LA PAROISSE DE DONNELLY (16) (186 ENGLISH)
YEAR 1918
The Spanish Flu
The Return of the World War Veterans
When the Spanish Flu is mentioned, one thinks of only one person.
The story of the parish is never mentioned in the corner around the fire at night without the old saying, “Do you remember?..do you remember” and throughout the “do you remembers” there is one name that stands out: one remembers the name of that venerable woman, Marie-Anne Gravel.
Although the first white woman of the colony, she suffered the first death in 1912 when her two sons, one aged two and a half died within days of each other. And she had the joy of having the first child baptized in the new parish in 1922, and the pain of losing him in 1944 during World War 1. Pain and suffering were never far from her life, yet she has left a memory of joy and an echo of generous laughter, deep and healthy.
She devoted herself more than others during the Spanish flu at the death of 21 very ill people in the Immigration Hall and during the small pox epidemic. She also lodged the priest and did her best to support the church, but this author as a young sentimental boy who did not know all the details of genealogy, fought to claim “Memère” Gravel as his grandmother. At night in the corner near the fire, he had listened to the tales and had taken in these stories and the love Mrs. Gravel generated and made them his without further explanation.
When the Immigration Hall became the Gravel Hotel, this hearth became the social centre for evening meetings, and Sunday afternoon encounters. At this “Mother House.” the local bachelors (called “celibates” on the Government Census) would meet to talk, to discuss , to play cards, to encourage each other in their new adventures. One mustn’t forget that these fellows were new arrivals were far from their families, settlers , even World War 1 veterans, the majority barely twenty years old. In these gatherings, more than one braggart learned many other things even that Mrs. Gravel was more than an ordinary woman; she knew how to listen, to admire, to help, to suggest without out disturbing anyone and even to surprise them when she pulled wrists and laughed loudly!
There was always a new arrival who found himself lodging at Mrs. Gravel’s because the local priest had told everyone “see Mrs. Gravel”. Her resourcefulness and generosity were and are legendary and the people thanked her as best they could. In the parish registers, it was found that she was often a godmother, a witness, a pall-bearer for many who considered her a member of the family. In her personal papers, in newspaper clippings, the comments in her own black notebook, one finds the life of the parish: events, marriages, christenings, the first communions, graduations, the joyful and the sorrowful; the people’s dreams and souvenirs of “her people”.
Written by Elphège BouletBoulet.
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THE VETERANS'S RETURN 1918-1919
When the veterans left in the Fall of 1917, they were a group of about 10 or 12 young men. The decided in a common deal, "We are leaving as a group and if we return all in good health, no major accident, we will built a chapel in Donnelly and dedicate our church to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Armistice was one November 11th, and most canadian soldiers returned home by Christmas time, however, there were two or three that returned in January 1919. Everyone was in good shape so they kept their promise. With the co-operation of Mr. Philias Maisonneuve, the chapel was built by the end of 1919
design: Lorraine Parks
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