Belzmire Marie Prudhomme

Marie Belzmire Bédard was born September 16, 1875, Saint-Odilon-de-Cranbourne, Dorchester, Québec, Canada to Sifroid Bédard and Marie Dion Bédard. Her her sister Sarah L. was born in 1878. Belzmire immigrated with her parents to Adams, Massachusetts, from Québec in 1881, when she was around 5 years old. I don’t see a record of Sarah L. in the 1900 Census for Adams, so she may have died in childhood. Belzmire’s siblings Alfred (Fred), Josephine, Lea G., and Nelson J. Bedard were all born in Adams. Her father Sifroid died Sept. 16, 1896, in Adams, when Belzmire was 21, and had four younger siblings.

Belzmire worked as a warper tender and mill operator in the woolen mills. She was literate and spoke French.

At age 22, Belzmire married Arthur Cyril Prudhomme, 28-year-old weaver in the woolen mills, on January 17, 1898. He was the son of Jacques Prudhomme and Rachel Desmaisons. The couple moved into the cottage behind the large house Marie Dion Bedard rented to mill workers at 38 Dean Street in the southeast part of Adams (according to Margaret Prudhomme, who heard it from Aunt Blanche). Belzmire’s sisters Josephine and Lena, and her brothers Nelson and Fred lived with their mother.

Belzmire and Arthur had three sons: Arthur Cyril Prudhomme (12/12/1898–1/26/1982), Armand Wilfred Prudhomme (1905–9/19/1973), and Eli Sigfroid Prudhomme (4/30/1901–3/28/1983).

In 1900, Belzmire was 24 years old, still working as a weaver, and had a one-year-old son, probably looked after by her mother, Marie Dion Bedard, at the boarding house while Belzmire was working at the woolen mill.

Arthur died late 1909 or early 1910. The May 14, 1910, Census has Mary B. Prudhomme at 45 Meadow St., Adams town, head of household, 34 years old. Still working as a warper tender, now in a cotton mill. Her son Arthur C. is 11, Eli S. is 9, and Herman W. is 5 (this would be Armand Wilfred).

Now a widow, Belzmire went on to marry Louis Ruel, a French speaking wheelwright/carpenter/wagon maker from Canada, in 1914 in Adams.

Belzmire and Louis had a son, Leo Anthony Ruel, July 4, 1915. Sadly, in 1916, little Leo died at 15 months of age, poisoned by eating potash while playing. He was buried at Bellevue Cemetery in Adams.

In 1918 they had a daughter, Blanche Loretta Ruel. They lived at 42 Valley Street in Adams.

On January 15, 1920, the census taker came to their house at 42 Valley Street in Adams. Louis Ruel and Belzmire were still “alien” or not naturalized, in 1920, and were speaking French. Their daughter Blanch was 1 year and 11 months old. Harmon (Armand) Prudhomme was still living with them, age 15; he hadn’t been to school recently and was working as a sweeper in the cotton mill.

Their daughter Rita Loranine Ruel was born Feb. 10, 1920. Louis was now 59 and Belzmire was 44 years old.

In July of 1926, Mrs. Ruel advertised rooms to let at 22 Dean street, Cheshire Harbor. In November of 1926 Mrs. Ruel advertised a 2-room cottage, with running water and toilet, Cheshire Harbor.

Louis Ruel died March 23, 1927.

April 14, 1930, Belzmire was head of household, 54 years old, widow, living in Cheshire Harbor, Cheshire, Mass. She was working as a servant in a private household. Her daughters Blanche (age 12) and Rita (age 10) and her grandsons, Leonard Prudhomme (age 6) and Leo Prudhomme (age 5) were living with her, as well as a laborer/road construction worker from Italy, Antonio Aratare (age 46). Belzmire owned her house, worth about $6,000. Belzmire’s son Arthur’s first marriage to Malvina Fissette had broken up in 1929 and the younger two of their four children, Leo and Leonard, were living with their grandmother Belzmire. By 1940 the boys were living with their mother Malvina Prudhomme, divorcée, on State Road in Cheshire.

Belzmire’s mother, Marie Dion Bedard, age 81, died April 15, 1934, in Adams, when Belzmire was 58.

In 1939, Belzmire breached a mortgage on a house in Adams, and was foreclosed on. The house went on public auction September 9, 1939, for $250. The deed had been held since June 15, 1923, so this may have been an inherited property of her mother, Marie Dion Bedard, perhaps the boarding house on Pleasant Street, of which Marie Dion was a proprietor until 1928.

Belzmire died (age 67) on June 27, 1943, at her daughter Blanche Harrison’s home in Adams, Mass. Buried at Bellevue cemetery in Adams.

Various spellings in documents include: Belzimire Bedoire, Belzimire Bedard, Belsemere, Mary B. Prudhomme, Marie Bedard, Belsenire Bedard, Mary Bedard, Belzémire, Belsemen, Belsemon, Belzmire Ruel.