Marie Adelaide Almanne
Amans
This page last modified on Sunday, April 5, 1998.

MARIE ADELAIDE (IDA) ALMANNE

(Picture)
   Marie Adelaide was born 11 Mar 1857 and christened 30 Mar 1857 in Tingwick, Arthabaska, Quebec, Canada. She was the 11th and youngest child of Francois Xavier Amans (L Allemand) and Angele Morin.

   To the best of my knowledge she had 5 older brothers: Charles, Andrew, George (probably deceased by the time Adelaide was born), Henry, and Antoine. She also had 5 older sisters: Marie Delima, Isabelle, Henrietta, Emma, and Mary.

   Marie Adelaide is my great grandmother. I always knew her name to be Ida. Where did the name Ida come from? I have surmised that her 2 year old sister, Mary, could not say the whole name, Adelaide, and shortened it to Ada which sounds a lot like Ida.

   I assume that she lived a typical childhood of the time in the midst of loving parents, brothers, sisters, other family members and friends. Her father was a farmer and thus she must have enjoyed the freedom of the outdoors to some extent. She probably had chores to help with around the house even at her young age.

   Sadly, in May 1864 when Ida was 7 years and 2 months of age, her mother died. A month later, in June, her sister, Henrietta died. A few weeks later, also in June, her father died. What a traumatic time in the life of a young child.

   By this time in her life Ida had one married brother and two married sisters, who lived close by. The older sisters probably took in the younger brothers and sisters and helped raise them. But two of Ida's brothers, Charles and Andrew, had emigrated to the United States in 1863 when Ida was 6. Two other brothers, Henry and Antoine emigrated to the states 6 years later when Ida was 12.

   I have no record of when Ida and her sisters, Mary and Emma, emigrated to the United States, because at that time women did not have to be naturalized. The 1900 Federal census states that Mary came in 1869 and Ida in 1870. However, I suspect that the older sister, Emma, brought Mary and Ida and perhaps Antoine to the states in Feb 1869. Antoine was 16. Mary was 13 and Ida almost 12. If they came to the United States when Antoine did, they arrived at Port Huron, Michigan. Upon arriving in the United States, and at her young age, Ida found employment in the factories where she worked long, hard hours to help support herself.

   Around 1873, at about the age of 16, she married Joseph Charles Auguste Rousseau somewhere in Connecticut.

   On 12 Nov 1874 in New Haven, Connecticut their first child, Joseph Rousseau was born. About 1876 twins were born to Ida but died shortly after birth.

   It seems the Rousseau family moved often because each child was born in a different state or city. In Providence, Rhode Island on 28 Feb 1878, Anna Marie Rousseau was born. Anna Marie was my grandmother.

   Somewhere in Maine on 15 Dec 1879 Philip Francis Rousseau was born. In Biddeford Maine, Louise Flossie was born 18 Aug 1881. From Maine they moved to Marinette, Wisconsin where Charles Oliver was born 4 Jul 1883. Phoebina was born in Feb 1885 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin. After yet another move Frank was born May 1887 in Hayward, Wisconsin.

12 Nov 1874 New Haven, Conn. Joseph
1876twins (died)
28 Feb 1878Providence, R.I.Anna Marie
15 Dec 1879MainePhilip Francis
18 Aug 1881Biddeford, MaineLouise Flossie
4 Jul 1883Marinette, Wis.Charles Oliver
Feb 1885Rice Lake, Wis.Phoebina
May 1887Hayward, Wis.Frank
   One can only imagine the difficult life Ida lived, with all her pregnancies, small children and constant moves. In addition, her husband, Charles, apparently was an alcoholic and spent his pay check at the bars. It's no wonder that on 18 of April 1889, Ida was granted a divorce from Charles Rousseau. The divorce decree states "that the defendant (Charles Rusau) has deserted the plaintiff (Ida Rusau) for more than a year." The marriage was dissolved and Ida was awarded the "care, custody and education of her minor children: Joseph Rusau, Oliver Rusau, Frank Rusau, Philip Rusau, Louise Rusau, Phoebena Rusau and Annie Rusau."

   To support her young family of 7 children, Ida walked many miles to work in a restaurant in the town of Hayward, Wisconsin where she was allowed to take the left over food home to feed her family. Many times she and the children must have gone to bed hungry. What a sad and difficult life.

   Sometime in 1889 Ida married Charles Green, possibly in Hayward. Wisconsin. I have not found a marriage record. On the 25 Mar 1890 in Hayward, a daughter was born to Charles and Ida Green. This baby was named Philomene, but she died of sunstroke at the age of 4 1/2 months on 8 Aug 1890. Another daughter, Josephine, was born prematurely and also died. On 29 Sep 1900, fifteen year old Phoebina died from typhoid fever in Hayward, Wisconsin. The 1900 Federal census states that Ida was the mother of 12 children with 6 living. I have only been able to account for 11 of the 12 children. There were no living children of Charles Green.

   While living in Hayward, Wisconsin, Ida lived across the river from my mother, Lavina Ida Senecal. Lavina was given the middle name, Ida, after her grandmother. Lavina was just small but remembers well crossing the river to go visit her grandma. Ida used to pick Trailing Arbutus, and walk into town, and sell it for 10 cents a bunch. She loved flowers and used to say, "Give me flowers while I'm alive and can enjoy them---not after I die."

   Ida's husband, Charles Green, had taken up a homestead that had a log cabin with a stairway leading to a little hole in the ceiling where the children could crawl up to their bedroom. They lived on, what was called Sand Flats. Charles worked in the lumber mills at Jackson's Logging Camp in Hayward.

   In about 1905 Charles and Ida, along with the Rousseau children, some already married, left Wisconsin and moved to Yakima, Washington. I found these families on the 1910 Federal Census in North Yakima.

   Great grandma Ida was a very petite woman being only about 5 feet tall. She had raven black hair and black eyes. She was a hard worker, thrifty and wasted nothing. She used to make overshoes out of old wool coats for her children to wear so they could go to school. She never had the opportunity for school herself so she could not read or write. But she did retain her knowledge of the French language. Her husband, Charles Green, used to read the French newspaper to her but she did speak English.

   Ida could not smell but was an excellent cook. While living in Yakima she did washing, ironing, and cleaned house for people. She was a meticulous housekeeper and her home was filled with beautiful items that she crocheted.

   My Mother, Lavina, and her sister, Annie and brother Bill spent their summers with their grandmother Ida in Yakima. Ida was an excellent seamstress and sewed new school clothes for them before they went back to the Catholic Convent for the winter.

   Ida died 5 Nov 1937 from heart problems at the age of 80 and was buried 8 Nov 1937 in the Calvary Cemetery in Yakima, Washington.

   I have many pictures of my great grandmother Ida that I cherish. I never had the privilege of seeing or knowing her, but I wish I had. She was a special lady who was an inspiration to many people, including me.

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