JOSEPH PIERRE CÔTÉ (1893-1966) 

            One must look at the divide between those who had and others who barely made ends meet. Some lived in opulence as shown by the Manoir Joly built in 1852, in Lotbinière, while most of the Québec population suffered. It forced many from the parish to leave for the United States as the land available to the younger generation was remote, non fertile and generally poor land for farming. Those that settled in places such as the Laurentians, and north of Québec, supplemented the short growing season and infertile soil with working away in lumber camps in order to provide for their families. These farmers, often short on cash, were beholden to the lumber barons and often loaned much needed money to tide them over at high rates of interest. The years between 1840 and 1930 were lean for Québec. 

            Pierre Côté, the eldest son of Joseph and Adèle Bédard, was born August 23, 1892, in St. Flavien, Québec. His sister and brother followed in 1894, and 1895. However, the house was already full with six of Joseph’s children from his first wife. These children were much older than Pierre, so his life would have started surrounded by adults.

            These half brothers and sisters all migrated to the United States, while Pierre remained behind with his two younger siblings. Other families in Quebec would suffer the same fate.

            Pierre married Fédéra Hamel in 1914, in his hometown of St. Flavien, between their marriage and her death in 1919, they had four children; Girard, André, Émile and Cécile.

            In October of that same year, he married Marie Auger, from the neighbouring village of St. Edouard. In 1921, they gave birth to the first of five girls and one boy; Rachel, Mariette, Fernande, Pierre-Ange, Jeanne d’Arc and Yvonne.

            Pierre died in Quebec City, 6th February 1966, and according to his daughter, he is interred in the Cimetiere Belmont​. I have yet to prove his burial site.