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<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
Dedicated to the Preservation of Our Family <strong>Heritage</strong><br />
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 $4.95<br />
The Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> Family
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
In this issue...<br />
“Lost” Michigan <strong>Durand</strong>s Found<br />
The Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> Story, by Betty Andree and Roger <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Great Classical Photo– Beatrice <strong>Durand</strong> Derrick collection 7<br />
How to Interview Your Older Relative, by Yvonne Cariveau 8<br />
Holiday Greetings<br />
“All hearts come home for Christmas” by Mary <strong>Durand</strong> Morrow<br />
<strong>Durand</strong>s in the Military<br />
Devil Doc Heals and Teaches in Iraq, by Lt Col James F. <strong>Durand</strong>, USMC<br />
Rules for the Teacher...again, and this time in full 14<br />
In In Memorium Memorium Eugene L. “Jack” <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Great Classical Photo– Beatrice <strong>Durand</strong> Derrick collection 15<br />
Returning to the Seasonality of Food, by Charli Mills 16<br />
Our readers write<br />
Reader’s Connection Brothers and Sisters and More, Oh, My!<br />
For What It’s Worth A Tale of Tee Shirts by John <strong>Durand</strong> 19<br />
The back page where you find out who’s who 20<br />
The cover: Image #17 on the 1900 census microfilm for the Town of Meenon in Burnett County, Wisconsin shows the entry<br />
for Peter Durant [sic] and his wife Louiza [sic] and their children. By the time of the next census in 1910 the Town of Scott had<br />
been created from the division of Meenon. This 1900 census was taken four years after Pierre <strong>Durand</strong> and his wife Louise moved<br />
from Turtle Lake, Wisconsin to homestead 160 acres in Burnett County. Louise is shown as 31 years old and married for 17<br />
years, indicating that she was married at age 14, inconsistent with the entry for the 1930 census when she is shown as being married<br />
at age 18. More remarkable is that at age 31 in this census Louise had already given birth 11 times. Eight of her children<br />
were living. Note also that the occupation for sons Elzear and Adelard, ages 14 and 12, is shown as “Farm Laborer.” Obviously<br />
both no longer attended school. The age of Arthur, the baby, is shown as being 9/12 ths of a year. The census was taken in June,<br />
1900. The census taker (Enumerator) misspelled almost every one of the family’s given names.<br />
Picture credits: Photos for The Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> Story from Betty Andree. Great Classical Photo (p.9) is from the collection of<br />
Beatrice <strong>Durand</strong> Derrick. Photos for How to Interview…(p. 8) from Yvonne Cariveau. Photos for “All hearts…” (p. 10) from<br />
Mary <strong>Durand</strong> Morrow. Photos for “Devil Doc…” (p. 12) from Dr. Patrick Ginn. “Rules for the Teacher” (p. 14) courtesy of Mike<br />
<strong>Durand</strong>. Great Classical Photo (p.15) is from the collection of Beatrice <strong>Durand</strong> Derrick. Photos for “For What…” (p.19) from<br />
John <strong>Durand</strong> and Alice <strong>Durand</strong> Keppel.<br />
This publication © 2003 by <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong>, Inc. Published four times a year by the <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong><br />
<strong>Foundation</strong>. All rights reserved. Duplicating or copying by electronic or other means is strictly prohibited without<br />
written consent of the <strong>Foundation</strong>. Subscription rate is $20.00 per year. Send payment to: <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong>,<br />
1104 Apple Circle, Mayer, 55360 MN, USA. Major credit cards are accepted. To subscribe on-line visit www.<br />
<strong>Durand</strong>foundation.com.<br />
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<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
“Lost” Michigan <strong>Durand</strong>s Found<br />
The following article submitted by Betty <strong>Durand</strong> Andree<br />
was written in the early 1990’s as a joint effort of<br />
her and me. It outlines the family story of Alfred <strong>Durand</strong><br />
and his descendants who were “lost” by the rest of the<br />
Nazaire <strong>Durand</strong> family.<br />
While they probably didn’t know they were “lost”, Alfred’s<br />
family and his whereabouts were unknown past<br />
the 1930’s to those of us left in Minnesota. My cousin<br />
Ed <strong>Durand</strong> was documenting<br />
the Nazaire <strong>Durand</strong> family<br />
descendants in the late 1970’s<br />
and published his book <strong>Durand</strong>,<br />
A Family Genealogy<br />
in 1981 with a reference to<br />
Alfred and his two boys,<br />
named Leanord and Lawrence.<br />
Nothing more. As the<br />
following article reports, Alfred<br />
“sightings” in Minnesota<br />
and Alberta, Canada were<br />
documented but no clear trail<br />
could be followed to his family.<br />
After I ran across Leanord<br />
and Lawrence’s entries in the<br />
Social Security Administration<br />
(SSA) death index things<br />
started to fall into place. The<br />
index listed the two brothers<br />
separately, and listed their<br />
places of death (in Michigan)<br />
along with their dates of birth<br />
and death. While I didn’t<br />
have their exact birthdates,<br />
the SSA index dates suggested<br />
that they might be Alfred’s<br />
sons.<br />
I then searched the phone<br />
listings for <strong>Durand</strong>s in the<br />
cities mentioned in the index and after three or four<br />
telephone calls identified one of Alfred’s descendants,<br />
who then referred me on to Betty Andree. After I got in<br />
touch with Betty we discussed how we might document<br />
the Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> story. We decided to have her dictate<br />
to a tape recorder and then I would transcribe the text.<br />
Information that Edmund had from Canada and I had<br />
from my father Leo was added to Betty’s information.<br />
The results follow.<br />
Thank you, Betty, for taking the time to share your<br />
family story with us!<br />
The Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> Family<br />
By Betty Andree and Roger <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Alfred <strong>Durand</strong>, married three times, was an energetic,<br />
skilled plasterer who lived in Minnesota, Canada, and<br />
Michigan. He fathered two sons by his first wife, Anna.<br />
3<br />
Roger <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> was born in Faribault, Minnesota in<br />
March 1882. He was the last of ten children born to<br />
Nazaire <strong>Durand</strong> and Leocadie Berneche.<br />
Little is known of the early years of Alfred. He probably<br />
grew up with his older brothers and sisters on Nazaire's<br />
farm in Cannon City, just east of Faribault, Minnesota.<br />
He married Anna Quarnstrom<br />
from Dassel, Minnesota. It is<br />
not known where or when<br />
they met or were married.<br />
They had two boys, both born<br />
in Chicago. Leonard was born<br />
in 1905 and Lawrence in<br />
1907.<br />
About 1912 Alfred left Chicago<br />
with Anna and the boys.<br />
They went to Newaygo,<br />
Michigan with the intention of<br />
buying property and building<br />
a home. However, Alfred left<br />
Anna and the boys after they<br />
were there for a week.<br />
(Anna’s story is told below.)<br />
We don't know the circumstances<br />
of the separation.<br />
Alfred's second wife was<br />
named Helen and he was with<br />
her from about 1917 to about<br />
1940.<br />
The next information we have<br />
about Alfred is from his<br />
nephew, Leonard <strong>Durand</strong> (son<br />
of Albert, Alfred's brother,<br />
who also had a son named<br />
Leonard) In 1994 Leonard recalled<br />
to Catherine <strong>Durand</strong> Dacyshym, the following:<br />
"Here is a bit I know about Uncle Fred and Aunt<br />
Helen. They came to Lomond, Canada in 1917 or so.<br />
Uncle Fred was a plasterer. He had worked at the trade<br />
for 18 years and was very good. My father Albert built a<br />
house in 1916 and Uncle Fred plastered it for us. He did<br />
some of the neighbors’ houses too.<br />
Then they (Fred and Helen) both got jobs at the J.C.<br />
Clark Ranch at Cluny. They came to our place for<br />
Christmas. Anyway, there was a letter and a picture of<br />
his two boys that his first wife sent to us. We told him
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
about that and he got on the move right after that. I was<br />
nearly 17 and I went back to Cluny with them and<br />
stayed there for a couple of weeks. Then they quit their<br />
Annan Quarnstrom <strong>Durand</strong> and sons Leonard and Lawrence.<br />
Soon after the family moved to Michigan, Alfred left<br />
the marriage.<br />
jobs and went back to the States. They invited me to<br />
come with them, but I didn't. I kind of thought that he<br />
was afraid his first wife was going to come after him for<br />
support for the boys. I don't know why I thought that<br />
but that's how I always thought about it. That's the last I<br />
ever saw of them."<br />
We now know that Alfred was reunited with his sons.<br />
After Alfred and Helen left Canada they were in<br />
Bemidji, Minnesota in 1929 when George <strong>Durand</strong> and<br />
his family built their barn. George's son Leo remembers<br />
that Alfred plastered their new silo. Leo also remembers<br />
Alfred as one with lots of energy. One morning Alfred<br />
woke Leo and his brothers early in the morning to go<br />
fishing. Alfred had the horses all ready to go.<br />
Leo also remembers an incident where Eleanor,<br />
George's wife, became furious with her house guests<br />
(Alfred, Helen, and Helen's dog) because the dog insisted<br />
on urinating on George and Eleanor's bed!<br />
Alfred and Helen were living in Chicago when Alfred's<br />
sons Leonard and Lawrence located him. Alfred<br />
and Helen also visited his sons in Muskegon. Betty <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Andree, second child of Lawrence and Vera <strong>Durand</strong>,<br />
remembers her grandfather Alfred:<br />
"Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> was short in stature, fair skinned, and<br />
had clear blue eyes. Plastering was Alfred's occupation,<br />
specializing in ornamental plastering. He worked on<br />
many theaters, hospitals, libraries, and many other<br />
buildings in the Chicago area. He also worked on the<br />
original Mayo Clinic. I recall him telling of lying on his<br />
back putting tiny mosaic tiles of gold and black in the<br />
entrance besides helping plaster all the building."<br />
4<br />
At some point Alfred and Helen returned to Minnesota,<br />
because Alfred was in Minneapolis in 1941 when<br />
George <strong>Durand</strong> wrote a letter to Willard <strong>Durand</strong> stating<br />
that he had been living with Alfred in Minneapolis but<br />
that he (George) was moving out.<br />
Helen died in the 1940's. A note written by Louise <strong>Durand</strong>,<br />
Willard <strong>Durand</strong>'s wife, was found by Janet <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Kahler and it stated the following:<br />
“Alfred's second wife, Helen <strong>Durand</strong>. Interesting lady.<br />
Raised small bull dogs. A Spiritualist. I met her in 1933<br />
or 1934. Uncle Fred was a stone mason. He worked on<br />
Hotel Duluth--sculpted figures in cement. Helen died<br />
suddenly one night and told Fred she was going. Probably<br />
early 40's.<br />
Alfred and his third wife, Margaret, visited Martin<br />
(Bettys <strong>Durand</strong> Andree's step-father) and Vera <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Pastori in 1947 and invited Betty, then in high school, to<br />
visit them in Minneapolis. At that time Alfred owned<br />
three apartment buildings, two of them on Hennepin<br />
Avene in Minneapolis.<br />
After Betty <strong>Durand</strong> graduated from high school in<br />
Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> and his second wife Helen with his son<br />
Lawrence's wife Vera and their two children, James and<br />
Betty, the co-author of this article.<br />
June 1947, she went on a trip to visit her maternal uncle<br />
and his family in Washington state. She took the train to<br />
Minneapolis and visited Alfred and Margaret. They all<br />
visited Alfred's oldest sister, Sarah <strong>Durand</strong> Duffney
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
Babineau, in Eagle Bend, Minnesota. She was living in<br />
an old folks home and was over 90 years old. Alfred and<br />
Sarah spoke in French.<br />
Shortly after this time Alfred visited his son Leonard<br />
and Leonard's wife Ruth in Rothbury, Michigan, 20<br />
miles from Muskegon, where Leonard owned an unfinished<br />
15-room home. Alfred wanted Margaret to move<br />
to Michigan but she<br />
wouldn't. They divorced<br />
and Alfred<br />
moved to Michigan.<br />
Alfred helped Leonard<br />
finish the big<br />
house, including plastering<br />
and remodeling,<br />
and then lived<br />
there until he died.<br />
Betty, Vera, and<br />
Martin visited Alfred<br />
quite a few times<br />
while he lived there.<br />
Betty Andree remembers<br />
Alfred drinking<br />
his milk and eating<br />
oatmeal every day.<br />
Anna Quarnstrom, Alfred <strong>Durand</strong>’s<br />
first wife, was born in Sweden<br />
as Anna Peterson.<br />
Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> died in 1961 in Rothbury at age 78.<br />
Anna Quarnstrom<br />
Anna Quarnstrom, Alfred’s first wife, was born in<br />
1880 in Sweden. Her family moved to the United States<br />
and settled in Dassel, Minnesota, near Litchfield (about<br />
50 miles west of Minneapolis). (When Leonard <strong>Durand</strong><br />
was 30 years old he went to Dassel, Minnesota to find<br />
Anna Quarnstrom’s relatives. He found them on the<br />
family farm. Leonard learned that Anna's father's name<br />
was originally Peterson but that he changed it to Quarnstrom<br />
when he moved to Minnesota because he was one<br />
of 40 Petersons working for the Great Northern Railroad.)<br />
After Alfred left them, Anna lived in Newaygo, Michigan<br />
with her two boys, Lawrence and Leonard. There<br />
she worked at a confectionery store and lived with the<br />
boys above the store. The boys were 4 and 7 when Alfred<br />
left. Leonard left Newaygo at age 18 and moved to<br />
Muskegon where he worked for Continental Motors.<br />
Anna and Lawrence followed.<br />
Anna took a job at the Occidental Hotel in Muskegon<br />
where she met her second husband, John Cornelson. He<br />
was a chef at the hotel and Anna was the head of the<br />
cafeteria.<br />
Anna and John moved to Chicago and worked in various<br />
hotels in the Chicago and Hammond, Illinois area.<br />
They would visit the family in Michigan, and returned<br />
to Michigan around 1937 when they teamed up with her<br />
son Lawrence and his second wife Helen in a restaurant<br />
venture. Their venture broke up after Anna died of can-<br />
5<br />
cer in Muskegon, Michigan in 1944.<br />
Leonard <strong>Durand</strong> (first son of Alfred <strong>Durand</strong>)<br />
Leonard <strong>Durand</strong> was approximately 5'7" tall, had dark<br />
brown hair and blue eyes. He worked for Railway Express<br />
while living in Grand Rapids. At that time he took<br />
a correspondence course and received a degree in accounting.<br />
After that he became an auditor for the State<br />
of Michigan and traveled the western part of Michigan.<br />
Later he became Head of Accounting with the Michigan<br />
Employment Security Commission in Muskegon.<br />
Leonard was a very well read man and loved to talk on<br />
most any topic. He was very inventive. He invented and<br />
built an automobile engine and applied for a patent. The<br />
patent office told him it was too much like the Swedish<br />
Vandal. The engine was a different concept than any in<br />
the U.S. at that time. He also invented a "Century Calendar,<br />
" and long before people thought of using the sun<br />
for heat Leonard had pipes running from his hot water<br />
tank up to heat collectors on his roof to heat his water.<br />
While living with his brother Lawrence and Lawrence’s<br />
wife Vera he invented a rubber flap that fit<br />
Anna with Lawrence and Leonard in front of the confectionery<br />
store where Anna worked in Newaygo, Michigan.<br />
around the clutch, brake and accelerator of automobiles<br />
that kept the cold air out. He sold quite a few of them.<br />
As a young man he also joined the Civilian Conservation<br />
Corps (CCC), whose camp was located on Lake<br />
Michigan. The CCC built roads, created campsites, fishing<br />
areas, hiking paths, and picnicking areas. The young<br />
men’s work is still seen today around Muskegon State<br />
Park.<br />
Lawrence had a big old Packard which Vera would<br />
drive out to pick Leonard up. By the time they left the<br />
park there would be fellow workers on the fender running<br />
boards and luggage rack.<br />
Leonard married Katherine (Ruth) Harmon in about<br />
1940 in Muskegon. They celebrated their 50 th anniversary<br />
in 1990. They had one child, Larry, who was born<br />
(Continued on page 6)
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
in Grand Rapids, Michigan in 1946. Katherine died in<br />
1989 in Muskegon. Leonard die in 1991, and is buried in<br />
the family plot in Rothbury, Michigan.<br />
Leonard and Katherine’s son Larry <strong>Durand</strong> married<br />
Karen [last name unknown]. Larry died in 1978 in<br />
Rothbury, Michigan. Larry and Karen had three children:<br />
Corinna, Collette, and Benjamin.<br />
Lawrence <strong>Durand</strong> (second son of Alfred)<br />
Lawrence <strong>Durand</strong><br />
was approximately<br />
5'10" tall, and<br />
had brown hair<br />
and blue eyes.<br />
He graduated<br />
from high school<br />
and attended<br />
Howel Business<br />
College in Muskegon,<br />
where he<br />
obtained an accounting<br />
degree.<br />
Later, when he<br />
was in business<br />
for himself, he<br />
did all his own<br />
bookkeeping.<br />
Lawrence met<br />
Vera Harrison at<br />
the Occidental<br />
Hotel in Muskegon<br />
where they<br />
were both em-<br />
Lawrence and his wife Vera. Although<br />
he was the younger brother, Lawrence<br />
married many years before his brother<br />
Leonard.<br />
ployed, as was Lawrence's mother Anna. After Lawrence<br />
and Vera were married in 1926, his brother Leonard<br />
lived with them. Lawrence and Vera had two children,<br />
James (Jim) and Betty [co-author of this article].<br />
James <strong>Durand</strong> was born in 1927 and Betty in 1929. During<br />
Prohibition, when Lawrence, Vera and Leonard all<br />
lived together, Lawrence ran a "blind pig,”a speakeasy<br />
that sold illegal liquor.<br />
Lawrence met Helen Peacock in about 1933. Shortly<br />
after Lawrence’s wife Vera filed for and obtained a divorce,<br />
and Lawrence married Helen.<br />
Beginning about 1937, Lawrence and Helen Peacock<br />
worked teamed up with Anna and her second husband,<br />
John Cornelson, to operate a restaurant and bar called<br />
the Ridatto. After that establishment, which had food,<br />
drink, and dancing, burned down, they bought another<br />
restaurant called the Cottage Inn—a much larger place.<br />
Lawrence’s children Betty and Jim visited him at the<br />
Cottage Inn, which did well during WW II. After Anna<br />
died of cancer the partnership between John, Lawrence,<br />
and Helen broke up.<br />
At the time his mother Anna died, Lawrence was suf-<br />
6<br />
fering from the effects of alcoholism. Soon after his wife<br />
Helen left him. Lawrence later married Annette McDonald,<br />
who also worked at the Cottage Inn. Lawrence<br />
eventually developed osteomyelitis in a leg and hip<br />
which then required amputation. He lived in a nursing<br />
home for ten years before he died in 1970.<br />
Vera Harrison <strong>Durand</strong>’s children<br />
After her divorce from Lawrence, Vera held various<br />
jobs such as washing, ironing, and sewing to support her<br />
children Jim and Betty and herself. When Betty was 5½<br />
years old, the family moved to Jackson, Michigan,<br />
where Vera married Martin Pastori. Martin worked at<br />
the Plymouth plant when the unions were organizing the<br />
employees and held “sit-down” strike.<br />
During this time, Jim developed scarlet fever and was<br />
very ill. Martin had to sleep in the basement because<br />
Vera, Betty, and Jim were quarantined.<br />
The family moved back to Jackson and Martin hitchhiked<br />
back and forth to Detroit. This was a bad time and<br />
the family was on welfare. One Thanksgiving they had<br />
meat loaf and thought it was wonderful. They still talked<br />
about that holiday in later years.<br />
After moving back to Detroit and living in a one bedroom<br />
apartment until WW II ended, the family returned<br />
to Muskegon. During her growing up Betty attended<br />
eight different schools. Vera died in 1984 in Muskegon.<br />
Betty <strong>Durand</strong> married Bill Andree in 1950. They had<br />
Lawrence, Jim, Vera, and Betty <strong>Durand</strong>, probably in 1929<br />
when co-author Betty was a babe-in-arms.<br />
two children, Richard (born in 1954) and Dori (born in<br />
(Continued on page 7)
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
Great Classical Photos From Yesterday!<br />
The great classical photos above are from the collection of Beatrice <strong>Durand</strong> Derrick. Top left is a photo of Pierre <strong>Durand</strong> and one<br />
of his sons, perhaps Elzear? Top right is daughter Florida with Barney and Cap. Bottom right, thrashing on the ole homestead.<br />
Alfred <strong>Durand</strong> story continued below from page six.<br />
Betty <strong>Durand</strong> Andree, co-author of The Alfred <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Story, and her grandfather Alfred <strong>Durand</strong>, taken in Muskegon,<br />
Michigan in 1947.<br />
7<br />
The Afred <strong>Durand</strong> Story (Continued from page 6)<br />
1959). Bill was active in local politics, and was both the<br />
mayor of North Muskegon and served on the city council<br />
for a total of 21 years. He was also County Treasurer,<br />
and worked in the automobile and moving business.<br />
Betty sold real estate for a number of years and<br />
enjoyed that career. Bill died in 1987 of a brain tumor.<br />
James (Jim) <strong>Durand</strong>, Betty's brother, enlisted in the<br />
Merchant Marine in 1943. In 1946 he came home from<br />
the war. Betty introduced him to Beth Dickenson, and<br />
they were married in 1947. In 1952 Jim enlisted in the<br />
Air Force and was sent to Korea. Later he transferred to<br />
the Army and went up in rank in the Office of Strategic<br />
Intelligence (OSI), reaching the rank of Chief Warrant<br />
Officer. During his military career he and his family<br />
were sent to Germany twice, and he was sent to Vietnam<br />
to investigate the black market. While in Vietnam<br />
he suffered a heart attack and retired from the service.<br />
He served during three wars: World War II, the Korean<br />
Conflict, and the Vietnam War.<br />
After retiring from his military career Jim opened offices<br />
in Texas and performed polygraph testing. He died<br />
in 1987 of a heart attack and is buried in the National<br />
Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas. Jim and his wife Beth<br />
had three children: Lawrence (b 1948; Kathy (b 1950;<br />
and Mark, (b. 1954). Mark is a psychologist in Corpus<br />
Christi, Texas.<br />
————————————————————–
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
The only way we can keep our family stories alive is to collect them<br />
How to Interview Your Older Relative<br />
By Yvonne Cariveau<br />
You realize how important it is to capture the memories<br />
of your mother, but you aren't sure how to start.<br />
You understand that if you don't get your grandfather to<br />
tell his story, no one else will, and soon it may be too<br />
late. Here's some help.<br />
One book recommends a 4S approach—Short, Simple,<br />
Strong and Sincere.<br />
• Short Keep your list of questions to one page,<br />
keep the questions short and open-ended.<br />
• Simple Tie thoughts together and keep the tone<br />
conversational. Know your subject. Look over the dates<br />
and things you already know.<br />
• Strong Use specific words rather than generalities<br />
(He loved sausage and banana sandwiches” rather<br />
than “he loved sandwiches”) Use action verbs (“She<br />
groaned when she talked about giving birth” rather than<br />
“She has bad memories about giving birth”) Don't beat<br />
around the bush. Be direct.<br />
• Sincere Be human. Write like you talk.<br />
(The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, Val<br />
D. Greenwood, 2nd Ed., 1990, Genealogical Publishing<br />
Co. Inc.)<br />
Another book provides good tips on how to go about<br />
collecting the stories.<br />
Prepare your questions ahead of time.<br />
Start with a short list of the questions you are most curious<br />
about at the top. Then have another set of questions<br />
in case you have additional time. (There are some<br />
suggested questions at the end of this article)<br />
Preparing for the interview.<br />
If you are going to take notes on paper, put the interview<br />
date and the person's full name on the top of your<br />
pages. Write out or type the questions, one to each page<br />
so you have LOTS of room for taking notes.<br />
If your relative is okay with recording the interview,<br />
set up the tape recorder or video camera in the corner of<br />
the room — somewhere out of the way so they can forget<br />
it is there after a while. Check the lighting, focus and<br />
sound to make sure you're all set. It’s best to have an assistant<br />
who is comfortable with the tape recorder or<br />
video camera who can check on the machinery and<br />
change tapes so you don't have to mess around with that<br />
business. It is difficult to take notes or switch tapes<br />
when you are trying to ask questions and keep the conversation<br />
rolling.<br />
Doing the interview.<br />
If you are going to do the interview in person, find a<br />
time that they are awake, relaxed and suggest meeting in<br />
their home or wherever they will be most comfortable. If<br />
8<br />
they have a favorite chair, perhaps a rocker, have them<br />
sit there. Make sure they have a glass of water handy—<br />
story telling can dry you out.<br />
Sit so you are just off to their side, so they can see<br />
you, but you aren't facing them head on because that's<br />
kind of intimidating.<br />
Ask if they might have any old papers or photo albums,<br />
bibles or other objects that you might look at together.<br />
Things like that bring up lots of great stories.<br />
Ask the<br />
questions<br />
slowly and in<br />
a relaxed<br />
way. If they<br />
tell you a<br />
story and you<br />
wonder about<br />
something as<br />
t h e y<br />
tell it, go<br />
ahead and<br />
ask, because<br />
if the question<br />
occurs to you<br />
it might occur<br />
to others listening<br />
to or<br />
reading the<br />
story later.<br />
Make the<br />
experience of<br />
telling the<br />
story a pleasure<br />
for both<br />
Yvonne Cariveau used the tools described<br />
in her article to write her feature article in<br />
the Fall 2002 Newsletter, which told the<br />
story “Marie Cesarie <strong>Durand</strong>—Tiny Pioneer<br />
Mother”<br />
of you. It's not a race or test. Keep it a warm, family<br />
conversation. If they don't remember something or don't<br />
want to tell about it, just move on to the next question.<br />
Don't press.<br />
Avoid commenting on the stories except to ask more<br />
questions. Show interest and empathy, but keep other<br />
emotions to yourself or you may cause them to stop or<br />
change the story. Remember that things that were scandalous<br />
or very hurtful to them may not seem like much<br />
to you, but the feelings they have may be very deep.<br />
Don't confront the person if something they tell you<br />
appears to be incorrect. Note their version of the story<br />
and investigate through other sources later. You may be<br />
mistaken or they may have just made a human mistake<br />
or perhaps it could be the result of age and loss of memory.
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
Doing a remote interview. If an in-person interview<br />
isn't good due to distance or for whatever reason, then<br />
make arrangements for a remote interview. Type up<br />
your questions or write them neatly and mail them to the<br />
person with a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Send<br />
them a large envelope so they can send back photos or a<br />
longer story if they want. Or send the typed list of questions<br />
along with a tape recorder and a set of blank tapes<br />
and a box and postage to mail the tapes back to you.<br />
And have them keep the recorder for the next round of<br />
questions or to use to record any other messages or stories<br />
they might want to record.<br />
Send a thank you and follow-up note. Send a note after<br />
you've gotten even one story and tell them how wonderful<br />
it was to get their<br />
story and how interested<br />
you were in it.<br />
Most people think<br />
their lives were fairly<br />
dull and may be surprised<br />
at what you<br />
find interesting.<br />
Compile the stories<br />
and check them. If<br />
you were only able<br />
to get written notes,<br />
print them up and<br />
send them to the person<br />
you interviewed<br />
so they can look<br />
them over to be sure<br />
you got everything<br />
Book by Kirk Polking is one of<br />
many helpful resources available.<br />
down correctly (and<br />
that they remembered<br />
correctly!). If<br />
you used a tape or<br />
video recorder, make a copy for them and send it to<br />
them to have and to listen to, not only for the pleasure of<br />
hearing themselves talk but for them to check their facts<br />
for you.<br />
Editing your material.<br />
Keeping the person's grammatical and spelling errors<br />
or their accent or dialect in their stories is part of the<br />
tale. But sometimes, for the clarity of the story, it may<br />
be appropriate to correct spelling and grammar to make<br />
it standard English. In that case, you may want to preserve<br />
and present a few examples of the person's unique<br />
language in some way.<br />
Of course if you’re preserving their stories by audio or<br />
video tape they should remain unchanged except for editing<br />
out long pauses or interruptions. You might, however,<br />
want to record in your voice each question if it<br />
wasn't spoken aloud as you taped.<br />
Organizing your material<br />
Put the stories in chronological or some other order<br />
9<br />
that makes sense to your family. Some people are just<br />
fine with sharing their story while they are living, but<br />
others would prefer that certain stories be told only after<br />
they have gone. Let them know that is an option for<br />
them and ask if there are any stories they would prefer<br />
you hold back until they (or someone else) has passed<br />
on.<br />
Sharing the stories.<br />
Besides the usual possibility of putting the stories<br />
you've gathered into a printed book or written family<br />
history, there are lots of electronic options. You can<br />
convert the stories into .pdf files by typing them up and<br />
inserting photos and scanning them using Adobe Acrobat.<br />
Or convert the audio tape to .wav or .mp3 files. Or<br />
convert the video tape to digital format. Any of these<br />
options will enable you to save the interview information<br />
to a CD or DVD for portable, permanent storage.<br />
Or to send it over the internet.<br />
You can distribute the stories in whatever form to family<br />
as a Christmas gift, or you can publish a book just<br />
get the stories out there. In any case, don't let them sit in<br />
your closet too long or they may stay untold to anyone<br />
but you.<br />
Suggested Starter Questions<br />
1) What is the earliest thing you can remember?<br />
2) We call you ____ in the family. Did you ever have<br />
any other names? Did you like that name? How did you<br />
get it?<br />
3) What were Christmases (Easters, Thanksgivings)<br />
like for you as a child? Do you remember a certain present<br />
or one year more than others?<br />
4) What did you want to be when you were a kid in<br />
school?<br />
5) Did you have someone you really looked up to as a<br />
kid or as a teenager? What did you admire about them?<br />
6) What kinds of games did you play when you were a<br />
child?<br />
7) How did you meet your husband/wife? What did<br />
you think of them that first time?<br />
8) How did you get engaged? Who asked? Where?<br />
What did your parents think of this?<br />
9) What do you remember about your wedding? Did<br />
you have a dance? Did anything not go according to<br />
plan?<br />
10) (If they have children) How did you find out you<br />
were going to have your first child? What was that like?<br />
11) What's the best job you ever had? What's the<br />
worst? Tell me about them...why were they good/bad?<br />
12) They say that each of us needs to learn something<br />
in our lifetime...what do you think you were supposed to<br />
learn during your life? Did you learn it?<br />
13) Have you been accident-prone? Was anyone in the<br />
family? How did that affect your life?<br />
14) Was anyone in our family limited by special<br />
(Continued on page 18)
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
Holiday Greetings by Mary <strong>Durand</strong> Morrow<br />
“All hearts come ho<br />
This phrase stirs many memories for me as<br />
my thoughts drift back to the farmhouse in<br />
northern Wisconsin where I grew up along<br />
with my eight siblings.<br />
The day before Christmas found us all bustling<br />
about as we prepared our home for this<br />
very special time. The floors were scrubbed,<br />
the Julekage (Norwegian Christmas bread)<br />
and pies were baked.<br />
Us older kids were assigned the task of going<br />
out into the “Tamarack swamp” to cut the<br />
Christmas tree. We would load it onto our<br />
sled, or if it was to big we would drag it home<br />
over the snow. When we arrived at the house<br />
it would still be covered with snow and little<br />
icicles. So it had to be warmed up by the<br />
wood stove, which then left a big puddle of<br />
water on mother’s clean floor.<br />
After the tree was put into the tree stand we<br />
would decorate it with silver garland and candles!<br />
When the evening meal was cleared<br />
away and the barn chores were finished, we<br />
gathered around the tree for that magical moment<br />
when our parents would light the candles.<br />
The pungent pine fragrance and the scent<br />
of the flickering candles filled the room. This<br />
ritual was only performed on Christmas Eve.<br />
It was a special time as we sat in awe of how<br />
beautiful our tree was. We would sing a few<br />
Christmas carols and then the candles would<br />
be snuffed out.<br />
Each of us hung one long stocking up by the<br />
tree. The other stocking was carefully laid out<br />
with our clean clothes that we were to wear to<br />
early morning Christmas Mass. I am sure that<br />
some Christmas mornings we must have attended<br />
Mass with a piece of Christmas candy<br />
still stuck in the toe of our stocking. We were<br />
sent upstairs to our beds, but it seemed like<br />
sleep would never come. We would lay there<br />
and listen for Santa.<br />
10<br />
Our dad would summon us early in the morning<br />
from the bottom of the stairway. His familiar call<br />
was “Charles, Mir, Shir, Virg, Eileen and Audrey –<br />
it’s time to get up!”<br />
The list was too long at a time like that! We<br />
would bound down the stairs to see what Santa had<br />
left for us. There was always a gift for each of us.<br />
The size of the gift depended on how profitable<br />
farming had been that year. If money was scarce<br />
Author Mary and her sister Shirley stand in snow heaped<br />
by a blizzard in 1939. In the background is the farmhouse<br />
where Lewis and Jennie raised their nine children.<br />
mom and dad made do with what they had. On<br />
Christmas Eve one year, Mother sat at her sewing<br />
machine making a rag doll for our youngest sister
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
so that she would have a gift in her stocking.<br />
It was hard to tear ourselves away from our gifts<br />
to attend an early morning Christmas mass at our<br />
little country church. We had to be careful not to<br />
pop a piece of candy into our mouths because we<br />
were supposed to fast from 12 o’clock the night before<br />
if we wanted to receive Communion.<br />
When we returned home after mass we were allowed<br />
to play with our new gifts while mother pre-<br />
Mary (“Mir”) stands with her brother Charles in a photo taken about 1945. In<br />
front l to r are Shirley (“Shir”), Virginia (“Virg”), Eileen, and Audrey. Yet to<br />
make their appearance in the family were Michael, Betty, and Kaye (1952-2002).<br />
pared a Christmas dinner of ham which had been<br />
grown and cured on our farm.<br />
My most memorable Christmas gift was a pair of<br />
new skates. They were beautiful! White leather<br />
with red laces! I felt like Hans Brinker as I glided<br />
over the ice on the lake that was part of our farm.<br />
Christmas vacation was a time to have sliding and<br />
skating parties with our siblings and many special<br />
friends and cousins. We would stand at the top of<br />
11<br />
the hill with our sleds — run and then “belly<br />
flop” onto our sleds to made them go faster<br />
and farther. We would build a warming bonfire<br />
on the iced over lakes when we went skating.<br />
Sometimes we brought along hot dogs<br />
and marshmallow to roast. We spent many<br />
hours enjoying ourselves this way.<br />
One Christmas when our own children were<br />
very young my husband and I traveled from<br />
Oregon by train to spend Christmas<br />
in Wisconsin. My parents<br />
had asked a neighbor to come on<br />
Christmas Eve to deliver the<br />
gifts. This portly neighbor appeared<br />
at the door in his red velvet<br />
suit with a sack on his back<br />
full of Chatty Cathy dolls, Tonka<br />
trucks and a shaggy maned stick<br />
horse. It was snowing outside<br />
and Santa was covered with big<br />
snowflakes. It was a Christmas<br />
that will always be remembered<br />
by our five children. After Santa<br />
left my parents hugged each<br />
other with joy! The farmhouse<br />
had once again held the magic of<br />
Christmas!<br />
Forty years later, Christmas 1983<br />
found all my sisters and brothers<br />
gathered once again at the farmhouse.<br />
The Christmas tree was<br />
up and decorated in the same<br />
room where we had our stockings on past<br />
Christmases. This year would be different.<br />
Our dear mother was near death in the next<br />
room. The parish priest had been there to administer<br />
the last rites. Our hearts were so<br />
heavy!<br />
It was a gray dreary December day. At daybreak<br />
a flock of evening grosbeaks (we always<br />
(Continued on page 17)
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
<strong>Durand</strong>s in the Military<br />
Devil Doc Heals and Teaches in Iraq<br />
By Lt Col James F. <strong>Durand</strong>, USMC<br />
Lieutenant Commander Patrick Ginn, Medical Corps,<br />
United States Naval Reserve, was deployed to the Middle<br />
East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with Expeditionary<br />
Medical Facility Three. During his tour of<br />
duty, he provided medical care to those in need and continued<br />
to teach those in<br />
his charge. Dr. Ginn is<br />
the son-in-law of <strong>Durand</strong><br />
<strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong><br />
member Susanne Krasovich<br />
of West Allis, Wisconsin.<br />
A native of Las Vegas,<br />
Nevada, Dr. Ginn completed<br />
medical school at<br />
Dartmouth College<br />
through the Navy’s<br />
Health Professions<br />
Scholarship Program. He<br />
met Susanne Krasovich,<br />
his future wife and namesake<br />
of her mother, while<br />
attending Dartmouth. After<br />
graduating from Officer<br />
Indoctrination School<br />
in Newport, Rhode Island,<br />
he was commissioned<br />
a lieutenant in the<br />
Navy’s Medical Corps.<br />
Following initial assignments,<br />
Pat completed a<br />
family practice residency<br />
at the Madgian Army<br />
Medical Center in Fort<br />
Lewis, Washington.<br />
While in residency, he<br />
was selected for a Faculty<br />
Development Fellowship<br />
and concurrently<br />
pursued a Master of<br />
Business Administration<br />
degree at Pacific Lutheran<br />
University, focusing<br />
on resident education<br />
and organizational behavior and management.<br />
He was assigned to the Naval Hospital in Pensacola,<br />
Florida. In addition to serving the sailors assigned to<br />
bases surrounding the city, Naval Hospital Pensacola is<br />
a “teaching hospital” and the location of the Family<br />
Practice Residency Program. Dr. Ginn supervised and<br />
12<br />
mentored the doctors specializing in Family Practice as<br />
they completed three years academic and practical training.<br />
Concurrently, the doctors, corpsman, and pharmacists<br />
assigned to Naval Hospital Pensacola are prepared to<br />
deploy as a Fleet Hospital.<br />
Over 900 medical<br />
professionals operate a<br />
500-bed field hospital<br />
that can be deployed<br />
throughout the world in<br />
support of American<br />
military and humanitarian<br />
interests. In the<br />
months prior to Operation<br />
Iraqi Freedom, Naval<br />
Hospital Pensacola<br />
deployed a 116-bed hospital<br />
to Kuwait. Designated<br />
Expeditionary<br />
Medical Facility Three,<br />
300 medical and surgical<br />
personnel from navy<br />
hospitals throughout the<br />
south and southwest<br />
staffed the hospital. Its<br />
facilities included, a<br />
casualty receiving unit,<br />
an operating room, three<br />
inpatient wards and an<br />
intensive care unit, as<br />
well as laboratory, radiology<br />
and pharmacy<br />
suites.<br />
Dr. Ginn left for the<br />
Middle East in early<br />
January, leaving his wife<br />
Susanne—also a family<br />
practitioner—and twoyear<br />
old son, Michael, in<br />
Pensacola. While any<br />
deployment is difficult<br />
for military families, the<br />
likelihood of combat<br />
and austere environment made this deployment even<br />
more challenging. Moreover, Susanne was pregnant<br />
with their second child.<br />
Upon arriving in theatre, the hospital and its staff were<br />
attached to the First Service Support Group, I Marine<br />
Expeditionary Force. The staff initially set up the hospi-<br />
Lt Cdr (Lieutenant Commander) Patrick Ginn on station in Iraq at<br />
Fleet Hospital Three. Motto is, “Anytime, Anywhere, Any Place”
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
tal along Kuwait’s northern border. In the months leading<br />
up to the war, they provided health services to the<br />
70,000 Marines and sailors of I MEF.<br />
While the hospital contains the most modern equipment<br />
available, the staff endured the same challenges as<br />
the Marines in living in the desert: heat, sand storms,<br />
and water rationing. Like all servicemen and women living<br />
and operating in the field, the doctors and corpsmen<br />
developed ways to adapt. Pat brought along a five plas-<br />
Lt Cdr Ginn in fatigue jacket against a sere desert backdrop.<br />
tic gallon bucket, which alternately functioned as a basin,<br />
washing machine, and suitcase. Yet it is because<br />
doctors and corpsmen willingly accept the same dangers<br />
and privations as the Marines they serve alongside that<br />
they are held in such high esteem.<br />
The history of the Marine Corps is filled with accounts<br />
of “Devil Docs” who have a sacrificed alongside the<br />
“Devil Dogs.”<br />
A field hospital is a massive and complex enterprise<br />
by any standard; EMF-3 was transported aboard 60 tractor-trailers<br />
and covered over nine acres once established.<br />
Serving there requires more than sharp medical skills.<br />
With the exception of the Marines assigned to provide<br />
external security and Seabees who support the hospital’s<br />
construction and maintenance, the hospital staff does<br />
everything. Doctors, nurses, and corpsman frequently<br />
and readily take on additional responsibilities to support<br />
the hospital’s mission.<br />
Amidst the 100-degree heat and threat of enemy fire,<br />
Dr. Ginn continued to teach and mentor those in his<br />
13<br />
charge. The doctors and corpsmen working at the hospital<br />
were eager to learn new skills and procedures. In correspondence<br />
with his family, Pat frequently recounted<br />
how staff members would seek to be taught new skills<br />
in order to better support the hospital.<br />
As the First Marine Division attacked north into Iraq,<br />
EMF-3 followed the Marines into battle and established<br />
the hospital at Jabilah Airfield, located midway between<br />
the Iraq-Kuwait border and An Nasiriyah. This was the<br />
To serve in Iraq, Ginn had to leave his two-year-old son Michael<br />
and pregnant wife Susanne, who is also a physician.<br />
first time that a Fleet Hospital had moved inland from a<br />
beach or port. Moreover, it was the first time that a hos-<br />
Rachel Ginn, born four months after Lt Cdr Ginn returned<br />
from his unit’s assignment in Iraq.<br />
pital had operated within a combat zone. By establishing<br />
the hospital close to the advancing units, the staff of<br />
(Continued on page 17)
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
Rules For The Teacher…...1915<br />
You will not marry during the term of your contract.<br />
You are not to keep company with men.<br />
You must be home between the hours of 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.<br />
unless attending a school function.<br />
You may not loiter downtown in any ice cream stores.<br />
You may not travel beyond the city limits unless<br />
you have permission of the chairman of the board.<br />
You may not smoke cigarettes.<br />
You may not under any circumstances dye your hair.<br />
You may not dress in bright colors.<br />
You may not ride in a carriage or automobile with<br />
Any man unless he be your father or brother.<br />
You must wear at least two petticoats.<br />
Your dresses must not be any shorter than 2 inches above the ankles.<br />
To keep the schoolhouse neat and clean, you must:<br />
Sweep the floor at least once daily; scrub the floor at least<br />
Once a week with hot, soapy water; clean the blackboards at least<br />
Once a day; and start the fire at 7 a.m. so the room will be warm by 8 a.m.<br />
14<br />
Polk County, Wis. Historical Society<br />
Bench Street Antiques & Mercantile<br />
Taylors Falls, MN 55084
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
In In Memorium<br />
Memorium<br />
Eugene L. “Jack” <strong>Durand</strong>, 72, of Spooner, died on<br />
Sunday, Nov. 9, 2003, at Spooner Health System.<br />
He was born on Sept. 11, 1931, to Lawrence and Ida<br />
(Jacobson) <strong>Durand</strong> in the town of Scott, where he was<br />
raised. He was a 1949 graduate of Spooner High School.<br />
On Aug. 8, 1953, he married Evonne Fox in Spooner.<br />
He served three years in the Army. In 1956 he cofounded<br />
Dur-a-Bilt in Spooner, which he operated for<br />
43 years, retiring as president. He and Evonne enjoyed<br />
their country cabin in the town of Scott.<br />
He was a member of St. Francis de Sales Catholic<br />
Church, Spooner, and served several terms on the<br />
Spooner School Board, of which he was a past president.<br />
Survivors include his wife; five children, Mark <strong>Durand</strong><br />
of Minong, Franceen (David) Horin of Hudson, Lisa<br />
(Charles) Wachtel of Evansville, Chris <strong>Durand</strong> of Webster,<br />
and Andrew <strong>Durand</strong> of Spooner; four grandchildren,<br />
Taylor, Jonathan, Jacob, and Hayleigh; two sisters,<br />
Sr. Manette <strong>Durand</strong> of Jonestown, Miss., and Karen Urben<br />
of Racine; and nieces and nephews.<br />
He was preceded in death by his parents; his stepmother,<br />
Harriet; an infant son, Gregory; a brother, Joseph;<br />
and a sister, Ione.<br />
The Mass of Christian Burial was held on Thursday,<br />
Nov. 13, at Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary Catholic<br />
15<br />
Church in the town of Scott, Fr. Andrew P. Ricci, celebrant.<br />
Jack was interred in the Sacred Hearts Cemetery in the<br />
town of Scott with military honors accorded by the<br />
Spooner Area Veterans Honor Guard.<br />
Notice of Family Reunion<br />
The descendants of Pierre & Louise <strong>Durand</strong> will<br />
hold their biennial Family Reunion<br />
Saturday, August 14, 2004<br />
Shell Lake Community Center<br />
Shell Lake, Wisconsin<br />
Host families are the descendants of<br />
Elzear <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Adelard <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Gilbert <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Please be prepared to bring family keepsakes and<br />
heirlooms for display at the reunion, along with<br />
written explanations of what they are and why they<br />
are significant to our history.<br />
Contact persons for the 2004 reunion are:<br />
Joanne <strong>Durand</strong> Berres (952) 469-2914<br />
Joyce <strong>Durand</strong> Ripley (715) 635-2245<br />
Alice <strong>Durand</strong> Keppel (952) 658-2330<br />
Great Classical Photos From Yesterday!<br />
Great Classical Picture– This great classical photo is one of many treasures from Beatrice <strong>Durand</strong> Derricks archives. Recently,<br />
Gaylen and his wife Martha Derrick, allowed Richard and Roger <strong>Durand</strong> to begin to sift through her “trunk”. Beatrice saved<br />
many treasures like this one that have not seen the light of day for many years. This photo is of Pierre <strong>Durand</strong>, (holding plow<br />
handles), along with four children, presumably on the homestead of Pierre and Louise <strong>Durand</strong>, perhaps early 1900’s.
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
Returning to the Seasonality of Food<br />
By Charli Mills<br />
It’s winter. The snows are drifting outside, the lakes<br />
are frozen over, and you’re snug as can be in your warm<br />
house, eating—of all things—strawberries! And why<br />
would you be eating strawberries mid-winter? Because<br />
you are a modern person living in a modern world,<br />
where strawberries are available at the grocery store<br />
year-round. Since your ancestors a hundred years ago<br />
certainly would not be nibbling strawberries in January,<br />
what would they have eaten?<br />
By 1890 43% of the American population was farmers.<br />
While that percentage is half of what it was in 1790<br />
(census records show that 90% of Americans were<br />
farmers in 1790) by 1990 that percentage had plummeted<br />
to 2.6%. Strawberries never were a mainstay<br />
crop, although in some parts of the country wild berries<br />
were abundant in the summer months. Raspberries fared<br />
well in the north-central states back in 1890 and shoots<br />
were easy enough to relocate when the families moved.<br />
Most often the crops on the farm did not directly supply<br />
the family with food. In 1890, for example, Minnesota’s<br />
primary crop was wheat, and this state was one of<br />
the country’s top three producers. Plentiful flowing water<br />
also afforded gristmills opportunities to produce<br />
flour; thus the growth of Minneapolis as “Mill City.” Of<br />
course bread was a constant staple food in the diets of<br />
our ancestors. Yet it would be big vegetable gardens and<br />
berry patches that ultimately supplied our ancestors with<br />
an abundant variety of seasonal foods: rhubarb in the<br />
spring, green beans all summer, melons by midsummer,<br />
tomatoes late summer, and potatoes and squash<br />
by fall.<br />
Heavy farm work often called for three full meals a<br />
day plus two lunches between. Fresh strawberries in<br />
winter would have been an utter oddity in 1890, but not<br />
strawberry jam. Our ancestors were ingenious for preserving<br />
the bounty of the land to see them through the<br />
barren winter months.<br />
While it is interesting to reflect upon the diets of our<br />
great-great-grandparents, really, what does this have to<br />
do with our current generation? After all, we are of a<br />
generation who can get strawberries in winter, fresh or<br />
preserved.<br />
The seasonality of food can help maintain our health<br />
by offering a wider variety of nutrients at peak freshness.<br />
Since our health is worth preserving, it is wise to<br />
gain the full nutritional impact of foods in season.<br />
Sometimes we get stuck in habits and eat the same<br />
foods week after week. Learn to notice what is in season.<br />
Talk to your store’s produce manager about what is<br />
freshest.<br />
January is the month for citrus. Take advantage of the<br />
16<br />
mandarins, tangerines, varieties of oranges and big ruby<br />
red grapefruits. They always taste better in January than<br />
in any other month. From citrus you get very important<br />
vitamin C, which can help ward off winter colds. Also,<br />
try to buy local produce when in season.<br />
Of course, January in the Midwest does not yield<br />
much in the way of produce. However, we do have a<br />
network of local dairies providing milk, butter and<br />
cheese and the hens are still laying their brown and<br />
white eggs nearby. We are also blessed to have local<br />
green-houses that grow tomatoes hydroponically yearround.<br />
While these tomatoes are different from the seasonal<br />
varieties we grow in summer, they do taste full<br />
and fresh. Tomatoes are one of the most nutritious foods<br />
available.<br />
Here is the complete list of the most nutritious foods<br />
you can include in your diet, from “Ten Foods that<br />
Pack a Whallop” (Time, Jan. 21, 2002):<br />
1. Tomatoes – cooked tomatoes have been linked<br />
to reducing cancers of the digestive track<br />
2. Spinach – highly nutritious for numerous reasons<br />
3. Red Wine – supercharged with antioxidants<br />
4. Nuts – seem to trigger a process known as apoptosis<br />
in which cancer cells kill themselves<br />
5. Broccoli – includes indole-3-carbinol that may<br />
detoxify cancer-causing substances<br />
6. Oats – this is a great source of fiber and hard-tofind<br />
antioxidants<br />
7. Salmon – high in omega-3s<br />
8. Garlic – nature’s cure-all<br />
9. Green Tea – loaded with polyphenols<br />
10. Blueberries – highest concentration of antioxidants<br />
Health professionals agree that food provides the highest<br />
quality of nutrition. While you would be able to find<br />
vitamins and other supplements that provide the nutritional<br />
value found in the top ten foods, your body will<br />
best be able to assimilate those nutrients from the actual<br />
source.<br />
This brings us back to seasonality: foods are at their<br />
peak of nutrition when they are freshest. Sure, strawber-<br />
♦ Local Produce Market<br />
♦ Meat & Seafood Market<br />
♦ Organic & Natural Groc.<br />
♦ Full-Service Deli<br />
♦ Drive-thru Coffee<br />
♦ Wellness Center<br />
13750 Co. Rd. 11 • Burnsville, MN 55337 • 952-891-1212
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
All hearts come... (Continued from page 11)<br />
called them Mother’s birds) had fluttered outside<br />
her bedroom window.<br />
It was a very long vigil as we sang to her in spite<br />
of the big lumps in our throats. Mother seemed to<br />
be aware of our presence, and she lay quietly as we<br />
Mary’s parents, Jennie and Lewis <strong>Durand</strong>. From a Norwegian<br />
family, Jennie made Julekage as part of the family’s<br />
Christmas tradition. As a young man Lewis did factory work,<br />
sales, and sailed the Great Lakes. Later a carpenter and<br />
farmer, Lewis lost two fingers in a construction accident.<br />
sang to her and prayed the rosary.<br />
And then something beautiful happened! At the<br />
very instant that our mother drew her last breath, an<br />
unexplainable light shown through the room. All of<br />
us that were at her bedside saw it. We could not<br />
find words to describe it.<br />
Perhaps it was the Christmas Angel coming to<br />
guide her home.<br />
You can give a gift membership online…<br />
and charge it!<br />
Visit www.durandfoundation.com<br />
17<br />
Devil Doc (Continued from page 13)<br />
EMF-3 was able provide to injured servicemen with a<br />
timely medical care a level that is unavailable in aid<br />
stations.<br />
This willingness and ability to operate so close to<br />
those in combat saved lives, as An Nasiriyah was the<br />
site of some of the most difficult combat the Marines<br />
encountered during the war. In addition to providing<br />
critical care to coalition troops from all units in Iraq,<br />
EMF-3 treated enemy prisoners of war and Iraqi civilians.<br />
In two months the hospital treated over 1,100 patients.<br />
Pat Ginn returned with the medical professionals of<br />
EMF-3 to a heroes’ welcome in Pensacola on June 9,<br />
2003. For Michael, his father’s return was the best present<br />
to celebrate his third birthday. After taking leave to<br />
visit family and friends, he resumed his duties at Naval<br />
Hospital Pensacola, continuing to teach and heal. More<br />
importantly, he helped Susanne as the couple prepared<br />
for the arrival of their daughter Rachel, who was born<br />
just four months later, in September.<br />
Returning to (Continued from page 16)<br />
ries picked in New Zealand in January might be fresh<br />
initially, but by the time they reach your store they have<br />
lost a lot of nutritional value. Many conventional fruits<br />
and vegetables are often irradiated to lengthen their<br />
shelf life. Irradiation does not preserve nutrients—some<br />
studies point out that this process may actually rob food<br />
of its natural vitamins and minerals. So again, look<br />
closer to home for the most nutritious foods. Only certified<br />
organic produce is guaranteed to not be irradiated.<br />
While you are contemplating the lives of your ancestors<br />
and digging up the roots to your family tree, keep<br />
warm and keep healthy. Savor the seasons and the food<br />
each one brings.<br />
—————————————————————<br />
Charli Mills writes food-related articles for Valley<br />
Natural Foods where she has served as Marketing Manager<br />
for three years. Valley Natural Foods is a community-owned<br />
cooperative located in Burnsville, MN, off of<br />
35E at exit 90 (look for the state road signs). Charli can<br />
be contacted at 952-891-1212, #239 or<br />
vallnat3@frontiernet.net.<br />
Do you have a question about food? Ask Charli...<br />
Mike <strong>Durand</strong>, Financial Advisor<br />
Insurance & Investments<br />
No cost or obligation portfolio review.<br />
Call toll free– 877-300-5797<br />
Visit my web site at www.mikedurand.com<br />
Securities offered through<br />
SunAmerica Securities<br />
AIG Advisor Group– Member NASD/SIPC
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
Reader’s Connection<br />
More Brothers and Sisters Marriages,<br />
and a Plea for Help<br />
Colleen Fadollone of Antelope, California wrote regarding<br />
sisters marrying brothers, and also asked for<br />
help in locating a burial site. Colleen wrote:<br />
Hi, Cousin John,<br />
Just read the newsletter and your wanting to know<br />
about sisters marrying brothers. I am a descendant of<br />
Leocadie and Rosana <strong>Durand</strong>, and my two sisters, Eileen<br />
and Margaret, married two brothers, Ted and Stan<br />
Zellmar.<br />
Two of my sons also married sisters: Richard and<br />
Tony Montes married Dianne and Barbara Feister.<br />
I also have a son who married a girl from Canada, and<br />
they live in the same town as my second cousin, who I<br />
believe is the husband of Doreen Hart [who wrote in the<br />
Fall 2003 newsletter]. They live in a small town of about<br />
5,000 named Olds, Alberta. I guess I have lost my son to<br />
Canada. He lives only about 50 miles from the grave of<br />
my great-grandfather, Nazarie <strong>Durand</strong>. I will visit<br />
Nazarie’s grave when I go to visit my son next summer.<br />
I have talked to Mavis Johnston [who wrote in the Summer<br />
2003 newsletter] several times. She is also my second<br />
cousin. What a small world!<br />
I am wondering if in the next newsletter you might<br />
mention the fact that all the Thibodeau family in<br />
Minnesota has been looking for the burial site of<br />
Caroline Thibodeau and her husband, Joseph Bonin.<br />
They were killed in Turtle Lake, Wisconsin and no<br />
one knows where they are buried, including their<br />
own grandchildren. They lived in Faribault at the<br />
time but were killed by a train in Turtle Lake in<br />
1892.<br />
Caroline was the first born of Olivia <strong>Durand</strong>. Caroline<br />
and Joseph left three orphaned children who<br />
never knew where their parents’ graves are.<br />
———————————————–<br />
Thanks for writing, Colleen. Hopefully someone will<br />
be able to shed some light on Caroline and Joseph<br />
Bonin’s burial site.<br />
Colleen by the way is the daughter of Jed (Gedion)<br />
Thibodeau, whose mother was Rosana <strong>Durand</strong> and<br />
whose grandmother was Olivia <strong>Durand</strong>, who married<br />
Dieudonne Thibodeau in Quebec and came to America<br />
and to Faribault, Minnesota in the great migration of<br />
<strong>Durand</strong>s.<br />
————————————————<br />
From Margie <strong>Durand</strong> Block of Rice Lake, Wisconsin<br />
comes word that she and some of her family are working<br />
on an article for this newsletter on “Mom and Dad’s<br />
story.” “Mom and Dad” are Peter and Marina <strong>Durand</strong>.<br />
Peter (the sixth surviving child of Pierre and Louise Du-<br />
18<br />
rand) lived and farmed in the Town of Scott, Burnett<br />
County, Wisconsin his entire life.<br />
Margie wrote that she is also working on a write-up<br />
for “Uncle Ray,” Peter’s bachelor brother, and she invites<br />
anyone who has something to add to either story to<br />
please get in touch with her. She also would like information<br />
about Peter’s early life because “as you know<br />
Dad was 38 when he and Mom married and we never<br />
learned much of his early life. He never said much about<br />
it, except how hard he worked.”<br />
Thank you for taking on this responsibility, Margie.<br />
Anyone who wants to get in touch with Margie can<br />
write to her at:<br />
Margie Block<br />
1963 21 15/16 St.<br />
Rice Lake, WI 54868<br />
—————————————————<br />
While cruising the internet one day in Google (you all<br />
know what that is, of course, I ran across a genealogical<br />
website that featured the name of <strong>Durand</strong> along with a<br />
couple of others. Not being familiar with the other<br />
(Continued on page 20)<br />
How to Interview… (Continued from page 9)<br />
needs—deaf, blind, birth defects, loss of limbs? How<br />
did that affect you?<br />
15) Were you or was your spouse a veteran? Where<br />
did you serve? What can you tell me about that experience?<br />
16) What was your grandpa and grandma's full<br />
names? What do you remember about them? Did they<br />
have any brothers or sisters?<br />
17) What did your grandfather do for a living? Where<br />
is he buried?<br />
18) What was/is your favorite entertainment? movies?<br />
radio? TV? plays? opera? sports?<br />
(The Complete Idiot's Guide to Genealogy, Christine<br />
Rose and Kay Germain Ingalls, 1997, Alpha Books).<br />
For more question ideas and suggestions for effective<br />
writing, get Writing Family Histories and Memoirs by<br />
Kirk Polking, 1995, Betterway Books. One of the best<br />
ideas in this book is that your interviewing and story<br />
telling should start with you. Ask yourself all of the<br />
questions above and record your answers, then interview<br />
others. You will learn things that will help you to<br />
interview others, and YOUR story will be recorded too.<br />
How can you NOT own an honestto-goodness<br />
book by a relative?<br />
Order The Taos Massacres by John <strong>Durand</strong><br />
$15 plus $3 shipping<br />
PO Box 765 Elkhorn, WI 53121<br />
Order online: www.puzzleboxpress.com
<strong>Winter</strong>, 2003 <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter<br />
Well, the scholarship fund bike ride is about three<br />
months closer. Next year on Tuesday, August 10 I’ll be<br />
unloading my bike from my car in Faribault, Minnesota<br />
and greeting those who will join me on<br />
this grand three-day adventure. So far<br />
there are several...my sister Ellen and<br />
her husband Bob, my sister Alice and<br />
her husband Pat, my niece Anna Webber,<br />
and Marilyn <strong>Durand</strong>, wife of Mike<br />
<strong>Durand</strong>, founder of our family foundation.<br />
Dianne Zimmer (daughter of the late Maurice <strong>Durand</strong>)<br />
has already pledged $25. I assume that’s in total<br />
and not per mile. Thank you, Dianne.<br />
I’m sure as the days creep closer that others will join<br />
in, especially when winter’s blasts are done and we take<br />
heart once again in the great renewal that springtime<br />
brings.<br />
I hope you aren’t put off by my yammering about this<br />
bike ride, but I believe it could turn out to be a great<br />
bonding event for family...not unlike the annual Green<br />
Chili Run in our family from years past, when those of<br />
my generation were younger and more vital.<br />
I believe 1980 was the year of the first Green Chili<br />
Run (although it wasn’t known as such at the time).<br />
That’s when several of my generation were running (or<br />
jogging mostly) for fitness and fun.<br />
Gathered at “the cabin” for our annual 4th of July gettogether,<br />
we rather spontaneously organized a run along<br />
the back roads of the area. My sister-in-law Florence<br />
<strong>Durand</strong>, famous in our family for her green chili and not<br />
inclined to such foolishness as ruining a perfectly good<br />
day by getting all hot and sweaty and being chased by<br />
deer flies, stayed at the cabin to cook green chili while a<br />
gang of us set forth on a recreational fun. And thus was<br />
born the annual Green Chili Run, which always culminated<br />
in a feast of Florence’s wonderful green chili and<br />
copious quantities of Margaritas.<br />
Next year my nephew John <strong>Durand</strong> Hillis (1949-1991)<br />
Surplus souvenir T-shirts from the visit of Pope John<br />
Paul II to Iowa were recycled for the 2nd Annual Green<br />
Chili Run by imprinting over the original design.<br />
19<br />
contracted with a friend to produce special T-shirts for<br />
the event, which by reputation was attracting a lot of interest<br />
(whether for the green chili or the Margaritas I<br />
cannot say). This friend happened to<br />
have hundreds of T-shirts left over<br />
from the visit of Pope John Paul II to<br />
For What It’s Worth<br />
Des Moines, Iowa the year before. So,<br />
By John <strong>Durand</strong><br />
ever the entrepreneur, John said, “Why<br />
don’t you print a new design over the<br />
Pope thing for this year’s Green Chili<br />
Run?” And thus she did. And thus did John bring up<br />
from Des Moines dozens of Green Chili Run T-shirts to<br />
sell to his gullible aunts and uncles and cousins.<br />
If anyone thought it would be neat to show up for the<br />
Green Chili Run wearing one of John’s T-shirts they<br />
soon learned that his product was good for photo-ops<br />
only. To cover the old design, John’s friend fashioned a<br />
circular image and screened it with thick rubbery white<br />
stuff that is about as good an insulator as I’ve ever seen.<br />
After few steps in one of these T-shirts on a summer day<br />
you feel sweat beads sliding down your belly.<br />
Nonetheless, these T-shirts are treasured by those of us<br />
who ran in the annual Green Chili Run, which as years<br />
went by dwindled from a 10-mile run to a 10-kilometer<br />
run to a 5-kilometer run/walk and ultimately to a fairly<br />
private affair for a few of the diehards. The consumption<br />
of green chili and Margaritas did not diminish, however.<br />
Well, I’m inclined to think that the scholarship fund<br />
bike ride not only needs a T-shirt for everyone who<br />
rides or participates, but also a proper name (something<br />
more jazzy than “scholarship fund bike ride”) . So that’s<br />
another project to get going. Any ideas out there? Anyone<br />
want to volunteer to come up with a design? To organize<br />
the acquisition and printing of T-shirts, etc?<br />
But as I said, if like Little Red Hen I have to sow and<br />
reap and bake by myself, that’s okay too. After all, I’m<br />
the one who got me into this. But I have a feeling that,<br />
like a family potluck, it somehow will all come together.
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Newsletter <strong>Winter</strong>, 2003<br />
The back page…<br />
Interested in the <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong>? Visit our website: www.durandfoundation.com<br />
Reader’s Connection (Continued from page 18)<br />
names I entered the website and was surprised to see<br />
detailed information about the family of Jean <strong>Durand</strong><br />
dit La Fortune from earliest times down to the present.<br />
Curious, I sent an email to the webmaster and received<br />
the following reply:<br />
I’m the wife of Joseph Matthew <strong>Durand</strong> (Texas), son<br />
of Gilbert Matthew (son of Leo Gilbert).<br />
I’ve been researching our ancestry for a while and<br />
came across the <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> website a few years<br />
ago.<br />
Anyway, a while back I came across an obituary from<br />
one of my ancestors (Hermenegilde Fournier) and noticed<br />
that one of the casket bearers was a Louis <strong>Durand</strong>.<br />
At the time I didn’t know whether this Louis <strong>Durand</strong><br />
was family or friend. Since then in researching other<br />
lines I’ve come across other <strong>Durand</strong>s in my ancestry<br />
and curiosity got to me to see how many times our<br />
families crossed.<br />
Regards,<br />
Marie <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Small world! Readers may remember that Marie’s<br />
husband Joseph ran across our <strong>Foundation</strong> website and<br />
got in touch with former chair Mike <strong>Durand</strong>. The result<br />
was a story about the Leo <strong>Durand</strong> family that appeared<br />
in the Spring 2002 Newsletter. After many a year of<br />
being out of touch with their Midwest roots the “Texas<br />
Chair<br />
Roger <strong>Durand</strong><br />
rdurand@frontiernet.net<br />
Vice Chair<br />
John <strong>Durand</strong><br />
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Officers<br />
jcdurand3391@charter.net<br />
Secretary<br />
Richard <strong>Durand</strong><br />
rgdur@spacestar.net<br />
Treasurer<br />
Alice Keppel<br />
amkeppel@2z.net<br />
76 Marcin Hill<br />
Burnsville, MN 55337<br />
Phone 612-898-2896<br />
624 East Market St #103<br />
Elkhorn, WI 53121<br />
Phone 262 723-7750<br />
320 Em Street<br />
Spooner, WI 54801<br />
Phone 715-635-3888<br />
1104 Apple Circle<br />
Mayer, MN 55360<br />
Phone 952-659-2330<br />
20<br />
To update the <strong>Durand</strong> family tree, contact:<br />
Blanche <strong>Durand</strong> Hammer<br />
1547 Quail Ridge Road<br />
Woodbury, MN 53125<br />
Email: mbmn@attbi.com<br />
<strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> Board of Directors<br />
Mike <strong>Durand</strong>, John <strong>Durand</strong>, Roger <strong>Durand</strong>, Alice <strong>Durand</strong> Keppel, Tom Bacig, Yvonne Cariveau, Richard <strong>Durand</strong>,<br />
Susanne Krasovich, Mary Brusegard, Blanche <strong>Durand</strong> Hammer, Joanne Berres<br />
New<br />
<strong>Durand</strong>s” were reconnected! Now we learn that <strong>Durand</strong>s<br />
are also connected to the family of Joseph’s wife<br />
Marie. Did someone say “six degrees of separation?” In<br />
any event, Marie’s talents as a genealogist are a welcome<br />
addition to our efforts.<br />
Keep those cards and letters and emails coming, folks!<br />
To contact the <strong>Durand</strong>s in the Military Project<br />
Lt Col James F. <strong>Durand</strong>, USMC<br />
(Colonel <strong>Durand</strong>, between postings, will have a new<br />
mailing address soon)<br />
Email: JFDURAND@aol.com<br />
To find out about the Young Writers Project<br />
Virginia <strong>Durand</strong> James<br />
2087 County Road A<br />
Spooner, WI 54801<br />
Phone: 715-635-3068<br />
Newsletter<br />
John <strong>Durand</strong>, Chair<br />
Roger <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Susanne Krasovich<br />
Ellen <strong>Durand</strong> Olson<br />
Research<br />
Roger <strong>Durand</strong>, Co-Chair<br />
Yvonne Cariveau, Co-Chair<br />
Richard <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Mike <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Susanne Krasovich<br />
Standing Committees<br />
Records<br />
Blanche Hammer, Chair<br />
Roger <strong>Durand</strong><br />
John <strong>Durand</strong><br />
Membership/Marketing<br />
Mike <strong>Durand</strong> Chairperson<br />
Marilyn <strong>Durand</strong><br />
The <strong>Durand</strong> <strong>Heritage</strong> <strong>Foundation</strong> is a public, not-for-profit, educational and research corporation chartered in the State of<br />
Minnesota and operating under §501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions are tax-deductible to the extent allowable.<br />
The <strong>Foundation</strong> affords no pecuniary benefit to its officers and members.