Joseph Alexander Christie is my Great Uncle on my Mom's side of my family tree. He was born on May 24, 1886 to Alexander Christie and Margaret Legace in Peter's River (West Bathurst, Gloucester, New Brunswick, Canada), he was their third child and first son. Joseph was baptized on May 30, 1886 when he was 6 days old. His baptism sponsors were Francis Christie and Elizabeth Legacey, most likely his Uncle and Aunt.
In 1891 Joseph lived in West Bathurst with his parents, 2 older sisters, a younger sister and brother and his grandmother Teresa Christie (Arseneault). He went to school and learned to read and write. Sometime after completing his schooling he went to work for the sawmill in Beresford, this must have been how he met his future wife as she was from Petit Rocher (just a little further down the road).
When Joseph was 21 he married Rose Godin in Petit Rocher, Gloucester, New Brunswick on May 21, 1907 at St. Polycarpe parish. The witnesses for their marriage were Maggie Christie (Joseph's sister) and Arthur Godin (Rose's brother?). Joseph and Rose started their family right away with the birth of their first child Catheline in April 1908 and a second daughter Delia in May 1910. Joseph worked on average 60 hours per week earning less than $10 per week. In 1910 his yearly earnings from the sawmill were $320 for 48 weeks of work. This was close to the average wage and hours of work for mill workers in 1910. In 1911 Joseph's household consisted of his wife Rose, daughters Catheline and Delia and a 4 year old girl from the U.S. that is listed as a lodger. I don't know how this girl came to live with them or what happened to her after 1911, she is a mystery to solve!
Joseph and Rose continued to expand their family with the birth of daughters Margarette in 1915, Frances in 1917 and Josephine in 1919. In 1920 after the death of his sister Brigitte and her husband, Joseph's nephew Wilfred Daigle came to live with him (finally a boy in the house!). Joseph and Rose continued their family with a 6th daughter, Georgine, in 1921. Joseph and his family were living in West Bathurst in 1921 and Joseph continued to work at the sawmill except that he was no longer a labourer, he had moved to Manager and now earned $1000 per year. Joseph continued to work at the sawmill until his retirement sometime between 1953-1957.
Joseph lived his entire life in West Bathurst. He died in 1979 at the age of 92 and is buried in the New Holy Family Roman Catholic Cemetry in Bathurst, Gloucester, New Brunswick.
No comments:
Post a Comment