Alphée Saint-Amand (April 10, 1903 in Sainte-Thècle, Quebec, Canada - April 20, 1983 in Sainte-Thècle) was a mayor and businessman in Quebec. He was married on 19 September 1922 in the church of Sainte-Thècle in Zénaïde Piché, and he and his wife had nine children, three of whom were born in Abitibi and the others in Sainte-Thècle.
Biographical Summary
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"Alphée Saint-Amand lived in Abitibi from 1922 to 1927. He cleared a lot at Saint-Janvier-de-Chazel and is a baker at Saint-Judes-d'Authier. He went on business to Sainte-Thècle in 1928. He operated a garage, a plumbing service, a funeral service, an ambulance service, a furniture business and a sewing workshop. Moreover, he was mayor of the parish of Sainte-Thècle and possessed several buildings in the region. Zénaïde spent his youth at Sainte-Thècle, at Saint-Thomas row, and seconded his husband in all his undertakings. She was secretary, collaborator and even head of the sewing workshop. She was president of UCFR of Sainte-Thècle."[1]
After their marriage, the couple Saint-Amand-Piché left by train in 1923 to settle on a lot of row 10 in Macamic (Chazel sector) in Abitibi, with his brothers: Joséphat, Ernest, Odina, Donat and Albert Saint-Amand.[2] Alphée St-Amand was the first baker of St-Judes d'Authier in 1924.[3]
The couple returns in 1927 to Sainte-Thècle where Alphée St-Amand starts in 1928 a car garage in Sainte-Thècle at the back of the old wood shop Zéphirin Fournier, on the site of the old chapel of the village of below.[4] In 1941, a new, all-stone garage was built on the same site.[5] He also became a plumber and tinsmith.[6]
Around 1932, Alphée became fire chief of both municipalities (village and parish). In 1934, Alphée St-Amand began the service of funeral director; he exercised this role for 40 years.[7] In 1936, he made his first automobile-hearse by modifying a Nash Lafayette 1929 car.[8]
Alphée operated a sewing workshop from 1950 to 1966, at first on the second floor of the garage. In 1954 he acquired the old school no. 1 of rue Dupont of the "Commission scolaire de Sainte-Thècle" (School Board) to make a sewing workshop (in the basement), a linoleum shop on the 1st floor, the funeral home on the 2nd floor.[9]
After an experience as municipal councilor since 1945, Alphée is named the 20th mayor of the parish municipality of Sainte-Thècle.[10] He completed three mandates until 1957, when the "village d'en bas" (village from below) merged with the municipality of the village.[11]
Notes and references
edit- ^ Book: "Vos ancêtres St-Amand vous parlent - Tome 1" (Your ancestors St-Amand speak to you), by Gaétan Veillette, 1984, 277 pages, p. 38.(in French)
- ^ Article: "Les fils d'Alfred St-Amand à Macamic" (The sons of Alfred St-Amand at Macamic), by Gaétan Veillette, weekly newspaper Le Dynamique, September 19, 1979, p. 4.(in French)
- ^ Book: "Vos ancêtres St-Amand vous parlent - Tome 2" (Your ancestors St-Amand speak to you), section "Alphée St-Amand", by Gaétan Veillette, 1986, 363 pages, p. 149 to 167.(in French)
- ^ Article: "Le premier garage d'Alphée St-Amand" (The first garage of Alphée St-Amand), by Gaétan Veillette, weekly newspaper Le Dynamique, February 17, 1982, p. 2.(in French)
- ^ Article: "La reconstruction du garage" (The reconstruction of the garage), by Gaétan Veillette, weekly newspaper Le Dynamique, March 3, 1982, p. 10.(in French)
- ^ Article: "M. Alphée St-Amand: plombier et ferblantier" (Mr. Alphée St-Amand: plumber and tinsmith), by Gaétan Veillette, weekly newspaper Le Dynamique, March 17, 1982, p. 2.(in French)
- ^ Article: "Directeur de funérailles" (Funeral director) on the history of Sainte-Thècle, by Gaétan Veillette, weekly newspaper Le Dynamique, April 14, 1982, p. 4.(in French)
- ^ Article: "Le premier corbillard-automobile" (The first hearse-automobile) on the history of Sainte-Thècle, by Gaétan Veillette, weekly newspaper Le Dynamique, April 21, 1982, p. 2.(in French)
- ^ Article: «L'atelier de couture" (Sewing workshop), by Gaétan Veillette, weekly newspaper Le Dynamique, May 19, 1982, p. 7.(in French)
- ^ Article: "Alphée St-Amand à la mairie" (Alphée St-Amand as mayor), by Gaétan Veillette, weekly newspaper Le Dynamique, June 16, 1982, p. 7.(in French)
- ^ Book: "Vos ancêtres St-Amand vous parlent - Tome 2" (Your ancestors St-Amand speak to you), section "Alphée St-Amand" by Gaétan Veillette, 1986, 363 pages, p. 149 to 167.(in French)
