Mr.
Zacharie Jacques, one of the most respected Canadians of the Lake Superior
region, was born in the parish of St-Barthélemy, Berthier County, in 1833. Son
of a farmer, he learned the trade of carpenter-jointer, and at the age of
twenty-two years, he went to seek his fortune at Goodrich.
Nevertheless,
he did not stay long at that place. On 7 June 1857 he arrived in Portage, the
name given at that time to the towns of Houghton and Hancock. After practicing
his trade first as an employee of the Messieurs Sheldon and then on his own, Mr.
Jacques in 1869 entered the service of the “Lake Superior Copper Co” as
carpenter foreman, a position that he filled with honor for more than a quarter
century.
When Mr.
Jacques went to Houghton County, it had only one mine in operation and he needed
to disembark at Eagle Harbor. He saw the birth of the town of Hancock, and he
cooperated with zeal in all religious and patriotic undertakings. He was
president of the St-Jean-Baptiste Society of Houghton and Hancock during the
first four years of its existence.
At the
same time that he gave generously to all meritorious enterprises, with his
orderly wit and judgment he was able to acquire for himself several properties
in Hancock, Lake Linden and Dollar Bay.
In 1859
Mr. Jacques married Miss Clara O’Neil, teacher at St-Barthélemy, and in 1870
his family came to join him at Lake Superior.
He is
today the father of a family that does him credit. Two of his daughters are
sisters of the Order of St. Joseph, and his oldest sons hold excellent positions
in Hancock.
Monsieur
Charles Onésime Olivier of Hancock was born in 1865 at Berthier. He is the son
of Louis Olivier, farmer, first cousin of the honorable Judge Olivier. After
making excellent studies, Mr. Olivier entered eighteen years of commerce and in
1884 came to Hancock where he easily found employment.
He was
first clerk of the Ryan Store (the most important position of the place), then
he decided in 1890 to open his own grocery shop. Fortune smiled on him, and he
occupies today an influential position among the citizens of Hancock. In 1894 he
was clerk of the court for Hancock and he has good prospects for the future.
M.
Olivier married in 1886 Miss Octavie Jacques, daughter of Mr. Zacharie Jacques.
The
French Canadians of Lake Linden have the honor of seeing one of their own occupy
the important position of treasurer of the township of Schoolcraft. Mr. Laurent
Jacques who fulfilled this responsibility during several years, was born 1
September 1847 in St-Barthélemy, Berthier County. He came to the United
States at the age of 22 and after living for a time in the East, came in 1874 to
settle at Lake Linden where he opened a smithy and a carriage manufactury. His
business is always big and prosperous and he is today the head of one of the
better establishments of its kind in the region.
Before
becoming treasurer for Schoolcraft Township, Mr. Jacques was appraiser for the
Village of Lake Linden, and for three years he has also been treasurer of the
St-Jean-Baptiste Society, of which he is a founder-member.
Mr.
Jacques married Eugenie Bussière in 1871 in Woonsocket, R.I. He was widowed in
1874 and in 1882 he married his second wife Miss Victorine Trépanier.
