Jeanne, Hector's daughter,
Henri's grand-daughter
Jeanne Choquette was born in Mont St-Grégoire
in 1909. Her niece Louise-Choquette-Chartrand lent us her photo
album, where we found this story, written by Jeanne herself:
Grand-father Henri (1847-1928)
had been lucky enough to know his grand-father Joseph
(1787-l865). Joseph became an orphan at the age of 7 years old. His father Jacques
and his grand-father died the
same year (1794). Grand-father talked about the black chicken-pox. I have read
in a book written by a teacher of Laval University (Quebec) that there was an
epidemic of chickenpox in Quebec in 1791-92-93.
1824
Joseph his wife Marie-Céleste
Decelles and their eight children (6 boys & 2 girls) (which they had
at the time) left Varennes for the Grand Bois of Saint-Grégoire (named
Mount Johnson) a place which my grand father showed me. The land recently cleared
produced a superb harvest of wheat. Every fall Joseph sold it at a good price
in Saint-Mathias. That period was called: "The good years, the time of
prosperity".
1837
Joseph's
Jr was going out with a young girl of Saint-Charles on Richelieu, Marie-Desanges
Poulin (Etienne Poulin and Charlotte Hebert's daughter). Grand-father liked
to relate the 1837 events (Rébellion des Patriotes). His father had spoken
so much to him about it. One thing is sure, when Joseph and Marie Desanges (Lili
for closed friends) got married at the beginning of 1841, the Poulin's family
had already move from St-Charles to Ste-Marie de Monnoir (now Marieville). Joseph
had built a nice house located at the foot of St-Gregoire mountain (or Mount
Johnson) on a lot he had almost finished clearing. This property is now owned
by Gaston Lalanne (1976).
The first act of St-Gregoire parish, founded on Christmas 1841, was entered
on February the 11, 1842, Alfred's
baptism (Joseph Choquet and Marie Desanges Poulin's son). Godfather: Etienne
Poulin, godmother: Marie Celeste Decelles. According to the custom at the time
one of each parties had been chosen.
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1848
Henry was born in 1848. In 1870, he married Mathilde
Letarte (see photo album of their
lineage) who had finished her studies at the Presentation de Marie
(Marieville).
With the advent of the railroads, New-England & New-York
were now getting their supplies of grain from the western prairies.
Here, we couldn't accept poverty. The exodus towards the United
States was beginning. Joseph planned to repeat his father's exploit,
in the American West: "To grow up wheat as high as man's shoulders"
and above all to sell a lot of it.
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1874
All of Joseph Choquette's family emigrated to the U.S.A (see related
file). The first place was Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Then, they moved to
Campbell, Nebraska but Henri and Alfred stayed in Woonsocket. My father Hector
was born there in l884 and was baptized in Precieux Sang's church.
1896
Henri, Mathilde, their children: Alexandrine
and Hector, came back to St-Gregoire. Henri bought his father in law's (Athanase
Letarte) property. When my mother, Gertrude
Métras came into the family, Mathilde was very proud to welcome her
into her brand new house located at 530 Ave. de la Montagne. I
was born in 1909.
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I can remember but few things about this house. There was a rust
or bronze Turkish carpet covering the living room's floor, the hall,
the dining room and the stairs. The white curtains, well starched
with big large pleats from top to bottom, at angle between two windows.
There was a fern with plenty of leaves stretching down over the
grand piano. The golden chandelier, which we pulled down and back
up, each time we wanted to light the three gas lamps. The big mirror,
the oil painting and the red velvet photo album which contained
all of the family's pictures. The marble top of the living room
table is in my garage.
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Jeanne Choquette
Hector's daughter
Henri's grand-daughter
Don't miss Jeanne's
photo album
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