Church Record Sunday: Almina Belair’s 1902 Baptism Record

Almina Belair (1902-1997) was the youngest sister of my paternal grandfather, Fred Belair.

She was actually his half-sister, being the daughter of Fred’s father Pierre Janvry dit Belair by his second wife, Mathilde Cloutier. For a list of Pierre’s children by his first two wives, see Sibling Saturday: The Children of Pierre Janvry dit Belair (1851-1941).

Almina was born on 8 July 1902 in Ste-Cécile-de-Masham (now La Pêche), Quebec, about half an hour northwest of Ottawa, Canada’s capital. Almina received the names Elizabeth Elmina two days later at her baptism in Ste-Cécile parish church. [1] Her godparents were her 22-year old half-brother Pierre and her half-sister Délia, 17 years old. Although his aunt appears as Elmina in her baptism record, my father Maurice remembered his aunt as Almina.

Almina Belair baptism record (Ancestry)

My transcription of Almina’s baptism record (original lineation indicated by / ):

Ce dix juillet mil neuf cent deux, Nous prêtre / curé soussigné, avons baptisé Elizabeth-Elmina / fille née avant-hier du légitime mariage / de Pierre Bélaire et Domitille Cloutier de / cette paroisse. Les parrains ont été Pierre / Bélaire et Délia Bélaire aussi de cette paroisse / qui, ainsi que le père n’ont pas signé avec Nous. / Lecture faite. [signé] P. Garon, Ptre Curé

My English translation of the record (original lineation indicated by / ):

This tenth July one thousand one hundred two, We parish / priest undersigned, have baptised Elizabeth-Elmina / daughter born before yesterday of the legitimate marriage / of Pierre Bélaire and Domitille Cloutier of / this parish. The godparents were Pierre / Bélaire and Délia Bélaire also of this parish / who, along with the father have not signed [their names] with Us. / Reading done. [signed] P. Garon, [Parish Priest]

Source:

1. Ste-Cécile (Ste-Cécile-de-Masham, Quebec), parish register, 1899-1908, p. 147 (stamped), entry no. B.44 (1902), Elizabeth Elmina Belaire [sic] baptism, 10 July 1902; Ste-Cécile parish; digital images, “Quebec, Canada, Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection), 1621-1968”, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.ca : accessed 7 July 2018).

Copyright © 2018, Yvonne Demoskoff.

Lapierre Golden Wedding Anniversary

Almina (Belair) Lapierre was the half-sister of my paternal grandfather Fred Belair. She was born on 8 July 1902 in Ste-Cécile-de-Masham, Quebec. She was the fourth child and youngest daughter of Pierre Janvry dit Belair by his second wife Mathilde (Domitille) Cloutier. Pierre had 11 children, including my grandfather, by his first wife Angélina Meunier, and 5 children by his second wife Mathilde. 

Almina married Alexandre Lapierre on 9 November 1927 in Masham. I don’t believe that I ever met Alex, who died in 1981, but I knew Almina, because I met her at her daughter Suzanne’s home in Aylmer, Quebec in the early 1980s. I remember being thrilled and honoured to meet her: she was my grandfather’s only surviving sibling by that time when my Dad and I visited her. She was very kind to us, and didn’t mind my asking her lots of questions about my grandparents Fred and Julie. She and my Mémère Julie were great friends and I loved hearing her reminiscences of when they were young.

English translation:

Golden Wedding [Anniversary]

Mr. and Mrs. Alex Lapierre, née Almine Bélair, celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. They were wed on 9 November 1927, at Masham, where they resided until 1954, when they established themselves at North Onslow and they live presently at Quyon, where the celebration took place. They have two daughters and five sons and count fifteen [16] grandchildren. On this occasion, a mass of thanksgiving was celebrated at the parish church by abbot Gary Cain, priest. The singing was performed by Eleanor Foran and the McKenny sisters. A reception followed bringing together numerous family and friends.

Source: "Noces d'or", undated clipping, 1977, from unidentified newspaper; Belair Family Papers, privately held by Yvonne (Belair) Demoskoff, British Columbia, 2012. Yvonne acquired this newspaper clipping possibly from her aunt Joan (Belair) Laneville in the 1990s.

Copyright © 2012, Yvonne Demoskoff.