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- Edmund was about six-years old when he moved with his family from Quebec to Ontario. In 1901, Edmund lived with his widowed father and his twoyounger brothers in Waubaushene. He earned $350 that year at the mill.After their wedding, Edmundand Clemence settled into Victoria Harbour,where they had nine children. They also became godparents to nephew Lawrence ARBOUR in Midland in February 1907 and to grandson Allen ARBOUR in Toronto in July 1935. Edmund was a farmer and also worked as a lumberman in the bush during the winters when the ground was frozen. Mostly,he worked in the area of the Blind River on the northern shore of the Georgian Bay, just west of Manitoulin Island. One year, Edmund was recruited to work on the upper peninsula of the State of Michigan after a very bad forest fire. Many loggers from Ontario went to cut down as manyof the burnt trees as they could so as to foster new growth. The men called it the Wanapitei Slash. Edmund's truecalling, however, lay in hiswoodworking. Although he had no formal education and could not read - not even a ruler - Edmund created many beautiful artifacts. While living in Victoria Harbour, he made Clemence a table lamp from a block of maple, carved only with a penknife.The lamp was perfectly square and straight and the decorative sphere it held was perfectly round, as confirmed by his sons who measured it with calipers. A more well-known tribute to Edmund's carpentry abilities is the Martyrs' Shrine in Midland. The family says that he helped to build the steeple on the Shrine in 1926. Edmund and Clemence moved their family from Victoria Harbour to Torontoprior to 1930, probably in about 1928. In the big city, Edmund worked for a sheet metal company, wherehe hand-made sections of duct work thatwere very intricate, requiring painstaking effort on their detail. Theonly thing Edmund ever learned to write was his name because this company made him sign for his paycheck. Clemence was the one who taughthim to write his name. The family lived at 66 River Street in a semi-detached house until they moved to 122 Ferrier Avenue in the early 1950s. Just after retiring, while still living on Ferrier Avenue, Edmund was retained by a neighbor lady to makea desk for her. When she began to give him measurements, he stopped her and asked to go and see where she wouldplace it and tell him what shape she wanted. Whenhe finished it, he took his youngest son Bernard to the woman's house. The desk fitintothe spot she wanted with ¼ inch to spare. What a testament to his artistry! When he was 83-years old, Edmund went to Clemence and told her that he needed glasses. She laughedand asked why since he could not read. He told her that he could notseethefunéra ré recsaole?ees18 Rivitab» «tab»TVclearly. His grandson Allen remembers that until he died, Edmund's hair was dark brown with only a bit of grey over his ears. He was only five feet tall but broadly built with very powerful arms. When Clemence died first, Edmund was greatlysaddened by the loss of his soulmate. He had previously been in great health, but after Clemence's death, Edmund stopped eating, was confined to bed, and died. Although the official reason for death was cited as "old age," his family will always believe that he truly died of loneliness and a broken heart.
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Bio from Facebook 23 Feb 2010:
23 Feb 1878 -- Edmond-Louis ARBOUR was born in Ste-Emelie-de-l'Energie,QC, as child #10 of 13 to Louis-Edmund ARBOUR and Sidonie ETHIER. Edmund was about 6-years old when he moved with his family from Quebec to Ontario. In 1901, Edmund lived with his widowed father and his two younger brothers in Waubaushene. He earned $350 that year at the mill. Edmund married Marie-"Clemence"-Adelaide GIROUX on 20 Jul 1903 in Victoria Harbour, ON. After their wedding, Edmund and Clemence settled into Victoria Harbour, where they had 9 children. Edmund was a farmer and also worked as a lumberman in the bushduring the winters when the ground was frozen. Mostly, he worked in the area of the Blind River on the northernshore of the Georgian Bay, just west of Manitoulin Island. One year, Edmund was recruited to work on the upper peninsula of the State of Michigan after a very bad forest fire. Many loggers from Ontario went to cut down as many of the burnt trees as they could so as to foster new growth.The men called it the Wanapitei Slash. Edmund's true calling, however, lay in his woodworking. Although he had no formal education and could not read - not even a ruler - Edmund created many beautiful artifacts.While living in Victoria Harbour,he made Clemence a table lamp from a block of maple, carved only with a penknife. The lamp was perfectly square and straight and the decorative sphere itheld was perfectly round, as confirmed by his sons whomeasured it with calipers. A more well-known tribute to Edmund's carpentry abilities is the Martyrs' Shrine in Midland. The family says that he helped to build the steeple on the Shrine in 1926. Edmund and Clemence moved their family from Victoria Harbour to Toronto prior to 1930, probably in about 1928. In the big city, Edmund worked for a sheet metal company, where he hand-made sections of duct work that were very intricate, requiring painstaking effort on their detail. The onlything Edmund ever learned to write was his name because this company made him sign for his paycheck. Clemence was the one who taught him to write his name. The family lived at 66 River Street in a semi-detached house until they moved to 122 Ferrier Avenue inthe early 1950s. Just after retiring, while still living on Ferrier Avenue, Edmund was retained by a neighbor lady to make a desk for her. When she began to give him measurements, he stopped her and asked to go and see where she would place it and tell him what shape she wanted. When hefinished it, he took his youngest son Bernard to the woman's house. The deskfit into the spot she wanted with ¼ inch to spare. What a testament tohis artistry! When he was 83years old, Edmund went to Clemence and told her that he needed glasses.Sfunéra ré recsaole?ees18 Rivitab» «tab»helaughed and asked why since he could not read. He told her that he could not see the TV clearly. His grandson Allen remembers that until he died, Edmund's hair was darkbrown with only a bit of grey over hisears.He was only five feet tall butbroadly built with very powerful arms. When Clemence died first, Edmund was greatly saddened by the loss of his soulmate. He had previously been in great health, butafter Clemence's death, Edmund stopped eating,was confined to bed, and died 3months later. Although the official reason for death was cited as "old age," his family will always believe that he truly died of loneliness and a broken heart.
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1878 - 1964 (86 ans)
