Damase Gauthier (1862 - 1957)

Born Jul 1862 in Val-des-Bois Qc.

Ancestors

Husband of Delima (Latour) Gauthier — married 14 Aug 1882 in Notre-Dame-Du-Laus Qc.

Descendants

Died 10 Sep 1957 at age 95 in Buckingham Qc.

Biography

Damase was born in 1862. Damase Gauthier ... He passed away in 1957. ^[1]

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Sources

No sources. The events of Damase's life were either witnessed by Paul LeBreton or Paul plans to add sources here later.

Footnotes

1. ↑ Entered by Paul LeBreton, Sunday, August 18, 2013.

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Paul LeBreton for creating Gauthier-490 on 18 Aug 13. Click the Changes tab for the details on contributions by Paul and others.

Mr. & Mrs. Damase Gauthier`s Diamond Jubilee A ceremony held at church in Buckingham and a celebration on the family farm - 89 living decedents, 7 out of 8 boys married – Pioneers of Val-des-Bois – A first bark canoe marriage.

Buckingham – It’s been an unforgettable day for the Gauthier family. Mr. & Mrs. Damase Gauthier (Délima Latour) celebrated 60 years of marriage, their Diamond Jubilee. After a heart-felt ceremony, in St-Grégoire de Nazianze Church in Buckingham, there was a great celebration on the property of Mr. Oléas Gauthier – One of the 8 living boys of the honoured. Approximately 500 relatives & friends attended.

Mr. Damase Gauthier, son of Michel Gauthier & Rosalie Dionne, was born July 16th, 1861 in Sarsfield, Ontario. At 81 years of age he is still very alert and active. When He was very young his parents moved to Val-des-Bois. His wife, Délima Latour, daughter of Hyacinth Latour and Marguerite Lepine, was born in Val-des-Bois February 8th, 1866. She is now 76 ½ years old.

When they were married, Mr. Gauthier was 21 years old and his wife was 16 ½ years old. Fact to be noted: Because there was no road, the couple had to take a 4 mile canoe ride with 6 other people to get to the church in Val-des-Bois, which was constructed about 2 years earlier.

The marriage took place on August 14th, 1882, in the small chapel Notre-Dame-de la Garde, in Val-des-Bois, just along the beautiful river bank. The union was blessed by M. l’abbé Eugène Trinquier, who later on became Monsignor founding priest of Notre-Dame-du Laus, who later died in the hospital of St-Michel in Buckingham.

Mr. & Mrs. Damase Gauthier have 14 children. Sadly, one son and five daughters have died. They have 89 descendents, 36 grandchildren, and 45 great-grandchildren.

There is nothing more pleasurable than to have “a great old time” with Mr. Damase Gauthier. After they were married, they lived with the family of Hyacinth Latour, on the land of Lot 3, 3rd Row, Canton Villeneuve.

They stayed in Val-des-Bois till the year 1909, they then moved to Glen-Almond. They stayed there for 18 years before moving to Buckingham, and have lived there since for 15 years. Mr. Gauthier told us they have seen hard times. His young wife used to work as a cook for 20 lumberjacks, and made $3.00 a month. As for me, He says, I worked for $10.00 a month for 15 to 16 hours of work per day on Construction.

He has also worked on constructing the first road through the mountains to get to Val-des-Bois, and was the first one to drive it in his automobile.

Yes, times have changed from those days. It’s like night and day.

- “In Val-des-Bois & surrounding area, I was the first to have a nice 2 seat automobile. Everyone would come to borrow it when they had a wedding. They would invite me, but could not go because I only had one car”.

- “I worked for the company James Mac-Laron for 28 years. For the most part I was a contractor. The wood scaler (measure) would often tease us, he would say, “All well calculated, you’re good. You’re not above… you’re not too low”.

I remember Mgr. Thomas Duhamel’s first visit to Val-des-Bois. He left Maniwaki in an Indian canoe to come to our parish. Along with his companion, he had to cross a dozen lakes, portage, and walk in mud up to their knees to get here. They came in 2 canoes build by the natives for racing, long bark canoes. Our Bishop from Bytown (Ottawa) found the canoes too tippy. He had both canoes tied together for their safely.

The Children Mr. & Mrs. Damase Gauthier who just celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary, had 9 boys.

The Oldest,

Hormidas Gauthier, died accidentally with 2 of his companions, November 4th, 1936. It was night time and they were driving on Lièvre Road. They came upon Starvy Creek near Val-des-Bois, lost control and went over into the water. Mr. Hormidas Gauthier, Mathieu Faubert, and Adélard Morin all drowned.

Mr. Gauthier’s 8 other boys were all present for the anniversary which took place August 4th. They are: M. Vanase Gauthier from Glen-Almond, who married Clothilda Charbonneau. Four of their children married: 1-Raoul, who himself has 4 children, 2 of which are twins. 2- Simone (Mrs. Daniel Lacroix) who has 7 children. 3- René and 4- Roland, and they both have each one girl. Total: 13 children from 4th generation.

- Mr. Antoine Gauthier from Buckingham, he married Mina Bisson. - Mr. Joseph Gauthier who has been living in Kodiak, Alaska for 2 years now, before that he was in Seattle, Washington. To come to his parents Jubilee, which by the way, they had not seen for 24 years. He had to travel by plane which took him 4 days to arrive at the anniversary celebration.

- Mr. Omer Gauthier, a grocer in Buckingham. He married Antoinette Charette. - Mr. Ernest Gauthier, who lives in Buckingham. He married Lovina Mercier. - Mr. Oléas Gauthier, who is from Glen-Almond, husband to Germaine Couture. Her father committed suicide on her land, the same land where the big supper, and the family celebration took place. - Mr. Alcide Gauthier who came from Timmons, Ontario. He married Annette Couture, sister to Germaine Couture. - and lastly, Mr. Aimé Gauthier, from Buckingham. He married Lilly Charette.

Brothers & Sisters

M. Damase Gauthier still has one living sister (Tharsile). Mrs. Fred. Lépine, she’s 84 years old. M. Antoine Latour, from Buckingham, Joseph Latour, from Val-des-Bois, and Louis Latour, from Timmons, and also one sister (Azilda Latour) Mrs. Désiré Latourelle, from Buckingham, the Jubilee’s god-daughter.

Among all the other friends who came to the anniversary party, Mr. Thomas Gauthier, Damase’s cousin from Chateauguay was also present.

Celebration

At 3 o’clock in the afternoon, in St-Grégoire church, in Buckingham, a heartfelt ceremony took place for the Jubilee’s, their children and friends. Mr. l’abbe (member of the clergy), J. Avila Bélanger, parish priest said a touching speech of circumstance. He talked with emotion how grand their marriage was. The Pastor’s heart was touched to see Damase & Délima come to thank Almighty God from the many blessings He has bestowed on them through the years, and for their numerous children. The ceremony ended with the blessing of the Holy Sacraments. The family accompanied by Mr. l’abbé, and Victor Leroux, all went to Mr. Oléas Gauthier’s home in Glen-Almond where supper was served. Grand-daughter of the honoured, Léona Spencer said a speech to her grand-parents. The evening that followed was an extraordinary celebration of approximately 500 people. They sang, played music, danced, and even did a comedy act “The Four Prunes” interpreted by Mr. Aurèle Gauthier (grand-son to the couple), and Félix Daoust.

Mr. Auréle Gauthier said a second speech, and Ms. Jeannette Charette presented an award to the honoured Jubilee’s. Damase & Délima were very touched and thanked everyone for their blessings and generosity. The celebration lasted all night into the next day, dancing like the good old days, and singing the old songs, “Bottle, Bottle, and You’re Becoming Likable”. A torch or beacon cannot let this occasion go by without offering to Mr. & Mrs. Damase Gauthier who have been married for 60 years on August 14th, best wishes and happiness among their 89 descendents.

(Newspaper Article in 1942)