augusta ophelia tessier and achilles narcisse labrecque

Augusta Tessier and Achilles LaBrecque were married on May 9, 1881 at the Notre Dame de Québec.
 

 church register entry for marraige of Achilles LaBrecque and Augusta Tessier from Notre Dame de Quebec

In Québec, a notary record is also created when a couple is married. I have written a little bit about finding the notary for their marriage in another post, here.  Notary Joseph-Alphonse-Elzéar Chaperon notarized their marriage. His records can be found at the Library and Archives Canada microfilm CN301, S299. These documents are also available online, but they are in French and it may take me a while to translate them. It seems there is an inventory of some sort listed, maybe Augusta's dowry. The notary document is 6 pages. Looking at the first couple of paragraphs, the only additional information I have discovered was about Augusta's father, Honoré. I believe his profession is stated as "gardien de la Prison Commune de District de Québec". When I enter this phrase in an online translation site, Babylon, it is translated as "common prison warder of the district of Québec". This is similar to the 1881 census which states Honoré is a "gardien".

Augusta and Achilles left Québec, Canada for Boston, Massachusetts 6 years after they married, in 1887 (according to the 1900 US Federal Census). At this time, they had three young children, including my great grandfather, Alfred, who was only months old. According to the 1900 census, this couple had a total of 10 children; with 6 still living. I was only able to find records for 8 of their children; Corrine, Arthur, Alfred, George, Eugene, Bertha, Odelle, and Augusta (George and Bertha died before 1900).

1900 Census Boston, MA Achilles and Augusta Labrecque family

Augusta and Achilles moved at least 8 times between 1900 and 1930. They lived in Boston in 1900 and in Cambridge in 1910. In 1910, they are also living in Quincy, MA (south of Boston); they were actually enumerate twice this year, maybe they moved during the census dates. By 1920 until at least 1930, Augusta and Achilles are living in Watertown, MA; west of Boston. (note 1)

Map of Augusta and Achilles Labrecque from 1900-1930

View Achilles and Augusta Labrecque in a larger map

Achilles and Augusta had three living sons during the time of World War I. I have found records for two of their sons, Eugene and Alfred, that showed they fought in World War I.  Their son Alfred, my great grandfather, actually went to Canada to enlist.  I have read some articles which state soldiers from the US did this because Canada entered the war before the US and they wanted to enlist sooner. Their other son, Eugene, fought with the Massachusetts's 101st Engineer Regiment, according to the database, U.S., Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, 1925-1963 on ancestry.com. At some point after the war, Eugene travelled back to Canada with his wife and child. They eventually came back to US and settled in CT, but this was after Achilles and Augusta had died. Even though Eugene died in CT, he was buried in Quincy, at Mt. Wollaston Cemetery, the same cemetery as his parents.

Achilles and Augusta's oldest daughter, Corrine may have also travelled out of Massachusetts. She and her son are found on a passenger record to France; but they eventually settled in Boston. I have not found the marriage record or her son's birth record to confirm this is the correct Corrine; but she is listed in the 1930 census above one of her siblings in Watertown, MA with her married name and son.

Achilles and Augusta's other children mostly remained in Watertown or Quincy as they grew older. Arthur and Alfred stayed in Quincy. Augusta and Achille's daughter Odelle never married and stayed in Watertown. Another daughter, Augusta, also never married. She was living in Watertown while her parents were alive, but eventually moved to Cambridge, MA.

Achilles and Augusta are buried with two of their daughters at Mt. Wollaston Cemetery. Augusta died in 1931, Achilles six years later in 1937. Five out of their eight children survived them (although the 1900 census states they had 10 children, so maybe five out of ten children). They also had at least 10 grandchildren survive them, one grandchild died as an infant.

Mt. Wollaston Cemetery, Quincy, MA - Augusta and Achilles LaBrecque

notes:
1. Augusta's obituary (discussed in a post here) states that she would spend summers in Watertown. Maybe that is why they were enumerated twice in 1910, they may have had two residences.

to do:
1. find stone at Mt. Wollaston Cemetery, Quincy, for their son Eugene Labrecque.