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About Adélard

Adelard, the sixth child of Oscar Amyotte and Diana Dionne born May 24,1926, at home, baptized and confirmed in St. Vincent. 

I attended Mallaig School till Grade 8, then it was farm work for me. As the older boys and Dad went logging from November till late March, I was left to milk cows, deliver milk in town from house to house, feed pigs and especially, haul at least one rack of hay a day, except Sunday, from the homestead in Goodridge.

In 1947, I met a neighbor's daughter who lived one and a half miles east of us. She was Thérèse Gascon, daughter of Donat Gascon and Carmel Ouellette, born on November 4,1929.  She went to school at Old Therien till grade 8, then went to Mallaig, but had to quit before graduation because of illness (rheumatoid arthritis). So she stayed home and helped her parents.

After two years of courting, we were married April 26, 1949, at Mallaig St. Jean de Brebeuf church. From this union we had seven children.

• Yvonne, born April 16, 1950, married to Ronald Jodoin with four children.
• Roger, born October 10, 1951, married to Lorraine Bisson with three children.
• Georgette, born December 28,1952, married Richard Michaud with four children.
• Laurent, born Sept 11,1954, married to Patricia Jeneroux with four children.
• Lise, born May 25,1957, married Charles Dechaine with four children.
• Edna, born August 20,1961, married Albert Gervais with four children.
• Anita, born November 6, 1963, married to Brent Bergson with two children.

We stayed a year and a half with my parents and their "full house" but in the fall 1950 we decided to move with our seven-month-old daughter(Yvonne) to our little shack.  This shack was very cold as the water pail was frozen solid each morning.  But at least it was "our home".  

When we moved, our herd consisted of one cow, one sow and litter and a borrowed team from Dad.  A buggy was our Cadillac for a few summers, and in winter, I cut firewood for the neighbors at two dollars per load to buy a little red caboose from Paul Corbiere. As it came equipped with a little stove, it was very comfortable and warm. 

We decided to buy land from Philias Bellerive and bought our first tractor at a cost of $1628. It was a 25Hp International.  Later we bought Simone Plaquin's half section and had to get a bigger tractor. This time it was a Diesel 35Hp International. Both were bought from Henri Mageau IH-agent.

Our entertainment was going to shows shown by Rev. Ricard, numerous family visits, Parish picnics, and going to the lake many time. We packed lunch and supper every Sunday and would return to do chores very tired but satisfied. We were milking up to 18 cows by hand. In 1957, Raymond Denault came to help us install milkers. What a rodeo that night! I guess it must have been too much for Thérèse as she gave birth to a daughter that night.

1975, we decided along with Laurent, that we would ship milk to the cheese factory. We kept busy till october 1981 when we sold our complete unit except a half section to Laurent.  As I had purchased Leo Gratton's school bus in 1974 as a semi-retirement project, I drove it until September 1990 when I suffered a heart attack. It was then sold it to my daughter Lise. 

The above was written by Adélard and Thérèse Amyotte for The Precious Memories, Mallaig/Therien History Book 1906-1992.

After retirement, Dad enjoyed ice curling, floor curling, and watching hockey, especially when his grandsons were playing. He loved fishing, camping, playing crib, helping out on the farm, volunteering, working on construction sites and hanging out with his coffee buddies.  If he realized that a task needed doing, he was there and ready to help. He always enjoyed hunting with the guys of the family.  He loved being accepted “as one of the boys” and it provided him with the opportunity to show his ability at chopping wood, starting a fire, setting up the outfitter tent, and keeping the “air tight” going.  The old boy still had it, and he could show them “How it was done”.  As the years went on, most mornings were spent with his coffee buddies.  They would open the door for him, help him to his chair & hand him a coffee, just the way he liked it.

After they sold the farm Thérèse took on a few part-time jobs which included Postmaster, Store Keeper and two Census for the Federal Government  

Thérèse was also busy with Christian Ladies, Adult Education Board, Parish Council, Catering Club, Drama Club, Museum Director, Red Cross Canvasser and anywhere else help was needed.