Robert Arthur Giroux 1863-1911
Giroux/Gero/Giro/Geroux/Jerome
Mystery #1 involves Joseph Robert Arthur Giroux, born 26 April 1863 in Island Pond, Essex County, Vermont, and died 1 October 1911 in Dover, Strafford County, New Hampshire. He was my great-grandfather.
The earliest official record of him is the 1871 Canadian census which lists the following household in Drummondville, Nicolet, Nicolet-Yamaska, Quebec Canada:
Janne' Giroux, age 33
Genevieve, Giroux age 40
Alfred Guilmette age 11
Napoleon Guilmette, age 9
Joseph Giroux, age 8
Edward Giroux, age 5
Marie Giroux, age 1
Although the record reflects that everyone in that family was born in Canada, later documents reflect that all the children were born in Island Pond, Vermont.
This is the ONLY record I have ever found that shows Janne' AKA John Giroux.
Genevieve AKA Jane, whose maiden name was Danys or Danis, had been previously married to Maxime Guilmette. They were married on 29 July 1856 in St Guillaume-d' Upton, Quebec, Canada. He was the father of the two Guilmette children.
I have never found a marriage record for Jane and John, although I have narrowed down a fairly specific timeline because there are only 13 months between the births of Napoleon AKA George Guilmette, and Joseph Robert Arthur Giroux. I don't know if Max Guilmette passed away or if the was a divorce.
So far, there are a couple of mysteries. What became of Janne' aka John Giroux? What became of Maxime Guilmette? But there are more......
So by 1880, here's what we have on our cast of characters:
No John Giroux, no Max Guilmette.
I am fairly certain that Jane and her daughter, previously known as Marie who became known as Augusta Mary, were residents of the county farm which I supposed was for people without means but were using the surname Downing. Could that be a misinterpretation of Jane's original maiden name? Possibly because even Robert Arthur Giroux's death certificate lists Downing as his mother's maiden name. Was there a reason why Jane didn't use the surname Giroux?
Alfred Guilmette, listed as age 19 and single, was listed as working at a cotton mill in Somersworth, Strafford County, New Hampshire.
George Guilmette, who would be about 18, hasn't been found, along with Robert Arthur Giroux, who would be about 17, and Edward Giroux, who would have been about 12 or 13. These boys may have very well also been at the county farm with their mother and sister but not enumerated with their mother and sister for some unknown reason. I know they were SOMEWHERE because there are many records of them later.
Later records indicate that Alfred spent the rest of his life in Somersworth, Strafford County, New Hampshire, and George spent the rest of his life in Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. Augusta spent the rest of her life in and around Strafford County, New Hampshire.
Jane Danys Giroux died on 16 August 1905 in Berwick, York County, Maine, just across the river from Strafford County, New Hampshire, and is buried at Evergreen Cemetery there. There was no listing for her on the 1900 census and her death record used GERO as the spelling for her name.
My great grandfather, Joseph Robert Arthur Giroux, married Hilda Perry nee Bernier on 14 September 1886 in Portsmouth, Rockingham County, New Hampshire. Around that same time, he was employed as an overseer at the Strafford County Farm. There were residences in New Market and Ossippee before the family settled in Dover, New Hampshire in the mid-1890s. He began active duty as a Dover police officer on 1 January 1904, a career he continued to his early death of stomach cancer in 1909.
Edward was a resident of Dover, New Hampshire, and lived approximately a mile away from Robert Giroux's family. Edward did not use the name Giroux. All related records reflect that he used the surname JEROME, which is possibly an Americanized version of Giroux.
Yes, I have many questions about the Giroux/Geroux/Gero/Giro/Jerome family, but the biggest one at this point involves DNA. I was hoping for some Giroux connections with the two tests I have taken, yet I don't have a single Giroux DNA connection beyond my great-grandfather! None. Nil. Nada. That leads me to believe there is something off about Robert Giroux's connection with the Giroux family but I have found nothing that would lead in a different direction either!
Bam! I have hit a brick wall! All suggestions appreciated!
Next: Hilda Bernier, wife of Joseph Robert Arthur Giroux
Comments
Post a Comment