Félix GATINEAU

(b. 12 November 1857 , Sainte-Victoire-de-Sorel, Canada East d. 21 December 1927 , Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA )

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Félix GATINEAU was born 12 November 1857 in Sainte-Victoire-de-Sorel, Canada East

Félix GATINEAU was the child of Joseph GATINEAU and Marie THERIAULT and the grandchild of: (paternal) Joseph GATINEAU dit BRINDAMOUR and Marguerite PELLETIER (maternal) Antoine THERIAULT and Marie-Adelaide PHOCAS dite RAYMOND

Félix GATINEAU died 21 December 1927 in Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA .

Félix Gatineau (November 12, 1857 – December 21, 1927) was a French-Canadian statesman and historian in his adopted hometown of Southbridge, Massachusetts. He was born in Sainte-Victoire, Quebec, an area halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. Gatineau arrived in Southbridge in 1877. Among his many deeds, he was a state representative in Massachusetts in 1906, 1920–21, and 1927, and led several French-Canadian societies. His written works include L'Histoire des Franco-Américains de Southbridge and L'Historique des Conventions Générales des Canadiens-Français aux Etats-Unis.

A statue was erected in his honor in Southbridge at a fork in a main road. The Gatineau bust is a local landmark, and often serves as a wayfinder, with locals directing people "Félix to the left" or "Félix to the right."

wikipedia

Felix married Odile Giard, 20 JUN 1882 • Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA

Details of the family tree of Félix appear below.

Québec Généalogie - Over time, Québec has gone through a series of name changes
From its inception in the early 1600s until 1760, it was called Canada, New France.
1760 to 1763, it was simply Canada
1763 to 1791 - Province of Québec
1791 to 1867 - Lower Canada
1867 to present - Québec, Canada.

Thanks to Micheline Gadbois MacDonald for providing this information.

The Definitive Guide for Researching Your French-Canadian Ancestors in 2025

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Discovering the Ancestry of Félix GATINEAU: Events, Photos & Historical Records

1857 Birth
12 November 1857
Sainte-Victoire-de-Sorel, Canada East

Baptism

Familysearch.org. Quebec Vital and Church Records (Drouin Collection) (Mormon Genealogy Records).
The French In North America: 1500-1783

1858 - March 30 - H. L. Lipman, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, patented the first pencil with eraser

1864 - Pasteurization is invented (Louis Pasteur, France)

1868 - The typewriter is invented (Christopher Latham Sholes, United States)

Thomas Edison applies for his first patent, the electric vote recorder.

1876 - March 7 – Alexander Graham Bell is granted a United States patent for an invention he calls the telephone.

1877 - November 21 - Thomas Edison announces his invention of the phonograph, a machine that can record sound.

1879 - Incandescent light bulb is invented (Thomas Alva Edison, United States)

1880 Southbridge, Massachusetts
Name: Felix Gatineau
Age: 22
Birth Year: abt 1858
Birthplace: Canada
Home in 1880: Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Single
Father's Birthplace: Canada
Mother's Birthplace: Canada
Neighbors: View others on page
Occupation: Drug Clerk
Household Members:
Name Age
Felix Gatineau 22
1880 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1882 marriage
Name: Felix Gatieneau
Birth Year: abt 1860
Birth Place: Canada
Marriage Date: 20 Jun 1882
Marriage Place: Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Age at Marriage: 22
Father: Joseph
Mother: Marie
Spouse: Odile Giard
Spouse Birth Place: Southbridge
Spouse Age at Marriage: 21
Spouse Father: Pierre
Spouse Mother: Eleste

Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Marriage Records, 1840-1915 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
ancestry.com

1884 - Photographic film is invented (George Eastman, United States)

The first gravity roller coaster amusement ride (LeMarcus A. Thompson, United States)

Félix GATINEAU - 1884 Naturalization National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Index to New England Naturalization Petitions, 1791-1906

1884 Naturalization

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington, D.C.; Index to New England Naturalization Petitions, 1791-1906 (M1299); Microfilm Serial: M1299; Microfilm Roll: 71

ancestry.com

1889 - The automobile is invented (Gottlieb Daimler, Germany)

1891 - The zipper is invented (Whitcomb L. Judson, United States)

The motion picture camera is invented (Thomas Alva Edison, William K.L. Dickson, United States)

First Perforated Toilet Paper Roll is Patented

1897 - Aspirin is invented (Felix Hoffmann (Bayer), Germany)

1900 Southbridge, Massachusetts
Name: Felix Gatineau
Age: 42
Birth Date: Nov 1857
Birthplace: Canada
[Canada French]
Home in 1900: Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1887
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Odie M Gatrineau
Marriage Year: 1882
Years Married: 18
Father's Birthplace: France, Canada
Mother's Birthplace: Canada, France
Household Members:
Name Age
Felix Gatrineau 42
Odie M Gatrineau 39
Laura L Gatrineau 17
Oscar F Gatrineau 13
Emma E Gatrineau 11
Ida R Gatrineau 9
Cora M C Gatrineau 5
George C D Gatrineau 3
Nadia M L Gatrineau 1
Peter Giard 76
Edward Theriault 25

1900 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

ancestry.com

1901 - King Camp Gillette and William Emery Nickerson invented the world's first disposable razor blade in 1901. (Boston, Massachusetts, USA)

1902 - July 17 - Willis Haviland Carrier designed the first modern air-conditioning system. (Buffalo, New York, USA)

1903 - The first engine-powered airplane is invented (Wilbur & Orville Wright, United States)

1906 - August 22 – The first Victor Victrola, a phonographic record player, was manufactured, revolutionizing the way people listened to music at home.

In 1906, Reginald Fessenden made the first AM radio broadcast on December 24th. This event marked a significant advancement in radio technology, paving the way for the modern broadcasting industry.

1907-1908 - The electric washing machine is invented (Alva J. Fisher, United States)

1908 - First Model-T car is produced by Henry Ford (United States)

1912 - April 15 - Titanic sinks in the North Atlantic

1913 - The assembly line is invented (Henry Ford, United States)

The bra is invented (Mary Phelps Jacob, United States)

1920 Southbridge, Massachusetts
Name: Felix Gatineau
Age: 62
Birth Year: abt 1858
Birthplace: Quebec Canada
[Quebec]
[Quebec;Canada]
Home in 1920: Southbridge, Worcester, Massachusetts
Street: Goddard St
House Number: 15
Race: White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year: 1877
Relation to Head of House: Head
Marital Status: Married
Spouse's Name: Odele Gatineau
Father's Birthplace: Quebec
Mother's Birthplace: Quebec
Native Tongue: French
Able to Speak English: Yes
Occupation: Sealer Of Weighter
Industry: Town
Employment Field: Wage or Salary
Home Owned or Rented: Own
Home Free or Mortgaged: Mortgaged
Naturalization Status: Naturalized
Able to Read: Yes
Able to Write: Yes
Neighbors: View others on page
Household Members:
Name Age
Felix Gatineau 62
Odele Gatineau 59
Ida R Gatineau 28
George D Gatineau 22
Louise Gatineau 23
Clement Begin 79
Morris Goodwin 30
Hyman Goodwin 27
Elizabeth Hilliard 20
Jessie Mountain 25

1920 Census Ancestry (U.S.)
Exploring the U.S. Census: Your Guide to America’s Data

1921 - Charles Strite of Minnesota patents the pop-up toaster.

1923 to 1927 - Television is invented (Vladimir Kosma Zworykin (Russia), Philo Taylor Farnsworth (United States))

Death
Name: Felix Gatineau
Death Date: 1927
Death Place: Southbridge, Massachusetts, USA
Volume Number: 69
Page Number: 95
Index Volume Number: 83
Reference Number: F63.M363 v.83

Ancestry.com. Massachusetts, Death Index, 1901-1980 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
ancestry.com

Felix Gatineau
Felix Gatineau came to town from Ste. Victoire, Quebec, Canada, in 1875, aged eighteen, to work in the Hamilton Woolen Mills, and went into the grocery business on Elm Street. His influence was greatly felt during this period as he encouraged others of French-Canadian descent to become citizens and undertake their civic duties. He had served for 10 years as Overseer of the Poor and was elected Selectman three times. He was to go on to a career in the state legislature to which he was elected in 1906, 1920, and 1926. He is represented in the library by his History of French-Canadiens in Southbridge.

Southbridge News, Bicentennial Edition
Southbridge, Massachusetts
1976