Oliver LESPERANCE was born 1 Mar 1877 and baptized the following day at St. John the Baptist Church, Keeseville, NY. His parents were Joseph LESPERANCE and Emily LATOURELLE. His godparents were Oliver YOUNG and Marie LESPERANCE. The primary author of this work is Gerald O. LESPERANCE, grandson of Oliver LESPERANCE , who is willing to provide family members with the latest information on his Lesperance research. Contact Jerry Lesperance. E-mail lesperanj001@hawaii.rr.com
Gerald LESPERANCE's mother told him the story
of how Oliver met his future wife. Oliver was on a train in northern Vermont
when he met his wife-to-be Nellie BLONDIN. Nellie was on the train with
her Mother. Apparently the two women were on the way to or from burying
Nellie's father.
Nellie was born circa 1880-1885 in St Albans
,, VT , the daughter of William BLONDIN and Philomene PERRON. Nellie's
birth name was also Philomene and also called Helene. Oliver and Nellie
married in Barre ,, VT on 30 May 1903. They had 2 children together:
1 Mildred Irene Mary , born before 29 Jan 1905 when she was baptized at St. Monica Church in Barre,, VT ; It is reported within the family that she died shortly after birth.
2 Freeman Earl ; born before 3 June 1907 where he was baptized at the same place ; He received a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Vermont in 1929. While at the university he met his wife, Elizabeth "Betty" BEDARD, who was born and raised in Burlington, the daughter of Henry and Rosalie (BELHUMEUR) BEDARD. Freeman and Betty were married at St. Joseph's Church in Burlington ,,VT on 21 Sept 1929, and shortly moved to Lowell, Mass., where Freeman was offered a job as an engineer for a small aircraft firm. Shortly thereafter he accepted a managerial job with the Gardner (Mass.) Electric Light Co. A son was born to them in Gardner,, MA on 12 April 1930. He was named Gerald Oliver LESPERANCE , the man who did almost all the research for this LESPERANCE family. Freeman and Betty had a total of 5 children, all in Gardner including Gerald. Freeman and Betty separated and then divorced. Freeman married Virginia NISULA from Gardner and they had a daughter. Freeman died on 11 June 1951( just turned 44), in Gardner of "acute dissecting aortic aneurysm, aortis, arteriosclerosis, arterial embolism right leg". Freeman's first wife Betty married a widower, Irving HURD, at Gardner, MA about 1954. They both died within a few months of each other in 1995.
Children of Freeman and Elizabeth (BEDARD) LESPERANCE, all born Gardner, MA:
i.....Gerald Oliver ; born 12 April 1930 ; married 12 June
1954 at Pearl Harbor,HA to Jeanne Ann TESSIER. 5 children:
......a... Michelle ; born 15 Mar 1955 in Honolulu, HI ; married Edward
GOLINSKI on 15 July 1989 in HI ; ( Edward changed his name to L'ESPERANCE)
and they have a son, Evan adopted.
......b... Stephan Paul ; born 6 Sep 1956 in San Pedro,CA ; unmarried.
......c... David Alan ; born 7 Oct 1958 in Alameda, CA ; unmarried.
......d... Andre Gerard ; born 14 Apr 1960 ; unmarried.
......e... Keneth Rene ; born 6 Sep 1963 at Scott AFB,IL ;married Kristine
GILBERT on 31 July 1994.
ii....Neal ; born 24 Dec 1931 ; married Helen "Deannie" PAGE about 1952. No children.
iii... Jean ; born ?? ; married Donald CARNEY ; 4 children: Joseph, Jeffrey, James, and Donna.
iv... Jack ; born ?? ; married Roberta ________ ; 2 children: Jennifer and Gregory.
v..... Alan Paul ; Gerald's grandparents, Oliver and Nellie moved
from Barre, VT to Gardner, MA about 1939
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