Remember When Genealogy

Wedding Wednesday A Love Story Born in Nipissing, Ontario

2013-03-06T16:00:00.001-05:00

The Year is 1899 and it is Christmas Day. In Dunnet & Ratter Township of Nipissing, Ontario, Canada. The Ouellette's; Joseph and his wife Rosanna (nee Archambault) are celebrating not only Christmas this year but the arrival of their latest child, a son. Israel Noel is welcomed into the world on this very day. I'm sure the community was there with congratulations and best wishes. Some of those wishing the family the best would have been their neighbors, Adolphe Gervais and his wife Marguerite (nee Cousineau). Now a year later plus 2 days the tables would be reversed. The Gervais welcome their daughter Aldea into the world on December 27, 1900.

The Baptismal records for St. John the Baptist Church in Verner, Ontario 1895 - 1911. Entry 16 is Israel Noel Ouellette, 25th Dec. 1899 (parents listed) in Warren, Ontario. Baptized 11th of February by Father Langlois with Adelard & Clara Chevette as God Parents.

The Schedule A Birth Index of the District of Nipissing from 1899. Line 3 is Ouellette Israel Noel (M - male) Dec. 25, 1899. Father Ouellette Joseph and mother, Archambault Rose.

The 1901 - 1967 Record of Baptism for the St. Thomas Parish of Warren, Ontario. Entry 6 reads Aldea Gervais, December 27, 1900. Parents are listed and living in Warren. there is a card inserted in the page which covers the date of baptism; however Father G.A Picotte officiated.

Page 12 of the 1901 Ontario Census of Dunnet & Ratter Township, Nipissing County. The last family on the page is headed by Adolph Gervais (line 44) age 43 with his wife Marguerite age 35 then Daughter Dora age 14, sons Moses age 13 & Adelor age 11, then daughter Louisa age 8 and son Eugene age 6.

Page 13 of the 1901 Ontario Census of Dunnet & Ratter Township, Nipissing County. The Gervais family continues at the top of this next page with daughters Lavina age 2 and Aldea 3 months. However this page held more for me when first researching on line 15 is Joseph Ouellette age 41 with wife Rosalia age 31, daughter Rose age 11, Sons Alfred age 9 and Arthur age 7 then daughter Anna age 5 and Israel 3/12.

Well the census taker must have mis-understood the age of the baby. He is listed in the church record as being born and baptized in 1899 and 1900. I have to believe that those records are accurate. A family with a newborn being held by the Minister and baptized over a guy at the door taking the info and transcribing it to paper. They probably told him the baby was born Dec 25th of last year and he took it literally as the last calendar yr. Can't blame him, but a mistake never the less. Anyway the point is, here are two young people about the same age, living near by and they grow up to marry; and so we have ....

Particulars of Marriage registration number 0197477. Married on August 9th of 1922 in Warren, Ontario.

The marriage produced many children including my grand mother Desneige. Hence my mother Noella and then myself. I have already blogged about them before but their lives were simple but fruitful and they lived and celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1972. They even went all out and renewed their vows at the same church in Warren. Wish I was old enough to have gone and remembered it. It looks like they had fun.

Israel & Aldea Ouellette leaving for the church to renew their vows. Back porch of their Warren home.

Renewing their vows.

The party after. Cake on table in shape of a 5 and 0.

Back at the Ouellette home. Israel Noel with his grand daughter (and namesake) Noella and her husband William Goodwin (my parents).

This last picture is a year or two before the anniversary. It is of me with my great grand parents and their dog at their place in Warren. I was about 5 or 6 here.

I will never forget any of my grand parents or great grand parents. Some of details may fade as I was young then; however they were special people and I will always fondly "Remember When...."

Family Friends Friday... Let's try this Prompt out

2013-02-15T19:24:00.000-05:00

Well I was just checking over my past blogs and fixing some spelling and grammatical errors I noticed and came across the blog I did Wednesday, June 13, 2012. It was titled "Workday Wednesday - John Bertram & Sons of Dundas, Ontario". In that blog I spoke of how my great, great grand father George Dennie and his son (my great grand father) William George Dennie worked there and how they met and came to be friends with a fellow worker George Fraser and his wife Rose. George and Rose became fast friends with William and Gladys (nee Forwell) (Williams wife & my great grand mother). When William and Gladys had their first child Elva Irene Dennie (my grand mother); it was George & Rose that became the God Parents of course.
Now I suggested on the Facebook page for Genebloggers that we add this "Family Friend Friday" to the "Daily Blogging Prompts" and they excepted it. George Fraser is the reason it came to mind for me. See I know we all have an Uncle George or Aunt Rose in our families. That couple that was our parents best friends; that they did everything with. Hung out with on weekends, stood in their wedding, went on trips with, served in the war with, and as with mine; were the God Parents of "little Billie". It's these things that make them part of the family, so why shouldn't we include them somewhere somehow in our genealogy?
More importantly than just the fact that they are like family (as far as blogging and researching our families goes); they are important sources of information. As I pointed out in that previous blog - "He (George Fraser) was able to tell me personally about my great great grandfather and great grandfather, both of whom I never had the honor of meeting myself. Both were honest, hardworking men for whom family came first. I would have liked to have known them, but since I couldn't, I will say that getting to know them both through Uncle George was a great experience. not only did I see them through his eyes; but reflecting back on it, I realize that I got to know them by the friend they picked to have as a member of our extended family. Uncle George Fraser was a great man and since I couldn't know my relatives personally; I'm sure glad I knew Uncle George because of them."

Pictures

A picture of George Fraser with my kids can been seen in the previous blog mentioned.

Above Left to right:

Elva Dennie (my grand mother), Elva's God mother Rose Fraser, Noella Lafleur (my mother) holding Branden (my brother) with me John Goodwin in front of her.

(Summer of 1976 in London at the home of George & Rose Fraser)

Above: George & Mable Whitebread

(Rose Fraser's parents) (1920?)

Above: At the "Hard Rock Cafe" downtown

Detroit, Michigan (March 18, 2011)

I (John F.W. Goodwin) am seated right with my son Liam P.F. Goodwin seated next to me. Across from us is my good friend George Daniels. George is Liam's God Father. Yes he could tell my son some stories about me.

I can think of many other family friends, such as my parents friends the Ouellette's when I was young. Later my father had friends Howard and Barb. I have many friends such as Liana who I went to high school with and is the God Mother of my oldest daughter Victoria. Speaking of which Victoria's God Father is another good friend of mine who I have known since grade 6, Robert. I could go on and on but the point is they all have known us and can give us and our descendants a picture of our families (that can be a verbal picture, but may be physical copies of pictures) which we may not have. So lets talk to these people and as they "Remember When....", they can help us to record when. I will definitely blog of some others now that my prompt has been excepted as a Genebloggers Daily Blogging Prompt.

Wednesday's Child - Remember When (Week 3) - Your 1rst BFF

2013-02-13T16:29:00.002-05:00

So I was thinking about week 3 and what it should be... I looked at the first two weeks and the home I lived in. I got to "Remember When..." I use to play with Marcelo Marcelo was the son of a couple that lived next door to us (and my grand parents - since we lived over them). His family was Italian and we were the same age. Once we moved to our first home (my parents owned on their own), I still played with Marcelo whenever we visited my grand parents or I was babysat by them. We played Cowboys & Indians, Cops and Robbers and with our toy cars & trucks. Marcelo's mother was a very kind lady and very protective of her son. We would sometime's go to his house and visit with her. I say visit because we didn't play in their home. It was always neat, clean and organized. She would let us come in for cookies and milk at the kitchen table or for some other goody. I was allowed in to wait for him if he was getting ready or had to finish cleaning his room to go out. I remember that in the living room under a side table next to the couch was an old Fisher Price Ferris Wheel toy. It was a decoration at that point. She would allow me to pull it out to see how it worked a few times but it had to go back to it's "Spot". Marcelo was at my 6th Birthday in the dinning room of my grandparents home. I got my first 2 wheeler bike.

July 4, 1972 - My (John Goodwin) 6th Birthday with my Dad (William F. Goodwin) helping to cut the cake. I looked all day through old photo's and couldn't find the one with Marcelo in it. This is the closest I could find - he is sitting to my right (that is his hand).

July 4, 1972 - Outside our house on the side walk with my birthday gift a new bike. My dad (William F. Goodwin) and his step father; my grand father (Vic Boismier).

As I got older and the visits grew further apart, so did our relationship. By the time we were around 8 years old his family was getting ready to move back to Italy. We said goodbye and that was the last I saw of him. I often wonder how he is doing, what did he grow up to do, did he get married, have kids, come back to Canada? Does he ever think back and "Remember When...." he lived on Highland Ave. in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and hung out with his friend John?

Those Places Thursday - Remember When You Lived in Your First Home? (Week 2)

2013-02-07T13:41:00.000-05:00

So my first home was apparently with my Mother's parents. Recently my father told me that for about the first year or so after their marriage he and my mother lived with her parents. They had the back bedroom. My father got his job with Chrysler's here in Windsor working the line. He told me he would get home from the late shift and my mother would be asleep; but when he came in he would often find my grandfather up, sitting at the kitchen table feeding me my nightly bottle. If you have read my past blogs at all then you have seen this home at 818 Bruce Ave. in blog dated Nov. 1, 2012. We were in the back addition (3rd bedroom). While I know this home well, because we spent so much time there. My grandmother babysat me while my parents both worked.

Me (John Goodwin) in my parents room on Highland. Closet door is just left of cameraman.

The first home I remember actually living in was in the apartment above my other grandparents home. My parents moved in there to get their own space and start saving for a home of their own. This is the home at 1646 Highland Ave. It was in the previous blog about the first memory. I remember snap shots of things and then other things are clear. I remember going in my parents room to see them, I remember trying to climb into their closet to play. It was an over deep closet, deeper at the bottom (child level) then the top because of the slope of the roof. I remember my uncle coming over now and then. Of course I remember time spent with my grand parents down stairs as they watched me. Especially my grandfather who stayed home. Being with him, him making me lunches (peanut butter toast), and playing in the yard. I also remember most fondly my father at the kitchen table building model cars. He liked cars and growing up as a kid didn't have the money for toys and things so I think this was his way to recapture some of that lost childhood. My grandparents had a patch of rhubarb in the back yard and grandpa use to cut a stick off for me and then clean it and give it to me with the blue sugar bowl (pictured in the Jan. 17, 2013 blog of heirlooms), to dip it in and eat. Until my grandmother died when I was 26 yrs old; that home was a central anchor to our family world as was the home on Bruce for our family on my mother's side. I will always look back on these places and "Remember When..." fondly, with love and happiness.

Remember When Your First Memory (Week 1)

2013-01-27T21:59:00.000-05:00

May 11, 2012 I posted "Those Places Thursdays - 1646 Highland Ave." I have added this to the title... (Week 1 - Remember When Your First Memory). I decided to start my own 52 weeks of Genealogical Memories. I decided that Week 1 would be "Your First Memory". Since I already spoke of this memory I am adding a link to that Blog for today's post, here...
http://rememberwhengenealogy.blogspot.ca/2012/05/those-places-thursdays-1646-highland.html

Me (John F.W. Goodwin) age 1 with my grandfather Vic Boismier's dog Lucky.

I think these memories will usually be the first because they are traumatic in some way; at least that is, if the first memory is at an earlier than normal age. For me it was falling down some stairs at such an early age (10 Months). As I stated in the earlier blog, I have a fear of heights to this day. My first memory as well as a host of my first memories revolve around the homes of my grand parents. We lived at their homes, I was babysat at them or we were visiting them with extended family during most of my first 5 yrs of life. I have lot's of memories of those days. By the time my brother came along, when I was nine; my mothers parents were moved up north to retire and my parents split up and he went with my mother while I went with my father. He didn't get to know them. My mother's parents died before he was 3 years old. He never new my father's parents. He missed out on some great and interesting characters. However my mother, aunts, uncles and myself; we can fill in the past for him. So what is "Your First Memory" when you think back and "Remember When..."

Treasure Chest Thursday - Heirlooms from Grandma Dennie

2013-01-17T12:42:00.000-05:00

Well Christmas has just past and the other day i was taking down the tree and other decorations, when I remembered that I hadn't posted about the things I received when my grandmother Dennie passed. The reason I remembered was that I was taking down the Elf's, I put up every year. From the youngest memories of Christmas that I have, I remember them hanging around the house of my grandmother & grandfather. Now my Grandmother's last husband was Vic Boismier. He was the only grandfather I knew on my dads side, and he was my dad's step father. Which ever, it doesn't matter because he was Grandpa to me. The Elf's were his technically. He bought them and insisted that they go up each year. I loved them, I thought they were cool. He died when I was 6 or 7 and my grand mother continued to put them out (because she knew I expected to see them). When she past away, I knew I had to have them. They always make me remember those child hood Christmas'. This year I notice the "Elf on the Shelf" is a big hit. Well as you see from the picture below, I've had the Elf on the Shelf for many years. The tag on the back of the big one's says 1968. So he bought them when I was 2 years old. No wonder I "Remember When..." for as long as I can "Remember When...".

Have to love that 60's color pattern on the small one,

bottom left.

So it got me thinking of the other item's that remind me of my grand mother when I see them. for example the dinning room Hutch and China Cabinet. I was given them at the time because My dad and his siblings were already old enough to have established their own households. I was still newly married and building our household. I took them and they were a little worn over time and the finish was chipping. I liked refinishing wood furniture and so I refinished them in a darker color and have enjoyed them ever since. Here they sit in my dinning room/den.

Now inside of these sat many things that only came out for family dinners or were just there for show and didn't come out at all. I have some serving pieces in them to this day that just remind me of family dinner's. I use to stare through the glass door of the China Cabinet almost every time I was over their house.

In particular the two little vase's in brown, blue, and orange's; with a King on one and a Queen on the other. They fascinated me as a kid. It turns out they were from Occupied Japan and probably aren't a King & Queen; maybe an Emperor. So lets look inside....

So on the top shelf we can see the 2 vases front and center (just where I remember them as a kid -- except they were on the bottom shelf; where I could view them better). Behind them is the elegant lady playing a harp (music box). I picked it out at age 12 for her for mother's day from my dad and I. To the left of those is a bottle of red wine from my oldest daughter's wedding, 2 years ago. Directly behind and above the vase on the right is the survey tool that belonged to my grand father Lafleur (that appeared in a past post). To the right of that is the blue sugar bowl. This was always in the kitchen and on the kitchen table in my grand parents house. Behind that and to the right is the large glass pitcher that always came out for family dinners. My wife at the time liked it and wanted to use it more regularly. I was worried it might get broken but thought sure, I enjoyed the memories of it. Then one day while on a trip to the Stratford area, we were in an antique store and saw an exact match to it. Now this was twenty years ago; but the price on it was $150. After that the wife was more inclined to put it away and use it for special occasions. There are also things on this top shelf from a lovely lady in England who was like a second mother to me in my teens. She is still important to me and I have the little Bag-Piper in the small case in front of the sugar bowl; and beside it, closer to the vase's is a glass dome item. It is a glass paper weight with the Queen of England's jubilee crest on it. In behind the sugar bowl and survey tool is a red vase and a red with yellow handle small pitcher. Both belonged to my grand mother Dennie also. The large crystal vase in the very back corner next to the pitcher was a wedding gift to my former wife and I from an older couple at our church at the time. She didn't really know them or remember them which is why I took it when we separated I remember them and the very sweet people they were.

Vase's - Front / Back / Bottom

Sugar Bowl - top broken and missing for years, probably has little retail value. Memories - Precious.

Glass pitcher - right side / left side.

Some day I hope my kids will treasure the memories of these items too. They may remember them for different reasons, but I hope they are fondly loved as they "Remember When...".

Family Recipe Friday - Meat Pie (Tourtiere)

2013-01-12T00:57:00.001-05:00

So for the past 20 plus years my mother (Noella) and her sister (Florence) have been getting together on day in November and making a supply of meat pies. The recipe was learned from their mother Desneige (nee Ouellette) Lafleur. Grandma learned from her mother Aldea (nee Gervais) Ouellette. how far back it goes from there I don't know. Anyway I have asked them to tell me when and let me come to learn it for many years. I don't want it to be lost. My brother has it, I believe my Uncle Marks wife has it to cook for him; but I don't know if any of their kids have it (and make it) or if any of the other brother's and sister's and or their families have it. Well I was off on sick leave the last 4 months (after an emergency surgery) and so by November I was well enough to go learn. So we all met at aunt Florence's and then went to get the meat. We went back to Florence's and they proceeded to make the meat pies. "All Right...Finally". So all told we made twenty pies that afternoon. Nine each for them and 2 for me. I don't have a big freezer, so I just wanted to learn and make a couple to start. Here is the recipe ....

Meat Pie (Tourtiere)

This recipe is for 2 pies. On average each pie will have 2 pounds of meat (1 pound beef & 1 pound of pork). Multiply it out to make larger batches. While you can of course make your own dough for the pie crust it is simpler (especially if doing a larger batch of say 10-20 pies at once) to just buy the boxes of no name frozen 9 inch pie tins (come 2 to a box normally. Then by the Pillsbury ready-made pie crust tops. They come 2 to a box also.

Ingredients: - 2 lbs. medium ground beef

- 2 lbs. lean ground pork

- 2 medium potatoes

- 1 large onion

- 1 teaspoon garlic (minced)

- Sage (to taste)

- Poultry seasoning (to taste)

- Salt & Pepper (to taste)

- Trio mix (gravy thickener) 1 teaspoon

Preparation: 1) Peel, cut and boil potatoes (mashed potatoes style). When done drain water and hold in a bowl (may need it later). Mash the potatoes well & hold till needed.

2) Finely chop the onion and cook in a large greased pan.

3) Mix both the beef and pork together well and start cooking in the pan when onions are cooked down.

4) Once the meat starts browning add the seasonings.

5) If the meat appears to be too dry, add some of the potatoe water you held on to.

6) Once meat is completely browned add in the mashed potatoes and mix well.

7) Add Trio mix (gravy thickener).

8) Fill 9 inch pie shells, water the top edges of the pie shell crust, and place the top crust on the pie (cut away extra) and using a fork crimp the edges of the top to the pie shell base.

9) Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes (until crust is golden brown). Then place in zip lock freezer bags to store. De-thaw and re-heat as needed.

The other great thing was that my aunt Florence had agreed to let me go through all her photographs and see if there were any (especially older one) that I wanted to copy. So I brought my mobile scanner and a pad of paper and copied about 60 pictures. Included in there were some I had never seen before including one old one of their father (my grandpa Wilfrid Lafleur) standing in front of the truck he use to own. I was able to copy it and then repair it. \I will have to make copies for all the other family members that will want it.

Sundays Obituary - Remembrance Day Canada

2012-11-10T11:27:00.001-05:00

Well it's that time of the year again, and time to honor those who are and who have fought for our countries freedom. Canada isn't exactly thought of as one of those to be feared in this modern world. I mean we aren't as likely to show up on some others counties soil or water way trying to enforce our will on them. However Canadians have always held their own and then some in times of war. The American's learned early on that we were not going to simply roll over and become part of their nation. In the War of 1812 Brock, Tecumseh and many fine men helped lay a foundation for a nation. In WWI, Canadians troops were often called in to move on enemy positions that were proving difficult to take. Does any one remember Vimy Ridge? In WWII Canadian troops fought alongside the Allies to secure Europe and the world from Hitler. Storming the beach at Juno more lives were lost then were able to push on. Today in Afghanistan troops seek to help that country reform and protect them from the Taliban forces. The United Nations Peace Keeping Force has always had a strong Canadian representation among it's troops.
If you have followed my blog over this first year, then you know of my great grandfather Dennie. He lied with his mothers approval to join the army in WWI. He luckily for us anyway didn't make it over to see battle. He joined, was trained and shipped over to Britain to finish training and the war ended. I believe all he ended up doing was helping with the clean up and organizing of equipment to ship back. Still he didn't know that he wouldn't make it to the front lines and at age 16 was on a boat headed to war. If you haven't followed my blog, scan back through. I even have his war record posted. I ordered it from the Canadian Archives. Also you may run across another story of my great grandfathers friend (who I called Uncle George), George Fraser. Who was an WWII army driver and drove the then Princess Elizabeth and her husband during their tour of Canada. He foiled an attempt to get at her while driving the highways of Ontario. These are just two of the specific men in my family tree that I think about during this time of the year. However I never forget that there are and have been so many more. So say thanks to a vet this Remembrance Day and always "Remember When ....." others fought and even died for us, to continue to enjoy the freedoms we have.

While doing some research this past week at the Windsor Library I came across this full page ad. It was in the Saturday, November 11, 1944, Windsor Star, Section 3, page12.

"REMEMBER WHEN ....."

Those Places Thursday - 818 Bruce Ave., Windsor, Ont., Canada

2012-11-01T19:32:00.000-04:00

Well I've told you about the home on Highland that belonged to my father's mother. How we lived in an apartment above her and what that home meant to me. Well it was important as it was around a lot longer than the house that my grandparents owned on Bruce. That would be my mother's parents. However, the house on Bruce probably means more to me overall if you were to weigh time spent in it (daily life, events, and stories), to time available to us, to spend in it. In other words more quality than quantity. When my parents were first married they lived with my mothers family until my father had a steady enough job and could afford to rent the place over his mothers home. They lived in the back bedroom, off the kitchen. When I was born I was put in a bassinet beside the bed. My father recently told me how he would come home from working afternoons at Chryslers, coming in at mid-night and finding my grandfather Lafleur (the one from Painters of Windsor previous blog) sitting up in the kitchen feeding me a night time bottle. Later in life my grandmother lafleur took care of me in the mornings and sent me to kindergarten for the after noon at St. Alphonsus School (thanks to my mom and her cousin Linda for correcting me - I had Marlborough School - Iwent there grade 1-3). My Aunt Denise (my mothers youngest sister) is only about a year and a half older and her youngest brother Bernie was 4 years older. they walked me to school. My parents both worked at this point to afford their own home. My grandmother also watched my cousin Sheri (a year younger). There were also my other uncles Mark and Wilfrid Jr. the oldest of the boys living at home then. All these kids and their friends in the neighbourhood made for a busy home. Then add in all the oldest sister and her 5 kids and other relatives coming and going on the weekends and you might say the joint was hopping. There was cards and drinking, people talking, laughing and some yelling (mostly to be heard). The house was a hive of activity. We had Christmas dinners here, birthdays, easter, and to many other events to list. My grandfather retired and they moved up north Sturgeon Falls in the Nipissing area where they were from.
First thing below is a section of page 134 of the Windsor City Directory from 1967. Showing my grandparents listing and residence as 818 Bruce. I still have the real estate listing from the time. It shows a picture of the home and gives the specifications. It appears second below. Also included in the pictures below are shots showing some of the interior of the home. So the second picture is a floor plan I drew up from memory with each of the pictures that follow shown on the floor plan. By "shown" I mean I attempted to show where the photographer would have been standing and what you are seeing of the house from that point of view. Now the floor plan isn't exactly to scale but is just here to give that perspective. Speaking for myself as a family representative, i must say I always "Remember When..." fondly, when I think back on this home and everything that went on there.

Lafleur listing section from page 134 of the 1967 Windsor City Directory

Photo #1 - My mother (Noella Aldea Lalfeur) in the kitchen - 1965

Photo #2 - Aunt Florence (my mother's sister) with her daughter Sheri & I am standing with my back to them in the kitchen/dining room doorway - 1972

Photo #3 - Uncle Bernie (right - my mother's brother) and a friend in dining room outside master bedroom - 1971

Photo #4 - Grandma Desneige (nee Ouellette) Lafleur in dining room outside master bedroom - Christmas 1965

Photo #5 - The Lafleurs - Christmas 1968
(Left to right - rear) Florence, Noella, Fernand, Desneige, Wilfrid Sr. holding Denise
(Left to right - front) Wilfrid Jr., Bernie, Mark

Workday Wednesday - The Painters of Windsor, Ont., Canada - Part 2

2012-10-31T16:30:00.001-04:00

So to finish off the story of the Painters of Windsor; below i have my Grandfather Lafleur's metal union Social Insurance Card and the paper one you hold onto to order a new one if you lose your original. Along with his Painters Union Card. I also put his Birth certificate up that I have put on before, to show the proper spelling of his name. Now the Painters of Windsor also included my Grandfather Lafleur's brother Ferdinand Lafleur. The brothers worked together on the same crew and Uncle Ferdinand would be over all the time. We had a really close family on my mothers side back then. Until my grandfather retired and they moved back up north to the Nipissing area; where they were originally from. Once they did, the brothers and sisters (my mother and her sib's) stopped getting together as much. Now we see each other a couple times a year at best. It is a sad state of affairs if you ask me. Most of my cousins and my brother are younger and don't really "Remember When....." and how will they if the previous generation isn't there to pass on their knowledge.

Grandpa Joseph Wilfrid Lafleur (left) and his brother Ferdinand Lafleur (right).

Workday Wednesday - The Painters of Windsor, Ont., Canada - Part 1

2012-10-24T13:46:00.001-04:00

We all have those stories in our family that go something like "I can't believe the families knew each other before the kid's met and married"; or something similar to this. Well one of those stories I told way back in my first blog on Nov. 12, 2011 - A New 40 yr old Cousin I've Known for 20 yrs . In this case a cousin who was adopted out and ended up being my sister-in.law. Today I want to talk about my grandfathers. My dad's father was John Francis (Frank) Goodwin and he moved to Windsor around 1943-44 with his new wife and my father William F. was born July 7, 1945. John went to work as a decorator/painter for National Painting and Decorating Co. Ltd. at 725 Wyandotte Street. There he met Joseph Wilfrid Lafleur, another painter. Wilfrid was the father of my mother Noella A., born on Dec. 26, 1947.

John Francis Goodwin

aka - Frank

1940-48

Joseph Wilfrid Lafleur

aka - Wilfrid

1943

These are the men I was named after, John Francis Wilfrid Goodwin. I have a lot of information on my grandfather Lafleur, as my mother was the executor of her parents estate, and I am the family genealogist. So she passed down a lot of the documents for me to keep and use for the family record. I also practically grew up in my grand parents home. My parents worked and I stayed with my grand mother, not to mention we were over their house at least once a month with the rest of my mothers brothers & sisters and their families. So I knew my grandfather well. I remember him coming home for lunch when he was near enough to home to do so. Pulling up behind the house on Bruce in the Company van, with ladders attached to the roof. He was the best. Now my grandfather Goodwin, I never met. My grandmother unfortunately drove him off with all her wild living. My own father barely remembers him at all. I have only just broken past that brick wall to figure out who his family was. But I do have some information I was able to dig up. So for part one of this Workday Wednesday I will end with the excerpts from the Windsor Directories of the days.

Taken from the 1953 Windsor City Directory, White Pages
pg-211; Goodwin
My grandfather is going by Frank J. Goodwin here, Frank is the name he went by during this stage of his life.

Taken from the 1955 Windsor City Directory, White Pages
pg-291; Lafleur
They spelled my grandfathers name in the English form instead of the French (Wilfrid). My grandmother in the brackets is also in the English as Denise (her name in the French is Desneige). Then his occupation as a Painter at National Paint (all in the short form).

Treasure Chest Thursday - Ancestry Canada Voters List - The Good the Bad and the Ugly

2012-10-05T15:08:00.000-04:00

Well for the past few days I have started going through the Canada Voters List 1935-1980. So far it is definitely a Treasure Chest of information. I found my great uncle Fernand Lafleur in the Essex, Ontario list (numerous years) and with him his wife Theresa. The cool thing here is that her father lived with them. I knew her maiden name was Rocheleau but never had any information on her parents. However it was evident from the Voters list that Charles Rocheleau (retired) lived in the same household and so I have opened a small brick wall in my genealogy. The information in these Voters list helps fill out the lives of our ancestor's. Where they lived in the various years, occupation and who (of voting age) lived in the home.
Now while it is a great new source of information I do have some criticism . The Transcription of the original records is rough. I really wonder if they were checked at all. For one thing they completely skip over people in the records, not to mention how badly they transfer some of the names from the records. For instance the record featured here below...

Nipissing, Ontario Rural polling Division No. 87, Verner (Town)

and this is what the transcribers have available to look up....

Name Location Occupation Electoral Year

District

1) Stvphanv Hrossvau Nipissing, Ontario Journalier Nipissing 1958

2) Aldan Hrowivau Nipissing, Ontario Vultiv Nipissing 1958

3) I Hrnswvau Nipissing, Ontario Onat Nipissing 1958

5) M Dmrovhes Nipissing, Ontario Mv Nipissing 1958

7) Francois Journalier Dettrovhes Nipissing, Ontario Vernvr Nipissing 1958

9) Mario Dalvourt Nipissing, Ontario Rvlne Vvrner Nipissing 1958

10) Edouard Dalcourt Nipissing, Ontario Journalier,Vernvr Nipissing 1958

11) Claude Dalvourt Nipissing, Ontario Vultivateur Nipissing 1958

12) Marguei Unlvourt Nipissing, Ontario He Vrrnvr Nipissing 1958

16) Journalier Matirlsv Nipissing, Ontario Vvrnvr Nipissing 1958

17) M Ivrvai Nipissing, Ontario Me Nipissing 1958

18) Journalivr Harry Nipissing, Ontario Vvrnvr Nipissing 1958

20) Eugene Lafleur Nipissing, Ontario add Nipissing 1958

21) Marie Louise Lafleur (nee Trudel) Nipissing, Ontario add Nipissing 1958

22) Roland Lafleur Nipissing, Ontario Cultlvateur Nipissing 1958

23) Beatrice Lafleur (nee Ouellette) Nipissing, Ontario Vernvr Nipissing 1958

24) Edouard Laurin Nipissing, Ontario Vultlvatvur Nipissing 1958

27) Mme Georgette Ivifortune Nipissing, Ontario -Field Nipissing 1958

28) Ludgere Lafortune Nipissing, Ontario Cultlvateur Nipissing 1958

29) Jean Maurlve Labelle Nipissing, Ontario Fila Cultlvateur Nipissing 1958

30) William Latvndresse Nipissing, Ontario Journalier, Field Nipissing 1958

31) Oscar Ouvllvttv Nipissing, Ontario Cultlvateur Nipissing 1958

32) Florence Ouvllvtto Nipissing, Ontario Vvrner Nipissing 1958

33) Leo Kivard Nipissing, Ontario Journalivr, Vvrner Nipissing 1958

34) Mmv Klcard Nipissing, Ontario Ivrtrudv Vcrner Nipissing 1958

35) Joseph Rlcard Nipissing, Ontario Cultlvateur Nipissing 1958

36) Mme Delphlne Rlcard Nipissing, Ontario -Verner Nipissing 1958

37) Patrice Rlcar Nipissing, Ontario Flls De Cultlvateur Nipissing 1958

38) Roger St Gvorges Nipissing, Ontario Journalier Nipissing 1958

39) Edouard Trvmhlay Nipissing, Ontario Mlneur Nipissing 1958

40) Mmc Eglantine-Verner Tremblay Nipissing, Ontario add Nipissing 1958

41) Marguerite Ackerland Nipissing, Ontario Veuve Nipissing 1958

42) Mme Phllomene Laurin Nipissing, Ontario Veuve Nipissing 1958

Now I Numbered them down the left side in order to help match them to their counterparts in the original scanned Voters List. First of all notice that the people numbered 4,6,8,13,14,15,19,25 & 26 are all missing in the transcription. That's nine of forty-two missing. Secondly look at the names even starting at persons 1-3. they are obviously all from the same family (the Brosseau) but the transcriber has their name starting with an 'H' and then each one is spelled differently. Then 4-7 is suppose to be the Desroches family. Only two of them made the cut and look at the spelling of the names not to mention that the Occupation of "Journalier" was included in the name (something you see happening again and again through the transcriptions. it doesn't end there look at number 40 and notice in the transcription that the Town of residence is listed in as part of the name; and again this happens over and over in the transcriptions.

I found this page looking for my Lafleur relatives. and numbers 20-23 are the ones I found. However I found them because I was scanning all the Lafleur files by doing a rough search for Lafleur and Ontario only. No first name, year or more specific area. I came across Roland (number 22) as I scanned the pages and when I clicked on it and examined the page saw his parents above and his wife below (you will notice that numbers 20, 21 & 23 are bolder print). These are bolder because they are the corrections I made. Now they show up here on the copy I made and show up on the transcription as a user added notation. however they do not correct the actual transcription and so if you did a search for these people specifically, you would not find this record (unless you looked for Roland and found them through him as I did).

Thirdly notice the occupation list. Again the Town name is found in the occupation list and or the occupation is spelled wrong or is any combination of these. the 'add' in the column means it was left blank and you can 'add' the information if you know it.

Looking again at the names (I am looking for family in this region of Ontario named Lafleur, Gervais, Ouellette and Trudel. I noted when looking at this page of the Voters list that there was a Ouellette family on the page at numbers 31 & 32. However again looking at the transcription the name is wrong, and I doubt that the way it is spelled would even come up as a sound-ex variation of the name. Luckily for me it isn't a family member as far as I know as of yet. There is also a Gervais family at numbers 14-17. They are relatives of mine. Moise Gervais is the brother of my great grandmother Aldea Gervais. He is present in the voter list with his wife Cecile (nee Pilon) and an as of yet unknown son Maurice with his wife Semone. Now notice once again the transcription, it is missing 3 of the 4 people shown on the original and the one that is listed is number 17 Semone Gervais using the prefix 'Mme' as her first name (so a capital 'M') then the last name as "Ivrvai" (DO YOU THINK THAT WILL SHOW UP IN A SEARCH?).

So yes I am happy that the Voters List is available, and for the information it provides. However the mistakes in transcription are terrible. (Note: there are pages in the original that are hard to read and I certainly understand transcription problems. Most of the pages I am pointing out though are as shown above; and seem completely legible. The only answer seems to be sloppy transcription work). I have done transcription work on line and I know there are some problems doing them sometimes. However if you are going to do it, then look it over and understand the information you are looking at and what is expected before starting. For example just looking at the information as it is laid out on the original above it should become clear to anyone that Verner is a town, given wear it appears in the list and how often. So there is no reason for it to find it's way into the Person's Name column or into the Occupation column. The French Prefix "Mme" (English equivalent would be "Mrs.") appears in front of numerous woman's name on the list. Again if you aren't sure what this means then do a "Google Search" or see if the site has an "Info. Tab" for each column with common things like this listed. Well enough ranting, I think you can see my points and even understand and feel them yourself. But let's end on the positive point that these records help us to round out our knowledge, give more meat to our genealogy record and just helps us to "Remember When..." a little easier.

Surname Saturday - Goodwin Brick Wall Comes Down

2012-09-21T15:15:00.003-04:00

Well my father sent me this picture a few months back. How it is that I didn't already have it? I don't know. We had gone through all the photo's years ago and I had made copies of everything. Or so I thought; it seems. Anyway this picture is of my Grandmother (Elva Irene Dennie) in the middle. I have written about her in previous blogs. In this photo she is pregnant with my dad's younger brother Vincent Ordel Goodwin. He was born Feb. of 1947 so this would be summer or early fall of 1946. With her on her right (left looking at the photo) is her younger brother and the God Father of Vincent; Ordel Dennie. On her left (right looking at the photo) is her husband John Francis Goodwin. Now my grandmother it turns out lived for herself and was out partying and hanging out with men (disappearing for months at a time). By the time she gave birth to her third child (my Aunt Orleen), John F. Goodwin had had enough. To this day we don't know for sure if he was Orleen's genetic father. Anyway since she wouldn't settle down and be a family member, John left. My grandmother put the kids in foster care and there they remained for years (until the government came out with Mother's Allowance), and then she got them back and tried settling down with Vic Boismier. Anyway my father and his sib's never new their natural father, John F Goodwin. The only info we have on him is found on the long form birth certificate of my father. We know from that, that he was born in Aurora, Illinois about 1908. So this past month when Ancestry had free American Census viewing, I did a search. I have Ancestry for Canada but not the rest of the world yet. Low and behold I found him in the 1910 American Census in Cook County, Illinois with his Father John Goodwin, Mother Ella and new born brother Regis. I also sound him in the 1930 Census and his brother had moved out by then; and again in the 1940 census. In the 1940 Census his father is no longer there and he is head of household with his wife Madeline and mother. I see evidence of a death record for his father in 1937 but couldn't access it until I get the full Ancestry service. His Father and mother are listed as being from New York previously. She born there to parents that came from Irish Gaelic background and he from Irish Gaelic background that moved to the USA. It gives us a picture showing where John was employed during those census' and his father as a Switchman for the railroads. This is the most we have known about him in all my years of asking family members. Now to get cracking through some more of this info. and see where it leads. Remembering When is easier when you have the facts and such.

Workday Wednesday - John Bertram & Sons of Dundas Ontario

2012-06-13T16:32:00.000-04:00

When I think of my ancestors and work, I always think of my great great grandfather George H. Dennie and his son William George Dennie. They both worked at John Bertram & Sons of Dundas, Ontario. This is an updated post of one I did back in January. I wanted to fill out the story more and so have deleted the older one.

The Workers of John Bertram & Sons of Dundas, Ontario

1936 (75th anniversary photo)

first row, second from right - George H. Dennie

George worked there first of course and then got his son William in later. While working here William met George Fraser and the two became fast friends. George Fraser went on to become Williams oldest child's God Father. That child was my grandmother Elva Irene Dennie. She of course called him uncle George and then her children likewise called him Uncle George (that would be Great Uncle), then her son William F. Goodwin (my father) had a child (me - John F.W. Goodwin) and it was Uncle George again (that would be great great Uncle now). Finally I had children and he was uncle George to my kids (great great great uncle George). That is five generations of my family that Uncle George new and spent time with. He was able to tell me personally about my great great grandfather and great grandfather, both of whom I never had the honor of meeting myself. Both were honest, hardworking men for whom family came first. I would have liked to have known them, but since I couldn't, I will say that getting to know them both through Uncle George was a great experience. not only did I see them through his eyes; but reflecting back on it, I realize that I got to know them by the friend they picked to have as a member of our extended family. Uncle George Fraser was a great man and since I couldn't know my relatives personally; I'm sure glad I knew Uncle George because of them. Uncle George was a driver in the Second World War and when the then Princess Elizabeth and her husband Phillip toured Canada; Uncle George was one of the army drivers assigned to her motorcade. Six drivers would rotate positions in the motorcade. Front right and left army car drivers, followed by and RCMP car, followed by the Limo with the Princess or her husband (they weren't allowed to go together), then another RCMP car, then the second Limo (the Limo's were driven by one of the army drivers), then another RCMP car and finally the last two army cars with their drivers rear right and left. Uncle George said that mornings before starting out that Prince Phillip would often come out and smoke with the drivers and chat. Now as uncle George tells it, the RCMP gave strict orders to the drivers that no other vehicles were allowed in the motorcade and that if any tried to enter, it was their duty to keep them out whatever the cost. So one day they had to get the Princess from one engagement to the next in half an hour down a highway that would normally take 45 minutes to an hour to get to. So they were flying down this road at high speed with uncle George in the rear left guard position. As they passed an on ramp he noticed in his rear view mirror a car come on the highway behind the motorcade. It was gaining on them fast. As it caught up to the motorcade (there were only two lanes going in the direction they were going) with both the rear guard cars holding the two lanes it tried to go around on the shoulder to uncle Georges left. Now when he told me this story I was so intrigued and blurted out "so what did you do?. Uncle George with out missing a beat said "I came over to the left." So he side swipes the car as it tries to pass and forces him off the road into the center ditch; where he said he viewed it in his mirror going flying and tumbling end over end. Then he "moved back into the lane and took up his position and continued to the destination". When he got to the destination the RCMP officers all came over and congratulated him on his fine driving skills and shook his hand. He said as far as he knew the driver of the car that tried to pass him was found dead in the car by the local police, and as to why he was travelling so fast and trying to pass they didn't know. The character of the man tells us a lot and this character was a great man. I will always "Remember When..." I got to sit and listen to uncle George tell me about his life and that of my relatives lives. Thanks for the memories Uncle George.

1998 - Victoria (7) with Liam (1) seated on her lap & Miranda (3) with their

Great Great Great Uncle George Fraser

Those Places Thursdays - 1646 Highland Ave. (Week 1 - Remember When Your First Memory)

2012-05-11T00:55:00.003-04:00

Well I haven't posted in a while and so I checked the blog prompts and saw "Those Places Thursday" and Immediately thought of my grand parents home at 1646 Highland Ave. in Windsor, Ontario. My Dads mother Elva (who I have blogged about before) married and settled down with Vic Boismier. They owned the home on Highland and it was where they lived until they each passed away. I never knew them to live anywhere else, all my life.

Grandma Elva Boismier (Nee Dennie) with me John F.W. Goodwin (age 1) Aug 1967.

Above their home was a small apartment. It had two bedrooms (average size), a bathroom, a living room and the smallest of kitchens. You got to the apartment by going up the back stairs and their was an enclosed porch at the top with some storage space, and the door to the apartment.

Me in my parents room 1968.

Me in the old bathroom (notice the cast Iron tub).

Christmas 1968 (living room - with door to my parent bedroom top right corner - which is where the picture above (of me in their room) was taken from).

Me at 2 and a half with my parents William F. Goodwin & Noella A. (nee Lafleur).

Now my parents lived up their to get started when they first married and had me, until I was about 4 or 5 years old. Then my Dads brother (my Uncle Vince) lived their, and my aunt Orleen. each started out or got back on their feet living their. Later in the 80's my grandmother's sister (my great aunt Gladys) moved down from Hamilton with her three kids and lived their for a year or so. For the last year of high school my father moved us out to the Forest Glade area in Windsor, but all my friends where still down in the area near my grandmothers. We had lived in the area and I went to high school a few blocks from the Highland home. So I had a key and if it got to late to take a bus out to home, then I would just go there and crash. She kept it partly furnished and left some bedding up there in case I needed to come by. I learned how to walk in that apartment and one day soon after, at the age of 10 months (my First Memory).... My parents where going out one night and my mother took me out on the back porch to head for the car, when she remembered she had forgotten something (her purse maybe), and went back in the apartment to grab it. My dad was just grabbing his keys and wallet and was still in the apartment, when he saw my mother without me. He asked where I was and as she realized she had left me on the porch without closing the gate to the stairs, they both started for the door just as they heard me go THUMP, THUMP, THUMP...PETTY, THUMP, THUD down the stairs and land on the cement at the bottom. I can still to this day remember standing there looking down from the top and trying to manage the top stair (that was extra height, by the way). Then falling and rolling with the banisters going by, and finally coming to a rest on the cement on my back, looking up the stairs at my parents as they came running down in a panic. I was taken to hospital and kept for observation for a few days. To this day I am afraid of heights, and think this is why. But I was fine. Later I remember my 5th birthday which was downstairs in my grandparents dining room, I had a party with friends and got my first 2 wheeler bike with training wheels. We took pictures and the next day my dad took the training wheels off before he headed to work. My grandfather watched me during the day and I set out back and forth down the side walk out front trying to master the act of balance, pedaling and steering that little beast. When my father got home, I rushed out to show him how well I could ride my bike. He was impressed that I had learned in the day. We had Christmas dinners, thanksgiving dinners, saw my Great Uncle Ordel and his family off (as they passed through Windsor, on there way to move to California), and so many other events I can't even remember them all. When my Mother and Father split to divorce, my mother asked me if I wanted to live with her or my dad and I said my dad, she dropped me at my grandmothers with some clothes and the keys to the house (she moved out that day and left my dad to take care of selling it). He picked me up the next day, but everything seemed to revolve around that house for me until high school was over and then gradually it slipped away. When My grandmother finally passed on, I got to go through the house and take whatever I wanted since I had just started my own family. I took the dinning room set since it reminded me of all those family gatherings and a few other nick knacks that reminded me of my grand parents. Unfortunately at some point my grandmother had gotten rid of the open front high bureau desk that my grand father always kept his important things in. It was damaged, but I would have loved to have had it. It was that item that really spoke to me of him.

My father would be standing in front of the house (so you can't see it) while my mother stood watching me walking around at 1 year of age, 1967.

So when I think of "Those Places Thursday", I almost always "Remember When...." we use to live, play, visit, eat, party, laugh, cry, and talk; at 1646 Highland Ave., in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It goes together with childhood for me.

Tech Tuesday - Working with Ancestry

2012-04-10T22:59:00.001-04:00

Well after taking advantage of the 'Free Canadian Records Weekend" at Ancestry a month or so ago; I decided to take the plunge. This past weekend Ancestry was offering 25% off membership fees and so I joined. I have uploaded my GenFile and have been checking the records that come up. I have busted through a brick wall and added family members to my tree, records to my files and already made a new contact with another distant cousin. I have come upon some other info that leads to Ireland and records in the U.S.A. for family there. I figure that once I have everything uploaded, records connected and downloaded, that maybe I will try an upgrade and get the world access for at least a month. I am enjoying the information, however there is a lot of mess to weed through too. As with normal research, you still have to check and verify everything. You can't assume other's have done so. Over all I have to say I am finding it worth while. I would encourage other's to join. However I would encourage it with the proviso that they have already done all the research they could on their own and have run out of lines to follow. I enjoy that the fact that there is a ground I have built on. So how about you, do you have the need for the tech of computer searches through Ancestry? Will they help you to fill out your tree and "Remember When....?

Those Places Thursday - Great Grandparents Ouellette of Warren, Ontario

2012-03-16T00:42:00.001-04:00

When I was a little kid and up until I was 10 years old; we use to go up north to Warren, Ontario to visit my Great Grandfather Isreal Noel Ouellette & Great Grandma Aldea (nee Gervais) almost every summer. We live in Windsor, Ontario across the river from Detroit, Michigan. Warren is about an 8-9 hour drive north past North Bay but before Sudbury. My mom & dad would load up the car and off we would go to Grandpa Wilfrid Lafleur & Grandma Desneige (nee Ouellette)'s house in Windsor to meet up with them and get on the road. Sometimes we would have other aunts and uncles join us too. So our little caravan of family would head up the highway 401 and then over to the 400 and finally the 11. Now we would visit other relatives up there including my other great grandparents (GGranpa Eugene Lafleur and GGrandma Marie Louise (nee Trudel), but we spent the most time at the Ouellette's and that is were most of the big get togethers would be. We would go to a hotel and get up early to do some visiting and when we were headed to dinner before going to Great Grandma's I never understood why. I mean even at the age of 6 I knew not to fill up before going there. No matter if you did just eat or not, she would take out food. AND let me tell you Great Grandma Ouellette could cook. I loved her food. Besides the food everyone would get together around the table and play cards and talk and visit into the wee hours of the night. During the day it was always fun to go blueberry and raspberry picking behind their home. They had a large piece of land with a hill behind it, and on top of the hill was one of those giant red and white Radio broadcasting poles. Great Grandpa rented his property out to them. Of course being northern Ontario the land is part of the Canadian Shield of bedrock so it is great for a young boy to go climbing and exploring with his dad. I use to love those excursions every summer. The Ouellette homestead wasn't much more then a little shack of a home, but it was a mansion of family love and togetherness, where all were welcome. I miss those times and my great grandparents and grandparents too; however it is always great to "Remember When....."

Motivational Monday - Free Canadian Records at Ancestry Was Great Help

2012-02-27T12:36:00.001-05:00

Well I don't know if you took advantage of the "Free Canadian Records Weekend" at Ancestry the other weekend; but I did. I found 35 records I didn't previously have. Birth, Death and Marriage records. Which added not only new info to my family genealogy records; but a few new people also. The marriage records lead to parents I didn't previously have info on and even new multiple great grandparents. I am now trying to add that info into my records.

Along with that there were a few new Facebook groups started this last month or so for the Nipissing, Ontario; Sturgeon Falls, Ontario; Sudbury, Ontario areas. I joined them since my mother's side of the family is from this area and some of them still live there. I posted the family names I am researching there and had several hits within days. One of them is a distant cousin. We share my Great Great Grand parents as relatives. Her through one of their daughters and I through a son. Anyway I sent here a preliminary e-mail with pictures of my Great Grand Parents (the Son); their son, and then his daughter (my mother), then of myself with my kids. To fill her in on the line and let her know a bit about us. She was on vacation and didn't get back to me for a few weeks; but when she did, she sent some photo's and basic info also. The best part was she had photo's that included My great great Grand father. No one I know of in our family line has any pictures of him. This alone was worth the contact, if nothing else comes of it (which I hope is not the case).

So two great events this month have helped me move my family Genealogy record forward. I can't wait to see what comes next. Have to say that if you haven't been using Facebook for your genealogy research, you should. There are all sorts of groups on their site that might help you too. I continually check into the message boards/forums on the genealogy sites and they have helped; but I wouldn't have made this contact without Facebook. This cousin hasn't been on the forum's to the best of my knowledge.

Eldege / Ildege Lafleur

Born - Oct 30, 1861 - Quebec, Canada

Thanks to distant cousin Diane Ertl for the picture.

Here is the church marriage record of Eldege Lafleur to Elmire Lemay.

St. Philippe, Chatham in Quebec

between 1882 - 1885

Thanks to free Canadian records at Ancestry.com

This is the Marriage record of Eldege's son Eugene Lafleur to Marie Louise Trudel.

Nipissing, Ontario - Aug 28, 1918

Thanks again Ancestry.com

I have been contemplating a membership at Ancestry. Have to say that if I can come up with the fee, I am more likely to sign up now that I have seen this sample of what they have available for me. Maybe I could smash some of the brick walls in my records. The biggest being my dad's dad. John F. Goodwin of born in Aurora, Illinois back in 1908. That is all we really know about him. Anyway its been a busy month and I haven't blogged for nearly that long, but I have to say I "Remember When...." I use to visit Great Grandpa Eugene and Grandma Marie Louise; and it is good to have a picture of his father now. I hope this helps others to get motivated to check out the other resources they may be avoiding.

Shopping Saturday - Downtown Windsor Kresge Store

2012-01-29T01:03:00.003-05:00

The above picture was taken in July 1958 of Ouellette & University Ave. of Downtown Windsor, Ontario. I was looking for a picture of it to go with this blog and found it online at "internationalmetropolis.com"; thanks to Andrew for allowing me to use it here. Check out his blog if your interested in this area or researching about family in the area, it really is a good site.

I use to go to the Kresge Downtown all the time when I was a kid and into my teens. As a kid my grandmother Elva (nee Dennie) use to take me there to help with her shopping and or to get me clothes. She always called it "The Dime Store" though. She would say "Let's go to the Dime Store and get you some new pants for school"; and I knew we were headed for Kresge's. Of course when I went there it was a little later then in the picture above. It was in the 70's through mid 80's. So the only real difference was the cars and clothing/hair styles. Back then though downtown was the place to go on a Saturday to shop. The mall in Windsor was smaller at the time and was not the main destination to go shopping yet. It was the secondary place. Kresge's was the Walmart of it's time. They had everything there, toys, clothing, house hold goods, and some food stuff, tools and a dessert counter up front. To the one side, front right was a lunch counter with all the red vinyl top stools spaced out along it. People that worked downtown where always there. When I got older after my parents divorced and I moved in with my father, he got a job at the Book Center downtown. It would have been about half a block down behind where the guy was standing to take this shot. I later worked there on Saturdays going to the bus station on to pickup the Toronto Star bundle of papers when they came in on the Greyhound bus. My friends and I use to always go to Kresge's to shop. My mother's one brother (my Uncle) Mark got his first real job at Kresge's. I remember going in and seeing him there in his white uniform (kitchen staff).

My grandmother Elva died on my 26th birthday. The first home I remember with my parents was the apartment above her home on Highland Ave. My parents moved in there to get started out as a young couple. My grandfather Vic use to babysit me and I have fond memories of those early days. Grandma was Quite the character and I will always miss her. However when I think of Saturday Shopping I will always think of her and "Remember When....."

Matrilineal Monday - GGGrandma Sarah Walker

2012-01-16T23:39:00.000-05:00

I was looking for info. on my Great Great Grandfather George Dennie and following him back in time through the Canadian Census'. I got lucky and found him in the 1901 Census of Halton County, Nelson Township in Ontario. The Lucky part was that he and his wife Sarah where living with her father William Walker. I now had her Maiden name and her father's. I was able to trace him back in the census records and find his wife and kids too. All in all a great find. I expanded my lines and opened a new branch I really had no info. about or hope of finding at that point. I now knew my relations definitely go back to Ireland. This was something that had been passed down as part of our family heritage, we are part Irish, Scottish and French Canadian. I now know we are. Research...never know what your going to find. Remember(ing) When.....

Funeral Card Friday - Grandpa Wilfrid Lafleur

2012-01-13T14:02:00.000-05:00

In my last post (Wordless Wed.) I posted a picture of Great Grandparents Eugene Lafleur and Marie Louise (nee Trudel). Today I post the Funeral Cards for one of their sons, my grandfather Joseph Wilfrid Lafleur and I am also posting a notice from the paper at the time, the Death Cert. and the Funeral Directors Statement of Death.. As a bonus I am posting a copy of the front of his Birth Certificate that I hold as the Family Genealogist. The end of life, and the beginning, such as it were. He was born in the Nipissing area and then moved to Windsor to raise his family. Some of them stayed and the family grew grew here (myself and others), and others moved elsewhere (Kitchener & Saskatchewan) as well as back to the Nipissing area. Where I still have family I visit and keep in touch with to this day. Wilfrid returned to Sturgeon Falls with his wife (my grand mother) Desneige (nee Ouellette - also from the Nipissing area) to retire. They are buried in St. Mary's cemetery in Sturgeon Falls (Their tombstone I will post on a Tombstone Tuesday coming up). You can see a picture of him in earlier post (namely my first). Grandpa will always be a great man in my memories. A man who's family was always important to him. I will always 'Remember When...' we spent time with family at their home.

Wordless Wednesday - Great Grandparents - Eugene Lafleur & Marie Louise Trudel

2012-01-11T16:45:00.000-05:00

Military Monday - GGrandpa Dennie's WWI Military Record Part2

2012-01-02T15:34:00.002-05:00

Well as I promised last week here is the second part of the Great Grandpa Dennie's WWI Canadian Expeditionary Force's Record. I found on line this week a web site with all sorts of military info. about the different Battalions and where they served etc. It is really cool called "The Regimental Rogue". I really like it, it didn't fill in much more for me as they really didn't have a lot about the last part of the War and the last groups of recruits coming over. they did have a section on underage troops, but I am still trying to see if they have a section for submitting info. I will continue to sift through the site, as there is a lot there, and who knows what I might learn. They do have downloadable info. such as a pdf that breaks down the enlistment/ID # of the Recruit. Telling you what Battalion they would have been in and when they joined therefore. I leave it to you to sort through. I think it is safe to say that if you have an ancestor that served in the Canadian forces during WWI, it is a great site to check out. You just may find other records with their name in it, and this will all help you to 'Remember When....'

Final Medical Examination Upon Leaving the Service (Above)

Final Examination Form Signed in England and then Canada (Above)

Record of Separation and Assigned Pay (Above)

File of Pay Particulars (Above)

File of Pay Particulars Part 2 (Above)

File of Final Pay Dispersal (Above)

Funeral Card Friday & Great Grandpa Ouellette

2011-12-31T04:24:00.003-05:00

This is the funeral Card for Great Grandpa Ouellette, that I have posted about before. Although I didn't get to go to the funeral, I was given the card by my mother. It is in french (obviously). It also list his predeceased wife (my Great Grandmother) Aldea (nee Gervais). He died at the age of 86 having been born on Dec. 25, 1900. I am glad I knew him, and wish I could have known him better. Really wish I would have had the insight to ask about and record the family history he could have told me about. Unfortunately I was still young and not into genealogical research yet. I will always fondly think of him and 'Remember When....'

Treasure Chest Thursday - A Pocket Survey Devise of Grandpa Lafleur

2011-12-30T07:04:00.000-05:00

As the families genealogist and keeper of the family history, my mother handed down to me a few things from my grand parents. I have family photo's that I have scanned and some even repaired (and redistributed to extended family). I also have documents, such as birth certificates and death certificates. I also have a pocket survey devise known as a Brunton's Pocket Transit. It was made by Wm. Ainsworth & Son's of Denver, Colorado. He was a painter by trade and also did other work in construction. Hence the Pocket Transit. I researched it a little on line and it is an interesting little devise. Wish I had my grand father here to explain how it worked. It does bring back thought's of him and the past family functions though. I always Remember When...