Murder in Wrentham

For over 25 years a grave stone in a graveyard behind an Italian restaurant in Wrentham MA haunted me.  On the gravestone were the words "Died from wounds received at the hands of her husband".  I wondered what happened that made the parents so angry as to put for all eternity these words on the stone of their beloved daughter.  She was only 21.  Today I discovered what happened.  The article of the times places blame on Caroline.  I want to note, the blame belongs in the hands of her husband and no other.  No matter what she might have done, she didn't deserve to die.  Census of 1860 George was in prison in Charlestown.


"Died Sept. 13, 1857 
from wounds received at
the hands of her husband”
From the Dedham Gazette on October 3, 1857:
"Caroline was killed by a shotgun blast to the chest in her mother’s home on West Street, on September 13, 1857, by her husband George who believed her to be unfaithful with a peddler by the name of Barrows.

George was a farm laborer, who worked on the farm of John A. Craig, Esg. a former Wrentham Selectman, who lived at 566 West Street.

He had previously separated from his wife after heated arguments but they were later re-united.

Caroline had know George from their schooldays. She had also known a somewhat older man, a peddler by the name of Barrows. At 20 years of age with with short curling hair, Caroline was considered beautiful, but had a bad reputation.

On the day of the murder George Lewis and the peddler Barrows had an argument and George went home in a rage, confronted his wife and struck her several times in the eye and face. She managed to escape with a horse and wagon and went to her mother’s home. George got a shotgun and followed her on his other horse. When George found his wife in the house he fired at her and missed, but the second shot hit her in the chest and knocked her to the floor. He then used the gun as a club and struck her in the head killing her outright.

When it was over he went to the farm of his employer and reported what he had done.

George R. Lewis was reportedly a mild and inoffensive man and had always Bourne a good character even though his mother had been divorced and married a black.

The sympathy of the people of Wrentham were with him at the time of the trial. He pled guilty to manslaughter.”
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSsr=161&GScid=2280175&GRid=131382333&

Remarks of Remembrance

Remarks of Remembrance

Helen E. Thibault

11/14/1929-5/12/2014

Thank you all for being here to share with us in remembering Helen. Helen valued her relationships with family, she was a daughter, a sister, a beloved wife, a mother, an aunt, a mother-in-law, and as I knew her a loving Grandmother – Grammy.

She was a woman of unwavering faith who valued the church, its teachings, and its community. Helen, was a modest woman, who had strong morals and convictions, and who lived by them – to paraphrase a remark I heard her sister Laurie make, she always “did right”.

As my Aunt Marie pointed out, Helen lived a long life, through challenging and changing times, from the Depression, to World War II, to the Baby Boom and beyond. She experienced the impact of these world events as well as the personal struggles and joys, - the ups and downs of life - and felt them all deeply.

I would be remiss if I did not mention Grammy’s love of reading; novels, biographies, the Globe – always learning- or her enviable garden of blooms. We will all miss her unsurpassable apple pie crust, and the comfort brought by a bite of her chocolate chip cookies.

I admire her travels, whether it was stories of she and Grampy packing up the kids for some time at the beach, or to theme parks with grandkids – where she always rode the thrill rides, romantic getaways with Grampy to Hawaii or on a cruise, the adventures of church trips across Europe and Canada, and in later years, relaxing visits with family.

But what I keep coming back to, what I am hearing repeatedly from others, what is evident throughout her life, is that Grammy loved - and was loved- by her family.

She and her husband Joe – Grampy, loved each other immensely, I’ll remember how she carefully prepared cups of tea for Grampy after dinner, and secretly reading the greeting cards they wrote to each other displayed in the living room, full of personal, handwritten, sweet, romantic sentiments, which sometimes caused me to blush and cry simultaneously

We were all blessed by her unconditional love and support. She welcomed new family members – children, nieces, nephews, spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, expected or a surprise- biological or otherwise – lovingly with open arms, happy to share in their lives.

She was always connected to her family; she looked forward to and recounted excitedly her frequent trips to the movies with her sister, Laurie. She sent cards at every holiday, and even learned to email.  Her telephone conversations were prolific – she had a regularly scheduled nightly phone call with her daughter Janice. My cousin Erica reflected on their 2-hour long telephone gab sessions, and I’m sure Gram loved every second of catching up.

She let you know that you were important, that you were cared for, my mother remembers Grammy never ended a telephone call without saying I love you. I am sure many others here today have memories of her detailed conversations, how she delighted in hearing about your recent updates in life and telling you about her own.  

She was always there along the way to share in our triumphs, comfort us through illnesses, and support us through hardships, no matter what.

We all had special moments with her, whether she stood proud with you at first communion, an athletic contest, a concert, your graduation, your wedding, or simply read a story with you, played a game, took you to the movies, went to the park and pushed you on the swings, or lovingly gave you a hug. In her final days she was tired, preparing for rest, but was still Wowed by a photo of her great-granddaughter, Emily, on her way to prom.

Many more special moments will come in our lives, I hope we all know that she is proud of us, that her spirit is with each of us, through successes, and trying times. From Gram’s life, let’s take with us the importance of family, of connection, of opening our arms, and loving without conditions.

May we be at peace by the knowledge that her love and care for other was returned, that she was cared for and surrounded by family through the end, that she is rested, without pain, and together again with the love of her life.

May we live our lives to love, remember, and honor, Helen, Mom, Grammy.

Thank you.

Remembrance eulogy given May 16, 2014 by Jackie Knoblock

It's a small world...

Last night I was looking over my husband's tree and was trying to find information on his grandmother's side of the family.  I found her great grandparents and then found a dit name that sounded very familiar.  Further research led to the first of the family to enter from France then to his parents.  I went to my tree and found the familiar dit name and went up that side of the tree further than I had previously and found the same couple.  On further examination I found their son, who I found in my husband's tree, was married 3 times.  His first wife died and he married my 8th great grandmother.  She later died and he married my husband's 7th great grandmother.  This man is my 8th great grandfather and my husband's 7th great grandfather.  This is probably not unusual in the sense that many French-Canadian's are related except for the fact that this is the only French Canadian line in his mothers family of mostly Mayflower descendants and other English immigrants.    I told my husband but I don't think he was thrilled ;-)

Hélène Desportes

Hélène  Desportes is our first double grandmother.  Her first marriage was to Guillaume (William) Hebert son of Louis Hebert and Marie Rollett.  Guillaume was born in Paris in 1604 and emigrated in 1617 at the age of 13 with his parents and siblings.  He was the grandson of Nicholas Hebert apothocary to Catherine DeMedici.   His father Louis was an apothocary and friend to Samuel Champlain.  The circumstances of their arrival was deceitful.  Having been offered the position of physician receiving 200 pounds for 3 years he was met with a new contract that he would receive only one hundred crowns a year for three years and when the contract expired, he must serve the Company and Exclusively for nothing. He Was forbidden to engage in the fur trade and if he farmed, he must sell to the company at prices they would fix.  Having sold his apothocary business in Paris he was forced to accept.

Back to Hélène Desportes our double grandmother.  Hélène was born in about 20 July 1620 in Quebec who may or may not have been the first white child born in Quebec.  There is some dispute whether she was born in Quebec or France. Hélène was daughter of Pierre Desportes and Francois Langlais.  Her godmother was Madame Hélène Boullé, the wife of Samuel de Champlain. In his will, Champlain left her 300 livres (about $15,000 in 1997).  After the fall of Québec City in 1629, Hélène and her parents, along with Champlain were transported to London, and then back to France. Shortly after peace was restored in 1632, Hélène returned to Québec, possibly with Champlain who arrived back in Québec on May 16, 1633.

On the first of October 1634, Hélène married Joseph Guillaume Hébert, son of Louis Hébert and Marie Rollet. Joseph's family had remained in Québec during the occupation and had the first farm there. His father Louis Hébert had been involved in early expeditions to Port Royal with Champlain and others.  Helene and Guillaume had 3 children:  Joseph, Angelique and Marie Francois.   Marie Francois married Guilaume Fornier who were our 9th great grandparents down to our Great Grandfather Magloire Thibault.  Marie Desportes was our 10th great grandmother on this side of the tree.

After Joseph Hebert died in 1639, Hélène was left with three living children. She then married Noël Morin, a native of the parish of St-Étienne in Brie-Comte-Robert, a village near Paris, on January 9, 1640, in Quebec City. They had 12 children one of who was Agnes Morin who married Ignace Bonhomme dit Beaupre.  They were our 8th great grandparents down to our Great Grandmother Delia Beaulieu.  Marie Desportes was our 9th great grandmother on this side of the tree.

This makes Marie Deportes our 10th Great Grandmother on the Thibault side of the tree and our 9th great grandmother on the Beaulieu side of the tree making Delia and Magloire distant cousins.

First Catholic Mass Held in Town of Southbridge

Hugh Murphy and Elizabeth Owens Murphy were our 3rd great grandparents.  They were the first Irish family to move to Southbridge and held the first Catholic mass in their home.  They are parents of our 2nd great grandmother Mary Ann Murphy who married James O'Leary.  Pictured is Mary Ann's brother Hugh.

Presidential Relationships

When one thinks of being related to a President you might think it's through Mayflower passengers since it seems many Presidents are descendants of the Mayflower but I recently found that my husband is related to the Bush's through John Horton and Mehitable Garnsey. He is 8th cousin to the senior George and 8th cousin 1x removed from George Walker Bush. John Horton is descendant of one of the original Horton's to come from Mowsley, Leicestershire, England. Who are you related to?

Dead Ends Become New Roads

When you think you've discovered all you can you find out,  there are new leads.  If you think your ancestor came over alone, think again.   I was at a dead end, not knowing our great great grandmothers last name.  By the marriage certificate of our great grandfather James Arthur Keefe and Mary A. Lynch we knew his father was Arthur Keefe and his mother was Honora G.  No last name.  His death certificate provided no additional information as it didn't list his mother at all.  Dead end?  Nope.  We knew Arthur was born in Ireland and came over around 1871.  We knew he was born about 1850.  We knew where he married and where he lived and where he died.  Ok so what?  Well search Keefe born between 1845 and 1855 living in the two places that Arthur lived.  Plug in parents as Arthur Keefe and Honora.  Up pops a Margaret Keefe who died in 1904 who married a James Hartnett.  Look at her death certificate and her parents are listed as Arthur Keefe and Honora Grady.  Did we just find James' sister?  Look at her marriage certificate and she got married in the same town as James and Mary.   Looks like, indeed, we did find his sister and in turn found our Great Grandmother.