Michaud, George Alphonse

George Alphonse Michaud was born on 7 June 1891 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His parents Alphonse Michaud and Julie Morin were from St Andre in Quebec, a community on the St Lawrence River just south of Riviere du Loup. Although Alphonse had moved to Rat Portage, he returned to St Andre to marry Julie on 17 February 1890. The couple were to make Rat Portage their home for a number of years where Alphonse worked in one of the local sawmills. George was their first born, followed by Alice (1895-2002, age 107), Yvonne (1897-1992), Bernadette (1899-1997), Joseph (1900-1971), Maria (1903), and Cecilia (1907). Sadly Cecilia died in 1909, interred in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery in Kenora. By the time of the 1911 census George was working as a butcher.

With the onset of conscription in the latter part of the war, George had his medical examination in November of 1917 and was called up on 5 January 1918. At the time he was living in Winnipeg and working as a butcher. As a Private with the 1st Depot Battalion Manitoba Regiment he arrived in England aboard the Grampian on 16 of February, taken on strength with the 18th Reserve Battalion.

In early May George was struck off strength to the 52nd Battalion. The 52nd Battalion was authorized on 7 November 1914, recruited in Port Arthur, Kenora, Fort Frances and Dryden, Ontario and was mobilized at Port Arthur. The battalion had embarked for Britain on 23 November 1915, disembarking in France on 21 February 1916 where it fought as part of the 9th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division in France and Flanders until the end of the war.

Having sustained a gunshot wound to the hand, on 29 August 1918 George was admitted to the No 26 General Hospital in Г‰taples. A few days later he was transferred to the No 6 Convalescent Depot, rejoining the battalion on 14 September. A short time later he was again wounded (shell gas poisoning) and was admitted to the No 18 General Hospital Dannes Camiers on 30 September. Invalided to England, George was admitted to the Fort Pitt Military Hospital in Chatham on 6 October and then transferred to the Canadian Military Convalescent Hospital Woodcote Park in Epsom on 24 December, discharged on 15 January 1919. The Kenora Miner and News reported both woundings. Later that month he was admitted to the Turnbridge Wells Hospital, suffering from a bout of pneumonia. George embarked for Canada aboard the Empress of Britain on 23 March 1919 and was discharged from service on 1 April in Montreal. His proposed residence was give as North Adams in Massachusetts, USA.

It appears that Alice was the first to immigrate to the United States (1916), marrying Joseph Bedard and settling in Massachusetts. Yvonne moved to Torrington in Connecticut in 1917 followed by her parents and some siblings in 1920. By the time of the 1921 census George was living on Centre Street in Port Arthur, Ontario, lodging with the Lorion family and working as a butcher. In November of 1925 he left Port Arthur and joined his family in Torrington. On 16 January 1928, in Torrington, George married Angela Pellan. Born in Austria on 10 May 1901, Angela was the daughter of John and Mary Pellan. Her father had immigrated to the States in 1902, followed by Mary and the children in 1905, arriving in New York aboard the Montreal on 6 October.

George and Angela lived in Torrington for a few years. The 1930 census listed his occupation as a retail salesman. According to his obituary the family lived in Monticello prior to moving to Oneonta, Otsego in the state of New York around 1930. The 1940 census gave his occupation as a rackman at a billiard parlour but his obituary said he was in the meat and grocery business. George and Angela gave birth to four known children, Barbara Yvonne, Donald, Georgianna, and James. George was a member of the 40 and 8, American Legion, Eaglers, St Mary’s Church and Holy Name Society.

Following an illness of about four years, George died in the Fox Hospital in Oneonta on 6 March 1952. He was predeceased by his mother Julie in 1924 and father Alphonse in 1945, both interred in the St Francis Cemetery in Torrington. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife and four children, Barbara (Frank) Perrella of Gloversville, Fulton, New York, and Donald, Georgiana and James at home. He was also survived by his brother Joseph of Torrington and sisters Bernadette (Emile) Talbot of Torrington, Maria (John) Pellan of Westfield, Alice (Joseph) Bedard of Springfield, and Yvonne of North Adams, the latter three in Massachusetts. George’s wife Angela later moved to Gloversville where she died in November of 1986. According to his obituary George is interred in the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Oneonta.

By Judy Stockham

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