Plamondon, Joseph + Mathilda Gauthier (3A)
part 3
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The caravan set out on what was known as the "Vistoria Trail", goin throught Fort Saskatchewan, Saddle Lake, etc. The people included in the first contingent were: Joseph,Ernest, Frédérick, Isidore May and baby Plamondon. Evangéliste with his wife and two babiers; Francis Duperron with his two sons, Arsène and Tony. his daughter Elizabeth: Mr. & Mrs. Joe Harpe and family: Mr. & Mrs Olivier St-Jean and family; Mr. & Mrs John Lamie and family; Ferdinand Plamondon, Peter Plamondon, Oliva St-Jean,Esdras Bélanger and Denis Cagle.
There were incidents of different kinds along the way. Discussion arose, due to the fact that some wish ed to leave the caravan because they thought they had gone far enough and some even wanted to regrace their steps. However , Joseph Plamondon, their leader, encouraged and persuaded them to continue.
Vitaline (Harpe Bourassa, who was eight years old, remembers the sadness she felt when tragedy struck their family. "My baby brother died along the way, we had trouble finding wood to make a coffin."
When they arrrived at Goodfish Lake Mission, Father Camiré gave them a warm welcome and invied them to stop awhile and rest The baby who had died was buried. Father Camiré. after hearing their plans, promised to come and sing the first High Mass intheir futurer settlement and gave them his blessing. Vitaline Harpe recalls her father bought a cow at Goodfish Lake.
Continuing their journey, always in search of the right location, they came to the shores of Lac La
Biche. They admired the beauty of the scenery and Falher LeGoffe, in charge of the Lac la Biche Mission, encouraged them to settle there. They halted long enough to bake bread and cook the white fish which has been given to them by Francis Boucher.
The pioneers skirted the lake for about twelve miles, confident that they were at last reaching the term of the voyage. It was on the evening of July 28th, that they came to the sport which is now known as Plamondon.
In their tents pitched near a spruce grove, they slept happily and peacefully. At daybreak, all was astir again; the women preparing food and looking after the children.
Elizabeth Duperron, a young girl of fourteen, had travelled from Michigan to do the cooking and washing for her dad and brothers.
The men dispersed in different directions looking for home sites; many chose to remain near Lake Charron, to the north west. Joseph and Evangeliste Plamondon, as well as their sons preferred to file applications on homesteads neighboring the spot where they had camped.
A request was sent to the Alberta government to survey the land as the settlers would know the location of their homesteads.
The pioneers, helped by the spirit of co-operation that existed among them, overcame the difficulties and obstacles which are usual in undertakings such as this one. After they had erected log shacks for themselves and shelters for their animals, they started to clear land. In October, those who left their families in Morinville undertook the long trek back to fetch their families.
ref: from the Plamondon History Book
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