PENNARUN, RENÉ + MARIE-JOSEPHTE HAMOUR (208 ENGLISH)
UNE BELLE SAVEUR DE CULTURE FRANÇAISE!
RENÉ - FILS DE RENÉ ET FRANÇOISE ?
- N. 1882-01-28 BRIEC DE L'ODET, FINISTÈRE, FRANCE
- M. 1909-04-27 STE-ROSE-DU-LAC, MB. + MARIE-JOSEPH HAMOUR
- D. 1966-02-09 STE-ROSE-DU-LAC, MB
- N. 1883-03-11 LENNON, FINISTÈRE, FRANCE
- D. 1953-01-05 STE-ROSE-DU-LAC, MB
A nice example of French culture
René received his education in a boys’ boarding school in Quimper, France.
After having terminated his military service, he surrendered the land he had inherited to a sister and her husband and chose to emigrate to Canada to join another sister, Anne-Marie and her husband, Alain Huitric who had been in Manitoba for the past year.
He disembarked at the Makinak, MB station in May 1907. Until his marriage two years later, he worked with his brother-in-law, Alain and associate, Yves Quintin.
MARIE-JOSEPHE
From her tender years, Marie-Josephe worked as a domestic and at times the work was very arduous and her reward was always very little. So why not go elsewhere, she wondered?
During these times, there was a lot of propaganda in France encouraging young settlers to go to Canada…a country full of adventure, space and a possible interesting future….Furthermore the authorities were lending out money to pay for the trip, but to be recuperated later. Marie-Josephe decided to leave so she bid farewell to her parents and friends and left for Canada. Among her companions on the trip she found a faithful friend, Miss Marguerite Vaillant (who became Mrs. Emile Tardif later.
The two travelers arrived in Makinak in April 1908. Mrs. Jean L. Guilaw and Mr. Joseph Molgat were at the station with harnessed horses and wagon to meet them then drive them to Ste Rose du Lac. In front of them was an impassable road with water up to the axels. Finally they reached the beaten path leading to Mr. Joseph Molgat’s residence.
There Mr. Molgat offered them a meal of salt pork, oatmeal cooked with dried raisins and dried cooked apples. Then they were driven to Mr. Corentin “Tim” Le Sear’ch at St. Rose.
A bit later, Marie-Josephe found work at Count Henri de la Ru du Can’s place. Marie Josephe liked her new employer and the rather rich salary of $15.00 a month which she received. With this she was able to repay the cost of her trip from France to Canada. After de la Ru du Can left, she worked for the Pichaud family about one mile south of Ste. Rose du Lac (former place of Cyril Tucker later.)
It was at the Le Sear’ch family where René met Marie-Josephe. It is quite interesting to note that René and Marie-Josephe were born and raised in the same region , Finistère, France; that they were only one year apart in age; and that they met in Canada precisely at Se. Rose du Lac in northern Manitoba.
When their wedding was agreed upon, Marie-Josephe went to Winnipeg to purchase clothes for their wedding and two bridal rings. She went to Eaton’s to buy a navy-blue woolen serge dress, with a gathered waist, long sleeves tapering out at the wrists with trimmings of black silk braid; and for her husband-to-be, she bought a navy-blue woolen serge suit.
Father Le Coq, omi, blessed their marriage at the Ste Rose du Lac church on April 27, 1909. The wedding reception was held at Alain and Anne-Marie Hiuitric’s. Anne-Marie prepared the delicious dinner for them. Present were: Father Le Coq, Yves Quintin, the Le Sear’ches, the Ferecs, the Mignons, and others. They drank wine and cognac; ate round knuckle of veal covered in pastry; puff pastries, cream buns, and, of course, the famous French “gateau au beurre” (a butter cake) and crêpes bretonnes (crepes as made in Britany.)
That evening they had a great time; they sang, they played the mouth organ, they danced the gavotte ( a dance like the modern Irish Riverdance.)
They had no money, few material goods, but they had all of what is most precious: courage, will-power, determination, and health enough to face the future with hope and confidence. Thus, began the road of life for René and his wife, Marie-Josephe. Later, they would have nine children.
Written by Marie Gamache, one of their daughters.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment