Jeffrey 2 Aucoin

Biography:

I'm Georgina Aucoin and am writing what I remember about Jeffrey (my father's uncle) during the 7 years I've known him, as well as what my siblings remember. Jeffrey was age 64 when I was born and lived until age 71. Therefore, I've known him for the first 7 years of my life (from 1948 to 1955). We were living in the same house (Irenee's house). Irenee (great-grandfather) was born in 1844 & married in 1872. He had two sons I was closely connected with, as follows: 1. Georges (grandfather) was born in 1877, married in 1908 and died in 1921 (age 44) before I was born. 2. Jeffrey (father's uncle) was born in 1884, married in 1925 and died in 1955 (age 71). My father (Marcellin) was born in 1913, married in 1940 and died in 1973 (age 59). He was only 8 years old when his father Georges died. He had 3 other siblings (Marie Rose [born in 1910], Joseph [born in 1911] & Dominique [born in 1915]). Jeffrey looked after them all after my grandfather's death, alone at first and then with his wife after 1925. When I was born in 1948, his wife was not living. When dad got married, mom moved with him into Jeffrey's house, where two of dad's siblings (Marie Rose & Dominique) were also living. They were mentally challenged. Things we remember about Jeffrey include the following: • Jeffrey was a hard-working man, with a full-time job at the local Leslie store in Cheticamp. He helped in the back room, receiving and unpacking supplies. • Jeffrey was a kind and generous person who would bring us groceries and treats. He would also buy things for the house. He bought my sister a toy sewing machine when she missed school in grade 5 for an entire year, due to a chest infection. • Jeffrey looked after his two mentally challenged niece and nephew, until he died. Then dad took over, with mom's help. • Jeffrey welcomed mom into their family, apparently very glad that she was able to look after the house. She started by making curtains for all the windows, did the cooking and cleaning and helped on the farm, besides giving birth to 8 children. • Jeffrey signed over a piece of land (next to his house) to mom (affectionately so, as women in those days were not usually granted land). • Jeffrey worked the farm in his spare time. He had full responsibility (from milking the cows to preparing the land for planting), as Dad was away during the week. Dad worked at the gypsum mine in Dingwall (in Cabot Trail). Jeffrey looked after a huge garden where potatoes were grown and also helped mom with a large vegetable garden. They had several cows, chickens, a pig and a horse. • Jeffrey, in the early days, had to carry water in buckets from an open well across the road. As soon as he could afford it, he had a water pump installed at the house, thereby making life much easier, especially as the family was expanding (we ended up being 6 children). He also had a bathroom installed later. • Jeffrey was well respected by the entire family. For example, we were all afraid of thunder until he came home and then we felt safe.