52 Ancestors: Elizabeth Legace (1861-1940)

Elizabeth Legace is my 2nd great aunt (on my Mom's side).

Elizabeth Legacy funeral card photo
obtained from Ancestry member Campbdr1

Elizabeth was born Sept 1, 1867 in Bathurst, New Brunswick; two months to the day that New Brunswick became part of the Dominion of Canada. She is the third daughter and last child of Isaac Legace and Thersile Daigle. Although she lost her mother before she was 3 years old she still had plenty of siblings to grow up with as her father remarried and had an additional eight children.

Elizabeth was 5'2" with a medium complexion, brown hair and eyes. She was able to speak French and English but never learned to read or write. Her inability to read or write did not stop her from venturing to Moncton, New Brunswick for a job as a domestic servant sometime between the ages of 12 and 19. She is recorded as being a domestic servant on the April 1891 Canadian census for New Brunswick, working for a Scotish General Freight Agent; this will be the last time she will be recorded as single. In a little over a month, on May 18, 1891, she will marry Jacques Leblanc at St. Bernard parish in Moncton, New Brunswick. Elizabeth will settle into Jacques farm home with his mother and sister Helen, in Fox Creek, Westmorland county, New Brunswick.

Elizabeth and Jacques would start their family right away with their first child born in November 1892; a son named Isaac, named after Elizabeth's father. Helen's help was probably greatly appreciated as they would continue to grow their family by 10 more; 6 daughters and 4 more sons; between 1884 and 1914. Jacques supported their growing family at first as a farmer then also as a plummer/pipefitter working in a factory.

Sometime between 1915 and 1921 Elizabeth's father came to live her family. It was during this time that the First World War was in full swing. Elizabeth's family was not left untouched by the war. Her oldest living son, Emanuel, was enlisted and fought overseas between 1916 -1919. The fall of 1919 was a happy time for Elizabeth's family, it brought 3 marriages to her family, two on the same day at different churches! This reduced the size of her family living at home to 10 (herself, Jacques, her father Isaac and 7 children). 1920 brought not only the arrival of the first of Elizabeth's many grandchildren it ended with the death of her husband Jacques on Christmas day. Just a short 14 months later, Feb. 1922, Elizabeth will mourn the death of her father.

In November 1923 Elizabeth, two daughters and a son travel to Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, USA; following two other daughters who went before her in Jan 1923; to stay with her sons, Emanual who settled there in June 1921 and Arcade who settled there in Oct. 1922. Elizabeth is still living in Lynn in 1930 with three of her 11 children and possibly their spouses and some boarders.

Sometime between 1930 and 1935 Elizabeth returned to Fox Creek, Westmorland county, New Brunswick. At 68 years old she found herself in love again and married widower Camille Richard on the 20th of October 1935 at St. Anselme parish in Fox Creek. They resided on the Main road of Fox Creek for 14 years until her death on May 9, 1949 at 81 years old.