Léonie (Brun) Ames (1896 - 1953)

Ancestors Descendants

Biography

Birth
Marie Léonie Brun was born on 4 July 1896 and was baptized on 27 August 1896 in Cap-Pelé, New Brunswick. ^[1] She is the daughter of Martin Brun and Domithilde Doiron. Her godparents were Philippe Brun and Marie B. Léger.

Léonie's father passed away some time before 1901. According to family history reported by a descendant (Michelle (Ross) Baisch) to Cormier-1939 23:25, 11 July 2021 (UTC) , all of the children had been sent to live with families all over and lost contact. Among the children were a Marie Landry in Sanford Maine, Léona, and Philippe.

Adoption

Léonie Brun was listed in the 1901 census in Shédiac as an adopted daughter, age 4, born on 4 July 1896, in the household of Philias Thibodeau and Mélanie Caissie. There was a son in the household, also adopted, named Willie Thibodeau age 15. ^[2][3]

Philias Thibodeau 41
Melanie Thibodeau 41
Willie Thibodeau 15
Léomé Brun 4

Her sister Pélagie was also adopted, by another family. Her other siblings Philippe and Delphine stayed with their mother and her new husband Philippe Lirette. Their surnames changed from Brun to Lirette. In 1911, Léonie's adoptive parents, Philias and Mélanie, were living in Dupuis Corner. Léonie's surname was now Thibodeau and was listed as an adopted child. She was age 15, born in July 1895, and worked as a cook. There was another adopted daughter Martha Thibodeau age 9, born in 1912. ^[4]

Philias Thibodeau 52
Melanie Thibodeau 51
Léonie Thibodeau 15
Martha Thibodeau 9
Adeline Dupuis, 49 Lodger

1915 Emigration to the US
She emigrated to the United States in 1915 with the Thibodeau family when she was 19 years of age. ^[5][6] Her parents returned to Canada around 1919, but Léonie stayed, and appeared as Leona in subsequent records, with different surnames: Brun, O'Brien, Thibodeau.

It appears that she had a 1st child, Madeline, possibly out of wedlock, who was adopted by Sylvio St Louis. ^[7]

1915 1st Marriage
That same year, on 22 September, she gave birth to Madeline, and on 25 October, in Penobscot, Maine, she married Sylvio St Louis, a 21-year-old laborer, son of Frank St Louis and Euphémie Richard.^[8] On 30 September 1916, Leona gave birth to a premature baby boy who died the same day. ^[9]

The 1920 US census shows Léona St Louis age 23, from Canada with husband Sylvia (sic for Sylvio) St Louis age 26, a native of Maine, living in Old Town, Maine. They have a daughter Madeleine age 4. Sylvio was a labourer in a lumberyard. Léona was a housewife. ^[10]

In 1923, her adoptive father decided to return to Old Town to live there permanently. ^[6] His border crossing entry shows that Philias Melanson, a 63-year-old blacksmith, was going to visit his daughter Leonie St Louis living at 355 Main St, in Old Town, Maine.

By 1930, Leona at age 33 was a widow with 2 children: Florine age 7 and Madeleine age 11. She worked as a maid for a family in order to support her family. Leona rented their home, and they paid $14 monthly rent. That's $224 in today's dollars. There was also a boarder in the family home at. His name was Albert L Ames, age 44, single, a cook in a hotel, likely the same man who would become her husband 7 years later. ^[5]

Leona St Louis 33 Head
Florine St Louis 7 Daughter
Maanline St Louis 11 Daughter
Albert L Ames 44 Boarder

1937 2nd Marriage
Albert F. Ames and Leona Bruns were married on 12 July 1937 in Maine. They were residents of Old Town at the time.^[11]

In 1940 Leona age 43 and Albert age 54 lived at 29 Front Street in Old Town, Maine. Ames was a cook in a restaurant. In 1939, he earned $850 ($16,150 in today’s dollars) and worked 44 weeks of the year. In the household were also Florine St Louis, age 17, Leona's daughter from her previous mariage, and a step granddaughter Gloria Tedd age 3. Florine was a cementer in a moccasin factory. ^[12]

Albert Ames 54 Married Head
Leona Ames 43 Married Wife
Florine St Louis Female 17 Single Stepdaughter
Gloria Tedd Female 3 step granddaughter

She became legal guardian of her granddaughter Gloria Ross, left by her mother Madeline at 6 days old. ^[13]

Death
She passed away in June 1953 at the age of 56, from pancreatic cancer. ^[14][15][16]

Obituary Mrs Leona Ames

OLD TOWN, June 5-Mrs. Leona Ames, 56, wife of Albert Ames, died Friday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ralph MacDonald, 8 River street, after a long illness. She was born July 4, 1896 in Shediac, N. B., the daughter of Philias and Malina (Casey) Thibodeau. She had been a resident of Old Town for many years. Besides her husband and daughter, Mrs. MacDonald, she leaves another daughter, Mrs. Ralph Corey of Old Town, and seven grand children. Remains are at the Baillargeon funeral home, 109 Middle street. where funeral services will be held Monday morning at 10:30 o'clock.

Research Notes

Several facts help confirm that Léonie born to the Brun family is the same person who married Sylvio St Louis and Albert Ames, in spite of the differences in surname, and the fact that her father's name in the marriage record with St Louis is John O'Brien:

Date of birth and country (Canada) are consistent in different sources although the town of birth varies:

• 4 Jul 1896 : 1901 census
• Jul 1895 : 1911 census
• 1896-1897  : 1920 census age 23
• 1896-1897  : 1930 census age 33
• 1896-1897 : 1940 census age 43
• 4 Jul 1896 in Grande-Digue : Obituary

(Did not find a baptism record for a Leona/Leonie Brun or Leona/Leonie Thibodeau in the Grand-Digue register, or Shédiac register.)

The 1901 census listing her as an adopted child, with same date of birth as her baptism record.

The border crossing entry showing Philias Melanson visiting his daughter Leonie St Louis.

Her obituary, giving her date of birth and naming her adoptive parents and daughters.

The history of the family, as told by a descendant, corroborated by sources.

Needs verification: *??? Birth record Mary Sylvia Sep 1922? Ancestry Link Father Sylvio St Louis. Mother Leona O'Brien from N.B. 6th child.

Sources

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. Acadia, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1757-1946 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Original data: Gabriel Drouin, comp. Drouin Collection. Montreal, Quebec, Canada: Institut Généalogique Drouin. Search: C Cap-Pelé 1813-1899 > image 382 of 426. Accessed on ancestry.ca, July 2021.
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2. ↑ 1901 census of Canada, Library and Archives Canada, Province: New Brunswick, District Name: Westmorland, District Number: 24, Sub-District Name: Shediac, Sub-District Number: G, Division Number: 5, Family Number: 99, Page Number: 12, Microfilm: T-6445, Reference: RG31 - Statistics Canada, Item Number: 461220, Index name: Léomé Brun age 4, Image 1
3. ↑ 1901 Census of Canada. Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2006.Original data - Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2004. Year: 1901; Census Place: Shediac, Westmorland, New Brunswick; Page: 11; Family No: 99 Search: New Brunswick Westmorland Shediac > image 109 of 158. Accessed on ancestry.ca, July 2021.
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4. ↑ 1911 Canada Census, Province: New Brunswick, District Name: Westmoreland, District Number: 35, Sub-District Name: Shediac Parish, Sub-District Number: 36, Sub-District Description: Robichaud, Dupuis Corner, Cape Baid, Family Number: 54, Page Number: 7, Microfilm: T-20354, Reference: RG31, Statistics Canada, Item Number: 1775290 1911 Census Image
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002. Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.Title of Source, Publisher of Source Year: 1930; Census Place: Old Town, Penobscot, Maine; Page: 17A; Enumeration District: 0081; FHL microfilm: 2340573 Search: Maine Penobscot Old Town District 0081 > image 33 of 37. Accessed on ancestry.ca, August 2021.
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   Leona St Louis 33 Head
   Florine St Louis 7 Daughter
   Maanline St Louis 11 Daughter
   Albert L Ames 44 Boarder

6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "Vermont, St. Albans Canadian Border Crossings, 1895-1954," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-99D3-BQ97-Z?cc=2185163&wc=3KMH-SP2%3A1018494101%2C1018777901 : 9 October 2015), (M1461) Soundex Index to Canadian Border Entries through the St. Albans, Vermont, District, 1895-1924 > Roll 362, S654 Albert-T143 Ovide > image 5764 of 7821; citing NARA microfilm publications M1461, M1463, M1464, and M1465 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
7. ↑ (Michelle (Ross) Baisch)
8. ↑ Marriage record October 25, 1919 in Penobscot, Maine. Leona Brien and Sylvio St-Louis. Father of the bride: John O'Brien, born in Canada, resident of Old Town. Mother is deceased, name unknown. Parents of the groom: Frank St Louis, Euphémie Richard. Ancestry.com. Maine, U.S., Marriage Records, 1713-1922 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data:Maine Marriage Records, 1713-1922. Augusta, Maine: Maine State Archives. Maine State Archives; Cultural Building, 84 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0084; 1908-1922 Vital Records; Roll Number: 49 Search: Penobscot 1915 S > image 5 of 178. Accessed on ancestry.ca, July 2021.
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9. ↑ Ancestry.com. Maine, U.S., Death Records, 1761-1922 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Original data:Maine Death Records, 1761-1922. Augusta, Maine: Maine State Archives. Maine Death Records, 1761-1922, Maine State Archives, Augusta, Maine, USA. Maine State Archives; Cultural Building, 84 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0084; 1908-1922 Vital Records; Roll Number: 49 Search: Penobscot 1916 S > image 5 of 296. Accessed on ancestry.ca, August 2021.
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10. ↑ 1920 US Census: Léona St Louis age 23, from Canada. With husband Sylvia (sic for Sylvio) St Louis age 26, a native of Maine, and daughter Madeleine age 4. Sylvio was a labourer in a lumberyard. Léona was a housewife. 1920 United States Federal Census Year: 1920; Census Place: Oldtown Ward 1, Penobscot, Maine; Roll: T625_646; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 119 Search: Maine Penobscot Oldtown Ward 1 District 0119 > image 19 of 21. Accessed on ancestry.ca, August 2021.
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    Sylvia St Louis 26 Head
    Leona St Louis 23 Wife
    M Madeline St Louis 4 Daughter

11. ↑ "Maine, Marriage Index, 1892-1966, 1977-1996," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCJ7-YTX : 27 November 2014), Albert F Ames and Leona Bruns, 12 Jul 1937; citing Marriage, Maine, United States, State Archives, Augusta.
12. ↑ "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KMMP-5FS : 5 January 2021), Leona Ames in household of Albert Ames, Old Town, Old Town, Orono, Penobscot, Massachusetts, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 10-102, sheet 7A, line 21, family 99, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 1488.

    Albert Ames 54 Married Head
    Leona Ames 43 Married Wife
    Florine St Louis Female 17 Single Stepdaughter
    Gloria Tedd Female 3 step granddaughter

13. ↑ (Michelle (Ross) Baisch)
14. ↑ (Michelle (Ross) Baisch)
15. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 15 August 2021), memorial page for Leona B. Thibodeau Ames (4 Jul 1897–5 Jun 1953), Find a Grave Memorial ID 122570536, citing Saint Josephs Cemetery, Old Town, Penobscot County, Maine, USA ; Maintained by Dale & Patti (contributor 46937639) . Find A Grave: Memorial #122570536

    Mrs Leona Ames
    OLD TOWN, June 5-Mrs. Leona Ames, 56, wife of Albert Ames, died Friday morning at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Ralph MacDonald, 8 River street, after a long illness. She was born July 4, 1896 in Shediac, N. B., the daughter of Philias and Malina (Casey) Thibodeau. She had been a resident of Old Town for many years. Besides her husband and daughter, Mrs. MacDonald, she leaves another daughter, Mrs. Ralph Corey of Old Town, and seven grand children. Remains are at the Baillargeon funeral home, 109 Middle street. where funeral services will be held Monday morning at 10:30 o'clock.

16. ↑ The Bangor Daily News; Publication Date: 9 Jun 1953; Publication Place: Bangor, Maine, USA; p. 40 URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/664587277/?article=0ca53e5d-cbd1-41c1-8604-b2c7009a1791&focus=0.1596495,0.9117378,0.27389666,0.9702694&xid=3355

    OLD TOWN, June 8-Funeral services for Mrs. Leona Ames, wife of Albert Ames, were held Monday morning at 10:30 o'clock at the Baillargeon funeral home on Middle street. The Rev. Charles Biglin of St. Mary's church officiated. Bearers were Charles Jones, Arthur St. Louis, Romaine Nadeau and Maurice St. Louis. Interment was in the family lot

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