Sunday's Obituary - Octavia Villers nee Wagner

I've actually got 2 wonderful obituaries for Octavia.  One was sent to me from a cousin that I met through the absolutely wonderful world of message boards (I love those darned boards so very much!).  The other I found during Scanfest last Sunday.

Yes, can you believe that I had the obituary published in Wisconsin for years and didn't know it.  That's why I'm forever grateful that I finally remembered to tune in and do a scan fest.  I knew I had lots to scan, but never seemed to get to it.  This find has certainly motivated me to get down to it and get it done!

So for you long-time readers of my blog (there are one or two of you out there)...you may recall the murder trial of Martin Joseph Villers that I posted on back at the end of 2010.  Well, Octavia was his wife.  She is my husband's great-great grandmother.  I'm posting both obituaries, because they are a bit different and they therefore give slightly different genealogical information.  It also makes for a pretty good comparison.

The Bismarck Tribune

The following is from the Bismarck Tribune, July 1940:

"OCTAVIA VILLERS, AGED CO. PIONEER, PASSED AWAY TODAY

Funeral Services Will Be Held At St. James Church Monday

Mrs. Octavia Villers, aged pioneer resident of Jamestown and Stutsman county, died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Mary LaJoie, at 6:30 o'clock this morning.

Mrs. Villers came with her parents to the United States 84 years ago from her native land, Belgium, where she was born December 18, 1842.  The trip was made in a sailboat and took six weeks.  The family went to Rosiere, Wisconsin, near Green Bay.  It was 54 years ago when Mrs. Villers came to Stutsman county to Montpelier.  She came to Jamestown over 30 years ago and for nearly 20 years lived with her daughter, Mrs. Ella Naze and since that time has lived with Mrs. LaJoie.

Mrs. Villers was active until about two years ago.  She was a member of St. James Catholic church.  Surviving are three daughters, Mrs. LaJoie; Mrs. Eli Cayemberg, Pulaski, Wis.; Mrs. Agnes Tardiff, Duluth, Minn.; and a son, Louis Villers, Green Bay, Wisc.; 24 grandchildren; 36 great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren.  Mrs. Naze, a daughter, died several years ago.

Funeral services will be held at St. James Catholic church Monday morning at 9:00 o'clock.  The body is at the Daly Funeral Home.  The family requests that no flowers be sent.  The rosary will be said Sunday night at 8:00 o'clock at the funeral home."

The date is hand-written in as July 5th.  No year is given.  Octavia died in 1940 at the age of 97.  She missed her 98th birthday by 6 months. You can also note that her husband is not mentioned in her obituary at all. Not surprising I guess considering his crimes in the region. He is mentioned in the Wisconsin obituary below.

This obituary was taken from a local Wisconsin newspaper.  It's a clipping, so I'm not sure which one, but I'd be willing to bet it wasn't the Green Bay newspaper.  Perhaps Algoma's newspaper:

"Former Rosiere Woman Dies in North Dakota

Word has been received here of the death of Mrs. Octavia Mary Villers, 98, which occurred Friday morning at the home of her daughters, Mrs. Felix Lajoye, Jamestown, N.D.  She was a former resident of Rosiere.  

Unknown Wisconsin newspaper

Mrs. Eli Cayemberg and Walter Cayemberg, Pulaski; Henry and Wilfred Cayemberg, Manitowoc; Mrs. Russell Anderson, Green Bay, and Hubert Guillette, Anston, attended the services which were held this morning at St. James Catholic church with burial in the church cemetery at Jamestown. 

The deceased was born in Belgium Dec. 22, 1842, and came to America in 1854 with her parents Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Wagner, settling in Rosiere.  She married M. J. Villers in 1864 and lived in Algoma for 10 years before coming to North Dakota 54 years ago. 

Survivors are four children, (Florence) Mrs. Eli Cayemberg, Pulaski; (Mary) Mrs. Felix Lajoye, Jamestown; (Agnes) Mrs. Joseph Tardiff, Duluth, Minn.; and Louis Villers, Green Bay; 46 grandchildren and several great grandchildren.  A daughter, Mrs. Prosper Naze, died four years ago." 

No date on this one, but again, I know when she died.  I this obituary they state that she's 98 years old even though they listed her birth date.  Ah well...math!  It's a small point either way.

This last one is the one that I "found" last weekend, and I'm glad that I did.  I've been scanning obituaries that my husband's paternal grandmother collected and have been wondering how they are going to fit into our family tree, if they will at all.  This last obituary gives some pretty great information on her children.  And you know what?  I recognize some of the names.  Scoreboard!  Naturally, the search isn't over with just this obituary.  They are prone to errors.  After all, they aren't submitted by the deceased.  All second-hand information, which may or may not be accurate.  I mean look at the birth dates.  They were off.  Either by the person submitting the information or the person writing the story.   It does give me a great starting point to continue that research though!

Amanuensis Monday - Rosiere School Photo

Clipping from the "Algoma Record-Herald", unknown date

"JOHN MURPHY was the teacher when this picture of the Rosiere school was taken about 1907 or 1908.

The picture originally belonged to Mr. and Mrs. Hubert Guilette and was provided the Record-Herald by the daughter, Mrs. Lewis (Hazel) Lemens.

Although not listed in rows, the following are among the pupils pictured:

Emil Kaye, Agnes Novak, Anna Tlachac, Emma Kaye, Xavier Naze, Leona LeDocq, John Hucek, Laura Cayemberg, Emil Dlorig, Frances Svoboda, Emily Kaye, Steve Tlachac, Frank Cayemberg, Martin Joseph Cayemberg, Henry Cayemberg, Lucy Cayemberg, Ella Cayemberg, Felix Cayemberg, Augusta Martin, Eddie Undlack, John LeCloux, Adele LeDocq, John Dlorig, Charles LeDocq, Fred Naze, Fred Charles, Henry DeVillers, John Hucek, Joe Tlachac, William Hucek, Josephine DeVillers, Philip DeVillers, Math Tlachac, Owen DeVillers, Harry DeVillers, Ida Wautlet, Madeline Wautlet, Bill Andre, Anna Cayemberg, Agnes Tlachac, Mayme DeVillers, Ella Andre, Alice Andre and Henry Vandermause.

The identification was provided Mrs. Lemes by some of these early Rosiere pupils."

So sad that it isn't by row!  It would be great to see all the Cayembergs.  I don't have pictures of all of them.  Lots of familiar names.  Names of family members and possible family members.  I've seen many of these names in funeral cards that I have, but haven't made connections with.  Seeing all these names helps to remind me that they may not all be related.  They may have been school friends as well.

Amanuensis Monday - The Rosiere Store

From the "Record-Herald", unknown date.

"THE ROSIERE STORE, owned by the late Eli and Florence (Villers) Cayemberg, is pictured in this photo believed to have been taken in the year, 1907.

Florence and Eli unk date

The picture was loaned the Record-Herald by Mrs. Lewis Lemens.  It belonged to her parents, Hubert and Emily (Cayemberg) Guillette.

Eli and Florence Cayemberg are standing in front of the store with their family.  Mrs. Cayemberg holds daughter, Anastasia, who later became Mrs. Harvey Moureau.  She, too, is deceased.

From left: Frank (deceased), Mr. and Mrs. Cayemberg, Emily (who became Mrs. Hubert Guillette and is deceased), Martin Joseph, Henry (deceased), Lucy (who became Mrs. Russell Anderson), Ella (who became Mrs. Eli Cravillion), Felix and Wilfred.  Two other children, Patrick and Walter, were born after the picture was taken.

Seated on the porch are Charles DeVillers, Emil Naze, Willie DeVillers and Mike Wautlet."

I would imagine that the "Record-Herald" mentioned in the article refers to the Algoma Record-Herald, which is a local newspaper, but that is just a guess.  No information was written on the clipping I have, which happens more often than not, but it's good to have the article anyway.  I would love to know when it was published in the paper and why.  Every year the descendants of Eli and Florence Cayemberg nee Villers have a family reunion and it's published in the local paper, complete with the names of all the attendees.  Perhaps this was published around one of the reunions.

Our family's copy of the picture "The Rosiere Store"

I was able to scan a copy of this photograph from my mother-in-law this past Christmas.  I suppose it's a picture that most, if not all, of Eli and Florence's descendants have.  My husband and children are descendants of Patrick, mentioned in the photo, but not in it.  It's still a precious photo even without him in it.

"The Rosiere Store" today (well, about 2002-ish)

During one of my first trips to Wisconsin, visiting with family, my father-in-law took me around to important family points of interest.  Dad was interested in passing on family history, and I cherish the times we spent with him going through cemeteries, hearing stories, and seeing family sites.  One of the places we went on that first trip was to see Eli and Florence's store in Rosiere, Wisconsin.  So, of course, I took a picture.

I took a picture from the van we were riding in.  The next time I'm in Wisconsin (which should be this Christmas) I will be getting my butt out of the car and getting it a bit cold to get a proper picture, or two.

I don't know who owns the building now, but it would be wonderful to have it in the family again someday (if it ever left)!