All right, listers - this year, let's gather round the Thanksgiving table with a few of our favorite relatives! That is - a few of our favorite relatives born between 1700 and 1900 and connected to our Illinois focus area in some way. I think I'll invite the brother of my great grand-mother - he was Charles A. Chiniquy, exceedingly well-traveled for the time and overall interesting guy for any time - or so it seems to me from what I have read about him. My great-grandmother was Virginie Chiniquy, daughter of Achille Chiniquy (brother of Fr. Ch) and Luce Fraser. Virginie married Joseph Guertin in St. Anne. As Virginie's brother, Charles A. would have been my grandfather's uncle - I think that makes him my great or great great uncle. Somebody - please correct me on this if I am wrong (probably)! Charles A. is one of my favorite family members, although I never saw him. It was he who was in MN with Rudolphe, the brother who accidentally killed himself. More on that later. Charles A. also was was a Lt. in Company K of the 147th regiment (his papa, Achille, was Captain). The regmient fought in some skirmishes on their way south, where they assisted in the evacuation of Andersonville, the notorious Confederate prison. Or, that was the story! Charles A. filled his house with beautiful and remarkable things that I saw as a little girl (his younger wife, Aunt Stella, lived forever and we made occasional visits). I remember that there was a length of python skin that utterly captured me - perhaps leading to my life-long fondness for reptiles. Patterned rugs in dark colors remain one of the passions I attribute to a childhood association with Aunt Stella, who (it must be said) lived a long, long time in her old frame house in Benton Harbour, Michigan. In i906, an article about Charles A. appeared in the HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS, and HISTORY OF KANKAKEE COUNTY on pages 868 & 869. It is true that such publications were full of puffery and outright fabrication, in the style of the times, but still they give glimpses of the featured persons. Here are a few paragraphs about our imaginary dinner partner: [quote] Charles A. Chiniquy was born in the Province of Quebec, Canada, on December 18, 1846, a son of Captain Achilles and Lucy Fraser-Chiniquy, natives also of Canada. Charles A. was the third oldest of nine children born to this pair. After completing his education in the public schools, Charles A. Chiniquy started a general store in St Anne in 1871. Four years later he sold out and removed to Chicago, where he was traveling salesman for the large mercantile firm. He then located in Crookston, Minnesota, and conducted a general merchandise business for ten years, and then a similar business in Seattle, Washington for six years. Returning to Chicago, he operated a general store until 1902, in which year he again settled in St Anne, and since has managed a very successful general store, having the largest and best equipped store of the kind in the town. On October 14, 1880, he was united in marriage to Estella M. Russell, a native of Chicago. Mr. Chiniquy has traveled extensively, having made four trips to California, and visited Alaska twice, on the first occasion remaining eight weeks in the frozen north, and on the second occasion five weeks. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic. For many years he has been identified with the Masonic order, being a member of the Blue Lodge, Chapter, Commandery, and Consistory, and of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Mr Chiniquy is held in high esteem by the citizens of St Anne, and his recent acquistion to the business life of the town is regarded as a distinct promise of substantial and well-merited success. [And so on - close quote] This article ends with a sentence that I suspect many of us would like to have as an epitah (I know I would): "He has turned his many experiences to good account, has remembered what he has seen, and is an interesting and enlightening conversationalist." Yes! Just the person for a dinner companion. What must Alaska have been like around 1900? California? Washington State? AND - what about the python??? Please do join the party and tell us about a favorite St. Anne area relative of yours. SALUT to all, Ginny Crawford

My guest would be my great-great grandfather, Arthur.J. Changnon, who was first introduced to me by a listmember, Paula Lezotte. Thank you, Paula, for helping me to reconnect with this part of my family! Arthur was born in Beloeil, Valléee du Richelieu, Québec, and came to St. Anne in 1855 at the age of 5 years with his father, André Chagnon, a carpenter, and mother Sophie Mathilde Chagnon née Barcelou, together with a younger brother Alphonse age 3, and younger sister Arzélie age 1. Another 10 children were added to this family over the course of the next 20 years! I was amazed to find the story of "Phil the Orphan Boy" posted by Cyndi Sweet in this mailing list, which gave a description of life growing up in the home of André and Sophie Chagnon. Among other things, the story mentions the simple fare that this large family partook of: "With Uncle Andrew he had a lot of fun for the boys and girls there were an active and jolly bunch. So many mouths to feed meant a lot of food. Uncle who was a carpenter kept very busy. We had pancakes and sorghum molasses, a barrel of which Uncle bought every fall, for breakfast; bean soup and a little pork for dinner; and mush and milk for supper. Old Brindle gave a big pail full of milk morning and night." I wonder what sort of Thanksgiving meal would have been eaten by our St. Anne forebears? Or would they even have celebrated Thanksgiving, since it wasn't until 1863 that President Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving? Was the story of the pilgrims something that resonated favorably with our french speaking ancestors? Paula kindly sent me a biographical sketch of my great-great grandfather, Arthur, dated 1893, which describes him as follows: "Our subject is the eldest of a family of thirteen children, eight sons and five daughters, ten of whom are still living: Arzelie, now Mrs. E.L. Gros; Mary, wife of Rev. P. Boudreau; Edmour; Georgiana, the wife of Nelson Pelletier; Adelor, Alcide, Harry, George; and Zelea, wife of N. Ponton. When he had reached the age of twenty-three years, Arthur Changnon remained with his parents, assisting his father in the care of his farm and with his carpenter work. He received a good public-school education in the district and public schools of St. Anne and afterward attended college at Monmouth, Ill. Returning home, he entered the employ of P.G. Gilbert, in Kankakee, who there carried on a grocery and bakery. After remaining with him for a year, Mr. Changnon returned to St. Anne, where he entered the employ of N. Bastien as clerk in his drug and grocery store. At the expiration of two years he entered into partnership with George Soucie in a grocery in St. Mary's, Iroquois County. After a few months they removed their stock to St. Anne, and have added dry goods and gents' furnishing goods. They also operate a store at Rensselaer, Ind., where they carry dry goods, clothing, hats, caps, boots and shoes. They are doing a large and prosperous business, and are on the road to success. On New Year's Day of 1873 Mr. Changnon was united in marriage with Miss Eliza Pelletier, whose parents are Abraham and Ellen (Martin) Pelletier. Four children graced the union of our subject and his wife, a son and three daughters: Aylmer, Della, Laura, and Helen (now deceased). Mr. and Mrs. Changnon and son are members of the Presbyterian Church, in which the former is an Elder and also Church Treasurer. The cause of education is warmly championed by Mr. Changnon, and he is now serving as one of the School Directors of St. Anne. For many years he was a member of the Village Board, and has also been Town Clerk. He casts his ballot in favor of the nominees and principles of the Republican party, and is one of the public-spirited citizens of this community. He is a member of the Independent Order of Good Templars. In manner he is courteous and affable, and by his honorable dealings makes friends of all his customers. +++++++++++++++++++++++ I have a challenge for the listmembers that I hope all will respond to - now that you have suggested a favorite ancestor to come to the Thanksgiving table, is there a favorite recipe that has been passed down in your family, that you think our St. Anne forebears might have enjoyed at their Thanksgiving meal? My mother recalls her grandmother being an excellent cook - but she never relied on a recipe of course. She recalls a special cookie that her grandmother made of caraway seeds that was supposed to be an old recipe from Québec. Does anyone have some old St. Anne recipes to share for the Thanksgiving meal?