Blanche Alma Gagne (Sept 24 1893 - Sept 17, 1987)
aka Aunt Mimi
Birth
Blanche Alma Gagne was born September 24, 1893 to Benoni Gagne (age 38) and Marie Salome St. Laurent (age 34) in Cap, Chat, Gaspe, La Côte-de-Gaspé, Quebec, Canada. She was the eighth child out of 15 and the fourth daughter. She was four years younger than her sister Virginia, our grandmother.
Blanche was baptized on October 4, 1893 at St. Norbert Chapel in Cap Chat, Gaspe, Quebec, Canada.
Census Records:
1901 Canada Census - At age 8, Blanche was living with her family in Cap Chat and listed as Alma on the Census Record.
1905 - Immigration Year - according to later Census. Alma immigrated with her entire family to Winchendon, Mass in 1905.
1910 US Census - Listed as Mary, Blanche is living with her family in Winchendon, Mass. At age 16, Blanche was already working as an operator in the cotton mill and earning a wage for the family, along with all her older brothers and sisters. The owner of the mill was Mr. White who also owned Falls Co. in Norwich, CT., where Blanche and her sister Virginia ended up living after Virginia married Frank St. Lawrence.
1920 US Census - The family moved and is now living at 209 Nash Road in New Bedford, Mass. Listed as Mamie, age 25, Blanche is living with her parents, her older brother Albert, Virginia, age 30 and younger siblings, Alfred, Frank and Mary Ann (or Marion). Virginia and Blanche continue to work in the cotton mill.
1930 US Census - Blanche, age 34, is living with her widowed mother, her older brother Albert, her youngest sister Marion and sister Anna and husband Edgar Levasseur at 42 Glennon Rd, in New Bedford. This was a multi family home. Blanche is still working in the cotton mill.
1940 US Census - according to this census report, Blanche has been living with her sister Virginia and her husband Frank and nieces Doris, Dorothy and Rita since at least 1935 at 16 Grosvenor Place in Norwich and working as a stenographer at the Textile Mill, where Frank was a foreman.
(Rita remembers Aunt Mimi sharing a bed with Doris and Rita and Dottie sharing a bed).
Residences and Occupations According to City Directories:
1947-1951 Blanche was living at 242 Broadway, Norwich CT and working as a clerk at the Falls Co. Historic Mills: Falls Co. Blanche lived on the second floor and her good friend Lallie (Eulallie) Martin lived in the same building with her husband Howard on the first floor.
1955-1962 Blanche was living at 4 127 Washington St, Norwich CT and still working at the Falls Co.
Around 1963 - Blanche was living in a Senior Housing complex on Laurel Hill Ave. She had a small apartment that I remember visiting as a young child.
At the time of her death at age 93, Blanche's address was recorded as 165 McKinley (Sheltering Arms) in Norwich and her occupation was listed as Bookkeeper in the Connecticut Death Index.
This record also states that Blanche was never married. Although Rita remembers that Blanche had a gentleman friend for many years named Adelard Morin, who was widowed. Blanche was such a beautiful, delightful young lady. I have to wonder why she did not marry when she was younger. That's a story that may never be told.
 |
| Blanche and Virgi |
Mimi was very close to her sister Virginia, and probably a great help to Virginia after she married Frank as his second wife and took over caring for the house and family before having children of her own. Blanche is remembered fondly by all for her sweetness and spunk. Since I was born after my grandmother Virginia's death, Aunt Mimi was a surrogate grandmother for me, and I'm sure for many of her great nieces and nephews.
Memories of Blanche from her niece Rita:
Rita remembers some friends of Mimi who worked in the main office, Kitty was one and they formed a Bridge Club together and met in each other's homes. Rita remembers Mimi making her favorite recipe, white fudge, for the ladies when it was her turn to entertain. Rita also remembers as a young girl pretending with her sisters that they were the office ladies and doing office work.
Mimi was known for being very social and loving a good time. At Halloween, she would bring kids inside and have them perform a trick before she would give them a treat. She was also known to dress up as Santa Claus and was pretty convincing according to Rita and Cousin Don.
During the 1938 hurricane, Rita remembers that Blanche was in the mill office and had to walk over to main office through the storm and flooded water – it was a bit terrifying. Imagine going to work or school that day with no knowledge that a huge hurricane was about to hit. I remember Blanche also being scared of talking on the phone during a thunder storm. She was afraid she would be struck by lightning. She'd say "hello and goodbye - I can't talk right now!
 |
| Blanche, Sisters Anna and Marion and MaMere (Marie St. Laurent) Colorized |
 |
| Virginia.Marion.MaMere.Mimi.Anna.Gagne.colorized |
Historical Event
Blanche was involved with the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Society in Norwich with her friend Adelard Morin. They may have been officers in this club. It was a social group that met in the Lafayette Hall in Jewett City. In June, 1944, a French Navy Submarine, the Argo, visited the sub base in New London. They would be marching in a parade in NYC and asked Blanche to create a flag for them to carry while they were marching. I have the original drawing and requests for the design of the flag and then a picture of the sailors marching in the parade with the flag. I also have a wooden model of the submarine Argo made by her brother-in-law Edgar Levasseur. There is a separate picture of Blanche standing with a group of French sailors from another French Submarine Amazone in 1943. Maybe this is where she was commissioned to create the flag for the Argo.
Wooden Model of Argo created by Edgar Levasseur
Soldiers Marching in NYC Parade with Flag
1944
Menu from Meal with Sailors
Thank You Note From Argo for Flag
Blanche with Sailors from Amazone 1943
Flag Design for the Argo
Death
Blanche Gagne died on September 17, 1987 at Backus Hospital. She is buried at Sacred Heart Old Cemetery in New Bedford, Mass., with her parents and her brother Albert. She was a devoted daughter, sister and Aunt.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete