| Name | Benoît CHARTIER |
| Occupation | Wood Grader and Jobber14 |
| Birth Date | Sep 1, 189815,16 |
| Baptism Place | Aylmer, Outaouais PQ Canada17 |
| Baptism Memo | St. Paul's Church |
| Death Date | Jun 18, 192718 |
| Death Place | Timmins, Mountjoy & Tisdale Twps, Cochrane Dist. ON Canada |
| Death Memo | appendicitis |
| Burial Date | Jun 21, 192718 |
| Burial Place | Aylmer, Outaouais PQ Canada |
| Burial Memo | St. Paul's Cemetery. Witnesses Emmanuel Chariter and René Chartier. |
| Father | George CHARTIER (1875-1946) |
| Mother | Emma ST. JULES (1877-1943) |
| 1 | Georgina BASTIEN |
| Birth Date | May 25, 189412,19 |
| Baptism Place | Carp, Huntley Twp, Carleton Co. ON Canada17 |
| Baptism Memo | Church of Ireland |
| Death Date | Apr 13, 197517 |
| Death Memo | heart disease |
| Burial Place | Timmins, Mountjoy & Tisdale Twps, Cochrane Dist. ON Canada17 |
| Father | Moïse BASTIEN (ca1849-1943) |
| Mother | Délima SPENCER |
| Marriage Date | Oct 4, 191712,20 |
| Marriage Place | Aylmer, Outaouais PQ Canada |
| Marriage Memo | St. Paul's Church |
| Children | Aldoria (1918-1994) |
| Alcide Benoit | |
| Roger | |
| Réné Sévère |
"IN MEMORY OF MY FATHER BENOIT AND MY MOTHER GEORGINA
"Maman, we never talked about my father after his death, very regrettable because today I would like to know more about him. What happened during the years spent at Aylmer.
"I remember some things that happened and also things that we had. One unforgettable incident was after we had had a fire. I was very young, and I remember it very well. We were staying near Uncle Adélard on rue Allerton in Aylmer. Today it's rue Brook. We had several animals, cows, pigs and chickens. We had a little black cow whom we named Noirette, and whom we loved dearly. One day she went mad and started after me; I had barely enough time to get in the front door of the house, but Noirette dug her horns into the door. Papa, furious with anger, said to Maman: 'She will never chase anyone again.' He took her to the stable and killed her on the spot.
"Some time later, Papa decided to go to Northern Ontario because in Aylmer there was no more opportunity. This was during the Depression. On his arrival in Timmins he started at the mill of the Facette Lumber Company for the summer season. In fall, he got Uncle Aldasse Bastien to come to work in the woods, cutting wood four feet long for pulp on contract. This was at Val Rita for Spruce Falls. He and Uncle Aldasse cut wood all winter. Maman did the cooking for all the men who worked for Papa at the camp. Papa transported the wood with horses and loaded it onto the carts on the track.
"In spring, he worked at the mill. Papa and Uncle Aldasse had rented a house for the two families from M. Lafontaine on Hollinger Lane, now called Algonquin West, facing rue Rae where the animal hospital is. Together they worked at the mill all summer. During the summer we would go to see my father. He enjoyed scribbling on us with the coloured markers. He had a lot of fun with that. In the fall, Papa returned to the woods and took another contract with the same company, but this time at Fauquier. In the spring, Uncle Aldasse returned to Aylmer and Papa went back to the same mill, for the same job--grading lumber.
"Then grandfather Chartier said to Papa: 'Why don't you build on my lot?' That's where Papa built a little house that we greatly loved. It was covered with tarpaper and stone. In that house Papa did all sorts of things for us. One which I remember well is that he made us [whistles? pipes?] out of chestnuts.
"My father was a very pious man. In the woods, whether there was a storm or not, he never missed mass on Sunday or any of the Canadian Catholic feasts.
"When I was small, I climbed on some chairs and made gestures. Papa asked:'What are you doing there?' I answered, 'Papa, I am saying mass.' 'But why?' he asked. I answered: 'Because the priests don't come to the school.' Papa said to Maman, 'Georgina, listen; we are going to have a priest.' He added: 'It will do no good to push him, he will surprise us.' But Maman answered: 'He's old enough. All the same, he has a long time to go.' Not long after, Papa fell ill and was operated on for appendicitis, but too late. He eventually died. Maman was alone with three children, and six months pregnant with another. As I was very attached to my father, I thought it was the end of the world.
"So did my poor mother. She cried a lot, and I asked her what was wrong; she never answered. Not much later, she had to start working, doing laundry and dishwashing, scrubbing floors, ceilings, walls and even wallpaper. I asked myself why the good Lord had come in search of my father, who was so good and so young. Even today I have never been able to forget that. At 28, it's not easy at all to be the father of a family. On October 21, 1927, another little brother arrived, which made us forget my father a little. But that night it all came back to me. Meanwhile Maman started working again, and without respite for a long time. With a family of four, it's not fun.
"In the spring Aldoria and I started to do odd jobs like fetching and carrying wood for the others, running errands, looking after the younger children and collecting and selling bottles. This was all to help our family by earning a few pennies to help Maman. At the age of 11, grandfather Chartier offered to take me to work with him to make a little money to give Maman. He had some woodlots in Godfrey Township. I worked for him the whole vacation. I got $2.50 a week. Maman was happy.
"As for Maman, she went on working as a servant. There were never enough hours in the day. She also spent long nights with doctors attending on deliveries. The next morning she would still get up to make us breakfast. I remember when we would go berry-picking and walk four miles to pick little raspberries. She would always say: 'Only one more little bucket.'
"Later she remarried, to René, her brother-in-law, Papa's brother. In 1934, we moved to the business district and started a lumber business. Maman worked taking orders for the lumber. Business grew. We did moving, carted gravel, and, Maman, that provided new opportunities and we also had a camp in the woods. In 1944, we closed the business, and later we were all married. Maman went to the lumber camps and cooked for more than 100 men. Once again she had her hands full. They did that for several years.
"Every Christmas she had to go to midnight Mass even after my [step]father René was dead. Otherwise she would be unhappy. Up to her death she never gave up. She knit mittens and socks. She still looked after children. She said she wasn't tired, and she slept standing up. She did not want to admit it. Maman was a woman who never looked after herself her whole life. She always worked hard. I remember that she had a number of serious illnesses. She had a stubborness and a patience that I have never had, and I don't think anyone else in the family has either.
"Thanks to good, devoted, hard-working loving parents, we have learned to make our way in life. Their great love and their zest for life are reflected in each of us. I want to end by saying: 'Thank you, Maman and Papa. We love you very much. You hold a special place in our heart.'
"As well, great thanks to Papa René, for having relieved Maman's burden. We won't forget you. It was truly good for all of us."21