Book News

I will be in St. Paul at the Municipal Library for an Author Market on April 13th, 2019.  The event runs from 3:00pm – 5:00pm and from 6:30pm – 8:30pm in conjunction with a Chocolate Taste Off.  Tickets are required, and available at the door,  for the evening event.    I will have copies of my book, A Pioneer’s Quest  My Family: Noel-Boivin available for sale.   Hope to see you there.  Denise

The open house to launch my book was held yesterday Feb 3rd in Edmonton.  It was a great success.  There were 31 people there, family and friends.  They came early and stayed for the afternoon.  We had great conversations.  There were two reading with questions and comments afterwards.  We all different memories of my mom Jeanne (Boivin) Noel but everyone agrees that she was a special person.  Lots of food.  Thank-you you to everyone who came.  You made my day.    Denise

I will be hosting an open house on Sunday, February 3rd, 2019.  A Pioneer’s Quest will be available to those who want to pick one up.  I will also be doing some readings from the book.  Join us even is you already have a copy.  This will also be an opportunity for friends and family to gather and talk about family history, the relationships that exist in our extended families, and to compare our stories.   Refreshments will be available  Come and join me for the afternoon:

Laurier Heights Community Heritage Hall; 14405- 85 Ave.; Edmonton, Alberta  Time: 12:30pm to 4:00pm.

The parking lot is accessible from 80th Ave, turn north on 144 Street.  Street parking is also allowed.  Note: I highly recommend that you gain access by coming up/down 142 Street to 80th Ave.  149 Street southbound,  which can seem to be an obvious choice turns into Fox Drive and the last access going east before the freeway is not obvious.

My book A Pioneer’s Quest is now available.  Send me an email at touchett@telus.net if you want a copy.  Cost is $20.00 plus $8 shipping per book.

The family moved to St. Lina in the fall of 1952.  Only twelve of Ernest and Jeanne’s children made the move with them.  Jean-Marie and Pierretta were now living in Edmonton.  Ernest faced with making payments on the land, worked out for other farmers as much as he could.    There were struggles as the children became teenagers and made their own decisions — some good, some not so much.   They also had to be resourceful and get the work done on the farm because Ernest was so often gone.  This chapter is also about departures.  The children left home to work, to go to school, and to get married.

In the spring of 1940 Jeanne and Ernest moved to their own farm in St. Edouard.  They had few possessions but looked forward to working to their own account.  The creek that ran not far from the house was an intergral part of their lives as it had to be crossed in order to gain access to most of their land.  There were 7 more children born during their stay here.  They now had a new parish, and new neighbors. There was a general store in town but St. Paul is still where they went for shopping and services.  In 1945 Raymond was the last child born at home, the four younger girls were born in the St. Therese Hospital in St. Paul.  The world was becoming smaller — roads improved, cars were now the chosen mode of transportation for most people.  The older children  now teenagers were finding their own way in life.

It was the depression, and they had very little except love for one another, when Ernest Noel and Jeanne Boivin got married.  They lived on a quarter section that they wanted to buy but money was short.  There was barely enough to live on, never mind pay interest on the loan or to pay down the principle.  The option they chose was for Ernest to become a farm manager for land owners who lived in town, and did not have time to be farmers.  They had seven children during the time they lived in the St. Paul area.  Jean-Marie, Pierretta, Rosalie, Anne, Sylvio, David, and Maurice.

Two young families decide that their futures will be better if they move to western Canada.  Albert and Regina Noel leave Woburn, Quebec and settle on a homestead in Beauvallon, Alberta.  Later they purchase land in St. Paul, Alberta and move their family there.   Ernest and Emma Boivin leave Coaticook, Quebec and after a short stay in Damar, Kansas settle on a homestead in Elnora, Alberta.  They also purchase land in St. Paul and move their family.   Two young people Ernest Noel and Jeanne Boivin, who are now neighbors,  meet and decide to get married and strike out on their own.

Chapter 1 – As it was:   We follow the families who lived in Quebec and never ventured west.  They did move within Quebec and several of them also went to the US to find work as large families had difficulty finding land for their children to farm on.

On the Noel side of the family we follow Pierre-David Noel (1821) and Esther Giguere; and David Noel (1858) and Virginie Lussier.   On the Boivin side we follow  Marcel Boivin (1795) and Theotiste Lemelin; and Julien Boivin (1837) and Julienne Cyr.

A Pioneer’s Quest  is now available.  Cost is $20 plus shipping per book.  Please email me at touchett@telus.net if you are interested or if you require additional information.