On my mother's side we don't have too much history about my mother's ancestors; but we have various photos.
No. 31, Marie Willain
Born (circa) 1827-Belgium
Died (circa) 1860, Brussels, Belgium
M?? (circa) 1846
PHOTO
MARIE WILLAIN (1827-1890)
This great, great grandmother, widowed after two years of marriage, lived alone with Esther, her baby and only child. One thing that we know about Marie Willain is that she had begun a tradition of quilts/bed-spreads. As most Belgian women she crocheted a lot. Naturally, the quilts/ bed-spread which she made was for her daughter, Esther. Then Esther made one with a copy of the pattern for her own daughter, who was my grandmother, Maria Darimont. My grandmother then made a bed-spread for my mother, Emilie, who then made one for me which I received in 1957, Finally I made one for my daughter, Lucille, which I gave to her in 1983.
These were always made for the eldest daughter and always with the same pattern. There was a little difference in the tint/dye of the thread, but not much, and th quality of the thread.
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No. 28 Jean-G. Darimont. No. 29 Angélique Colson
Parents of no. 14 (Maria Darimont Vanderaegen)
Born 1814-11-18, Belgium born. 1815?
Died 1876-02-26; Jalhay, Belgium died 1870-01-26, Jalhay; Belgium
married. 1847-- Jalhay; Belgium
Jean Gaspard wed in a second marriage, his servant. Even though she was very good to him, this marriage broke the family links because not too long after, the four children left home and went to live in Brussels.
No. 29 Angélique Colson
Parents of no. 14
Born 1814-11-18, Belgium n. 1815?
Died 1876-02-26; Jalhay, Belgium died 1870-01-26, Jalhay; Belgium
m. 1847-- Jalhay; Belgium
Jean Gaspard wed in a second marriage, his servant. Even though she was very good to him, this marriage broke the family links
Jean Gaspard was Burgomaster (mayor) of Jalhay, Belgium and the father of Angélique Colson was the Burgomaster at Vervier, the neighboring parish.
PHOTO OF JEAN-GASPARD DARIMONT ( 1814-1876)
PHOTO OF ANGELIQUE COLSON (1815-1870)
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No. 26 Charles Desplanches No, 27 Joséphine Leflond
Parents of Antoinette Desplanches
Born 1824-
Died 1889--?
m. 1847-05-16, Marlière, Belgium
PHOT0 Joséphine Leflond
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No. 24 Pauline Vanderaegen (grand-mother of Emile Vanderaegen)
Born ?
Died ?
Spinster - yes, she never married
PHOTO Pauline Vanderaegen
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No. 14 Gaspard Darimont
Father of Maria Darimont
Born 1849-04-05, Jalhay, Belgium
Died 1909-07-31; Brussels, Belgium
M 1867-06-18, Verviers, Belgium
PHOTO Gaspard Darimont (1869-1909)
At the age of 17, Gaspard was employed in a bank; this enabled him to gain experience in the commercial world. A few years later, with his brothers, Victor and Joseph, he went into the printing business. Seeing that this was successful, Gaspard opened a hardware shop. It was at this time that he undertook to ride his bicycle all around the outskirt of Belgium, which is a small country. A Brussels newspaper published his daily adventures written up in his diary.
On this photo one can see Maria in the centre and his sister on the right.
It is possible that this is the occasion where my grandmother met my grandfather, Emile Vanderaegen whom she married about three years later.
Can you see the American flag? It is there because Gaspard was doing business with the company, Findlay Brothers
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No. 15 Esther Willain
Born 1847- Verviers, Belgium
Died 1917 at her daughter's home
A page of two large photos; at the bottom of one: In the foreground-Marie Willain, her daughter Esther
Page 9 in the background: Maria, (my grandmother)_ Jacques, Nicolas, Maximilien, Léopoldine
Esther was a teacher and although she had a family, she continued to teach. She was mentioned honorably on the occasion of her 35 years of service (see article). Five years later, she was presented with a medal from King Leopold for 40 years of teaching (1865-1905). This was rather rare where women were concerned.
A PUBLIC
PRONOUNCEMENT OR MANIFESTATION
On Sunday, in
Stembert there was a manifestation or public pronouncement in honor of Ms
Darimont, a teacher. The government had
awarded the first class Civic Cross to Ms Darimont in order to recognize the
services she gave to the teaching profession for 35 years.
--------------------------No. 13 Antoinette Desplanches
Parents of Emile Alexandre VANDERAEGEN
Born 1848-06-30
Brussels, Belgium she later married Jean-Baptiste Vanderaegen
m. 1873-06-04 Jean-Baptiste Vanderaegen and Antoinette Desplanches contracted at Saint-Josse-Ten-Node, Belgium Jean- Baptiste born 1847-09-16
Tournais, Belgiumé
Jean-Baptisted Vanderaegen was in the military at the time of his marriage. Also, he recognized Emile as his child. H wrote in the margin of Emile's birth register " Recognized and legitimized by the marriage of his mother and father, Jean-Baptiste Vanderaegen and Antoinette Desplanches signed at Saint-Josse-Ten-Node on the fourth of June 1873, Schaerbeck. This note was dated December 20, 1888.
Photo Jean-Baptiste Vanderaegen
Photo Antoinette Desplanches
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No. 6 Emile Vanderaegen
Born 1869-11-26 Schaerbeek, Belgium
m. 1899-08-30 Brussels, Belgium, to Maria Darimont
d 1951-03-10 High Prairie, Alberta; buried in Donnelly, Alberta
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No. 7 MARIA DARIMONT
Born 1868-05-09, Jalhay, Belgium
Died 1957-05-17, High Prairie, Alberta, Donnelly, Alberta
PHOTO - jewellery store
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At the age of 16, Emile was employed as an apprentice then worked as a jeweler during 20 years. It is interesting to note that Emile was asked to design a fan made in black onyx which came from India for Queen Victoria who was celebrating her 60th anniversary on the throne in 1902.
While my grandfather was creating this fan, he accidentally broke one of the shafts or vanes. He went to his boss to tell him about the accident. Mr. Vandehove simply sighed and said, "Put one less; the queen will never know."
My grand-parents were married on the 1899=09=30. We don't have too many details of this mariage for grandmother did not like to be proto graphed;
I think it was a very simple marriage that very few people attended. Emile and Maria lived in the same house as Gapard. In 1901, Maria gave birth to a first child, agirl whom they named Emilie.
The family would often go to Bruges where Gaspard had a summer house. On the photo we can see Maria with Emilie on the shore of the sea around 1903-04.
In 1904-05 my grandmother was depressedé Emile accompanied Maria to the doctor's; the doctor who knew the family situation said, "You should leave yourfather and go away in order to feel free; also, you will naver have any children" Emile who had read about Canada, suggested that they go to Canada; the doctor sid that that was an excellent idea. So it was decided thay they would go to Canada. Maria said "I'm going to a fur coat with a had, for in Canada the winters are cold."
Emile, Maria and Emilie arrived in Strathcona, Alberta on August 20th, 1905, two weeks before Alberta became a province. Emile chose a homestead in Lamoureux. While Maria and Emile were waiting in Strathcona, Emile was at work with his neighbors building a house. All went well... He went to get Maria and Emilie...but upon his return he was told that the house had not been built on hishomestead. My grandparent had found somewhere whild waiting. On May 11, 1906, my grandparents had another daughter (about 9 months after having left Gaspard Darimont) Gaspard then announced that he'd be with them soon because he was coming to do some business deals with horses in Fort Saskatchewan. Emile left to find work and worked as a postal worker in Calder for $20.00 a month. He built a house and went to get his family. Maria suggested to Emile that when he went to Edmonton to get his mail, that he should go to the wholesalers and buy some provisions which she could re-sell. They made a small poster that sait "STORE" which they nailed to the side of the door. My grandmother begn with a 100 pound bag og flour and a case of Rogers Golden Syrup. Five months later she had an inventory of $800.dollars. Things went well until 1914 when nost of their
clients, Belgians and French had to go to War. In 1914, Maria saw an ad for a store "To be Sold" at Kinuso Alberta so she bought it. From then on, mMaria always had a store. In 1930, they moved to High Prairie when she bought the "Red and White Store". In 1936, my grandfather said to Maria, "Since we are not doing too much money with the store we should sell it."
Maria replied !Are you serious?" "Yes" he replied, so she said "Then I'll it." (The property had been in Emile's name) "From now on, you don,t need to do anyhthing, only do your paintings, your jig-saw puzzles and work in your stamp collection. You will be fed, dressed, sheltered and L'll give you
$25.00 a month for your5 expenses" This was during the Great Depression.
At the age of 82, Maria left her property and goods to her children. Besides thestore, she had 5 houses in High Prairie, 4 quarter sections of land in Donnelly, quite a few Canada Savings bonds and a bank account sufficient for her needs.
NOTE: One day my grandmother was visiting us during the federal elections. She took the bus in front or our house (then, the bus would stop on the road whenever someone wanted to get on), when she got to High Prairie, 45 miles away, she voted went to see my grandfather who was being cared for by my aunt, and she went back to Donnelly arriving around 7:00 that evening. We went to meet her and as soon as she entered our house, she told us of her trip. When she was done, my father asked her, "Did you vote for the right person?" She replied, I voted for Louis (Louis St-Laurent) She had voted Liberal; she was at least 80 years old then.
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