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.

augusta ophelia tessier labrecque

French Canadian records are very prevalent and detailed, and best of all, available online at ancestry.com. This is great since I have an entire family line from Quebec. Augusta Ophelia Tessier was my immigrant ancestor from Quebec, along with her husband, Achilles Narcisse Labrecque. They are my great-great grandparents.

Augusta Ophelia was actually baptised Marie Fillion Augustine Tessier. In the book, French Canadian Sources, there is a chapter which discusses naming traditions in French Canada. The book explains that many parents baptised their daughters as Marie, which was later dropped by the child. There is also information on how priests wrote the names as they sounded and thought they should be spelled, so names may have changed in records depending on the priest. So Fillion probably became Ophelia and Augustin became Augusta. Maybe she liked Augusta better than Ophelia, and so went by her "middle" name when she was living in the United States. I do know I have the correct person as I follow Augusta through the records though, because the marriage record to Achilles lists her parents, and the year of birth matches throughout her records to the baptism of Marie Fillion Augustine Tessier.

Augusta was baptized at Notre-Dame de Quebec in the city of Quebec, Canada on April 17, 1859; the day after her birth. (This church was elevated to the level of basilica in 1874.) The physical church that Augusta was baptised in burned in 1922, a new one was built in its place. Some good websites on the history of the church are wikipedia's article on Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral, The Corporation of heritage and religious tourism of Québec, and The Official Website of the Basilica Cathedral Notre Dame De Quebec.

Augusta's parents are Augustine Honore Tessier and Marie Cecile Labbe, both also baptised in Quebec city. Most likely, Augusta Ophelia spent her childhood in Quebec city. (note 1) Augusta was the 4th of at least 9 children that I found in the Notre Dame de Quebec records born to Honore and Marie Tessier. Her father was a "gardien", or guard, and is listed as blind on the 1881 census.

At the age of 22, on May 9, 1881, Augusta married my great-great grandfather, Achilles Narcisse Labrecque at the Notre Dame De Quebec. I found their record of marriage in the parish record, but there also would have been a notary record created. I am not sure how to find which notary recorded their act of marriage, but as these records are cataloged by notary name I will not be able to find it unless I have a name. Otherwise I would have to browse through all the notaries in Quebec in 1881, which would be very time consuming. (found Notary - see: to do no. 3 at end)


signature of Augusta Tessier from parish marriage record

Two years later, in June of 1883, Augusta and Achilles had their first child, Corrine. They continued to have a total of at least 8 children; although the 1900 US census record states Augusta had 10 children, of which only 6 were alive in 1900. There does seem to be a large gap between their son George in 1888 and their next child Eugene in 1893, perhaps there were children born between them. (note 2)

Augusta was 28 years old when she came to Massachusetts with her husband and 3 children (at that time) in 1887. At this time at least three of her brothers had also immigrated to Boston, MA. Her younger sister Marie Louise would come to Boston three years later and her other brother George is also in Boston, not sure of the year. So at least 5 of her siblings are living close to her in Massachusetts. I did not find a record of her oldest sister, Marie Emilie, in Boston. I am guessing Marie Emilie probably stayed in Canada as she has a large family of at least 8 children by the 1911 Canadian Census. I also lost track of a younger sister, Marie Odile; the last record I found of her is her marriage in Quebec in 1886. Augusta's mother Marie is last seen in Quebec city in the 1881 Canadian Census; but Augusta's father Honore does have a death record in Boston in 1891. I am guessing that Honore came to Boston after his wife Marie died, maybe in Quebec (although I did not find her death record at Notre Dame de Quebec).


Residence of Augusta Ophelia (Tessier) Labrecque and siblings
as recorded in the 1900 US Federal Census

View Augusta Tessier Labrecque family 1900 in a larger map

Tragedy struck Augusta's family when her son Alfred, a Quincy councilman and my great grandfather, committed suicide in 1931. A couple of years ago I went to the Quincy Public Library to find information on the Labrecques. I was able to search through the name index the library has of the local Quincy newspaper, The Patriot Ledger. After visiting the library, I noted in my records that there was an article on Augusta Labrecque in the September 11, 1931 edition of the newspaper. I must have run out of time when visiting the library, as I never copied the article. So the other day I emailed the wonderful librarians at the Quincy Public Library and they sent me the article through email. (Thank you!!!) The article states that Augusta was so struck with grief from her son's death that she went into shock and then a coma. Augusta Ophelia Tessier Labrecque died only 12 days after her son died, on September 10, 1931. She was 72 years old. (Patriot Ledger, Sept 11, 1931 page 1, page 12)

I learned some other facts about Augusta from this Patriot Ledger article. The paper states that Augusta was at her Quincy home, but also entions a winter residence in Watertown, MA. Maybe they had both residences in Quincy and Watertown, which would explain why they seem to go back and forth from the two places in the town directories. The article also mentions Augusta's children; one of which, Eugene, is living in Canada. They also mention that she survives eight grandchildren.

I am not sure who provided the information for the article, but it was not exactly accurate with dates. The journalist wrote that Augusta and her husband were born on the same day, May 9, and were married on their 20th birthdays. Although this sounds romantic, it is not actually true according to their baptismal and marriage records. Augusta was born on April 16, 1859 and Achilles was born on May 7, 1859. They were married on May 9, 1881, when they were 22 years old. I am guessing they celebrated their birthdays and anniversary together, which resulted in the confusion of dates for the article.

Augusta was buried at Mt. Wollaston Cemetery, the same cemetery as her son, Alfred. Her husband Achilles and two of her daughters (never married) were also later buried at the cemetery, sharing a headstone. I am not sure where her two children that died in childhood are buried, Bertha and George. They died while they were living in Boston, perhaps they are buried with other family that also died around this time in Boston. Augusta's father Honore and brother George both died in Boston (1891 and 1898) and are probably buried in Boston; but the location is not stated on their records from newenglandancestors.org. Augusta's other brother, Arthur, is buried at Forest Hills Cemetery in Boston; maybe they are all together there.

Headstone of Augusta Tessier Labrecque and husband and two of her daughters

notes:
1. I found her family in the 1881 Canadian census in the subdistrict of Palais Ward of district no. 79, Quebec Center, Quebec City. I am not sure yet how to figure out where on a map this district is located.
2. I did not find any other birth records for children of Augusta in MA, as she was living in MA after 1888.

to do:
1. find cemetery of Augusta's children - Bertha and George - and her father Honore - all died in Boston.
2. find mother's death date and location - did she ever come to Boston?
3. find notary record of marriage for Augusta and Achilles. I wrote a bit about finding notary records in another blog post. UPDATE : notary Joseph-Alphonse-Elzéar Chaperon- at Libray and Archives Canada microfilm CN301, S299.