn to by said Petitioner, before said Court.

Attest :                                            (illegible signature)          Clerk.

---

[U.S. District Court, Boston Mass; Vol. 123, Page 163A]

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Massachusetts District, to wit:    City of Boston,                      188   .
We          James P. Kelley  Neponset  Ave  Neponset ,
            Michael Meleedy  Taylor St  Neponset

both citizens of said United States, severally depose and say that we have known the foregoing Petitioner, for five years, last past, during which time he has resided in said
Boston
and that he has resided  within the State of Massachusetts one year at least; and has
conducted himself and behaved as a man of good moral character, attached to the
principles of the Constitution of the United States , and well disposed towards the
good order and happiness of the same.
                                                                                /s/   James P. Kelley
                                                                                /s/   Michael Meleedy

          188   .  Sworn to by the above named Witnesses, before the said Court.

ATTEST:                                                                                        Clerk.

OATH TAKEN BY PETITIONER

I                       Joseph Wright                 do solemnly swear that I do absolutely

and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to every foreign Prince, 

Potentate, State, or Sovereignty whatsoever---particularly to Victoria, Queen of the

United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 

whose subject I have heretofore been; and that I will support the Constitution of the

United States of America---so help me God.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

District of Massachusetts, to wit:

At a Special District Court of the United States holden at said Boston on the

      twentieth        day of                       October                        in the year
of our Lord 1883, the said                Joseph Wright                     having
produced the evidence required by law, took the aforesaid oat and was admitted to
become a citizen of the United States of America; and the Court ordered that
record thereof be made accordingly

                    ATTEST:
                                                                                                             Clerk.

Tombstone Tuesday: The Robillard Family, Cimetière Saint Joseph, Chelmsford, Massachusetts

Here in this plot, Sec. C, Lot 12, are our Robillards. All of whom, at one time or another, were residents of Lowell, Massachusetts. Buried here are, Louis Joseph Zenon, 40 years old; who was the brother of Joseph Arthur Robillard, 69; who was the husband of Philomene Foucher, 71; who was the mother of Joseph Rosario, 54; who was the husband of Noella Bernier (Thurber), 79; who was the sister in law of Joseph Zenon Heria Robillard, 85; who was the husband of Louise E Wright, 93; who I think was the mother of Joseph 2j. I have the documentation for this plot and it is to be noted that, according to the plot documentaion, Joseph Rosario Robillard was removed from CT and buried at St-Joseph Cemetery, Chelmsford, MA in Oct. of 1946. He died in Bronx VA Hospital on 18 Oct. 1945. Sadly, I have yet to find an obituary for him.

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.

Did She Really Runaway?

LOUISE E WRIGHT FOUND

Neponset Girl, Alleged to Have Run Away, Held by the New York Police.

Louise E Wright, aged 16, daughter of Mrs. Joseph Wright of 25 Erickson st, Neponset, who is alleged to have run away with Perry H. Vreeland, a mess boy of the crew of the cup defense Vanitie, has been located in New York by the New York Police, in information furnished by the girl's mother, who is anxious to have her brought back to Dorchester.

Vreeland was arrested in Paterson, N.J. about a week ago and brought to the Dorchester court, where the charge of enticing the girl away from home was brought against him. The case was then continued until July 8, pending the round up of the girl. The girl wrote her mother a letter which was sent to New York and the detention of the girl followed. She will be held until special officer Patrick Williams of Station ll arrives.

The disappearance of the pair followed the arrival of the steamer City of Stamford, a tender to the cup Vanitie at Lawley's shipyards, in Neponset, near Wright's home. They met. fell in love, it was said and dispite the protest of the girls mother, went away. The young man, it was claimed, wanted to marry the girl, but Mrs. Wright objected on the grounds of youth.

Boston Daily Globe (1872-1922); Jul 2, 1914; ProQuest Historical Newspapers Boston Globe (1872-1926) pg. 18

Thanks to Carolyn Cusick Ravencroft for sending this article to me last year. Louise was my Memere Robillard. Did she really runaway? I have been told by my fb friend Ray Scanlon that there was a follow up article published in the Boston Daily Globe stating that Vreeland was arrested for white slavery. However, I have yet to see it because the BPL does not allow e-card holder access to the Historical Newspaper database any longer. For more information on my Memere, Louise E. Robillard nee Wright, please see my Wright and Robillard tags or search this blog..

Lieut. Harriman Promoted to Captain, 1909, Divison 13, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

In my genealogical search of the Harriman family I came across this article in the Boston Daily Globe archives. The archive is made available, for free, through the Boston Public Library.


Published in the Boston Daily Globe 3 Sep 1909, pg. 16

LIEUT HARRIMAN PROMOTED TO CAPTAIN
Sergt. George H. Guard Becomes Lieutenant and Patrolman John C. Murphy a Sergeant

Police Commissioner O'Meara in a general order last night appointed one captain, one lieutenant and on sergeant of police. The appointments were not unexpected, as they have been anticipated ever since the death of Capt. William J. Lowery of division 12.
The new superior officers are: Lieut Joseph Harriman of division 15, Charlestown, appointed to the rank of captain and assigned to division 13.
Sergt George H. Guard of division 4, Legrange st, appointed to the rank of Lieutenant and assigned to division 15.
Patrolman John C. Murphy of division 16 appointed to the rank of sergeant and assigned to division 4.
In the same order the commissioner transferred Capt George W. Wescott from division 12, City Point, to fill the vacant by the death of Capt Lowery.
All the promotions and the transfer of Capt Wescott take effect tomorrow morning at rollcall.
The promotion of Lieut Harriman is a popular one among the men of the department. He is known as a quiet, retiring officer, fair in his judgement and unflinching in performing his duty. He was made a lieutenant in the general shakeup in March 1908, having been promoted from the rank of sergeant while at division 9.
"Joe" Harriman as he is commonly known, was born in Wiscasset, Me, 48 years ago, March 29, 186 (sic), he was appointed a patrolman and promoted to sergeant Feb 6, 1893. From July 29, 1901 until his appointment to the lieutenancy in March 1908, he was attached to division 9.
Sergt. George H. Guard, who has been appointed lieutenant is a Boston man, having been born in this city July 27, 1863. He enlisted in the regular army and was made a sergeant of calvary July 6, 1888, he was appointed on the force as a reserve officer and sent to division 10, where he was made a regular patrolman Jan 10, 1889.
Later he was made a member of the mounted squad and on May 1, 1898 he was sent to division 16. He was appointed sergeant Oct 25, 1899, and transferred to division 14. Since then he has been attached successively to divisions 16, 12, 9, 11 and 4. In 1904 he was one of the police officers investigated by the commission in the connection with the "Tech riot" of Nov 2, but was exonerated. He is a fine horseman and one the most efficient men on the force.
John C. Murphy, who has been appointed to replace Sergt Guard, was born in Elmira, NY, 33 years ago. He came to Boston in 1895 and was appointed to the force March 7, 1903, being attached to division 12 as a patrolman. Jan 1, 1904 he was transferred to division 16, and May 7, 1907 was made a special officer. In this position he has done good work.

Captain Joseph Harriman was the father of Alfred C. Harriman who married May Wright, daughter of Joseph A Wright and Marie 'Mary' Boudreau, on 11 Aug 1914 in the state of Maine. For more information please search the label Harriman and or Wright.

The Obituary of Alfred Clark Harriman, 1919, Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, husband of May Wright

Here is Alfred's obituary, published 25 Jan., 1919 in The Boston Daily Globe, pg. 10. This is the only write up I have found so far. I looked in the NY Times, but there was nothing.

HARRIMAN--In Jamaica Plain, Jan 24, Alfred C. Harriman, in his 32nd year, husband of May E and only son of Capt. and Mrs. Joseph Harriman. Funeral services at his parents residence, 811 Center St., Jamaica Plain, Sunday Jan. 28?, at 2:30 pm.

Alfred C. Harriman married Mary "May" Elizabeth Wright (Joseph, Marie "Mary" Boudreau) on Tuesday 11 Aug 1914 in Wiscasset, Maine. [Source: Maine State Archives]

Just a note; I found a May Harriman, widow, 32 yrs old, in the 1920 Manhattan census on West 135th St.(there was only one May Harriman in all of NY), it documents her as doing clerical work in studio. Living with her as roomers are Russell Mack and his wife.
Our May as born 31 May 1887 in Boston : ) She died, Apr. 1967 in Manhattan, NY, NY. Verified per her SSDI listing. I believe the May in the 1920 census is our May Harriman, nee Wright.

Alfred's WWI Draft Card. It documents him as follows:

Name in full: Alfred Clark Harriman
Age in years: 29
Home address: 620 135th New York, NY
Date of birth: 12 July 1887
Are you (1) a natural born citizen(2) naturalized (3) an alien(4) or have you declared your intention(specify which)? natural born
Where were you born, Rocksbury Mass (Roxsbury)
What is your present trade occupation or office: Musical Arranger
By whom employed; Broadway Music
Where employed: 145 W 45th St
Have you a father, mother, wife, child under 12 solely dependant on you for support (specify which) ? Wife
Married or single (which)? Married
Race (specify which) Caucasian

etc. etc... It goes on to state that he is 6 ft tall, with brown hair, and blue eyes. His signature is on the bottom of page 1 and it is dated 5 Jun., 1917.

Joseph Harriman and Clara E. unknown were Alfred's parents, and both were supposedly born in Maine. Joseph Harriman was a policeman in J.P., hence the usage of the abbrev. Capt. in Alfred's obit. Info on Alfred's parents and birth come from the MA State Archives. [Harriman Alfred Clark Boston 1887 378 237 Birth]

1917 Ziegfeld Follies. That's the Kind of a Baby for Me / Lyrics by Alfred C. Harriman ; Music by J. C. Egan

The Obituary of Joseph H. Robillard, Lowell, Massachusetts, 1983

Joseph H Robillard
....World War I veteran
Joseph H Robillard, of 65 Summer St., husband of Mrs. Louise E (Wright) Robillard died yesterday after a lengthy illness. He was born in Canada and had been a resident of Lowell more than 50 years.He was the son of the late Arthur and Philomene (Foucher) Robillard. Before his retirement he worked as a maintenance man at J.P. Stevens Mills for several years. He was a veteran of World War I. He was a member of the Lowell Indian Association being Chief Grey Wolf and the Chanteclerc Snowshoer Club.Besides his wife he is survived by two daughter, Mrs. Rose Chandonnet of Colorado and Mrs Joan Greene of West Groton; six sons, James Robillard of Maine, Joseph of Florida, Frank of Lowell, Robert of Lowell, Richard of California and Jerome of New Hampshire; a brother, Antonio (Tony) Robillard of Lowell; also 57 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren.

Publication information unknown. Most likely in the Lowell Sun. Copy of publication rec'd from Richard Robillard, Oct 2007.