ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
3051 UNIVERSITY AVENUE STOP 9000
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202-9000
COLLECTION: OGL# 1519
ACQUISITION: The Initiatives in French Midwest Heritage Collection was established by Dr. Virgil Benoit and the Chester Fritz Library to document the French presence in the Midwest .
ACCESS: Available for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.
The collection was formally established on April 27, 2007, on the occasion of the first annual meeting of IF Midwest. This meeting took place on the campus of the University of North Dakota, at both the Chester Fritz Library and the International Centre.
Individual Accessions to the Collection:
Chez Nous, Nouvelles Villes Jumelles, and Quebec Update
Donated by Dick Bernard
Chez Nous is the newsletter of La Sociétè Canadienne-Française, which was created by John Rivard in April 1980. The purpose of the newsletter and of the society was to "gather in assembly and rejoice in French-Canadian heritage." This publication ran from April 1980 to November 2001. Typical articles found in this periodical included childhood memories recalled by members of the society, views on the French-Catholic church, remembrances of past members, photographs of subscribers to the newsletter as well as authentic French recipes. This material was donated by Dick Bernard, editor of Chez Nous, Woodbury, Minnesota, in December 2006 (Acc. # 2007-2891). IF Midwest staff, along with Special Collections staff, created an index to this publication.
Bernard also donated several issues of the Nouvelles Villes Jumelles, the monthly newsletter of La Sociétè Canadienne Française Du Minnesota and Quebec Update, a bi-weekly newsletter sent out by the Quebec Government Office in Chicago, Illinois. Indices were created for both Nouvelles Villes Jumelles and the Quebec Update.
Box-Folder
1-1. Index to Chez Nous – 1980-2001
1-2. Chez Nous – Organizing Letters: 1979
1-3. Chez Nous – 1980
1-4. Chez Nous – 1981
1-5. Chez Nous – 1982
1-6. Chez Nous – 1983
1-7. Chez Nous – 1984
1-8. Chez Nous – 1985
1-9. Chez Nous – 1986
1-10. Chez Nous – 1987
1-11. Chez Nous – 1988
1-12. Chez Nous – 1989
1-13. Chez Nous – 1990
1-14. Chez Nous – 1991
1-15. Chez Nous – 1992
1-16. Chez Nous – 1993
1-17. Chez Nous – 1994
1-18. Chez Nous – 1995
1-19. Chez Nous – 1996
1-20. Chez Nous – 1997
1-21. Chez Nous – 1998
1-22. Chez Nous – 1999
1-23. Chez Nous – 2000
1-24. Chez Nous – 2001
1-25. Index to Nouvelles Villes Jumelles and Quebec Update
1-26. Nouvelles Villes Jumelles – 1986
1-27. Nouvelles Villes Jumelles – 1987
1-28. Nouvelles Villes Jumelles – 1990
1-29. Nouvelles Villes Jumelles – 1991
1-30. Nouvelles Villes Jumelles – 1992
1-31. Quebec Update - 1986
Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families
Donated by Laura Munski
The Emard and Boucher families both originated from France and immigrated to Canada and the United States. This collection chronicles the families, most specifically the Emards, through photographs, letters, and genealogy.
Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families was a three ring binder put together by Therese Emard and Laura Munski to fulfill "a strong desire to preserve [their] family history." The contents were divided into nine folders based on individual chapters predetermined by Emard and Munski, and were kept in their original order. The contents begin with individual Emard and Boucher (pronounced Bushee) ancestry dating back to 1581, and are then connected through a separate index of marriages and resulting children. The collection follows the family to Red Lake Falls, Minnesota, and is more specifically directed towards Pierre Joseph Emard (1892 – 1944), as most information and artifacts are supplied for him.
The majority of this collection is from Pierre Emard’s World War I experience, ranging from draft cards, exemption denials, letters home, medals and patches. Emard was unable to avoid the draft and was eventually sent to military bases in Iowa, Georgia, and New York before being sent to France in 1919.
Two binders, the first primary documents, the second transcriptions, document Emard’s journey through World War I. After the war, Emard married Ida May Boucher. Eight years later Ida May passed away. Pierre Emard had to raise his family alone and due to mustard gas in the war, received subsidiary checks from the government. The family lived off these until Emard’s death in 1944.
Joseph "Eddy" Emard, (September 21, 1925 – March 20, 2001) Pierre Emard’s oldest son, is documented through photographs. After the death of Pierre Emard, Eddy took over supporting the family by working for the railroad.
Therese Marie (Emard) Thompson was a daughter of Pierre Emard, and sister of "Eddy" Emard, and also is documented through photographs. She kept and maintained the family’s records and passed them down to her daughter, Laura Munski.
To further specify genealogical ties found in Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families, two published family histories, Our French Ancestry in Huron County 1631-1976, and Our French Canadian Ancestry 1631-1982, were included in the collection. The books document a number of families including the Denomme, Durand, Ducharme (relation to Emard), Masse, LaPorte, and Geoffroi.
An oversize folder was placed in the Oversize File Cabinets and contains a family photo of Pierre Emard (Pierre Joseph Emard’s father) with his siblings, as well as the 1976 Red Lake Falls centennial newspaper, The Gazette. The newspaper shares stories pertaining specifically to the Emard family, as well as additional history on Red Lake Falls.
George Thompson, brother to Laura Munski, put together seven different genealogical charts and each covers a section of the Emard or Boucher families. They are entitled, Descendents of Pierre Emard (3 copies), Descendents of Joseph Boucher, Ole Hovet, Descendents of Ida May Boucher, Ancestors of Pierre Emard, Descendents of George Thompson, and the last chart entitled Ancestors of George Bennet Thompson Jr. combines all the ancestry into one over- arching chart. The charts are bundled into six poster tubes placed adjacent to the collection on the shelves.
Box-Folder
1-32. Purpose
1-33. Emard Family (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-34. Boushee Family East Grand Forks (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-35. Marriages (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-36. East Grand Forks Courier, Fosston Newspaper, Crookston Times, Thirteen Towns, Grand Forks Herald 1890-1900. Crookston Times 1885-1887 (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-37. History of Red Lake Falls, Minnesota, Historical Context to the family (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-38. Our French Ancestry in Huron County 1631-1976 (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-39. Our French Canadian Ancestry 1631-1982 (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-40. Denomme and Emard Common Ancestry (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-41. Emard Family Photographs (From: Family Heritage of the Emard and Boucher Families)
1-42. Pierre Joseph Emard 1892-1944 World War I Experience
1-43. World War I Artifacts of Pierre Emard
1-44. Pierre Joseph Emard WWI medals and patches
1-45. Joseph "Eddy" Emard Family Photographs
1-46. Therese Emard Family Photographs
1-47. Our French Ancestry in Huron County 1631-1976 T.W. DENOMME
1-48. Our French Canadian Ancestry 1631-1982 T.W. DENOMME
1-49. Historical Atlas/Portion of Hay Township
Genealogy Charts in Poster Tubes
1 – Descendents of Pierre Emard (3 copies)
2 – Descendents of Joseph Boucher
3 – Ole Hovet
4 – Descendents of Ida May Boucher
5 – Ancestors of Pierre Emard
6 – Descendents of George Thompson
Ancestors of George Bennet Thompson Jr.
Oversize File Folder #1
A larger folder kept in the large file cabinet contains a family photograph of Pierre Emard (Pierre Joseph Emard’s father) with his siblings, as well as an original 1976 Red Lake Falls centennial newspaper, The Gazette. The newspaper shares stories pertaining specifically to the Emard family, as well as additional history on Red Lake Falls.
DuBord Family Papers
Donated by Richard DuBord
The DuBord family settled in the Fargo-Moorhead area, and is documented through a genealogical chart, several scrapbooks, a prayer book, and one immigrant cross. The material was donated by Richard DuBord of Dent, Minnesota, on April 27, 2007 (Acc.# 2007-2895).
Richard DuBord is the son of Beatrice Marie DuBord and Armand "Pete" DuBord. Beatrice (1917-2006) and Armand (1914-1988) were married June 15, 1939, in Wild Rice, North Dakota. This collection primarily documents the life of Beatrice Marie DuBord. Other family members mentioned prominently include Lumina Rheault DuBord (1885-1957), mother of Armand DuBord. Lumina was married to Arthur DuBord (1887-1952) on November 18, 1913, in Wild Rice, North Dakota. Eusebe DuBord (1850-1930) was the father of Arthur DuBord.
The first folder contains a four generation genealogical chart created by Richard DuBord.
The first scrapbook was made by Beatrice Marie DuBord, and consists of newspaper clippings, invitations, and photographs, and dates from 1908-2005. There are many clippings about priest ordinations, priest deaths, St. Mary’s Cathedral in Fargo, and several other churches. Several pages of obituaries, weddings, anniversaries, and births are located in this scrapbook, including Beatrice Marie DuBord and Armand Dubord’s wedding, Armand’s obituary, and Arthur and Lumina Dubord’s obituaries. The high school diplomas of Beatrice and Armand are also in this scrapbook. A few pages contain articles of soldiers going off to the armed forces in World War II, as well as newspaper clippings of missing or killed soldiers. Miscellaneous photographs are also included.
Within the first scrapbook are several loose items, which include postcards, graduation, wedding, birth, and funeral announcements. The loose items were placed in a separate folder and arranged following the scrapbook.
The second scrapbook is held in an Our Family three-ring binder, and consists mostly of postcards from the Dubord family travels. It dates from 1973-2003. In some cases, along with the post card, there are newspaper clippings about tourist sites for that city. There are photographs of the family’s trip to Hawaii and also some photographs from the Roger Maris Museum in Fargo. Other than the postcards, this scrapbook contained articles on weather in the Fargo-Moorhead area, Stations of the Cross clippings, various awards and invitations to Beatrice DuBord, and a few articles on the ordination of Bishop Samuel Aquila.
Also included, is a prayer book, Manuel De Sainte Anne- Règlements ET Prières A Ľusage Des Dames De La Congrégation De Saint Anne. It is dated 1930 and published in Montreal, Canada. This prayer book belonged to Lumina DuBord. There is also an "immigrant cross" that first belonged to Eusebe Dubord, who passed it on to Armand DuBord. When he passed away, it was left to his wife Beatrice, who then gave it to Richard Dubord. It is a black wooden cross that sits in a stand and depicts Jesus Christ nailed to the cross. The letters INRI are above Jesus’ head.
Box-Folder
1-50. Genealogical Chart
2-1. Scrapbook 1: 1908-2005
2-2. Scrapbook 1: 1908-2005
2-3. Scrapbook 1: loose items
2-4. Scrapbook 2: 1973-2003
2-5. Prayer Book, Manuel De Sainte Anne- Règlements ET Prières A Ľusage Des Dames De La Congrégation De Saint Anne: 1930
3-1. Eusebe Dubord's Immigrant Cross
[Please note: The Immigrant Cross is on loan to the Musee de l'Amerique francaise in Quebec City until 2020. The cross is featured in an exhibit entitled "ON THE ROAD: the Francophone Odyssey".]
"A Volume of Treasures"
Donated by Becky Leonard
"A Volume of Treasures" is a photocopied scrapbook documenting the Martineau family of St. John, North Dakota. The family traces its roots to Fortunat Martineau and Marie Cedule Plante, who were married in Quebec City on February 20, 1882. The couple moved to St. John in 1883, where the Martineaus operated a general store and merchandising business. The couple had twelve children, including Emma, who created the scrapbook.
The scrapbook dates from 1882-1968, and contains family photographs, documents, and newspaper clippings. All of the photographs are identified, and a majority of them are dated. The scrapbook was given to Dr. Virgil Benoit by Becky Leonard, Rolla, North Dakota on April 27, 2007. Dr. Benoit then deposited it with Special Collections on November 14, 2007 (Acc.#2008-2921). Special Collections staff added material regarding the Martineau family from various genealogical sources.
Box-Folder
2-6. "A Volume of Treasures": photocopied scrapbook, 1882-1968
2-7. Martineau Family Genealogical Information
Sacred Heart Church of Oakwood, North Dakota
Donated by Mrs. Henry Bolek
This material consists of three photocopied pages from an unknown source which detail the establishment and history of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Oakwood. Father Louis Bonin was the founder of the Sacred Heart Church, and he celebrated the first high mass in Oakwood on July 11, 1880. The original church was built by volunteers from Oakwood, and completed in June 1881. The first church was replaced in 1906 by a larger church, which was destroyed by fire several years later. A new church and rectory were then dedicated in 1912. The article also details the terms of service of many early priests. This photocopied material was given to Dr. Virgil Benoit by Mrs. Henry Bolek in 2007. Dr. Benoit then deposited it in Special Collections in April 2008 (Acc. #2009-2941).
Box-Folder
2-8. Sacred Heart Church of Oakwood, North Dakota
Boucher Family Documents
Donated by Merle Boucher
The Boucher family were some of the first settlers in Quebec, coming from Mortagne, France. This material consists of four documents related to the genealogy of the Boucher family:
The material was given to Dr. Virgil Benoit by Merle Boucher of Rolette, North Dakota. Dr. Benoit then deposited the documents in Special Collections in April 2008 (Acc. #2009-2942).
Box-Folder
2-9. Boucher Family Documents
French Language and French Music
Donated by Sylvia Paquin Steinart
These documents deal with the study of French language and music. Items regarding the French language include an article from Modern Maturity (April-May 1982) and handouts from a beginner’s language class. The materials relating to French music include several copies of sheet music and lyrics to songs. Many of these songs appear to be those traditionally sung at holidays. Several of the French songs include translations in English. These materials were given to Dr. Virgil Benoit by Sylvia Paquin Steinart, Red Lake Falls, Minnesota. Dr. Benoit then deposited these materials in Special Collections in April 2008 (Acc. #2009-2943).
Box-Folder
2-10. French Songs and French Music
Separations Record: One audio cassette tape was separated and added to the Audio Tape Collection: #2220 - "Gracieuseté" and "Chanson en Francais" by Jean Beaudoin
"Des Champ: From the Field"
Donated by Leo Beauchamp
"Des Champ: From the Field" is a work of historical fiction about Jean Beauchamp and his wife and family. The novel is 24 pages in length, and was written by Leo Beauchamp in 1988. The Beauchamp family dates back four-hundred years to Nanteuil, a village in southwestern France. The Beauchamps of today descend from two brothers, Jean and Jacques Beauchamp, who settled in the area around Pointe-aux-Trembles, Quebec in the early 1600s. In this work, Leo Beauchamp, an 11th generation descendant of Jacques, details the life of Jean Beauchamp after he moved to Quebec with his family. While Jean started his new life in Quebec he often day-dreamed about his childhood days in France. Leo Beauchamp of Walhalla, North Dakota, donated this work to Dr. Virgil Benoit. Dr. Benoit then deposited the work in Special Collections in April 2008 (Acc. #2009-2944).
Box-Folder
2-11. "Des Champ: From the Field." By Leo Beauchamp, 1988.
Personal Journal and Article of Batoche Trek
Donated by Jim dale Huot-Vickery
In a handwritten journal, Jim dale Huot-Vickery detailed a trek he made, along with about 60 members of the Red River Métis Heritage Group, from St. Norbert, Winnipeg to Batoche, Saskatchewan, in 2004 and 2005. The trek consisted of two parts. The first part started in St. Norbert and went to San Clara on the Saskatchewan border. Part two of the trek started in San Clara and went to Batoche, which is located on the south fork of the Saskatchewan River. The purpose of the journey was to honor Métis heritage and to revitalize Métis culture and ethnic self-appreciation. Also included is a magazine article "All to the Fiddler’s Tune" (Prairies North: Saskatchewan’s Life Magazine vol. 7, no. 3, fall 2005) by Lionel Hughes. The article gives an overview of the Métis Batoche trek. The journal and magazine article are both copies of the originals. Jim dale Huot-Vickery of Ely, Minnesota, donated these materials to Dr. Virgil Benoit in September 2007. Dr. Benoit then deposited these materials in Special Collections in April 2008 (Acc. #2009-2945).
Box-Folder
2-12. Personal Journal and Article of Batoche Trek
"Remembering Our Acadian Heritage"
Donated by Virgil Benoit
"Remembering Our Acadian Heritage" is a reprint of a September 29, 1994, article by Jim Bradshaw, City Editor of The Advertiser, in Lafayette, Louisiana. The article details the history of the Acadians and their settlement in North America. The Acadians were among the first Europeans to settle in North America, even before the settlement of Jamestown and before the journey of the Mayflower. Dr. Virgil Benoit deposited the article in August 2007, and delivered it to Special Collections in April 2008 (Acc. #2009-2946).
Box-Folder
2-13. "Remembering Our Acadian Heritage"
Marcil Family History
Donated by Wilmer Marcil
The Marcil family came to Rolette County, North Dakota, from Montreal in the late 1880s. Four Marcil brothers, Alexis, Sefroid, Alcide, and Arsene, sons of Jacques and Celina (Trembly) Marcil, were ancestors of all the Marcils born and raised in Rolette County. A manuscript titled "Rolette County’s Marcil Settlers" describes the lives of these four brothers and their families, and includes other stories and family notes. Written by Wilmer Marcil in August 2007, the manuscript is ten pages in length. Two ancestral charts devoted to André Marcil and James Arthur Marcil are also included. Wilmer Marcil of Tacoma, Washington, donated these papers to Dr. Virgil Benoit in June and August of 2007. Dr. Benoit then deposited these materials in Special Collections in April 2008 (Acc. #2009-2947).
Box-Folder
2-14. Marcil Family History
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