What My Grandmother Was Doing 79 Years Ago Today

My paternal grandmother, Antoinette, was the illegitimate child of a French-born Count living in Switzerland and his mistress-employee, Francoise Mallet.

Neighbours described Francoise as having fallen victim to “droit de seigneur,”  and soon after her birth in 1907, Antoinette was brought to Montreal to be raised by a governess, Aldea Hogue, under the loving eyes of her godparents, Dr. and Madame Auguste Martin.  At age ten, she entered the convent of the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec.

Through a series of coincidences, the Count arranged a meeting in 1920 with my great-grandfather, Jean-Francois Cordonier, in the village of Lens, Switzerland.  My grandfather, Pierre, was one of 14 children, 8 of whom were male, and the purpose of the visit was to secure a future husband for Antoinette.  In return for financial support, Pierre volunteered for the task and emigrated to Canada.

The Count moved Antoinette from St. Hyacinthe to Kamloops, B.C., and placed her in St. Ann’s convent in Kamloops until she was of “marrying age.”  Her identity was disguised so that her birth mother could not find her.  During the summers, she lived with Pierre at the rural ranch house at Barnhartvale, outside of Kamloops.  She learned to keep house under the tutelage of Pierre’s sister, Monique, who was ostensibly married to the Count.

As soon as the end of 1921, the Count wrote to Pierre:  “Before leaving, I told the Mother Superior to send you Antoinette, if you do not have any one during the holidays.  I am sending you a letter for her, foreseeing the possibility that you would keep her after the holidays.”  He further wrote: “Pertaining to Antoinette, you know that you have all my trust, but you must, I repeat, use a lot of surveillance, because of certain neighbours and never to let her go out alone.” Antoinette would have been 14 or 15 at the time.  Their marriage certificate is dated 1924, age 18.

Antoinette gave birth to ten children, all of whom survived.  When she wrote this letter she had six children and another on the way. When finances allowed, she had a “girl” for help.  More often she was alone.

I did not know my grandmother, who died when I was one, so I am grateful to read her collection of letters that chronicle her everyday life on the sheep ranch.  This is what she was doing exactly 79 Septembers ago, in the midst of the Great Depression.

Source: Antoinette, by Leona and Ned Kiez, April 2012

**********

Barnhartvale, BC  Dec.10, 1933

Dear Henri,

You are asking what I am doing, just my ordinary routine, you can not do very much different with six children…  The only epidemic fever I had was purely laziness and always putting it off till tomorrow and never doing it.

Have you found work or is it like here, none to be had anywhere?

What kind of weather are you having?  Here we had snow in September and it all went and since then till yesterday we’ve been having spring weather.  It was so nice.

Did you attend Sir Arthur Currie’s funeral?  Here we had it on radio.  When I listen to the programmes from Montreal coming on radio, it makes me lonesome to think how near I am to you all and cannot even speak to you.

I have been very busy the first days of September.  I went to Vancouver with my brother-in-law and two other friends, we motored down and back.  We stayed there about a week during the Exhibition.  We had a great time and what a rest as I did not take any of the children, but holidays are never long enough, it seems to me.

When I came back, I had the fruit, pickles and ketchup to put up, also the jelly and jams.  I got over 500 jars put up, that’s some work, believe me.  Now for over 3 weeks I’ve been darning socks, mending clothes and making over old clothes.  This housekeeping with 6 children and a man is no fun.

About a month ago I made 6 gallons of mincemeat, 15 pounds of Xmas cake and 2 big plum puddings.  I am glad its all made and waiting to be eaten.

Now there is just Christmas to come, we are trying to make it as nice as possible for the children, but we have so little money to spend  on toys; its a good thing there’s a 5 and 10 cent store in Kamloops. The children don’t care so much for toys, they would rather have clothes for presents so we are thankful for that.

I forgot to tell you that the last baby was a girl that we call Jeanne Florence, she has curly hair, big brown eyes.  She was one year old on the 16th of November, she weighs 24 lbs., she gained one pound a month for the last 8 months.

The rest of the children are well but what a bunch of mischiefs, its terrible.  You cannot imagine what they get into.  Yvonne and Armand are great for saying why this, what’s that for, etc.  Monica is going to the convent in Kamloops, she’s also taking up piano and takes great interest in it.  She was dancing in a concert in aid of a Christmas fund last week.

We had a birthday party today for Marie, she was 4 years old.  She rode four miles on the horse with the girl that’s working here.  There is nothing they like better than being on a horse, they think its great.  I am sending you a picture of Peter Jr. taken when he was 2 years old last July; he has very fair hair and curly, I have not cut it short yet as I think its too nice to cut…

I hope this letter will find you all in good health…

Your sincere friend, Antoinette.

ps. By the look of things, there will be another increase in the family in March; that’s life, it’s a good thing they are all well.