As part of the current round of documenting and publishing the genealogy of several new Great-Branches, I worked with Richard H. Theriault, who brought the J.Arthur & Caroline Plante Theriault Great-Branch to us from Holyoke, Massachusetts. I first want to commend Richard on his stellar work of gathering as many primary source records as he could from the local towns, parishes and other vital records repositories. The work requires deligence and Richard has plenty of it. His genealogy is well documented as you will see.
In working with him, he asked if we had ever thought of providing our delegates with a business card that each could use as they meet members of their family and perhaps more important as they encounter members of other branches and other Acadian families. It reminded me that we did make an effort many years ago, but frankly, I think that there were so many things going on, that it fell by the wayside. Well, thanks to Richard, the idea has been revived.
So, I resuscitated the design that we developed in 2003 and I tested it at our local Staples store. We have the file that I can add the delegates name and information along with the delegates' Great-Branch name. I think it's an attractive card and will come in handy when you meet with members of your family or other families. I have included in this posting, a graphic of Richard's card. I blanked out his contact information to protect his privacy.
For the delegates who are interested in getting a card, let me know by e-mail that you are interested. I have your information so, it's very easy to make one up for you. I will have your master print file back to you in my return e-mail. For the first time you do this, I would recommend that you place the file on a CD or on a thumb drive or memory stick and take it to your local Staples store. Ask them to print it on a good quality card stock with a glossy finish and a flat back (for notes). Staples will charge you about $35 for about 200. They may also do 100 for less money. Try it out... it'll be fun!
Ask your children to give you this for your birthday or for an advanced Christmas gift, or a Mother's Day or Father's Day gift... there are plenty of occasions, aren't there? Thanks Richard for reviving that idea.
Thank you, Joseph, for the very complimentary blog you posted on "FAMILY GAZETTE".
ReplyDeleteThank you also for directing me to your 2010 blog "JOSEPH AND AGNES TERRIOT'S TREK OUT OF ACADIA". I do now realize that we share an ancestry with those brave people.
I do believe I also understand now what happened to a descendant of Joseph and Agnes Terriot with the name of Jacob Theriault (whom I refer to as Jacob2).
Jacob2 was my Great-Great Paternal Grandfather who relocated from his residence in St. Aubert and his farm lands in St. Jean Port Joli to Holyoke, Massachusetts USA in 1875.
As with Joseph and Agnes Terriot, my great-great grandparents Jacob2 and Olive apparently lost their farmlands, their home, and moved with nothing but each other and their younger Children looking for work in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The only opportunity for work a Canadian farmer would have had at the time was as a laborer in one of the many mills located in the South Holyoke "Flats" as they were called. This was an area filled with many factories of various purposes and the brick mill housing which was provided for the factory workers for a percentage of their wages.
Joseph never had the opportunity to accumulate anything, however, as he was burned to death with many others in the great fire of 1875 which destroyed the wooden structure covered with tar paper used as a temporary church during the construction of the original Precious Blood Church in Holyoke.
Jacob's younger son Arthur, my great grandfather lived in Chicopee, Massachusetts (across the river from Holyoke) and also worked in one of the Holyoke Mills but later moved to South Hadley, Massachusetts where he worked as a clerk in the Post Office. The early death of his wife, Caroline in 1922 changed his lifes plans and he returned to Canada.
Arthur's son, Aime, my grandfather lived in one of those South Holyoke "Blocks", my Father lived in one of those "Blocks" and I, too, lived in one of those "Blocks" as a youngster until the age of 10.
My father managed to leave the city and move us to the country where we could breath clean air, enjoy the benefits of hundreds of acres of woodlands, and escape the rat-filled canals and Blocks of South Holyoke.
What a shame that generations of Acadian residents suffered banishment simply because they were proud of their French Heritage- they would not swear allegiance to a Queen who did not recognize that proud heritage.
My Father, who worked in Factories all of his life demanded that I finish High School which I did. My Father, A WW2 US Marine who saw a lot of combat on Midway Island also insisted that I join the military and serve this great country we live in.
I did join the US Navy, I served in the field of Communications, learned my trade well, and was able to have a successful career with AT&T from which I am now retired.
My life was made better because of the sacrifice of all of my previous Theriault (Terriot) generations and for that I will always be eternally greatful to them.
As a delegate to the "TERRIOT ACADIAN FAMILY SOCIETY" I am curious as to how many of my fellow delegates have a history similar to what I described herein.