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Pascal Pelletier in St-Martin-de-Fraigneau (july 17, 2005) |
Since
2002, I have corresponded with a fellow genealogist in France who, with
his wife, often spends his summers in the small town of Boisse, located a
few miles from St-Martin-de-Fraigneau, birthplace of my ancestor, Pierre
Pelletier. Thanks to this proximity, on several occasions they have helped
me obtain copies of documents relating to Pierre, his family, and other
contemporary Pelletier cousins.
So, at
the beginning of this year, in anticipation of our arrival in France my
friend contacted the St-Martin-de-Fraigneau town hall to see about finding
someone who could meet with us and explain how our ancestors would have
lived back then, and how the community has since developed.
This is
how we came to know local historian Mrs. Bély, a childhood friend of the
mayor of St-Martin-de-Fraigneau. She explained how delighted he was to
learn that a “native son” had moved to New France and that now, some of
his descendants were visiting their ancestor’s homeland. She revealed
after the fact that the mayor had returned early from his vacation
expressly to meet with me.
July 21, 2005
The
time and date of my meeting with the mayor had been finalized only a few
days before my departure to France, so the Pelletier Family Association
board of directors was unaware of these developments. The only people who
did know were the president, Denis, and the new editor of La Pelleterie,
Jean-Denis, also a descendant of Pierre Pelletier.
Now,
arriving at the St-Martin-de-Fraigneau city hall, I only expected to meet
the mayor and Mrs. Bély, as most people in France take their summer
vacation in July. What a mistake! Not only were they of course there, but
so were several members of the municipal council, as well as Mr. Marcel
Pelletier, a former council member. He was not able speak about his
lineage, as he has not traced his genealogy, but he was delighted all the
same to meet a Pelletier “cousin” from Québec.
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In
all, about twelve people awaited us at the city hall that morning, and
I realized after several minutes that the two gentlemen asking me
questions were in fact journalists from two local papers, Vendée Matin
and Ouest France. So, without any notes or time to prepare, I
recounted what I knew about “good old” Pierre Pelletier, his life in
New-France and his descendants who still today live in the area of
Assomption.
Once the official photograph had been taken and the journalists had
left, it was time for the “vin d’honneur.” Our glasses of Sauterne
raised high, we toasted Pierre’s memory and the return of his
descendants to St-Martin-de-Fraigneau.
Having known this moment would come, and that it would the perfect
opportunity to personally thank the mayor and Mrs. Bély, I had brought
a couple of gifts. To Mrs. Bély I presented a compilation of the work
of Gilles Vigneault, a popular Québécois singer; and for the mayor,
the first volume of Jacques Lacoursière’s Histoire populaire du Québec
– a people’s history of the province. They were visibly surprised and
moved by this gesture of gratitude. |
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At
this point, I seized the opportunity to ask the mayor if it might be
possible for him and the municipal council to find a way to
memorialize Pierre Pelletier in St-Martin-de-Fraigneau, either with a
monument, a plaque or by naming a street after him. I added that I
would be very happy to make a quick return trip to France for the
dedication ceremony!
I
do not know what the result of my request will be, but I believe the
notion of naming a street after Pierre Pelletier received the most
spontaneous approval from the municipal councilors present, and the
mayor seemed to be in favor of this idea as well. He promised to be
back in contact with me at the end of the summer.
As
the reception continued, the mayor opened the registers so that I can
see with my very own eyes the original records of baptism for Pierre
and his brother Louys. I was also able to digitally photograph these
acts.
Before leaving, the mayor made it clear that I could return to
St-Martin-de-Fraigneau as often as I wanted, as I am always welcome…
“back home.”
Pascal Pelletier.
english translation by Benoit Pelletier-Shoja |
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M.
le maire Bernard Guérin, Pascal Pelletier and Madame Bély. |
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Reading the original document |
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Pascal and Marcel Pelletier, former council member of
St-Martin-de-Fraigneau |
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