Interviewer
Dona Felstat, Alfred G. Deschamps, and Nancy Cranston
Files
Description
Alfred E. Deschamps recalls how his father emigrated from Montreal, Canada, to the Frenchtown valley in Montana in 1878, and how his mother emigrated from New Brunswick, Canada, in 1886. He talks about the flu epidemic of 1918, the fire of 1911 in Frenchtown, and his brother serving as little St. John for the annual St. John’s Day celebration. Deschamps, with assistance from his son Alfred G. Deschamps, describes his family’s ranch and their ranching activities such as branding. He reminisces about life in the Frenchtown valley during the early 20th century such as attending baseball games, going ice skating, riding horses, and attending church dinners. Deschamps also briefly discusses food preservation methods, various neighbors and businesses in the area, the first car in Frenchtown, and the local priest Father Lionel Legris.
Loading...
Document Type
Oral History
Subjects
Frenchtown, Montana; French-Canadian immigrants; Immigration, Montana; St. John’s Day; Homesteading, Montana; Ranching, Montana; Lavoie family; Father Lionel Legris
Original Date
4-26-1976
Time Period
Twentieth century
Geographic Coverage
Montana
Language
eng
Original Collection
Frenchtown Historical Society Oral History Project, OH 047, Archives and Special Collections, Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula
Digital Publisher
University of Montana--Missoula. Mansfield Library
Rights
Copyright to this collection is held by the interview participants and by the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, University of Montana-Missoula. Permission may be required for use. For further information please contact Archives and Special Collections: (406) 243-2053 / library.archives@umontana.edu
Oral History Number
OH 047-022
Media Type
Sound; Text
Original Format
1 sound cassette (01:00:00 min.) analog + 1 transcript (9 p.: 28 cm.)
Digital Format
audio/mp3; application/pdf
Run Time
01:00:06 minutes
Local Filename
OH_047_022.pdf
Citation
Deschamps, Alfred E., "Alfred E. Deschamps Interview, April 26, 1976" (1976). Frenchtown Historical Society Oral History Project. 15.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/frenchtown_oralhistory/15