St. George Catholic Church

25th Anniversary Celebration of Rev. C. A. Poissant

The following is a reprint of a booklet from

St. George Catholic Church, St. George, Illinois, dated 1916.

It was printed to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary Mass of Rev. C. A. Poissant.

Quam dilecta tabernacula

tua Domine.

Jubile Sacerdotal

Rev. C. A. Poissant

1891 – 1916

Messe Solennelle

Celebrant: Rev. C. A. Poissant

Diacre: Rev.W. H. Granger

Louis-diacre: Rev. P .B. Dufault

Predicateur: Rev. A. D. Granger*

Programme musical de la Soiree

1 Vox populi Solo de piano

2 Salut demeure chaste et pure Solo Vocal

3 Operette Allegorique

I Acte: Une fete en perspective

II Acte: Au pays des anges

III Acte: Tribut de veneration au jubilaire

Entr’ actes:

1 Deux grendiers Solo Vocal

2 Une perle tombee du ciel Solo Vocal

3 Solo de violon

4 Magnificat Duo Vocal Choeur

Noms des Messieurs, des Dames et des Demoisetles qui

Figurant dans le programme musical

Rev. A. N. St Aubin, C.S.V.

Messieurs
O. Martel, Prof.	E. Chapleau	T. Gardiner	F. Martin
E. Boudreau	P. Deslauriers	Jos. L. Leclaire	F. Ponton
A. Boudreau	L. Gardiner	P. Lesage	A. Surprenant
H. Bouchard
Dames
	C. Bessley	L. Granger
	S. Deslauriers	I. Ritter
Demoiselles
E. Belisle	B. Martin	A. Gregoire	E. Lesage
D. Bissonnette	L. Cote	E. Gregoire	M. Massoni
E. Blanchette	A. Deslauriers	G. Gregoire	R. Ruel
A. Bouchard	A. Deslauriers	M. P. Gregoire	D. Ruel
D. Bouchard	A. Fortier	C. Lambert	M. R. Senesac
E. Bouchard	G. Fortier	G. LeBeau	M. St. Aubin
J. Bouchard	G. Gladu	R. LeBeau	C. Surprenant
N. Bouchard	A. Guimond	T. LeBeau	G. Surprenant
L. Caron	S. Granger	C. Leclaire	L. Surprenant

*Note about Rev. Father A. D. Granger - (Information paraphrased from "HISTORY OF KANKAKEE COUNTY" Pages 956 & 957, courtesy of the Kankakee Public Library)

[Father A. D. Granger is my half 3rd cousin 4 times removed on my father's side]

Rev. Ambroise David Granger was born at Bourbonnais Grove on December 21, 1863. He was the son of Ambrose and Marcelline (Touchette) Granger, both natives of Canada. Ambrose D. Granger was the eldest of eight children that included himself, Henry, Alexis L., Peter, George, William H., Mary and Joseph. William H. Granger would also become a priest. This branch of the family in Illinois was founded by Father Granger's grandfather, David Granger, who along with his wife, Isabelle (Elizabeth) Roy settled in Bourbonnais Township in 1848.

He was reared and educated in his native township of Bourbonnais Grove. In the common schools, he laid the foundation of his education. He pursued his studies at St. Viateur’s College at Bourbonnais. [Also attended by my maternal grandfather, Clement Norbert Raiche]. Graduated from that excellent institution, he was ordained at the age of twenty-five to the ministry by the venerable Archbishop Feehan.

For five years, he served as assistant at the church of Notre Dame, Chicago, and then succeeded to the rectorship of St. Rose’s Church in Kankakee in 1894. Rev. Father William Granger, his brother, assisted him in taking charge of the parish which numbered about five hundred families.

In connection with St. Rose's Church, there was a most excellent parochial school with about one hundred and eighty boys, and a convent with two hundred and fifty girls. Sixteen Sisters of the congregation of Notre Dame took charge of these schools. The parish also had an Emergency Hospital, which was built in 1896, and stood directly opposite the church. This was erected through the instrumentality of Father Granger. He was ably assisted in his efforts by the citizens of Kankakee, generally without respect to creed or nationality. The building was a handsome brick edifice with stone trimmings costing $30,000. It was equipped with all modern appliances. It was under the control of the Sisters of the Sacred Heart of Mary from Paris, France.

Father Granger was personally regarded with love and respect by the entire community and was looked up to by his congregation as an able and conscientious worker in the vineyard of the Lord.

*Note about Rev. A. N. St. Aubin, C.S.V.

I recently found a picture from the book" The Village: A Story of Bourbonnais" by Adrian Richards that shows the Boys Public School in 1917 in Bourbonnais. In the picture caption, Brother August N. St. Aubin C.S.V. is mentioned as a teacher there.

The story on page 52 states the following: "Since 1865, the Viatorian Brothers had been administering the boys school, as girls received their education at Notre Dame Convent. Now boys and girls are the responsibility of the sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. The brothers were needed at St. Viateur College and Academy, and the Viatorian Provincial had requested that his order be relieved of these duties. Brother John F. Koelzer and Brother August St. Aubin were than replaced by the Sisters of St. Henry of Sweden and St. Mary of the Redeemer.........Brother Koelzer returned to St. Viateur Academy, where he taught religion classes, while Brother St. Aubin, a native of nearby St. George, an athletic coach, musician, singer, military specialist, disciplinarian and a loyal motorcyclist was assigned to other duties."

This would explain why Brother St. Aubin was put in charge of the musical program, as he was musically gifted and a native of St. George.

According to the "Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois", edited by Newton Bateman, LL.D. and Paul Selby, A. M. and "The History of Kankakee County", edited by William F. Kenaga and George R. Letourneau, Volume II, Illustrated, Chicago, Middle-West Publishing Company, Publishers, 1906, "Rev. A. St. Aubin, C.S.V., was an instructor in swordsmanship" at St. Viateur College in Bourbonnais.

Demoiselles [The Young Ladies] These are listed alphabetically and the information is based on the St. George Communion and Confirmation Records, which list full name and age. This list is of all the unmarried girls who participated at the time of Fr. Poissant's 25th anniversary.
Name	Full Name, age at time and other information available.
E. Belisle	Edna Belisle, approximate age 10 at the time.
D. Bissonnette	Desneignes Bissonnette, approximate age 11 at the time.
E. Blanchette	Could be either Eva or Estelle Blanchette?
A. Bouchard	Antoinette Bouchard, approximate age 12 at the time.
D. Bouchard	Delia Bouchard, approximate age 22 at the time.
E. Bouchard	Esther Bouchard, approximate age 14 at the time.
J. Bouchard	Julienne Bouchard, approximate age 8 at the time.
N. Bouchard	Nelda Bouchard, age unknown.
L. Caron	Lida Caron, my grandmother's best friend, approximate age 18 at the time. Later, she became Lida Lebeau.
L. Cote	Lea Cote, approximate age 10 at the time.
A. Deslauriers	Anna Deslauriers, approximate age 10 at the time.
A. Deslauriers	Aloina Deslauriers, approximate age 11 at the time.
A. Fortier	Antoinette Fortier, approximate age 12 at the time.
G. Fortier	Gertrude Fortier, approximate age 13 at the time.
G. Gladu	Genevieve Gladu, approximate age 7 at the time.
S. Granger	Stella Granger, approximate age 7 at the time.
A. Gregoire	Arzelie Gregoire, approximate age 9 at the time.
E. Gregoire	Eva Gregoire, approximate age 21 at the time.
G. Gregoire	Georgiana Gregoire, my Grandmother's best friend, approximate age 18 at the time. Later, she became Georgiana Rivard. If you are the family of Georgiana and are reading this, I have a group of 5 very old family photos that I would like to return to you. These belonged to my Grandmother Leah Longtin. They include wedding, graduation and family pictures.
M. P. Gregoire	Marie Paule Gregoire, approximate age 13 at the time.
A. Guimond	Avila Guimond, my 1st cousin twice removed, approximate age 9 at the time.
C. Lambert	Cecelia Lambert, approximate age 11 at the time.
G. LeBeau	Genevieve LeBeau, approximate age 8 at the time.
R. LeBeau	Rachel LeBeau, approximate age unknown.
T. LeBeau	Therese LeBeau, approximate age 14 at the time.
C. Leclaire	Cecile Leclaire, approximate age 11 at the time.
E. Lesage	Elmire Lesage, approximate age 11 at the time.
B. Martin	?
M. Massoni	?
D. Ruel	Desneignes Ruel, approximate age 9 at the time.
R. Ruel	Regina Ruel, approximate age 12 at the time.
M. R. Senesac	Marie Rose Senesac, approximate age 11 at the time.
M. St. Aubin	Mabel St. Aubin, age unknown.
C. Surprenant	Cecelia Surprenant, my paternal grandaunt, approximate age 8. In 1932, she married Homer Raymond. In 1942, she married Roland Caron.
G. Surprenant	Grace Surprenant, my 1st cousin twice removed, approximate age 10 at the time.
L. Surprenant	Leah Surprenant, my paternal grandmother who was 18 at the time. In 1919, she married Alfred Longtin.

Messieurs [The Gentlemen] These are listed alphabetically and the information is based on the St. George Communion and Confirmation Records, which list full name and age. This list is of all the men who participated at the time of Fr. Poissant's 25th anniversary.
Name	Full Name, age at time and other information available.
H. Bouchard	?
A. Boudreau	?
E. Boudreau	Elzear E. Boudreau, approximate age 32 at the time.
E. Chapleau	?
P. Deslauriers	P. J. Deslauriers, approximate age 39 at the time. He is the husband of Stella Ethier.
L. Gardiner	?
T. Gardiner	?
Jos. L. Leclaire	Joseph L. Leclaire, approximate age 79 at the time. He is the husband of Heloise Brule-Leclaire.
P. Lesage	?
O. Martel, Prof.	?
F. Martin	?
F. Ponton	Frank Ponton, approximate age 49 at the time.
A. Surprenant	Albert Surprenant, my paternal great-grandfather, approximate age 40 at the time. He is the husband of Mary Guimond-Surprenant.