Today is the birthday of my third Great-Grandmother, born in Quebec (1852) as Marie Eloise Pare, buried 92 years later (1945) in Indiana as Mary Louise. (Her married name was Pagin.) I had about twenty years with her granddaughter, Bessie; my grandfather had more years with Mary, though he only saw her a few times.
The records say she was beautiful and that she spoke better French than English. While her official job on the census was “housewife,” she was also a midwife. My grandfather remembers her as stately, with her many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren being extremely polite to her. When the family was all together, she would sit at the table while the younger generations played cards.
I’m honored to share a birthday with her.
