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| Dussault and LeBrun family members. |
[This longer version adds information to what's already been provided here on this Waterford family and their farm, with photographs generously provided by Andy Dussault.]
This photo and the following one of the Dussault farm date to the 1940s.
Few
locations in Waterford, Vermont, capture the changes of the early twentieth century
like the Dussault farm on Fairbanks Mountain. The family’s French Canadian
roots were strong; the Canada border was just 50 miles away. And fifteen children were not unusual at the time in a
Catholic farming family in this region. Their stories, along with the changes
in the farm itself, are captured here.
In
the late 1800s, Emile Napoleon Dussault (1878-1963) and Alphonsine Marie Lebrun
(1884-1943) lived in the American West. Both their families had resided for
generations in the province of Quebec, Canada, with long histories back to
French settlers. Their grandson Andrew J. “Andy” Dussault provides the route
Emile took to the West: “At
fifteen, my grandfather and two friends left Ste. Marc des Carrieres—on the
north side of the St. Lawrence between Montreal and Quebec City—and journeyed
to the western provinces. My grandfather’s stepmother was tough on her
stepchildren. So, he left.” Their paths crossed in Cloquet, a French-named
town in Carlton County, Minnesota, where they both were living in 1905, when
the frontier settlement itself was barely two decades old. In 1907 they
married, and began a family right away: Joseph was born in 1908, Albert in
1909, Robert in 1911 (he died in infancy; watch for more about him, though, in
his brother Albert’s story), and Amanda in 1912 (born while the Titanic was sinking). Baby John was the fifth born
in Cloquet. Their Cloquet home is shown in this photo; after the family moved
away, a devastating fire swept the small Western town in 1918, and the home is now gone.
The couple decided to come East, arriving in Waterford, Vermont, in 1914, with their four surviving children at that time. The farm they chose on Fairbanks Mountain was reached by a road past the Lee farm, which stood north of Stiles Pond. The route was steep and brief, and the view extended out over St. Johnsbury. Structures included a house, big barn, small barn, and sheds. Hermildas Lebrun, Alphonsine’s father, bought the 233-acre farm on behalf of the family, and the deed, signed in August 1914, called it the land and premises of Andrew and Edith McKee, including 21 cows, 1 bull, 12 calves, 2 pigs, 3 horses, all hens and chickens, 4 ducks, 1 lumber wagon, 1 one-horse lumber wagon, 1 Concord wagon, 1 two-seated surrey, 1 express wagon, 1 manure spreader, 1 wheelbarrow, 1 smoothing harrow, 1 corn planter, 1 cultivator, 1 cream separator, 1 dump cart, 1 pair work harnesses, 1 driving harness, 1 barrel churn, 1 horse rake, 1 mowing machine, 1 sleigh, 1 rake, and “all small hand tools and all crops now on said premises.”
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| Emile cutting hay in Waterford. |
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Alphonsine on the rake and Emile on the hay. |
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| Hermildas and Odelle Lebrun and their daughter Alphonsine (her husband Emile is cut from this). |
At that time, although Waterford had plenty of families with French Catholic heritage, none of them held positions of authority in the town. The next town north, St. Johnsbury, though, had many such leaders, and Notre Dame des Victoires, the “French” Catholic church in St. Johnsbury, served as an anchor and provided parochial schools for children.
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| Albert and Amanda, First Communion. |
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| Hermildas LeBrun in 1927. |
Vermont then was still 70% rural, with 29,000 farms as of 1920 and 290,000 dairy cows; sheep were dwindling as a farm animal, down to half as many as there had been in 1910, although there were plenty of pigs and horses on Vermont farms.
Memories of the farm today come from Andy Dussault, one of Emile’s grandsons. Andy was fortunate to also know his great-grandfather Hermildas Lebrun, Alphonsine’s father. He wrote, “Hermildas Lebrun, my great grandfather, died in 1945 when I was seven years old. I remember so well, seeing him take out his glass eye and putting it into a water glass on the mantel. His daughter, Alphonsine, died two years before her father.”
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| Albert, Margaret, John, Walter, and Amanda on the farm, 1926. |
Photographs show the family gathering in various groups, and also show the gradual changes of the farm.
The Dussault family left the farm in 1931 and moved on to Caledonia Street in St. Johnsbury.
The children had scattered widely, too many professions. Here are a few: Joseph Hermildas Selim Dussault (1908-1987) became a priest; Amanda Marie Odille married Robert Descoteaux in St. Johnsbury; and Albert Peter (1909-1985) worked on farms at a couple of periods of his life, but mostly was drawn to trucking. He wrote his autobiography, which follows. The other siblings were John Augustin (earlier named Joseph Augustin John, 1914-1997), Walter (birth name Francis Walter, 1915-2000), Margaret Elizabeth Florence (1917-2008), Jeanne Clair “Jean” (birth name Bernadette Clare Jeanne, 1918-1999), Cecile Rita (birth name Cecilia, 1920-2005), Paul Louis (twin, 1921-1922), Pauline Louise (twin, 1921-2003), Lorraine Marcella (birth name Marcelle Lorraine, 1922-1998), Theresa (birth name Marie Therese, 1924-2003), Edward Bona (1926-2009), and Raymond Arthur (1932-2002; born when the family had moved to Caledonia Street). [The birth names here were provided by eldest brother Joseph and sister, transcribing them from their mother’s Record of Births and sharing the details to all in 1972, signed by Rev. Msgr. Joseph H. Dussault at St. Mary Star of the Sea Rectory.]
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| Dussault Farm cow barn, 1955. |
Margaret, who married W. Frank Hall, was the mother of St. Johnsbury stalwarts John and William “Bo” Hall and three daughters, and was recognized as the first woman to manage a department store in Vermont (McClellan’s Department Store); Amanda was the mother of Fran Achilles, whose family operates St. Johnsbury Overhead Doors.
Here is Albert’s story, in his own words:
Autobiography of Albert Peter Dussault
Nov. 26, 1909 - Jan. 2, 1985
I was born at Cloquet, Minn. on November 26, 1909. My father, Emile N. Dussault was a millright. We moved to Waterford, Vermont in August 1914 on the Andrew / McKee farm, above the Lee Farm (near Stiles Pond), as my grandfather (H. Lebrun) bought it. I attended the Graves School – Lottie Hill was our first teacher - from 1916 until February 14, 1924, then I went to St. Gabriel’s School in St. Johnsbury, Vt. I graduated on June 15, 1926.
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| Albert marked himself in the district school photo: "me." |
Before 1926, I worked summers at Moose River Gardens, worked for Sherm McGinnis haying, and at the Carreau farm. Also, worked for the State of Vermont as water boy with horse & wagon with tank - filling it out of the brook and Lee Farm water tank for a steam shovel.
In my young life, while in school - I drove 1, 2 and 4 horse teams and also oxen at Cary Maple. Chopped wood and all other work in the woods.
Then came my Walk into Life, June, 1926. Went on top of Hulbert Hill, my 1st job out of school - pick and shovel. $3.00 per day for brother Joseph and I as he worked there too. 2nd job, striking for blacksmith sharpening drill bits for jack hammer - rock drilling. The first trucks I drove were an Aviation and Liberty dump trucks for the state of Vermont. Then came a day the driller let me drive the Nash Quad about ½ mile. It drove from the 4 wheels and it steered from the four wheels, solid rubber tires, in high gear 14 miles per hour. Also, this was a drilling outfit and included a four wheel trailer on which was a Blacksmith Shop for sharpening rock drills. In November 1926, this rig went to the sand bar in Grand Isle to build the Sand Bar Road and bridge. From this time on I knew I wanted to be a truck driver, and I was for a good many years.
In November 1926, I hired out to Bertha Lee to care for a barn full of cows and other farm animals. Then in February 1927, went up on East St. Johnsbury Mountain to drive team for Joe Morin for one month and lived in the camp atop of mountain. Worked one month for Laperle. During the winter of 1927, we walked half way to Littleton at 10 to 15 degrees below zero and that night slept in livery stable in Littleton with the teamsters. Next morning, left for Lincoln, NH, on a load of grain, got there between 8 to
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9 p.m. that night. Hired out as tractor operator, and left for the woods the next morning at 5 a.m. operating a Cletrac Tractor for Parker and Young – Lincoln, N.H. for 2 ½ months until spring. One summer I worked for Swan Construction. (They built the St. Johnsbury Garage on Railroad Street.)
Then came my career for Harry Dolgin in the spring of 1927 in the junk yard and used auto parts for two years until 1929. Driver and learned some mechanic from Charles Kirker at Dolgin’s.
I worked for Costa on the delivery route for one summer.
In 1930, worked two months at Fairbanks Scale Works, and for six weeks drove milk truck for Floyd Easter.
In 1930, Memorial Day night made my first trip to Boston for St. Johnsbury Trucking with Wesley Fairbanks with #11, a K-W Brockway. Then was given #19, a Model A Ford on Swift’s Mountain run delivering beef to stores and hotels. In the winter of 1932, Francis Fisher and I took a load of furniture to Alexandria, Va. We left St. Johnsbury on Monday, Feb. 14th and returned that Friday night.
I drove and worked as mechanic and rigger. I drove #19 - #25 - #21 - #11 - #13 - #10 Big Steve - #59 better known as Caroline, a wrecker and low bed tractor – then came Big Bertha #200 an Autocar wrecker and #282 an International wrecker. I also ran the Boston terminal for 6 weeks during the winter of 1935, then drove #40 - #32 - #65 - #42 ten wheeler, #9 - #7. I drove Model A Fords, 240 Brockways, Republic, Northways, Garfords, Libertys, Aviations, Auto Cars, Sterling Diesel chain drive, Bulldog Macks chain drive and many more.
Sept. 23, 1937 I got married. Worked local for 10 months then went back on the road with #65 a new DS 60 International tractor. I drove the first tractor trailer in the northern part all winter during 1935 & 1936. In the spring of 1939, ran the St. Johnsbury terminal for 3 months. Then went to manage the Newport terminal until May 30, 1941. This is when I left for the machine shops in Conn. We moved to Farmington cutoff in Connecticut in June 1941 and worked at Fuller Brush and Pratt & Whitney Aircraft. In Sept. 1943, the Braults (Gerry & Gemma) and us (Albert, Noella, Andre, Denise, Robert)
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returned to Vermont. We lived in a trailer park behind a filling station on Shelburne Road in South Burlington.
On Nov. 21, 1943, my mother died in Burlington, Vt.
I worked at Bell Aircraft as a machinist until the end of World War II. In 1945, opened Dussault’s General Auto Repair until March 1947 at 220 Shelburne Road. During the spring of 1947, we returned to St. Johnsbury and I did general auto repair until July.
In July 1947, my father and I started building our house on Higgins Hill. (1249 Concord Ave.) Moved in on Paul’s first birthday, Dec.17th. While up there (Higgins Hill) worked for Warren Motors, then contracted carpenter work until 1-1949. Then back to St. Johnsbury Trucking again as mechanic, rigger, driving and moving heavy equipment.
We sold our house, and on October 1st, 1950, the family and I went to California for 3 years, then came back in September, 1953.
In California, I worked as carpenter in Chico, on western grain silos installing roofs. Then went to Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo (Jan, 1951), California for 15 months as a heavy machinist in the inside machine shop. Then on June 2, 1952, moved to Cohasset, CA in the Sierra Nevada Range. (Pop, Andre and Bobby worked for Uncle Walter in the woods for four weeks – he didn’t pay any of us.) For 3 weeks worked as truck driver and rigger for Butte Creek Rock Co. Then in Sept. 1952 I went to work for Chico Wood Products (Sam Fortino) who had a garage in Chico and a logging operation and sawmill in Cohasset, as driver, mechanic and jack of all trades. Driver in the tall timber of the Great North West and cat skinner – jammer puncher. Heavy log truck driving (Federal tractor with a 300 Cummings diesel) during the days and as a mechanic on logging trucks and dozers, TD 24 International and D8 Catepillars nights and during the winter. I ran a board saw for one week in the Cohasset mill.
Then in August, 1953 came back to Vermont. Left $3.75 per hour wage and back to St. Johnsbury Trucking for $1.25 per hour as mechanic, wrecker driver and heavy equipment moving until March 9, 1954. At 7:30 a.m. got both legs broken by a bucket on a 2 yard link belt shovel. (The accident happened behind West’s Garage in Errol, N.H.
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I was in St. Louis Hospital in Berlin N.H. for 4 weeks . By July 1958 I had had 5 operations – bone graft and skin grafts. Then I was in the St. Johnsbury Hospital until July 9, 1954. My right leg was in a cast for 38 months.
I then worked for Brault’s Mobile Homes hauling ten ft. wide mobile homes from Marlette, Michigan and Nanticoke, Pa. One from each place a week. Then in the fall I bought a truck of my own and hauled for Chamberlain of Thomaston, Conn. until the spring of 1959.
I started a trailer sales of my own in 1959, (St. Johnsbury Mobile Homes) until I sold to Geo. Secilian April 14, 1972 and he quit in 1974 and I lost $55,000.00 and he took off.
I even owned a pumper fire truck. Moved to Waterford 6-17-72 and bought and sold tractors, dozers, and bucket loaders - trucks and cars. Sold house and moved to a mobile home on North lot. Then retired. What a way to live - ask me. The worst thing in life is retiring - for the birds.
My mother wanted me to go to high school and I told her I wanted to be “a mechanic and truck driver” and I did, except 7 years in machine shop and 2 years a general “Building Contractor” and Repairs.
In August 1977 went to Cloquet, Minn. “flew” out and back to see our Bro. Robert’s (3/9/1911 – 3/25/1912) grave and Margaret Lasor - went with Clement - what a way to travel.
On August 8th, 1982 left Derby Line for Cloquet, Minn. at 1:30 p.m. with Bro. Joe. We returned 8-12-82 at 9:00 p.m. 2301 miles, having Bro. Robert’s body returned 70 years and 5 months after his death (as they had promised their mother).
DRIVING RECORD
Truck Driving 1 ½ to 2 million miles without a chargeable accident.
I loved truck driving and hauling heavy equipment and logging in The Wild West.
The man that let me drive my first truck was – George Sterns – State of Vt. Driver and Mechanic.
Only dumb people retire.
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Places we lived until October 1982
#1 - Oct. 1937 Just married in Beebe Plains, P.Q. - 39 Maple St. St. J.
#2 - Oct. 1938 Upstairs 72 Portland Street Andre’s first home. He was 10 days old.
#3 - Newport, Vt. 1939 - Denise born Jan. 14, 1940. Born at home – Indian Point and
Elm Street.
#4 - Oct. 1940 moved to Winter St. (in Newport)
#5 - June 1941 moved in a 15 ft. trailer on Farmington Cut-off. Conn.
#6 - Oct. 8, 1942 Robert was born at St. Francis Hospital, Hartford, Conn.
#7 - While in this spot moved from Schultz 15 ft. to 18 ft. Platt trailer.
#8 - Then to a 29 ft. Howard trailer.
#9 - Moved to So. Burlington – Shelburne Road – (Sept. 1943)
#10 – Moved to Fort Ethan Allen housing.
#11 – Moved to Queen City Park where we bought our first home.
Dec. 17, 1946 - Paul was born in the DesGrosbriand Hospital, Burlington, Vt.
#12 - Back to St. J. on Portland St. 1947 and built our house on Higgins Hill.
#13 - Moved to Higgins Hill, Dec. 7, 1947 - July 14, 1948 Clement born St. J.
Hospital.
#14 – Sold house to Geo. Hall went to Chico, California at East 17th St.
#15 – Moved to Vallejo, Cal. Eugene born August 8, 1951
#16 – 1952 moved to Cohassett, Cal. In 25 ft. trailer & an outbuilding.
#17 – Moved to Nord Ave. Chico, Cal.
#18 – Moved back to Vt. In Aug. 1953 Portland St. upstairs over Mrs. Fales.
#19 – Moved downstairs in Mrs. Fales apt.
#20 – Moved to Marion Ave. in back apt.
#21 – Moved in Taylor’s side apt.
#22 - 1961 in Zabarsky’s apt. Corner of Concord Ave. and Lafayette St.
#23 – 1962 moved on Memorial Dr. in Knowlton House until we sold in 1972.
#24 – Moved in New House on Hulbert Hill, Waterford.
#25 – Moved in Mobil Home 14’ x 64’.
BAPTISMS BIRTHS
Andre baptized in Notre Dame Church, St. J. Vt. Born Oct. 24, 1938
Denise baptized in Star of the Sea , Newport, Vt. Born Jan. 14, 1940
Robert baptized in St. Patrick’s Church, Farmington, Conn. Born Oct. 8, 1942
Paul baptized in St. Anthony, Burlington, Vt. Born Dec. 17, 1946
Clement baptized in Notre Dame Church, St. J., Vt. Born July 14, 1948
Eugene baptized in St. Basil’s, Vallejo, Cal. Born Aug. 8, 1951
TIMES AND PLACES IN FLORIDA
1975 - 1976 Kissimmee + (2 weeks Ft. Lauderdale with sis. Jean)
1976 - 1978 stayed home.
1978 - 1979 Pompano Beach
1979 - 1980 DeLand , Fla.
1980 - 1981 Belleview, Fla.
1981 - 1982 Belleview, Fla.
Edited by Andre Dussault. Typed by Gertrude Dussault, March 2003. Revised March 9, 2012. Revised January 21, 2016.
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| Fall 1984, at the Old Farm. |
Historic owners of the Dussault Farm (from Andy Dussault)
James Chamberlin
John Reed to Ansel Huntley
Ansel & Hannah Huntley to Otis G. Hale, including transfers from Simeon Hill, John Reed, Moses Huntley, and George Atkinson
Otis G. Hale to Milo W. Hale [M. W. Hale on 1875 Beers Atlas map]
Jacob G. Hovey with the First National Bank of St. Johnsbury
Frank Owen
Frank & Hannah Owen to Mary E. Palmer
Mary E. Palmer to [Edith] Andrew and Samuel McKee, in two separate transfers
Edith M. Andrew and Samuel McKee to Hermildas LeBrun.
