Document text
ORIGINAL MSS. OR FIELD NOTES (Check one)
PUB. Living Lore in New England
(Maine)
TITLE Vital Martin, French Canadian
WRITER Robert Grady
DATE WDS.
CHECKER
PP. 3
DATE
SOURCES GIVEN
COMMENTS
Interview
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Living Lore
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l'IRSOEAL hiSTORY Oi -vF2AL linENCh CA-ahDIAN
Mr. Martin is a French Canadian born on a farm "along the St.
John neever", in 1-81. Is 57 ,ears old. The nearst town to his
p rents' farm was St. Leonaras. Lives with his wile. Couple never
had any children, but entertain a lot.
Worked on the farm and in the woods in Canada. Went to Lille
when he was 17 -„ears old in lEhE. Worked there 15 years mostly as
a carpenter but sometimes in the woods. Moved to Old Town in 1'313
and has remained here ever since. Went to school only two years in
Canada between tile ages 6 and 8. The small house in which he lives
and the large corner lot on which it stands belon: to the church.
He is :aniotr or the church. He takes care of the fires in the
convent school, the sisters' house, the church, and the priest's home;
shovels paths and keeps ice oii the roofs. Mows lawns and does
other work about the church pror,erty in the summer time. The job
keeps him pietty busy. Is a very fast and eifficient worker. Good
carpenter. Has never wor-ec in a factory. Interested in local
politics and local affairs. Is a Catholic. A little above medium
height,slim, ar1d car-. has -ood teeth and a scar on his left eye-
_
Irow. Talks .;:f.th a pronounc d French accent in site of his years
in Maine. Smokes
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Living Lore
Old Town 1
TEE LIFE OF VITAL MARTIN, FRENCH CANADIAN
(As told by himself to Robert F. Grady)
"Dar wasn't any town where I was born. Just a lot of farms along
de reener. De St. John Reever. De nearest town was St. Leonards,but
dat was a small place. Just a few stores dere and a saw mill." (There
was also a church and a small school.) "I don' remember moch about
dat place. You ought to talk with som of de ole fellers 75 or
80 years ole. Dey remember a lot of stuff, an' they talk right along.
"Dere wasn't moch work up dere. Dey work on de farm, in de saw
mill, on de drive, an' in de woods. Dey pay $12.00 to $14.00 in de
woods when I was dere. I remember my grandpere he's tole me she's
hard one to work on de farm dere. Dey have de wooden harrow dat day
make himself, and dey plow de ground wit' a wooden plow dat has some-
thing like galvanize iron on de point to make him sharp. Rich farmers
dat have de money can get metal plows, dut de poor one he have to
make it himself.
"I remember once I help a farmer to harvest some oats. He have
a wagon he make nimself with two wheels on it an' a rack to hole de
oats. You can carry a lot of hoats in one of dose rack. He use de
oxen to haul de cart. Bimeby he put two more wheels on de wagon an).
make de rack bier. Dats de way dey got started on de farms. Dey
raise beans, peas, corn, wheat, oats, ant pork. We make our own
clothes from de cloth we make on de hand loom. I used to wear de
moccasins dat my father make.
"Dey can fro hunting and fish inrr any time dere because dey was
no warden. Did you ever see one of dose ole gun ant how dey load 'mm?
Dey put some powder in de hand an' dey pour it down de barrel an, dey
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Living Lore
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put in a piece of worsted an, poke 'im down with a ramrod. Den dey
put in de ball an' another piece of worsted an' dey shove 'im down
some more with de ramrod. She's fire with a cap. Dere was lots
of wad game dere an' bears. Just one shot is all we need to kill
de bear. If we don't kill him de first time, he get away for it
take so long to loaa de -un. I remember my grandpere tole me, he
say, ',Vital, shbot de bear just once: dat's enouffh to kill him.,
I nevair hear of anyone kill by mistake, gp dere. Me, I don't like
to go out in de woods to hunt her,. because it is too dangerous.
You never can tell when someone will kill you for someting else.
I wouldn't want to go back dere, doe. Die is a moch better place.
When I first came to Holetown I work as a parksnter. I ,et tree
or maybe six dollar a day, but dere is not moch work in de winter
time, an' I have to go on de wodds. Dis job is steady the year
around, an, she's not hard. I have a little garden dere an' I
Keep de hen.
"De work is moch easier now for de womans. She have de washer,
de Frigidhaire, an' de elecric light, an' she have de water on de
sink. Yes sir, ae won l has Improve very moch since I live in
Canadaw.