Bassett Family Association Database

Antoine Bessette

Male 1867 - 1956  (88 years)


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  • Name Antoine Bessette 
    Born 4 Jul 1867  Agawam, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    _UID 0835A93344678D4C89B84878E30EF3D85A07 
    Died 6 May 1956  Chicopee, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Buried 9 May 1956  St. Rose Cemetery, Aldenville Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • 1920 Federal Census of Holyoke, Hampden County, Massachusetts (6 Jan 1920)
      Antoine Bessette 53 M MA CF CF Head Carpenter House
      Victoria 49 F CF CF CF Wife
      Oliver 29 M MA MA CF Son Paper Maker Paper Mill
      Ernest 28 M MA MA CF Son Carpenter Construction
      Antonio 23 M MA MA CF Son Laborer Paper Mill
      Onesime 26 M MA MA CF Son Cobbler Shoe Shop
      Armand 21 M MA MA CF Son Weaver Woolen Mill
      Raoul 19 M MA MA CF Son Laborer Pump Shop
      Herve 16 M MA MA CF Son Laborer Truck Co.
      Albertine 15 F MA MA CF Daughter Operator Silk Mill
      Henry 10 M MA MA CF Son
      (Living at 186 Pine Street)

      Springfield Union, May 9, 1956
      Bessette Funeral

      Chicopee, May 8 – The funeral of Antoine Bessette of 53 Whitman St., Willimansett, was held this morning at the Arthur J. Brunelle Jr. funeral home, with a solemn requiem high mass in the Church of the Nativity. Rev. Leon Nadeau of Indian Orchard, nephew of the deceased, was celebrant. Rev. Laurier L’Africain, deacon, and Rev. Clarence Forand, subdeacon. Bearers, all grandsons, were Donald, Raoul, Gerald, George, Albert and Girard Bessette. Burial was in St. Rose Cemetery. Frs. Nadeau and Forand read prayers at the grave.


      Springfield Union, May 7, 1956
      Antoine Bessette, 88, Veteran Carpenter

      Chicopee, May 6 – Antoine Bessette, 88, died suddenly Saturday afternoon at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Henry Paul of 53 Whitman St., Willimansett, after a long illness.
      He was born in North Agawam, son of the late Oliver and Adeline (Gevris) Bessette and was a resident of Willimansett for 40 years. He was a retired carpenter and was the oldest member of the Holyoke Carpenters’ Union.
      Besides Mrs. Paul, he leaves another daughter, Mrs. Albertine Walsh of Astoria, L.I.; five sons, Harvey at home, Antonio and Armand, both of Willimansett, and Raoul and Oliver, both of Holyoke; one sister, Mrs. Arzelia Breault of Woonsocket, R.I; 28 grandchildren, 41 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
      The funeral will be held Tuesday at 8.15 at the Arthur J. Brunelle Jr. funeral home in Willimansett, followed by a solemn high mass of requiem in the Church of the Nativity at 9. Burial will be in St. Rose Cemetery, Aldenville.


      Information from Raoul Bessette

      Antoine Bessette, my grandfather, was born July 4, 1867 in Agawam, Mass. His father Olivier had moved from St. Hilaire, Canada to the Agawam Mass. area sometime during the early years of the American Civil War. He resided there for several years, long enough for two of his children, Antoine, and Delia, his older sister, to be born. Sometime prior to 1870 he moved the family back to Canada and this is where Antoine was reared to manhood. On August 20, 1889 he married Victoria Robert in the town of Acton-Vale, thus commencing the 7th generation of our lineage. Victoria was born October 21, 1870 in nearby Ste. Valerien. She was the child of Onesime Robert and Victoria Reyneaud (born in France). Their first child, Olivier, was born the following May and shortly thereafter the young family moved back to the Agawam, mass. area where Antoine plied his trade as a carpenter. More children followed until 1910 when the last child, Henry was born in Holyoke, Mass. My father, Raoul Moise, the 7th child, was born in 1900 in Springfield, Mass. The family moved from Agawam then Springfield and between 1900 and 1910 to Holyoke. In the 1900 Census Antoine and his sister Delia (married to Cesaire Quintal, also a carpenter) were neighbors on Hubbard Street in Springfield. By 1910, Antoine & family resided at 529 South Bridge Street, Holyoke, and his brother, Israel, lived nearby on Park Street. He and his sons were also carpenters. During this period the older children grew to adulthood, and some of the boys served in the U.S. Army during World War I (Oliver, Ernest, Rauol and perhaps Antonio and Armand). They were employed in the mills of Holyoke, and the oldest girl, Leona, married in January 1918. In the 1920 census the entire family (excluding Leona) were included in the house at 186 Pine Street, Holyoke, Mass. It must have been a substantial residence to house 11 persons with the children raning from age 30 to age 10. In 1921 Antoine built his final home at 53 Whitman St., Chicopee (Williamanset) Mass. and most of the family were moved in to the homestead. Victoria died from the ravages of diabetes December 2, 1940 at age 70. Antoine survived her by 16 years, passing away at the Whitman Street homestead on May 5, 1956, at age 88.
    Person ID I2995  14B Jean Besset of Quebec
    Last Modified 20 Jan 2014 

    Father Olivier Bessette,   b. 5 Apr 1831, St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Holyoke, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Adelaide Gevery 
    Married 16 Sep 1851  St. Hilaire, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Family ID F424  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Victoria Robert,   b. 21 Oct 1870, St. Valerien, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married 20 Aug 1889  Acton Vale, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. Oliver Bessette,   b. 19 Mar 1890, St. Valerien, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location
    +2. Ernest Israel Bessette,   b. 23 Dec 1891, Agawam, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Mar 1953, Holyoke, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 61 years)
    +3. Joseph Onesime Bessette,   b. 13 Jul 1893, St. Valerien, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Oct 1951, Holyoke, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 58 years)
    +4. Leontine Leona Bessette,   b. 14 May 1895, St. Valerien, Quebec, Canada Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Jun 1979, Chicopee, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 84 years)
     5. Joseph Antonie Alderie Bessette,   b. 8 Oct 1896, Agawam, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location
    +6. Armand Bessette,   b. 28 Dec 1898, Springfield, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 19 Jul 1960, Chicopee, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 61 years)
    +7. Raoul Moise Bessette,   b. 4 Aug 1900, Springfield, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 21 Feb 1976, Holyoke, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 75 years)
     8. Herve V. Bessette,   b. 22 Feb 1903
    +9. Albertine Bessette,   b. 4 Dec 1904, Springfield, Massachusetts Find all individuals with events at this location
    +10. Living
    Family ID F1134  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart