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CARDON LETTERS 1871-1908
The following letters, originally written mostly in French, were the communication back and forth across the Atlantic among members of the family of Philippe and Marthe Marie Tourn Cardon. In the year 1854 this family emigrated to Salt Lake City, Utah, from the Piedmont Valleys of northern Italy. Of their seven living children, six accompanied them. The oldest daughter, Anne [sometimes designated as #1Anne because she later had a daughter also named Anne or Annette] was born 20 May 1822 and died sixty years later. She was the only living child of the family who did not go to America. All of the letters are from her or her descendants to her family who now lived in the western United States. Her husband, Jaques Rivoire, felt antagonistic toward the Church when the others joined. It is said that Anne was sympathetic to it, but was never able to join. Anne’s husband, Jaques Rivoire died just three years after her family emigrated to the United States. She was left with two small daughters, Marie age seven and Anne or Annette, age two. Three years later, she married her second husband, who was her cousin, Barthelemy Gaudin, brother of Paul Cardon’s wife, Susanna Goudin Cardon. He must have been good to Anne’s daughters as Marie speaks very lovingly of him and calls him her “second father.” There are later letters that tell of the circumstances of the family in Italy but also reveal much about the emigrants whose letters we do not have. Following are the letters which were obtained from two sources and so are called the Fernelius and Taylor Collections. A few explanations and comments may help to clarify and tell the story of these ancestors who, for the rest of their lives, wished to join the American Cardon family. Fernelius Collection - Courtesy of Roy and Lola Fernelius Taylor Collection - Courtesy of Edna Cardon Taylor Parenthetical explanations by Boyd L Cardon Italicized comments by Brookie Peterson Pertinent dates and facts about the writers and their families: [These may be skipped to go directly to letters.]
1822 20 May #1 Anne Cardon, [first child] daughter of Philippe Cardon and Marthe Marie Tourn his wife, was born. 1847 30 Sep #1 Anne 26 md Jaques Rivoir 44 at Prarustin 1850 15 Dec #1 Anne’s first child, Marie Rivoir born. [Father Philippe and Marthe Marie’s first grandchild] 1855 7 Jan #1 Anne’s daughter Anne Rivoir born in Prarustin 1857 5 Feb #1 Anne’s husband Jaques Rivoir died 1860 29 Nov #1 Anne md cousin Barthelemy Gaudin. They had no children. [Barthelemy was the son of Marthe Cardon and Barthelemy Gaudin. {Marthe was sister of Father Philippe and the senior Barthelemy was the brother of Jeanne Marie Gaudin Stalle, Father Philippe’s second wife.}] 1864 20 Feb Marthe Cardon Gaudin, sister of Father Philippe, died 1874 16 April #1 Anne’s daughter Marie 24 married Jean Gonnet 1878 2 May #1 Anne’s daughter Anne md Jean Pierre Constantin All living descendants of #1 Anne have come through her daughter Anne Rivoire Constantin. 1879 24 Sep #1 Anne’s grandchild Jean Michel Gonnet, son of Marie, was born. 1882 25 July #1 Anne died. 1895 Probably January Marthe Gaudin died. She is the “Aunt Marthe” in many of the letters, also known as Martrota Marie Rivoir Gonnet: On church records the spelling is Rivoir, but they sometimes spelled it Rivoire.
Marie had two more Gonnet children. 1884 Jaques died at age 1 1886 Feb Her husband Jaques died. Her son Jean was 6 years old and her daughter Marie Alice was 8 months old at the time, but died in 1889 at age four. 1890 married 2nd Bernardino Francese They had one son Alberto, who died age 3. Husband #2 died. 1892 married 3rd Barthelemy Volle who died before Marie. 1895Her letter says she is married to a man named Pinot 1931 Marie, who never got to come to America, died in Italy.
Her only child who lived to maturity was her first, Jean Michel Gonnet. He married and later came to America. He had no children, lived and worked in Logan for a short time, then moved to LA where he died in 1965. #2Anne or Annette had only one marriage; it was to Jean Constantin. She was the mother of five sons and one daughter. The daughter, Jenny Constantin, wrote CARDON LETTER # 20. FERNELIUS COLLECTION CARDON LETTERS July 11, 1998 This is a collection of letters from Anne Cardon Gaudin [and her daughter, Marie] the sister of Catherine Cardon. The language the letters were written in is a mix between French and Italian, though mostly French. We were fortunate enough to know Martine Iaccarino, a woman born and raised in France, then married to an Italian man - thus speaking both languages. She translated the letters into Italian; and we thank her for the help she willingly offered. The letters were then translated from Italian to English.
The order in which the letters were received is not clear; we have arranged them in the best order possible. Throughout the letters we have tried to maintain Anne's personality by making the translation as pure as possible. There may be areas that are not clear and that is how it was in the letters. Our hope is that you can enjoy them as much as we have. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us. Roy Fernelius 2093 E. 6600 S. Ogden, UT 84035 (801) 479-4512 Chadwick Wilson 314 W. Center St. #70 Bountiful, UT 84010 (801) 292-0140 CONTENTS FERNELIUS COLLECTION CARDON LETTERS
1. March 20, 1871, to Dearest Sister from #1 Anne
2. 1873, to Dearest Sisters from #1 Anne
3. Probably late 1870'S, Dear Brother, Sister-in-law and Family from #1 Anne 4. February 27, 1881 Dearest Family from #1 Anne
5. Probably 1880'S, Dearest and beloved godmother and godfather from Marie with second part from Barthelemy Gaudin
6. August 26, 1884, My dear Aunt Catherine from Marie The Sister written to would be Catherine Cardon Byrne; when plural Sisters is used it refers to Catherine and to Marie Madeline Cardon Guild; godmother and godfather in letter # 5 refer to Paul and Susanna Gaudin Cardon. FERNELIUS COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #1 Written seventeen years after the family left their home land, from “Your most affectionate Anne Cardon Gaudin. My husband is Barthelemy Gaudin of Balcoste and I have two wonderful daughters Marie and Anne Rivoir.” Prarustin the 20 March 1871 (73) Dearest Sister, Please forgive my negligence in being very slow to write you, how you could know that I had started but then was interrupted. Thanks to God we are well just as we see that you are. It gives us great pleasure to see your photographs, especially to see your beautiful clothes, your beautiful attitudes, elegant, and the beautiful hair you have. Here we find that neither our hair nor our look conserve themselves as well as yours; this shows that good air is there among you. You must know that among us, namely in Europe everything has changed; everything has an excessive price, from the meats to the grains. Cows that before sold at the price of 120 Franks today sell from 350 to 400 Franks, fat pigs from 14 to 16 Franks and the big ones from 25 to 40 Franks.
We feel a great pleasure when we receive news from those that we love, and when so much time has passed without being able to talk. You are manifesting in me the desire to receive your news more often. We are surprised to find that the letters can get lost. Many letters have been addressed to you but you have received only that one from he that writes this letter; the others were not addressed correctly, we do not know the cause but we are very displeased. I must tell you that the last letters that you wrote to me gave me great pleasure but at the same time sorrow; can you understand this, it has been years that I have known what our father had done ..... and so violate the seventh commandment of God but what do you want, we cannot judge him nor condemn him but we can regret it and this shows that God did well at the beginning to create a man and a woman, in his great wisdom; and who are we to change His Statutes and His Laws? We must tell you that here we have had our own worries and our own concerns. Our uncle Jacques has had the misfortune to burn down his house, they are left with almost nothing; they have to stay here with us, and many other things have happened. Did I not tell you that here grain is sold at the price of 8 Franks per bushel, corn is 5 Franks, potatoes are more than one Frank, wine if we can find it made well, is sold from 20 to 30 Franks per bottle, fruit and other foodstuffs are sold in proportions; there is work everywhere in the fields and especially for masons. Anyway everything has changed in price. The kingdom has grown, the commerce and the communications are so simple, everything goes at a great rhythm, everything runs fast, the time as well as the money. Does the great railroad that you have from New York to San Francisco pass near your city? Tell us also what you do and if you live in the city or the country, You tell us nothing of Jean and Philippe, you tell us nothing of Barthelemy; do they as well have many wives? I have always had a great disgust for this cursed polygamy. It seems to me that we can be children of God through Jesus Christ, following His commandments, and if those missionaries that took you away had never talked about polygamy but only of baptism that is following the ordinances of the Lord, because ours comes to us from Rome (this we know for certain) they would have had hundreds of people instead of a few that accepted them. We would like to talk to you and I am sure that we would understand each other just fine. Write us as often as possible, we salute you dear sister, dear brothers-in-law dear nieces and nephews. Your sister your uncle and brother-in-law, your aunt and your cousins (all women) salute you affectionately. Your most affectionate Anne Cardon Gaudin, my husband is Barthelemy Gaudin of Balcoste and I have two wonderful daughters Marie and Anne Rivoir. Everyone salutes you affectionately. It is me Jacques Constantin of Collaray that writes you, I still remember when you were with Mrs. Canton, Mr. Canton is dead, he was the pastor at Angrogne, he was very much persecuted. FERNELIUS COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #2 Anne Cardon Rivoire Gaudin must have written this letter in 1873. Anne’s mother, Marthe Marie Tourn Cardon, died in January 15, 1873, and she is speaking of her death in this letter; it sounds as if it were very recent. Dearest Sisters, Pardon me for the fact that I haven't written you for so long. I wanted to write you with my own hand. It's been nine months since I had the pain in my arms and legs. I got up but I couldn't write. I could hardly do anything. But now, I can do a few things. My dear sisters, I want to tell you that it gave me great pleasure to receive your letter. Our Dear Mother, she was very good and very hard working all of her life, and she saved a lot of money at the same time, and the thing that gives me the most joy is that she never stopped looking for “the only one” who could save her soul and receive her in his Holy City in front of his throne with clothes that are white through the blood of Jesus Christ. If there is one consolation or hope, my dear sisters, it is in Jesus Christ that we find all that we stand in need of, and receive everything that we need. How much this fact consoles me and makes me happy, thinking that we will see each other again in His day of happiness. It consoles me as well when we'll receive the blessings of Father and Mother as I wanted. And I feel as if I should have been at the side of our beloved Mother's bed and given her possibly some service. It would have been nice for me to have done that. We must have courage, our Mother has only preceded us. I hope that our God with his holy mercy let's us go to her. And our dear Father, what is he doing? Is he well? Can he still work? I imagine that work isn't that hard in America. Our dear brothers are they well and their families, and you to Catherina & Madelina? You have both of you lovable husbands. You have gracious and beautiful families. You should all be happy that God has blessed you. You can understand very well how much the death of our dear Mother afflicts me. To me it seems that she is always before my eyes. With her great goodness that God gave her she never stopped showing us the way to Heaven. With a sweet spirit, and with charity. She didn't weigh our mistakes, but she asked forgiveness from God, warning us with sweetness and tears. My dear Sisters, I thank you infinitely for the attention you have given to me in sending hair from our dear Father & our tender Mother. More than that, I see that you think of me and I hold dear these precious hairs. Even more precious because they are from our dear Father & Mother, who have been so far away, and that they are in my hands. My dear sisters, you can understand how much [happiness] it would give me to have your picture and to hear from you. If you can't write to me in French, write in English. Our preacher will translate it for us. If you can write in French, then I could read it myself. Since I was 35 years old the pain that I have felt being so far away from you has made me sick. Since then I have learned how to read your letters through the grace of God. It seems to me, reading them for myself, and writing them it's possible for me to speak face to face. You can understand, my dear relatives, how much I need your forgiveness for all my shortcomings. Forgive me, I beg you. You would do me great service if you wrote me in French or English. I must tell you that I have already sent you 4 letters and I addressed them to our dear brother Paul, and I haven't received an answer yet. If you have a painting of our dear Mother, it would give me great pleasure to have it, as well as those of other family members. But I know it's not easy. You ask me how I can be happy without the presence of my family, but I can tell you that most of my time I am sick to know that I wasn't able to follow you and our dear parents that showed us great examples in all their charitable works. But our Heavenly Father makes me think that if this wasn't my destiny he wouldn't have made it known to me at the age of 13, but he showed me all that I was to do from that point on. My dear relatives telling you this pure truth, I hope that God will have the grace to show us how we can get supplies(food), and give us strength from his Holy Spirit so that we can say as St. Paul said when he said, "Oh God how happy I am to have learned to live in the state in which I find myself " And it is the same for all of us to be happy in the state in which we find ourselves. It is enough that we live worthy of being among the elect. Seems to me that, we should all pray to God on our knees with fasting. I tell you this because when I was 13 years old I saw in a vision how God guided you and me at the same time. I heard a great voice that said to me through fasting and prayer many sins will be forgiven you. There are still great things to do, but there isn't time or maybe the time hasn't come. I don't remember well right now. But I can tell you it's a great goal to pray to God night and day so that through his grace we will do that which we need to, so we can belong to him both in life and in death. I have great faith that he wants this, thanks to his grace and good will. I want to tell you also that we are always working our land in Boulechostes, Milan. We have a little house and we are grateful to God because we have had a good harvest and we enjoy good health thanks to God, as I hope you do. In your next letter I hope to hear of this, especially you, Madelina (Madelaine) because you had a bad arm. Dear relatives I thank you infinitely for having written so fast. I continue to do my duty to a very lovable and exemplary Mother and I desire to speak face to face because I know I don't write well. Seeing that you asked many questions, forgive me for my errors. I bid you farewell to your affectionate husbands and lovable children, that you will hug for me. I am your affectionate Sister Anne Gaudin Write me as soon as possible, this is a portion of my food, and tell me many things please. FERNELIUS COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #3 A letter from #1 Anne. Her daughters, born in 1850 and 1855 are married; she is married to her second husband Barthelemi Gaudin. Aunt Marthe is the sister of Barthelemi Gaudin. She is also the sister of the wife of Paul Cardon, Suzanne. She lived with Anne#1 and Barthelemi for over a decade, and later, after #1Anne’s death, lived with her daughter Marie for more than another ten years. They continually struggled to take care of her financially and physically. Here #1Anne writes of her lifelong dream to join her family in America.
Probably written in the late 1870’S. From #1 Anne (no date is given) Dear Brother, Sister in Law and Family, Since I do not know how to write much and it takes me a lot of time to write one letter, I've had someone else help write a little, but anyway I desire greatly to write you a few words about me to recount to you a little about our state of health. You know that we have a problem with Marthe, our sister and sister-in-law. We fear that she will not be able to face such a voyage, because she is too fat. Barthelemi says it would be too difficult to travel only us two with her, because we would have to help her get on and off the train and from the boat, just like you would have to do for a baby, and then our conscience impedes us from leaving her here alone, but also we hear that if we leave her here with what little land we own, she would not be able to take care of it. Therefore, now we have taken a decision, and now we all wait for your answer to know if we can come or not. Dear brother Paul, I pray you, tell us if we can be tranquil attending our religion because now we attend your same religion, but we do it praying to God to always conduct us on a righteous path. We are not saying that we do not believe in your religion, but we would like to know if we will be free to serve God in the way in which it seems best to us; I am not coming to America to search for the riches of this world but I go to find the peace of my soul, and also because my two daughters have always desired since their infancy to reach you one day. This has always been their greatest desire. They do not profess to not believe in Mormonism and with all their heart they ask our Good Savior to want, in his mercy, to direct us on the right path. Also my two sons in law would want to willingly. Anyway I would be very happy to have them with me during this voyage to reach you; thus we will be happy all of us together on this earth. Regarding our trip, we could pay only one half and no more. We pray you, tell us if you think it will be possible for us to have land because here we sell all that we have; we are forced to do it to pay a part of the voyage. When we will be in America, we will be under the grace of God and also under yours. The Godin family does not desire to leave and neither does our cousin Jean Cardon. Everyone here salutes you affectionately, my husband, my daughters and my father in law and myself we salute you also affectionately and we desire with anxiousness to receive your news. (no signature is given) FERNELIUS COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #4 Written by #1 Anne about one and one/half years before she died. Jacques Constantin is probably the father-in-law of her daughter Annette. Most of these letters were written for them by someone else; apparently, it was hard for them to write, although from several clues I believe they knew how, but perhaps their ability was superficial. It may have had something to do with writing in Patois which means dialect and is what they called the mixture of French and Italian they spoke. Prarustin the 27 February 1881 Dearest Family, We have delayed so long in answering you for several reasons: 1) Because we would all like to come, but for all of us to come would make nine people. Marie has a baby boy to wean and Annette also has a baby girl to wean; with their husbands they make six plus the three of us. To come, without counting the babies, it would cost us about 5.000 Franks. In coming there, we would like to have land that doesn't cost too much, that is fertile and not too far from you. If we have to come and live far away, without seeing each other more than we do now nothing would change. We are coming to be with you. We could divide the cost of the voyage. Now I'll explain the reason. Barthelemy and I still have some debts and our land is not worth much. Marie could sell but even in Milan, land isn't worth much, and her husband is the family son. Annette also has her land in Milan, and her husband is a bricklayer by profession and the family son as well. Paul Costantin and Barba Nechel delta Vigna do not want to or cannot give them much. (It appears that a man starts to speak to us in the letter at this point.) If only the voyage cost as much as it does to South America. There we can go with 200 Franks. This is why we would very much like to emigrate to the south. I would go willingly. I have 7 children, 2 boys and 5 girls and we work and we save but we always have debts. I assure you that we will go willingly, but my wife fears the voyage across the ocean. I will spend this money but only if we are sure to have land down there. Without, we would not know how to survive. If it weren't for this uncertainty I would not hesitate to make a decision seeing as here we can no longer raise our heads. When we want to sell we must do it at a cheap price; but if we receive news from you this would be a great pleasure for us. You know me, I think you worked for us. You built a wall behind our house and also a beautiful walkway; these are constructions that remind us of you. I remember that I brought you bricks and mortar and also some rocks. Barba Filippe and Jean were there. If only everyone were as conscience in taking care of their place. In particular the family of Barba Castelet. I am Jacques Constantin du Collaray son of Giacou Foumna. One does not beg only for bread, but if you write to my address just once you don't know the pleasure that you would give me. You, Paul Cardon, that write and speak so well. Tell us the price of cultivating land how much it costs per hectare and not the price of a table or a newspaper. Catherine Gonnet is convalescent and she says Hi and is very happy that Suzette still remembers her. All her hair is white. Dear family, we would come with pleasure but we have need of time to sell and gather the money necessary. Write to us please and tell us how everything is, you know better than us that which we will need--us and those that will follow us. We thank you and pray that the Eternal God can repay you. If we confide ourselves in Jesus Christ we will all be together at the wedding of the Lamb. Amen. Your relatives are all well Gaudin Paul and Jean Dare of the Stella and their families are all doing well. Is polygamy still there among you? And even if it is, will we be obligated to practice it? We greet you all very affectionately. We wait anxiously another letter. We waited to write you because we must make a decision. Now that it has been made, we can't wait to reach you. Your devoted sister Anne Cardon. (and Jacques Constantin) FERNELIUS COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #5 Written by Marie Rivoire Gonnet and her step father Barthelemi Goden (no date is given) Probably written in 1880'S after the death of her mother #1Anne in 1882. Dearest and beloved godmother, I pray for your forgiveness for not having responded to your letter. It made me very happy, I thank you from the bottom most part of my heart for the help that you all have given us, may the Lord bless all of you. I will be here at the Tour Pelice for another year. I must see to it that a servant gets paid because my father doesn't care to do it himself. I am alone in these great afflictions. But I do all according to the will of God, because God says that he offered his son that he loved. My dear and beloved godfather and my dear uncles and aunts, I beg you to never forget me because I think of you always. Dear uncles, I haven't had the joy to know you, but I look at your portraits and I would like to be able to talk to you in person. Dear family and friends, I greet you from the bottom of my heart. For life. Your niece Marie Rivor widow Gonet. I close this letter with the tears that wet this page and beg you to not forget me. Dearest and beloved sister Suzette, and dear brother-in-law Paul, it has been a long time since I received news from you, I have written you two letters but I have not received an answer. I do not know if you have received them. I have had to move myself to the Tour Pelice. It is a question of Marie and our Poor sister Marthe who is in the worst condition, she is always falling down and one day while falling she hurt her eye and besides that she can hardly see with the other one. You cannot imagine the problems that this gives to Marie and the others. There is nothing left to do but to pray to God so that her health can improve. Dear sister and dear brother-in-law I salute you with all my heart I am your affectionate brother Barthelemi Goden. I beg you to write to me as soon as possible. TAYLOR COLLECTION In this collection there are the translations of fifteen letters. We can identify them by the date on which they were written, the names of the recipients and writers. All the letters were in the possession of Edna Taylor who lives in Logan, Utah, so we have called them the Taylor Collection beginning Letter #7 so as not to have a duplication of numbers with the Fernelius Collection. Most of them were written by a friend in behalf of the authors who either were unable to write or did not feel skilled enough to do it. They are written in French and were translated by Louis B Cardon or by others at the behest of Boyd L. Cardon. The envelopes were addressed to Jean Paul Cardon, [hereafter called Paul since that is the name he used while living] and/or his wife Susanna/Susanne Gaudin Cardon. They were Edna Taylor’s grandparents. Paul Cardon was born in 1840 and died in 1915, and was the 8th child of Philippe and Marthe Marie Tourn Cardon. His home was in Benson, Utah, which is near Logan. In 1898 Louis Samuel Cardon, a son of Paul Cardon and Marthe Susanne [sometimes simply Susanna] Gaudin, was called to serve in the German Swiss mission which included Italy. He asked to wait a brief period until his first child would be born. After the birth, he left his wife, Rebecca Ann Ballard and new baby behind to serve his two year mission. At the end of that time, just as he was about to return home to them, he was asked to stay one more year as mission president of the German Swiss mission. In the last year while he was serving as Mission President, his father Paul Cardon went to the same mission as a missionary. He spent much of his time in Italy, meeting relatives who had remained there when the Cardons left their homeland more than forty years earlier. He researched and gathered names and took them home to do their temple work. He returned home the same day his son Louis Samuel Cardon did. These are the dates connected with the missions of Louis Samuel Cardon and Jean Paul Cardon.
Louis Samuel Called as missionary: 7 June 1898 Arrived Bern, Switzerland 3 July 1898 Call preside over Swiss Mission 23 Nov 1899 Arrived back in Salt Lake 15 Mar 1901 Jean Paul Set apart as missionary 23 Mar 1900 Arrived Bern, Switzerland 15 Apr 1900 Arrived back in Salt Lake 15 Mar 1901 It is apparent all, but three, of these letters were written before the mission years. Therefore none of the writers could have met in person the relatives to whom they wrote. There must have been fairly frequent correspondence because they speak of the money sent to those left behind by those in America, and they would have had to have knowledge of and compassion for their circumstances for this to happen. Paul, himself, was only fourteen years old at the time his family emigrated to America. Following are the dates and writers of the letters: CONTENTS TAYLOR COLLECTION CARDON LETTERS:
7. Sep 18, 1881, to Beloved Relatives from #1 Anne. 8. Aug 8, 1882, to Dear and Well-loved family from Annette 9. Aug 8, 1882, to Grandfather from Marie 10. 1886, to Dear Relatives [Uncles and Grandfather] from Marie 11. April 20, 1888, to Aunt Susanna from Marie 12. December 28, 1888, to Uncle Paul from Marie 13. April 4, 1892 to Catherine from Marie 14. April 30, 1892 probably to Paul Cardon from Marie 15. December 8, probably 1892 to Dear and much beloved family from Marie 16. Probably 1892, Dear Relatives from Annette 17. April 4, 1893, to Dear Uncle and Aunt from Marie 18. February 13, 1895, to Uncle Paul and Aunt Susan from Marie 19. Probably early 1900's, to Aunt and Uncle from Annette 20. April 1, 1906, to Uncle Paul from Jenny Constantin, daughter of Annette 21. March 7, 1908, to Dear Aunt and Uncle from Marie Uncle and Aunt would be Paul and Susanna Gaudin Cardon; Grandfather refers to Philippe Cardon; godmother is Catherine Cardon Byrne. TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #7
September 18, 1881 From #1Anne [The right-hand margin of this letter is missing.] Dear beloved relatives: Pararustin 18 Sept. 1881 How can I explain the lateness of my letters to my relatives if not by saying again what you have known for a long time, that I do not myself . . . . my letters and to express in mere words the feelings of my heart and soul. How can I respond to so much affection, solicitude, tenderness and love? How much I would like to be able to tell other than by words my thankfulness for the kindness with which you ask about me and mine. No, never would I be able to tell you enough how happy I am to have the dear news from you. Grace is given to us poor and feeble creatures to communicate even though one is at such a great distance. What a blessing is given to man to have received from the Creator this image and this intelligence that makes him a participant in celestial and eternal matters. May the One on High be blessed who instructs and [...?]. I will never be able to thank you enough for the good details you give us of all my dear family and my dear, dear father.(*Philippe Cardon) . . How I would like to see him, hug him and take loving care of him, he who took care of me like the apple of his eye. Ah, my memory and my heart do not fail me as far as affection and filial respect are concerned. It is with the strongest memory, the greatest respect, the sweetest and most thankful affection that I remember his fatherly tenderness, his instructions, his counsel, his wholesome and corrective counsels. They will always be my companions [...part missing de course, i.e., travelling companions?] of pain, my intimate friends in my solitude. His good instructions were blessed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ for my soul. May God’s divine blessing rest on him. May the Lord God be his strength and his shield. I see you very often in [...?], dear and honored father, surrounded by respect and directing now these, now those, with his Christian and pious experience. Well, dear, beloved relatives, if it is not given me to live near you and to enjoy with you your closeness, your fraternal care and your tenderness; it has however been given me to cherish and love you with all my heart and all the power of the sincere and deep love of my soul; it is a very agreeable lot for me. I feel that my heart and soul are not withered by contact with selfishness or the coldness of indifference, but that [they] live with all that is good, just, right, pure and holy. I would like to be able to talk more with you, but one must silence his desires in a letter and give the space to matters of a superior nature. Thank you for the wishes you send me for my spiritual well-being. Well, by the grace of God I feel that I am one of his children that he has redeemed with his precious blood. Faith, hope and love are not feeble and spiritless words for me. My hope is in God, who by the merits of his well-beloved son, our only savior, gave us a celestial inheritance. [He] will be my strength, my support, my light and my everything for time and eternity. My husband and my children and also myself are well, and I rejoice in your prosperous and happy condition. Everything is going passably well. The harvests are rather good and [words unclear]. Progress moves forward, always forward, and man himself moves forward without his knowing it sometimes, toward the tomb and eternity. Mr. Baillife and Mr. [Russ?] strongly interested us with their details about America. Thank you for the help that Susette (*Susana Gaudin Cardon) sends to her sister Martha.(Marthe Gaudin) Mr. Berg was able to see her. She is not better in her health. [From bad to worse?], somewhat feeble, although she takes her meals regularly and with a good appetite. She remembers you with joy. She would love to see you, as I would also. But how can we think about such a journey while she is ailing. I don’t think it’s a good idea, in spite of our desire to see all of you and to live in peace and harmony with you. I thank you much for the 40 frances that you sent by mister Beuf[?]. We received them in June, 1881 and certainly at the right moment for the dear daughter, who becomes daily more dependent in view of her pains and the weakness of her body. She says hello to you as [do] Bartolemy(*Gaudin, Anne’s 2nd husband Md. 29 Nov 1860), myself, all the Godin and Bourne relatives, neighbors, friends and acquaintances. Both my daughters(*Marie and Anne Rivoire)are well placed near us and are doing rather well, and so are their husbands. Will you share our friendship with the dear relatives and friends that we all cherish [even] without knowing them by sight. A good many of our nieces and nephews will soon be as big as men, and we have only a distant hope of seeing and knowing them. I would like to answer positively your questions about [our] leaving for Logan City, but I can’t guarantee anything, and only the future will tell. While waiting, pray, and let us pray for each other that the grace of God will be given to us and multiplied by the gift of the Holy Spirit so that each of us will be found doing his will when the Savior calls us. A friend of our dear and venerable father, Jacques Gaudin de la Goadina, who loved him and loves him so much, rejoiced to receive news of him. He sends to him and to you my dear brothers his best and sincere wishes and hopes (as do we) that our heart[s] will be able to rejoice together. Will you send this note with our sincere wishes to our beloved sisters Catherine(*Cardon Byrne) and Madelaine (*Cardon Guild) [sisters of Anne Cardon] And now, goodbye. Answer me again. Your affectionate and devoted Anne H. [or Annette]. May the memory of my good and cherished mother, gathered to the Saints, be [had in blessed memory] among all of you. TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #8
August 8, 1882 From Annette Anne#1, the mother, died July 25, 1882. This is an account of her death written by her daughter Anne, signing Annette, the diminutive form of Anne. It tells the family in America of her mother’s last days. The Cardon records show that Anne Cardon Rivoire died 25 July, 1882. Since this letter is written August 8, 1882, naming August 25th as her death date must have been inadvertent. [In this letter there are few if any capitals at the beginning of sentences or periods at the end of sentences. Quite a few words are misspelled. Some are spelled phonetically. Louis B Cardon] Praustin August 8, 1882 Very dear and well-loved family: Uncle and aunt and cousin [masculine] and cousin [feminine] and especially to our dear grandfather if he is still living, it is with great sorrow that we write you a few lines to inform you of the long illness of our dear mother 3 months when she was ill before taking to bed and then 4 months in a bed of pain of which the 8 last days the violent pain almost surpassed her strength, but she endured her torments with a great patience she ---_ said it was nothing in comparison to the suffering which Jesus Christ had on the cross for some hours before his death she said that she seemed to see her soul in paradise and the men [people] accompanying her coffin she was so upset, and afflicted with it she got a stomach ache which did not leave her until her death she always said that this was the pain which led to her tomb even though death did not frighten her. she said that she would have liked to be healed physically in order to see you in her last days she [was comforted?] as she saw herself approaching death she said that she would like to be able to run to meet death in order to more quickly be close to her Savior and to her dear mother at last she died the 25th of August at 2 o’clock in the afternoon with her bed surrounded by her two daughters and some other women with us well I hope and have a firm belief that she waits for us at the feet of Jesus where we will find ourselves soon all together I think that my sister will write to you more of our dear mother pardon all our faults and don’t forget to write to us I beg you _____all our salutations
I declare myself [to be] for life your niece Rivoire Annette TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #9
August 8, 1882 From Marie Prarustin, August 8, 1882 Dear grandfather:(*Philippe Cardon) I add these several lines to Annette’s letter to give you some details that she left out about Papa (*Bartholomy Gaudin, 2nd husband). It’s not necessary to tell you how great was and is his pain at the loss he just sustained of our dear and beloved mother. Moreover, his position is painful, because he remains alone with this poor crazy woman (*Marthe Gaudin, his sister) [or girl] who becomes more and more difficult and for him a great weight, for he always has to be at the house, and this poor father must go to work. Thus we pray that you dear relatives will not forget him. Father asks me to send you his best wishes, to which I add mine. Farewell, my very dear relatives. Accept the warm greetings of your affectionate grand daughter and niece,
Rivoir Marie. [In another and shakier handwriting -->] I ask you dear uncles to make [this] known to all the family and to send us an answer as quickly as possible. TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON #10
February 1886 From Marie My dear relatives (uncles and godfather) I write these lines to let you know the state of my family, telling you that it’s the third time I have written without receiving an answer. My husband(Jean [Jaques] Gonnet), after a long and painful chest ailment, has died. We buried him the tenth of this month. He left me a six year old son(Jean Michel Gonnet) and an eight month old daughter(Marie Alice Gonnet). To begin, I ask you a thousand pardons for the letter that you received about [from?] me and for which you were perhaps angry, for you know well that since I am not capable of writing with my own hand, those lines were written at the worst possible moment. We were all at Prarustin as a family, and here’s how that came about. My father often counselled my husband that [we should] separate from the brothers and then he would have come to work with us. We came to look for this little house at Fort de la Tour, and we really hope to get out of the affair. But by misfortune, my husband was not able to work, because he was already suffering terrible chest pains. It seemed to my father that he always had to go with him to work. For that my father was a little put out. He................................................................................. and Martrotta(Marthe Gaudin). It’s a misery. He works.................................................................................. stones he makes enough to eat................................................................................................... but the poor girl is in filthiness................................................................................................... until he arrives from the day...................................................................................................... I regret not being able to help him [her?] this autumn. I am forced to leave here because I cannot pay so many workers to do the farm work. When we came here, the boss, Mister Peyrot, [loaned?] us the money to buy the livestock, and because of my husband’s long sickness, I’m in debt. All that I can gather to sell will scarcely come to two-thirds of what I owe. To what you just read I add the words that a good neighbor lady advised (she who was often here to spend the most distressful nights of my dear husband). [She told me] to write to my dear relatives in America, as I do write, and more especially to my godfather(Jean Paul Cardon), that if some of you by your mutual efforts can give a little help either to relieve Martrotta (Marthe Gaudin) or a little help also for me so that I can get out of the business, then I would get out [leave] with my father. Since I see that it is a necessity for the poor girl, who is incapable of keeping herself clean. Thanks to God, I have my fearless little Jean. He already runs many errands for me, and my little Marie in the cradle shows a special vivacity, my only consolation. Oh my dear relatives, if I could talk to you face to face, how many wishes I would say to you. Well, finally, I put my whole confidence in the Almighty. And my deepest respects to my dear relatives, and if I can one day with the help of my little son and my little daughter be thankful to my dear relatives, I will do it with all my heart. Perhaps I too much deserved the separation from my beloved husband. I only mention several words from the Holy Scriptures (I don’t know. God knows it). I finish my letter. I shake your hand cordially, wishing you a very happy life, and my sincere greetings to all my relatives in America. Your tender and affectionate Jonnet Marie, née Rivoire Say hello for me to my dear grandfather(Philippe), not forgetting my dear godmother(Catherine Cardon Byrne) also. Please send me an answer as quickly as you can. Since my mother died (Anne Cardon Rivoire died in 1882), my sister Anne has always been sickly. She has two children. She tells me to say hello to you for her. Something else, my dear father (Bartholemy Gaudin) is here now. He asks me to say hello with all of his heart [to] his dear sister Susette (Susana Gaudin Cardon), and that he is well, and the Martrotta girl, if she were clean she would be more well than usual. He thanks you much for the money that you sent him. It will be very useful to him for keeping Martrotta. My address is Mrs. Gonnet (widow), Tour de la Fort, Torre Pellice TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #11
April 20, 1888 From Marie Torre Pellice April 20, 1888 Dear Aunt:(Susanna Gaudin Cardon) I received your good letter dated the 9th of December, 1887, and I ask you to excuse me if I did not answer earlier to thank you for it. I still have a lot to do, especially since my little girl was nearly always sick since the death of my dear husband. Then we had a very long and difficult winter. Papa(Bartholemy Gaudin) was also feeling poorly. He often complains of having pains in his arms. He can scarcely work, even though he does everything that he can. He is no longer very strong and can neither plow nor even work in the vinyard, which means that to stay here I need a good domestic, and I would really be thankful if you could help me pay for one. My dear godmother (Catherine Cardon Byrne) and my aunt Madelaine (Cardon Guild) have already helped me a lot, having sent me the 500 francs. I gave 200 of it to the owner, and the rest serves to pay for the doctor and the debts I was forced to take on during my dear husband’s long illness. I can only thank God for having such wonderful relatives, and I hope that He will keep you a long time in good health. As for me, I’m rather well, and I work as much as I can in order to raise my five children, who are still quite small, and to take care of your poor sister Marthe(Gaudin), whom you can’t help but feel sorry for. Last winter she had the misfortune to fall on a stick of wood that poked out one of her eyes and caused her terrible suffering for a long time. She is becoming fatter and soon will not be able to stand up. I have to wash her and take care of her like a little child. So, my dear relatives, pray God for me that he gives me much patience. I hope this letter will find you all in good health and that you will do me the kindness of soon sending me your news. Tell me if grandpa is still alive. Goodbye my dear aunt. I embrace you as well as my dear uncle and all the relatives. Your affectionate niece, Marie Gonet, widow If you write to my godmother(Catherine Cardon Guild), say hello to her for me and tell her that I will write to her soon and that she not forget to send me her address, for I lost the other. I forgot to tell you that I still owe 1,300 francs to the owner. And I hope that if I come to leave here, in selling everything that I have, I will be able to pay it. TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #12
December 28, 1888 from Marie
La Tour December 28, 1888 from Marie Rivoire Gonnet My dear Uncle Paul, Thank you very much for the good letter that my Aunt Susette [another form of Susanne] sent me. Excuse me for not responding more quickly, but I have so much to do that this is difficult for me. I hope that you are back with the family now, and that you all continue to enjoy good health. I send you many wishes for the new year. And now I will send some details on me and my family as you ask me to. My Papa [Barthelemy Gaudin, her mother #1 Anne’s second husband] lives with me since more than a year; and poor Aunt Marthe [his sister] continues to be in a deplorable state. She fell recently and the only eye that she has left was so badly damaged that I think that she doesn’t see any more at all. She has to be fed like a baby, and I dress her, and tend her as if she only had a few more months. This is a terrible trial that God sends us, and you can’t imagine the sad condition of the poor aunt, and of all the trouble that she gives me. Without her, I could with my children look for another house, sell my land, and find an occupation that would procure me the daily bread. But no one wants to take me with the unfortunate Aunt Marthe, and that is why I am obliged to continue to live in the house where I am. This year, the bad summer and a disease which has spread throughout our vineyard has considerably diminished the harvest of grapes. From the 500 francs which I have received from my wine the past year I am down to 150. Add to that the loss of a cow and of a calf, the debts which instead of diminishing mount each year and you will understand how difficult my position is. My father has used the 250 francs which he received from you for the support of Aunt Marthe and for his own use, during an illness that he had. These 250 francs were a great help for him and we thank you very much for them. He still has many debts, contracted during the illness of my mother. If next year we don’t have a better harvest than this year, I will be forced to abandon the country and to leave for America. But on that, I would like it if you could tell me clearly what I can do over there, and if it will be easy for me to find some kind of occupation which will permit me to keep my children with me. I would leave Aunt Marthe in the care of someone who would take charge of her in return for the little that I could leave. But for the voyage I would have to depend on your goodness, for it would not be possible for me to find the necessary money. While waiting, I would be very grateful to you if you could send me something which would help me from now till next summer, and would provide for the needs of the Aunt. I have tried three times to get her into a charitable establishment, but they absolutely will not take her because of her state of complete dependance. I send affectionate greetings to my uncle and godfather Jean, to Uncle Philippe, to Uncle Barthelemy; send me their news, if you will. And receive for yourselves, dear Uncle and dear Aunt my very affectionate greetings.
Your niece Marie Gonnet And [writing] for her: Emma Pons TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #13
April 4, 1892 From Marie Marie possibly wrote this in her own handwriting, as she says she must write in French, but she may mean dictate in French. Torre - Pellice, 4 April 1892 Dear Godmother, [Catherine Cardon Byrne] I profit from the opportunity to send you this letter. I’m very concerned not to have received any news from you. I don’t know if perhaps you are sick but I hope not. On the contrary I think that you will not delay to write me a long letter and in which I can with pleasure know that you are in good health. Believe it dear godmother that it is impossible for me to describe to you the gratefulness which I feel in thinking of you who were so good to me at the time of the death of my dear mother and the 500 francs which you sent to me contributed greatly for me and I weep in thinking of so many of your good deeds of which I have been witness myself and pray that God will bless you and preserve all of you a long time, I see that you have always been very good to me and I am extremely grateful to you for that. I find myself at present still at La Tour [Torre - Pellice] on this farm. I still have Marthe. Marthe has been my little one and my charge, but what would you? I must have patience and be content with my lot. But I assure you that I must have enormous patience to tend this miserable one. I went to visit my sister yesterday and she is also very unfortunate with 4 or 5 small children. She tells me to greet aunt Madeline and receive from the bottom of our hearts our sincere greetings. Your Affectionate Goddaughter, Marie I had written to [you] by the daughter of M.Pons who wrote in English. Now she is married and has left with a missionary and because of that I must write to you in French. You must tell me if you understand it. TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #14
April 30, 1892 From Marie La Tour, April 30, 1892 Very dear godfather:(Jean Cardon) After such a long time when I had not received news from you nor from my uncle Paul (and I was longing for it very much), I received news from a Bonnet, who came from America. He told me he knew all my relatives over there. I was pleased to learn that you were very well and that he was at your house a year ago. I have the picture of my uncle Paul from my aunts. That’s my only consolation for the times when I think about my very dear relatives who are at such a great distance, which makes me think, tears in my eyes, that if I were near you [I could] hug you and tell you so many things. This man told me that my uncle Phillipe (Louis Phillipe Cardon moved to Mexico in 1884) has moved quite a ways away and that there is not even the same government. He also told me that Uncle Barthélemi (Thomas Cardon) had a big clockmaker’s store. As for me, I really want to join you, because for the moment I’m still on the farm, but I could at any moment lose it [be laid off], and then I think perhaps that by your good counsel and grace to help me a little I could spend my last days near you. My sister has some daughters who could soon take care of Marthe (Gaudin) if I gave her the land that Dad (Bartholemy Gaudin) enjoys now. I keep the memories that my mother (Anne Cardon) gave me of you, dear godfather, but I would more prefer you in person. I close by wishing you a long and happy life. Receive, my dear godfather, my deepest greetings. Your devoted goddaughter, Jonnet Marie (Marie Gonnet) TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #15
December 8, probably 1892 From Marie Date year is not clear, but it must have been 1892 because the writer, Marie Rivoire Gonnet, says her son, Jean, is 13, and he was born 24 September 1879. La Tour----8 December 18— Dear and much beloved family [relatives]! I take great pleasure to respond to your dear letter; I rejoiced greatly to learn that you are all in good health as are we, thanks to God. I greatly ask your pardon for my tardiness in writing you. To my misfortune I am not capable of writing you in my own hand, and the boy who has written for me, he has always promised to come, desirous of writing for me, and now two months have passed without writing. I was two Sundays [ago?] at Prarustin; Antoine Bourne, and my sister Anne wanted to give me a ticket, then because of lack of time they have directed me to tell you if you would have the goodness to provide them the address of his daughter Josephine who has not any more written to him, and his [her?] daughter Marthe is married to his cousin Bourne of St. Barthelemi. Due to your goodness whereby I have received some money I have been able to buy many things for her. [She is probably speaking of her Aunt Marthe whom she previously has told of caring for.] I have told her regarding this that “It is your sister who has sent the money.” She says to me that “My sister is good; she remembers me.”--If you can again help me with something it is from you that I have hope which encourages me, for I don’t have any hope from any others, I would always be very grateful to you for it. I tell you that my sister Anne came here last Sunday. I gave her your address so that she could write you--Two words for my godmother and aunt, I am concerned not to have received any response to the letter that I sent you. I tell myself, “Perhaps I have offended them in some way contrary to my intention, for I love you tenderly.” I beg you not to do as I have done by delaying so long to write to me. I beg you to write me as soon as possible. I end. We greet you-- my husband, my son, and me, — papa, family and friends. My son Jean, 13 years old, goes to school. The other letter he will write to you. While waiting, have the goodness to give me news of all my family. Your affectionate niece, Marie Rivoire. Dear Family near the new year I wish you all a long and happy life. TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #16
1892 From Annette This letter seems to have been written in December just before the New Year and right after Marie’s letter CARDON LETTER # 15. The four-month old child she mentions was born August 16, 1892. 1892 Prarustin, the 15th probably of December
Dear Relatives: With great pleasure I write these few lines, giving you the news and thanking God. We’re all in good health, as we hope all you dear relatives are. I haven’t written for several years. I did write before the death of our dear mother. Since mother’s passing I really have thought about you and wished to have news from you. But since my sister sometimes talks about you and gives me some of the news, I’ve neglected to write to you myself. Dear aunt and uncle(*Susana Gaudin and Jean Paul Cardon), I must say to you that since I was young I have always wanted mother(*Anne Cardon) to go to America and to take me with her. But although she really wanted to see you again, she used to tell us that it was no longer her plan to see you again on earth. Well, the years flowed away, not without thinking of you, but without the happiness of sharing with you even once what’s happening in our lives. Now our wish is to find you and meet the relatives that we have not had the honor of knowing. My husband says that he would gladly go. He remembers still, as in a dream, when you were at his house to say goodbye before leaving. I think you know that I [felt? Word or idea not clear or missing] your godfather, who died 26 months ago. And godmother also died 13 months ago. We remained with the debts that we had purchased six or seven years ago, [when] the harvests were still enough, but since we have purchased [the vineyards?], a new sickness has struck the vines, and we have not harvested in the year that is about to end. Thank God, we have done pretty well. We found the cure, which is called saffato di rame. We put it in water and with a pump we spray it on the grapes. Wine is not expensive for us, who have to pay the interest[?]. The best is from 9 to 10 francs a [word unknown]. We have to do everything to live and pay the interest. We will never be able to pay for this land. We ask you, dear uncle, if you think that we can come (all of us working), we can have a better position. Well, if we can get out, we have five children, three boys and two girls. The oldest is twelve and the youngest four months. We must not have our hearts attached to the earth, for that is not what God asks of us. But since we have a family, if we could get for it some little good, that [he] not be obliged to pay rent and go [to work?] on a daily basis, at least in his old age. Well, may the will of God be done. If it seems to you that we can have some work and get something for ourselves, we would be [passage incoherent] and go to America. My dad (*Bartholemy Gaudin,stepfather) says that he would gladly come as well. If we went, he would want to see you a lot if he can arrange in some way to [leave] his sister (*Marthe Gaudin). I saw him some days ago. He’s well. He told me to say hi to you and the relatives. My sister, I think that you have already received her letter. She told me that she wanted to write to you. I would have a lot to write to you, but I don’t know even the basics [?] of writing. Please forgive my scribbling and the way I’ve asked you so many things. My husband and I express our love and wish you a good end and beginning of the year and a happy life on earth. With love, uncle, aunt and cousins. I am your niece, Annette Rivoir. I ask you to send us a return letter, because I’m already anxious to receive one. Our address is Pierre Constantin at Prarustin [au buffe?]
TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #17
April 4, 1893 From Marie
Torre Pellice, April 4, 1893
It’s quite a long time since we’ve had news from you, which we miss a lot. We sent you some time ago a letter in which we gave you the news from our country. We don’t know if you received this letter or not. But the fact is that we have had neither news nor answer. For this reason I have decided to send this letter to find out if you’re in good health. If you knew how happy I would be to meet you. I embrace you warmly. I never cease praying God to give me the power to join you one day in the future and to be again one family. Let’s hope that all that will come to pass one fine day. And please know that you are very dear and very nice. I love you day and night, and I’m very happy when I receive your letters that tell me the news about all the family. Logan City
[In another handwriting]
And the hope of your niece is that God may preserve [your lives] for a long time. Now I share some of the news of my dear father (Bartholemy Gaudin). I can tell you, thank God, that he’s well at the moment. Naturally the years weigh on him, but for the rest he can still get out of bed every day. He often comes to see me and always stays several days. Then he returns, and since he’s advancing in years, he prefers to be independent and do what he wants. He is looked after and his laundry is done by that cousin [female], but as he came to see me a little while ago, he told about many of the miseries of this cousin, who works the land. As for the rest, how can you expect that Marthe (Gaudin) will be taken care of by the hands of this person [since] she doesn’t even keep my father clean, who still works every day. It would be absolutely impossible for Marthe to be looked after, who is in such a condition that it is necessary to take care of her like an eight month old child and everyday have her clothes [washed] in the washhouse. [It’s good that] you can’t imagine the troubles that she gives me, and no one would have a care for her the way I have myself. So, you would really be good if you could finally help me with something, because as far as eating goes, as much as I would have a piece of bread for myself, I would have some for her as well. But I need some clothing and underclothes [...illegible] a frightful thing. Every day I have to wash her clothes, and since I am so poor, I can only give her my clothes, which are a little [unknown word, perhaps too big or worn]. Unfortunately my sister Anne cannot do much for Marthe either, since she also has four children and another on the way and a husband who is severe. She has to watch out. It’s for that reason that I ask you to have the kindness to help me with something [illegible] care of this Marthe. As for me, I’m well for the moment. I have only my little son (Jean Michel Gonnet); a daughter(Marie Alice Gonnet, age 4) died. She was very dear to me. However, God chastized me, and I don’t know why. Well, what can you say? God chastizes every child that he loves, and I have to be happy with my lot. As for this cousin [female], who could [take away?] Marthe according to what we have heard, this cousin Jacques who had brought you news, they are unable to do anything. They have six or seven children and can scarcely manage for themselves. They work my father’s lands, but they don’t pay him a cent. I still have to pay the interest on my father’s debts that he has from the time of my mother. Now I’m still on this farm, and in case I have to leave (for one never knows), I would be happy to leave the fruit of my part of the land so that someone can take care of Marthe. And I with your help [could] leave for America. Finally, I have nothing more to write. Say hello to everyone [line illegible]. Jacques..... Sincerely, dear uncle and aunt, your affectionate niece, Marie My husband joins with me in greeting you from the bottom of his heart. Will you please send this note to my godmother(Catherine Cardon Byrne). Having had occasion to write this, I ask you to give me the details of my uncle [and the] family, that is, Jean [Oostan] [of?] [Baisa?] who must be [illegible].
TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #18
February 13, 1895 From Marie
Torre Pellice, February 13, 1895
Dear Uncle Paul Cardon and Aunt Susan(Gaudin Cardon): In the four years since we heard from you, we’re no longer at the Fort but here at Pravadera, [in a] little house [owned] by the same boss, Mister Pejrot. I’m letting you know of the death of Martrota (Marthe Gaudin). Her burial took place the first of this month. She so much suffered for the last fifteen days that we had to unclench her teeth so she could swallow a little soup. She had a [discret accompagnement]. I received news from Jacques Cardon (Who is this?). He stayed with us, sickly, for a week. He gave us news of you that we were so much hoping for. So, I ask you to send me an answer as soon as possible, since I think day and night about my relatives so far away in America. Dad (Bartholemy Gaudin) was here a week before Martrotra died and several days afterwards. He’s miserable. I had to spend money for the grave and the linens, and myself sickly as well, without hope of being about to join you as my little Janico wants. I took some advice from my doctor about my illness. He blamed my heart. And my husband, since you asked me about him, is named Pinot. He’s a good farm worker, not bad, but not very lenient toward the family. I must not tear [him] down. While leaving to [dig] around the vines, he [reminded] me to say hello to all the relatives. My son, little Jean(Jean Michel Gonnet), is growing and goes to school, not forgetting that one day he is going to find you. I close by asking for eternal happiness for all my relatives, especially aunt and uncle, and with that the blessing of God be with us all. I am your affectionate.... Marie, née Rivoir (widow)
TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #19
Probably early 1900's From Annette
In letters #19 and #21 Marie’s son is referred to as Nicou. According to our records the only surviving child she had at this time was her oldest, Jean Michel Gonnet. In earlier letters he is referred to as Jean or Janico. Possibly Nicou was a nickname or pet name by which Jean was known. No other explanation seems to be supported by the recorded data.
[Undated letter signed Annette. The handwriting suggests Annette Rivoir.]
. . . to get it, of which you speak in the letter. Marie did not receive it. I was at Tour a week ago. She told me that she wanted to give me a letter to put in with my letter. Then she didn’t do it. Her husband is no longer with her. They fought between Nicou and the husband.(Pinot) So Nicou (*Son of Marie Rivoire) had to pay 200 francs. That made them separate from each other. Humbert Bourne is still at Geneva. He married a girl from St. Jean. He sent a little announcement to Marthe [,] his mother, and Josephine is [?] in [?] England with his [former?] daughter. They are both in service. Dear uncle(Paul Cardon), I have so many things to tell you, but when I want to talk of them so much, everything leaves my head. I have to tell you that Antoine Bourne’s wife died (*His first wife, Anne Gaudin died 23 April 1865. This letter is obviously written later than 1865 because Marie, born 1850, and Annette, born 1855, both had older children. The writer’s statement must refer to the death of a later wife.) several months ago. Dear uncle, we really would have decided to join you if we could sell our land, that is, the little that we have. Please write and tell us what it would cost for each of us to travel. Only, what I fear is that we cannot have enough to make the trip. ... that we still have debts to pay. If it is possible that we can come, we look to sell right away. That is, we will leave this fall. We just received at [:::?] a letter from [Jenny], who told us that you had written her that we could do better near you than here. At least to be able to keep all the family together and to work as much as we want. That’s our wish if God gives us health. Dear aunt and uncle, I have so many things to tell you, but I’m keeping some for another letter. I ask you not to do like me, and to write to us quicker. I began this letter a month ago, then I always .. . . . .[?] If I could tell you about going [?] ... to join you, .. . . . . I greet you with all my heart, as does my family. Your niece, who always thinks of you.
Nicou only did 10 months. .. . . then his second father died ... [So?] he finished. And Jacques took a [kid?] . . who [was worth?] one year to him and two years. He did them again. He has been at the house for 6 months.
TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #20
April 1, 1906 From Jenny Constantin, daughter of Annette
Jenny Constantin was the daughter of Annette Rivoire Constantin, who was #1 Anne’s daughter. Jenny was sixteen when she wrote this letter.
Jenny Constantino VILLA LAMBA DORIA QUARTO AL MARE =4 [or 7]=1=1906
Liguria [a region in northern Italy surrounding the city of Genoa]
My dear uncle probably Paul Cardon,
I received this morning a letter from my family in which they tell me that they have received a letter from you, you would never imagine how happy I am to have again received news of you who are so dear to me and who I scarcely dared have hopes for, after such a long silence: me since I haven’t had any more news of you, I wrote to you two times, I even registered my last letter; but it appears that both of them were lost, without which you would no doubt have answered me: But anyway now finally I am happy I have again received news of you who are so dear to me: This morning when I read the letter in which my family talk of you, I trembled with emotion and my heart beat so strongly that it hurt me, perhaps this seems rather funny to you that I feel so strongly attached to you, it is true that you are for me an uncle somewhat remote, me, that doesn’t mean anything to me I love you as much and more than if you were my true uncle: Don’t you find that there are some persons, without noticing it one begins to love them so much that one finishes by loving them always: me I don’t hate anyone but I recognize that I don’t love all those that I should perhaps love; but those who I love I love them with an affection that is sincere and true and durable: you my dear uncle I have found you so good so frank, that I have learned to love you so well, that I feel that my heart tells me that even at such a distance I will love you always. I would like to be near you now to be able to embrace you strongly and to thank you thereby for having wanted to write us again: now my dear uncle will you please write me a letter to me alone, I would like to know so many things of you and of your dear family; I see that my family were hurried in writing to me, they wrote me a letter too short and they spoke too little of you, but they had the good idea to give me your address, I am very happy for this and I profit from this immediately to write to you; me it has been 12 months that I have not seen my family, I am at the home of an American lady daughter of the general director of the Mutual Life Insurance, I am very pleased to be in the home of this lady but I languish greatly to see my family, about the month of May I will go home, and then afterwards I don’t know yet what I will do, that would be a good time to get married but I don’t have a fiancè I have had some offers of marriage but those who asked me I could not love them and I think that to get married one must love him who one ought to marry, so I still await for him who I should love to appear I would not like to remain always unmarried, but if God does not wish that I some day be married, patience that the will of God be done!
My dear uncle I finish my letter excuse all my mistakes, greet for me your dear family which I have not had the pleasure of knowing and you receive a big kiss from your niece who loves you well.
Jenny Constantin
TAYLOR COLLECTION - CARDON LETTER #21
March 7, 1908 From Marie
Marie Rivoir Torre Pellice, Italy 7th March 1908
Dear Aunt and Uncle, |
