Wedding Wednesday A Love Story Born in Nipissing, Ontario

   The Year is 1899 and it is Christmas Day. In Dunnet & Ratter Township of Nipissing, Ontario, Canada.  The Ouellette's; Joseph and his wife Rosanna (nee Archambault) are celebrating not only Christmas this year but the arrival of their latest child, a son. Israel Noel is welcomed into the world on this very day. I'm sure the community was there with congratulations and best wishes.  Some of those wishing the family the best would have been their neighbors, Adolphe Gervais and his wife Marguerite (nee Cousineau).  Now a year later plus 2 days the tables would be reversed. The Gervais welcome their daughter Aldea into the world on December 27, 1900.

The Baptismal records for St. John the Baptist Church in Verner, Ontario 1895 - 1911. Entry 16 is Israel Noel Ouellette, 25th Dec. 1899 (parents listed) in Warren, Ontario. Baptized 11th of February by Father Langlois with Adelard & Clara Chevette  as God Parents.  

The Schedule A Birth Index of the District of Nipissing from 1899. Line 3 is Ouellette Israel Noel (M - male) Dec. 25, 1899. Father Ouellette Joseph and mother, Archambault Rose.

The 1901 - 1967 Record of Baptism for the St. Thomas Parish of Warren, Ontario.  Entry 6 reads Aldea Gervais, December 27, 1900. Parents are listed and living in Warren. there is a card inserted in the page which covers the date of baptism; however Father G.A Picotte officiated.

Page 12 of the 1901 Ontario Census of Dunnet & Ratter Township,  Nipissing County. The last family on the page is headed  by Adolph Gervais (line 44) age 43 with his wife Marguerite age 35 then Daughter Dora age 14, sons Moses age 13 & Adelor age 11, then daughter Louisa age 8 and son Eugene age 6. 

Page 13 of the 1901 Ontario Census of Dunnet & Ratter Township,  Nipissing County. The Gervais family continues at the top of this next page with  daughters Lavina age 2 and Aldea 3 months. However this page held more for me when first researching on line 15 is Joseph Ouellette age 41 with wife Rosalia age 31, daughter Rose age 11, Sons Alfred age 9 and Arthur age 7 then daughter Anna age 5 and Israel  3/12. 

    

    Well the census taker must have mis-understood the age of the baby. He is listed in the church record as being born and baptized in 1899 and 1900. I have to believe that those records are accurate. A family with a newborn being held by the Minister and baptized over a guy at the door taking the info and transcribing it to paper.  They probably told him the baby was born Dec 25th of last year and he took it literally as the last calendar yr. Can't blame him, but a mistake never the less. Anyway the point is, here are two young people about the same age, living near by and they grow up to marry; and so we have ....

Particulars of Marriage registration number 0197477. Married on August 9th of 1922 in Warren, Ontario. 

       The marriage produced many children including my grand mother Desneige. Hence my mother Noella and then myself. I have already blogged about them before but their lives were simple but fruitful and they lived and celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1972. They even went all out and renewed their vows at the same church in Warren. Wish I was old enough to have gone and remembered it. It looks like they had fun. 

Israel & Aldea Ouellette leaving for the church to renew their vows. Back porch of their Warren home. 

Renewing their vows.

The party after. Cake on table in shape of a 5 and 0.

Back at the Ouellette home. Israel Noel with his grand daughter (and namesake) Noella and her husband William Goodwin (my parents).

This last picture is a year or two before the anniversary. It is of me with my great grand parents and their dog at their place in Warren. I was about 5 or 6 here.

    

       I will never forget any of my grand parents or great grand parents. Some of details may fade as I was young then; however they were special people and I will always fondly "Remember When...."

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