Gerald Boudreau: The Man on the Mirror (52 Ancestors - #11)

Growing up my brother and I often slept at Nana Amirault's house. Her quaint house was across the street from my house in Weymouth, Massachusetts. We slept in a room that was the size of a decent closet with a brown door that closed like an accordion attached to Nana's room. When we cut through her room going to bed we saw her giant off-white bureau with an enormous mirror and on this mirror she had the Mass card for Gerald tucked away. Unfortunately when Nana passed in 1997 Gerald's Mass card disappeared. Luckily Gerald's sisters, Claire and Alice Boudreau, my Canadian first cousins x2 removed, were able to fill me in on the man on the mirror.

Gerald in his Canadian Air Force Uniform

"We have no memories of what Gerald was like as a young boy. We were too young. Later on when he was older Alice and I recall how many times on Sunday mornings we would torment him to get up when this was his only morning to sleep in. He was so patient and good to us, of course, we were looking for a nickel!

Gerald joined the RCAF sometime in 1940 after Canada became involved in the 2nd world war. He was sent to Kingston, Ontario for gunnery training and then on to Montreal for radio training, which was a good part of one year. They were flying Wellington bombers and they crashed upon taking off the airfield. All were killed, the pilot and Gerald were Canadians and the other three were Australians.

Gerald is buried in Stratford-upon-Avon, on Evesham Rd. just down from Anne Hathaway's cottage. We have all been to his grave site in England. He was only 25 years old.

Gerald's Grave Stone in England - Source:
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2714901

We have been told later that Gerald was interested in several of the local girls, but nothing serious or he would have married.

Claire shared with me a letter from the House of Commons and with that letter a copy of the pages from the House of Commons book."

After reading and thinking about my cousin Gerald it really makes my heart ache for all soldiers who have lost their lives no matter what war or what country. It makes me remember they have grieving parents and family who may never have a daughter-in-law (or son-in-law if it was a female soldier). It makes me wonder more about what was that person was like...did they play sports, did they have a hobby, what was their favorite subject in school, what did they enjoy for dinner, how many children might they have if they lived, how much do their families miss them.

What makes this story so additionally wonderful is that Claire and Alice are in their mid eighties and live up in Nova Scotia. We may have met once, but they embraced my request for stories about their family and there is more to come! Thank you!

Mary Jane (52 Ancestors - #7)

Mary Jane (Shaw) Shaw was born to John Thomas and Ellen (Meehan) Shaw on September 15, 1887. She was obviously very beloved as you can tell by the fond memories and loving way my brother-law, James (Chip) Bruynell tells us her story...

John, Mary Jane and Mary

Nanny, we pronounced it “Nah’-nee”, was born in a sleepy quintessential fishing village known as Little Heart’s Ease on Newfoundland’s Coast. Most villagers eked out a living there fishing the bountiful waters known as the Grand Banks.

Soon after marrying James Shaw (December 30th, 1909), Mary Jane and James, with their two sons Ronald and Anthony emigrated to the U.S. and settled in the predominately Irish Catholic neighborhood of South Boston known as “Southie” to those who took up residence there. James embarked on a trade as a carpenter while Nanny lovingly raised a family of three boys and one girl. John and Mary rounded out the family and were born as U.S. citizens. (Mary Jane naturalized on December 8th, 1952).

James and Mary Jane Shaw (1949)

They lived on the upper end of G Street historically known as Dorchester Heights even though it was located in “Southie”.  Nanny loved her Romany rye bread and could venture down to Doc’s one block away at the bottom of the hill for staples for her kitchen.  Sundays were a special day on G Street for “Sunday Dinner”. Her favorite meal to prepare was a boiled dinner consisting of either a daisy roll or smoked shoulder with carrots and potatoes with pot liquor on the side.

James and Mary Jane (1949)

In October, 1951, while working at his shop, James suddenly died of a heart attack. Mary, the youngest of the family, was already 7 months pregnant with their first grandchild and unfortunately James would never get to share that joy with Mary Jane.

Nanny was deeply religious. Every night at precisely 6:40, she would brew herself a cup of either Tetley or Lipton tea, butter a piece of toasted Romany rye bread and take a position at the kitchen table where an old style radio with a rotary tuner would be preset to her favorite and only station. Sitting around the table with whomever was staying or visiting, all were fervently glued to the radio as the familiar scratchy drawling voice of Richard Cardinal Cushing, a very predominant figure in Boston, would intone the Mysteries of the Most Holy Rosary. There were to be absolutely no diversions to be undertaken until the last “Amen”. Bedtime prayer time would follow for any of the grandchildren present. The prayers typically would begin with a litany of “God bless … where they would list individually all those near and dear to them. On one occasion, the first and last of its kind, Nanny became a little upset when one of the grandchildren concluded his prayer with “God bless Sparky and Spooky”, the family household pet dog and cat. That was one of those religious taboos.

James (Chip) Bruynell with his beloved grandmother, Mary Jane (about 1957)

Nanny eventually moved to Chickatawbut Street in Dorchester where she shared a duplex with her daughter Mary and husband Kenneth and their five children. This was very advantageous for the grandchildren because they knew that she made a habit of “spoiling” them. Nanny always had a cache of nickels on hand and she doled them out like she meted out her prayers on those she loved. Back in the day, one could go to Ike’s and buy a candy bar for 5 cents. There were extra bonuses for those who would do her grocery shopping which usually consisted of a loaf of her favorite bread and a quart of milk to go with her tea. Both of these items could be purchased for under 60 cents.

Nanny possessed the benevolence of a saint and the patience of Job. Her three sons would often visit her. They were all considered “Masters of Tease” no doubt a Shaw trait passed down even to this day. Ron, the oldest, was the best at it. With him it came as second nature. On one particular occasion after Nanny had made sure that at Sunday dinner everyone was served, she would, at last, sit down to enjoy the meal after “Grace” had been said. She was still donning her apron in case she had to refill a serving dish besides kitchen duties were never concluded until the last dish was dried and put away. Ron made an excuse to momentarily excuse himself from the table and on his way back, unbeknownst to Nanny, stealthily sneaked behind her chair, unfastened her apron strings, and reattached them snuggly to the chair. It wasn’t until sometime later when she tried to get up to refill a platter that she discovered that she wasn’t going anywhere easily unless the chair was attached to her butt. Flustered, she would reprimand any of her sons if the occasion warranted with a phrase she would use quite often and you knew it was coming. On that and any occasion she would say, “Ron, ye ain’t got a grain of sense in that head of yours”. Nanny still had a trace of that “Newfie” accent and was very accustomed to the local vernacular which she never lost despite her years here.

When Mary and Ken needed a well-deserved break from the kids and decided to go out for an early night, Nanny would always come over and sit with the kids and made sure they were behaving. Rewards were always more predominant than admonitions.

Mary Jane's Prayer Card

Nanny’s health soon began to deteriorate. She became increasingly unsteady on her feet and her memory was starting to fade. On one summer morning shortly after rising for breakfast she finally succumbed. It was that day that the angels sang and she went peacefully and lovingly to her maker to whom she always remained faithful.

Note: If Nanny was alive today I would ask her about her parents. She also had a daughter Madeline who died young while in Newfoundland who I would like to know what happened to her.

James Shaw (52 Ancestors -#6)

James is my husband's grandfather who passed away before even my oldest brother-in-law was born in 1951.  I've always heard about him and knew he must have been a great guy given he raised my mother-in-law Mary and she is pretty terrific.  So I sent my husband Buddy out last week to be the roaming genealogist for me and find out about the person who was his grandfather, and this is what he discovered about James Shaw.

In the tiny village of Little Hearts Ease, Newfoundland, James Daniel Shaw was born on August 15, 1886 to Daniel and Catherine (Flynn) Shaw. James was the third of seven children. Little Hearts Ease was a very scenic rural village with a population of about 250 and they saw their first post office in 1896. Located to the south of Trinity Bay, it was surrounded by coves and it's harbor considered quite secure. Many men, including James, had the occupation of fisherman and townspeople could pick raspberries, blueberries, bakeapples, black berries, and partridgeberries up in the slopey green hills above the coves.

James Shaw - 1940s

In December, 1909 he married Mary Jane Shaw and their wedding was witnessed by William Shaw (of Daniel) and Mary Shaw (of James).

Like many of his relatives, James decided to move his family to Massachusetts. James arrived in Boston in January, 1924. His wife and sons Ron and Anthony (Mike) followed almost two years later, in December, 1925.

When he came to the US he lived at various locations in South Boston including 614 and 524 East 6th Street and G Street. Once settled, James and Mary Jane welcomed two more children, John and Mary Catherine. James decided he liked living in Southie and became a US citizen on the 6th of February, 1939.

Left to Right: James and Mary Jane Shaw, their daughter Mary and her new husband Ken (1949)

James was a very small in stature and a stern man. He would never yell at you...he would just give you a look and that was enough, you knew what he wanted. James worked hard as a carpenter for a company he referred to as Sharkies and did a lot of work on the side as a carpenter.

In James' spare time he enjoyed going to evening baseball games at M Street Park and he enjoyed playing cards...his favorite game was called 45. He also enjoyed going to Castle Island in nice weather or would take the street car to Everett to visit relatives. James never drove and therefore was always dependent on the street car to get him everywhere.

Another favorite pastime for James was playing the dogs. Oddly enough he never went to the track. Instead, he would go down to the corner bar and place his bets with a bookie! We never found out how lucky (or unlucky) he was with his bets.

James lived a simple, uncomplicated life and had minimal belongings. One of his most prized possessions was a ship that he had worked diligently to build inside a bottle.

James often hung around the local fish piers in Boston because many of those he knew were family and friends who worked on the O’Brien boats. Every week like clockwork James would bring home fresh cod off these boats, salt it and hang it on the clothesline on his back porch to dry it out for a week. When they were ready to eat the fish they would soak out the salt then deep fry it in pork fat.

James (Jimmy) Shaw on his last trip to Newfoundland

James only returned to Newfoundland once after his son Mike got out of the service. He worked until the age of 65 at which time he died suddenly of a heart attack while at work on October 17th, 1951.

Note: On my ride home tonight from picking up my husband from work, I asked him if his grandfather was still around, what would he ask him.  My husband was interested in James' fishing methods while he was still in Newfoundland, so that is what his conversation would revolve around.

Joanne (Amirault) Sweeney (52 Ancestors - #5)

Aunt Joanne (Amirault) Sweeney was my maternal grandfather, Harry Amirault's, sister. I remember her fondly from the visits she made to Nana Amirault's home each summer). She was always happy to chat with us young ones as we passed through Nana's home on our way to play with our friends on Bartlett Street. We were glad she visited us all the way from New Hampshire! Again, family jumped in and wrote this wonderful story that we will be preserving for future generations. Let's read what my cousin, Pat (Sweeney) Cloutier has to say about her mom Joanne who was born to Laurence and Mary Alice (Boudreau) Amirault in Middle East Pubnico, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1903.

In my mother's immediate family, there were eleven children. These children were parents to fifteen children and those children had thirty seven grandchildren. My mother, Joanne, shortened from Johanna, grew up in a tiny Acadian fishing village on a beautiful deep harbor in Nova Scotia. Her father was a poor farmer and sometimes he worked on the fishing boats.

Joanne is front left (with all the hair!)

The roads were dirt and most families only owned a bicycle. There was an enterprising young man who owned a truck that was fitted with benches on either side of the covered truck bed. For ten cents he would pick up anyone needing a ride to Church. They got a ride to Church and didn't have to walk the two miles for only a dime! In my first visit to the old home in 1950 they still had those wonderful big oak telephones on the wall that had a 12 party line. They could tell by the ring who it was for and if it was a long-distance call!

Several of her siblings moved away once they were old enough. Joanne and three of her sisters became nurses. Three of them trained in NH and one in Nova Scotia. They all paid their own way through school.

Mom graduated in 1925 and continued working at the same hospital she trained in. She met her future husband there when she was taking care of his brother. They were engaged for several years due to the depression. They couldn't afford to get married. They finally did marry in 1934 and became proud parents to a little daughter in 1936. Mom stopped working and was a stay-at-home mom only that designation had not yet been used. She was always there when I walked home from school for lunch. I started school the same year that the US entered WWII. I remember going with her to get coupons for food and permits for a month's supply of sugar, five pounds. Mom was a good homemaker and managed well through the rationing.

Joanne and Ed Sweeney about 1930s

The Americans at home found that as the war progressed, more and more things were rationed. Not only did we have to make our food budget stretch, automobiles were no longer being built; gas was rationed anyway, and very difficult to find. I remember the kids who lived out in the country were asked to pick milkweed pods and bring them in to school. That was for the flyers' jackets. We didn't have butter readily available. One could buy a new substitute called margarine. I had the job of trying to mix it up. It came in a large white blob and had a little packet of powdered yellow "stuff". You mixed that into the white blob and pretended you were eating butter! They survived the war years by working hard and being creative for the products that you couldn't have.

Mom went back to nursing when I was in my teens. She hadn't been home to Nova Scotia for many years; It was at least twenty five. In those years she got married, had a baby and once the war came there were no boats from Boston any more, heading for Nova Scotia. Finally, I was working and able to "keep the home fires burning" for my father and me while she enjoyed many trips to Nova Scotia. After the boats began sailing to Nova Scotia, and airlines made trips down east, she traveled "home" every summer.

Aunt Joanne (front left) with all her siblings

In essence, my mother and her siblings had very happy growing up years on the farm. They remained close all their lives as have all the next generation. Mostly, the siblings lived a long life. My mother was 89. She had one sister who lived to 106!! One of her brothers died very young due to cancer, the other lived to almost 80 and at least three lived into their nineties. I am so happy that I had the chance to visit the old homestead and to get to know so many of my relatives. I only regret that I never knew my maternal grandparents.

Ed and Joanne on their wedding day, 4/19/34.  Because it was during the depression Joanne didn't wear a wedding gown.

Note: Pat's comment about the family is so true. Family values were instilled in me due to knowing all my great Aunts! To this day I keep in touch with many of their children, including Pat! If Aunt Joanne were alive today I would ask her what her nursing training involved back in the early 1900s. All my great Aunts who left home from their tiny village to become nurses...they were really pioneers in their own way!

Richard O'Meara (52 Ancestors - #2)

Only a short three years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, my great grandfather Richard O'Meara was born to Richard and Elizabeth (McAndrews) O'Meara in Halifax, Nova Scotia (196 West Halifax - F Ward 5). He was their oldest son.

Richard Jeremiah O'Meara

Richard, to me, seemed like he wanted his story told as I felt compelled to research him more than any other ancestor. He did have quite a story to tell! He had a sister Anne (Cremmins) born in 1869 and brother John in 1871. His father, believed to be a blacksmith, possibly died of heart disease around 1870 while his mother was expecting John. Elizabeth was listed in the 1871 Canadian census as widowed. Richard's life continued with the sad loss of his brother John in1873 followed by the loss of his mother in 1874. Uncle Charlie, my dad's brother, always had said his grandfather had told him that he and his sister Annie were orphaned. For a long time Richard was my "brick wall". Luckily with help of a genealogy friend, Liz Barnett, and a trip I made, Richard's story soon unfolded.

"Naturalization record shows Richard Jeremiah O'Meara arrived in the US at Portland, ME in 1876, he was almost certainly the little boy, Richard O'Marra, working for his board on a farm in Whitefield, Lincoln County, ME at the 1880 census." He must have done this until he enlisted in the US Cavalry.

On a trip to DC to visit my daughter at college I decided to stop off at the National Archives. Staff at the National Archives were helpful, but doubtful when I approached them to explain that family folk lore had my orphaned great grandfather from Halifax as having served in the American-Indian War. I certainly could only find a "Richard O'Marrow" with my search, so I too was doubtful. We looked him up on microfiche and sure enough I found him with a big note scribbled across his card "served as Richard O'Marrow". It was my lucky day!!

Richard Jeremiah's Pension paperwork stating he enlisted as Richard O'Marrow

Holding his file in my had, especially the original enlistment papers of February 14th 1884 that he personally signed as a young man, was emotional in a good way. Richard was in Troop M, 8th Regiment of Cavalry. According to Wikipedia, " In May 1888, the regiment prepared for the longest march ever taken by a cavalry regiment. With the increased number of settlers moving to the Northwest United States, the regiment was ordered to march more than 2,600 miles (4,200 km) to its new regimental headquarters located at Fort Meade, South Dakota and station at Fort Keogh, Montana. Some of its march was along the famous Santa Fe Trail in New Mexico, near which carvings on large boulders and trees still gives mute testimony of the troops on the longest of all trails." When he reinlisted in February, 1889 he was assigned to Company D, 5th Regiment of Infantry until 1897 when he was discharged. 

Richard's enlistment papers

Shortly after his discharge he married Sophia Farrenkopf and settled down to a great family of 3 boys, Richard, Joseph and Eugene and one little girl, Caroline. According to his grandson, Richard, he was a tall, kind man. He was hardworking and seemed to stay close to his children right up to his death in 1940. This young orphan made out pretty well in life!

Richard and Sophia's grave in St. Joseph's Cemetary, W. Roxbury, MA

Note: If Richard were alive today I would ask him if he knew why he couldn't stay with his sister after his mother passed. I would also like to ask him what it was like to march 2600 miles along the Santa Fe Trail to the Dakotas.