Joseph David “Joe” Boyce and Nettie Labarge, were married in Malone, New York, in 1883, and moved to Colorado soon after. My grandmother Mamie Boyce was born in Colorado, the second of their children.

Joe was born in Quebec; Nettie’s father Louis Labarge was also born in Quebec. The city where they were married, Malone, NY, was just 54 miles from Joseph’s birthplace in St-Remi, Quebec, Canada and the home of many French-Canadian immigrants who freely crossed the border between Canada and the US. Nettie’s lineage in Quebec goes back to the 1630’s in New France, and Joseph’s lineage may go just as far.

Joseph’s birthname was Joseph Giroux. The family moved back and forth across the border and were enumerated in both United States and Canadian censuses in various years (US-1860, 1880 and Canada 1871). Census takers in the United States generally recorded the family name as “Gero”. But church records in the US generally recorded the name as “Giroux”. Eventually, many families made “Gero” their official name – in the 1928 Malone city directory there were 7 Giroux listings and 6 for Gero.

In 1883, Joseph married Nettie Labarge at the French Catholic church (Notre-Dame) in Malone, NY. And, because it was the French church (with the record written in Latin), Joseph’s name was recorded as Giroux.

Marriage record:

Loosely translated: On December 31, 1883, Joseph Giroux (22), son of Alfred Giroux and Lina Truchon, and Natalie (Nettie) Laberge (23), daughter of Ludovici (Louis) Laberge and Domitilda (Matilda) Clairoux, were joined in matrimony. Witnesses: Joseph Goure and Philamena (Lina) Giroux. Laberge is the original spelling, but Nettie’s family spelled their name Labarge. Joseph Goure was probably a relative on Joe’s mother’s side. Philamena Giroux was Joe’s sister. Source: Notre Dame church records (Malone, NY), FHL film #1,450,730, page 377.

Economic pressures pushed thousands of French-Canadians south into the United States in search of jobs, land, and opportunity. And all was not easy for the French-Canadian immigrants. Here is an excerpt from a history of Malone from Historical Sketches of Franklin County [...] by Frederick J. Seaver, 1918 (page 489).

… conditions among the French could hardly have been worse. True, there were a few among them who were thrifty, intelligent, and of good character, but a great many were improvident, ignorant, addicted to drink, unemployed by choice, not amenable to religious precept, brawling, and vicious. Those of this latter type who were industrious at all were content to accept menial tasks and apparently aspired to nothing better. Their children did not attend school and illiteracy was the rule among them. Not many owned their homes, the prevalent standard of living among them, including furnishings, surroundings, food and raiment was low; and pride, ambition, moral conception, and Sabbath observance seemed unknown to them.

Wow, what can I say? Population migration often includes both push and pull motivations. The local economy and attitudes towards the French-Canadians provided some “push” and the lure of Colorado, with the prospect of jobs and new possibilities, and maybe even land and riches provided the “pull” for Joseph and Nettie and for hundreds of their neighbors in this part of New York.

Joseph preceded Nettie to Colorado. He changed their family name to “Boyce”. She arrived in 1888 with daughter Nellie (age about 3), and began a mail correspondence with her sister Alice Labarge Wine back in New York. Alice saved some of the letters and they were eventually shared with my mom, who typed them up.

And here are Nettie’s letters, with some comments from me [in brackets].

New Castle, Colorado

Jan. 2, 1888

Dear Sister

I will write you a few lines to let you know that we got here all safe and right. We got here Friday at 1 p.m. I should liked to have seen you all before coming but could not – I had to start off in such a hurry.

I found Joe well. He did not expect us for he did not get my letter that I was coming till the same night that I got here. Nellie was afraid of her father but has got so she likes him now.

I hope you have got better. I will not write much this time. This is my fifth letter that I have got to write tonight.

Kiss Jennie for us all and give our love to Dave and his mother.

You must write soon and be careful who you give your letters to to get them mailed.

Ever your affectionate sister,

Nettie

Address as this

Mr. J. D. Boyce

Chapman P.O.

Garfield Co.

Colo.

[“Jennie” is Jennie Wine (age 5), Alice’s daughter. “Dave” is probably Alice’s husband David Wine. Unanswered questions: Why did Nettie leave New York in a hurry? Why should Alice “be careful” who she gives her letters to?]

New Castle, Colo.

March 12, 1888

Dear Sister,

I received your letter night before last and was glad to hear from you all. But was sorry that you are no better. We are all well here.

I hear you are having awful cold weather out there. It hasn’t been cold here to speak of more than a week this winter and then not very cold at that. It is nice and warm here now and no snow on the ground.

I was surprised to hear that Fred was married. Remember me to them and tell them I wish them much joy.

Have you got the same priest yet and who has he got for a housekeeper? I can read every word of your letters. I don’t think I could if they were written in French.

I wish you were having as good a time as I am having. I don’t have any washing to do nor baking. I don’t know how long this good time will last but it is good while it does last.

Joe has been doing well for a while but there is two other meat markets that have started in here so he may not do so well.

Tell Dave there is good hunting and fishing here but no one is allowed to kill deer or catch fish only for their own use for five years.

I got a letter from Addie the same time I got yours and they have all been sick but are now better. She said she wanted to go and see you but they have traded their old horse for a colt and she cannot drive it.

Well it is eleven o’clock and I am getting sleepy so I will close for this time. Write soon and tell us all the news. Joe sends his love to you all. Kiss Jennie for us all.

Ever your aff. Sister,

Nettie

(Same letterhead as previous letter)

[“Fred” may be Joe’s brother (age 16) or another friend/relative. “Addie” is Addie Labarge Clark, sister of Nettie and Alice. She and her family apparently live a few miles from Malone, possibly in Bangor. Average January high temperature in Malone is 24 degrees. In New Castle, Colorado, it is 37 degrees. ]

July 1, 1888

New Castle, Colo.

Dear Sister,

I received your letter some days ago and was sorry to hear you are no better. We are all well here at present, hoping this will find you all the same.

Joe has shut up his shop and will not open up again until he can collect some of the money he has out. I don’t know how long that will be. It is awful hard times here now. No money to be had.

Are you running your own farm this summer and who have you got to work for you? Are you doing your own work?

I got a letter from Addie about two weeks ago. She says they don’t get much work to do in [the] shop.

How are your crops looking? I haven’t seen anything growing this summer here where we live you could not raise white beans. There isn’t a garden in the whole town.

We went to an ice cream party last night. Didn’t get home until two o’clock. They are to celebrate the fourth of July here and have a ball in the evening.

Well you will have to excuse a short letter for this time. There is no news that you would care about and I can think of nothing more to write about. So goodbye, write soon. Joe sends his love to you all and Nellie sends a kiss. Is Jennie growing any?

[unsigned?]

[New Castle was a mining town and miners were paid at the end of the month, so much of their purchasing was done on credit. This may be why Joe decided to close the meat market.]

New Castle, Colo.

Oct. 17, 1888

Dear Sister,

I write you a few lines to let you know we are all pretty well and we have a nice little sister for Nellie. Weighs 7 pounds.

I am glad you are getting better. I cannot write much this time as I am only commencing to sit.

The old folks can tell you what we are doing. It will save me writing so much.

Write soon. I am getting along nicely. Baby was born Oct. 7.

Ever your aff. Sister

Nettie

[The new baby was my grandmother, Mamie Olive Boyce!]

New Castle, Colo.

Nov. 17, 1888

Dear Sister,

I received your letter yesterday and was glad to hear you are all well. We are all well here now. As for me I never felt better than I do now.

You wanted I should tell you if I was hard sick. I was not near as sick as I was the other time. We have a splendid doctor here for that.

The children are both well and as fat as little bears. The baby has dark blue eyes and dark hair, but she has light skin. Joe says she is as homely as I am.

Nellie is just crazy for her. Nellie says tell Jennie that Doctor Crooks will find her a little sister on the railroad if she wants one.

We have rented our restaurant for three months at $46.00 per month. The work was too much for me to see to. Joe works in the planing mill running the engine and gets $2.00 a day.

We are having splendid weather so far no snow and dust a-flying yet. I suppose you are froze up out there by this time.

There has been quite a lot of sickness around here this fall. But no deaths.

They are working the coal mines now. They employ about 40 men and expect to put about one hundred to work soon.

I can think of no more that would be of interest to you. I like to live here a great deal better than I did at first.

Well this is all for this time. Write soon. Kiss Jennie for us all. Joe sends his love to all.

Ever your aff. Sister Nettie

New Castle, Colo.

March 28 [no year - 1889?]

Dear Sister,

We received your letter a few days ago which found us all well, hoping that this will find you the same.

Joe has been pretty sick and so has both children but they are all well now.

It is warm now. People have got their gardens made. They have no gardens here in town, but out on ranches. There is no rain here to raise anything. Everything has to be irrigated. I tell you what, vegetables ain’t as good as they are back home. It takes so long to grow.

How is work out in Malone? Can people get anything to do? Work is about stopped here. Coal mines are shut down. The man that Joe and Phill were working for has shut down his mill. Phill is without work. He does not know what he will do yet. Joe is helping build a store.

You have never written whether they had taken horse brook down to the village or not. And have they got the paper mill to running yet? Does it help the place any?

Well, about smallpox. We have had only one case here in town. But at Glenwood Springs, that is 12 miles from here, there is 60 cases but it does not go too hard. There is not one have died with it yet.

I have found out a sure cure for Erisuplus. It is grated carrots. Put on where it is swollen and leave overnight. There’s a woman that is our neighbor. She used to be troubled all the time with it. She says she put it on only once and has never had it since and she knows several others that have cured themselves the same way.

April 2

And this letter hasn’t gone yet. I got a letter from Addie Saturday. She and the children have been sick and she says she doesn’t get very strong. It seems as though you might visit one another a little now there is just you two left of the family but I suppose it is hard for you to go anywheres.

Well, I must close for this time. Write soon. Give our love to both Daves and to old Mrs. Wine. Tell Jennie she mustn’t be sick all the time or Nellie will get bigger than she is. Nellie knows all her letters now.

I must close by bidding you all good night. Write soon.

Your aff. Sister Nettie.

[“erisuplus” is probably erysipelas, a skin infection. You can Google “Carrot poultice”. “Just you two left of the family…” Nettie, Alice, and Addie had two brothers Louis David Labarge and Darius Labarge. I don’t know if they had died or moved away at this point in time. – I believe “Phill” was Joe’s uncle from back in Malone who also moved to Colorado.]

New Castle, Colo.

June 5, 1889

Dear Sister,

I received your letter some time ago and will now try to answer it. We were glad to hear you are all well. We are all well.

I have had an awful time with my teeth again but am now all right again. I have gained four pounds since winter.

Our baby weighs sixteen pounds and Nellie weighs thirty-three pounds. Baby has commenced to sit alone.

I got a letter from Addie last week. She says they are all well.

Joe is working in a butcher shop now. Has been there two weeks today. He boards at home.

The weather is terrible now. We have had a lot of rain. This spring it rained every day for three weeks.

You wanted to hear if we were coming back home. Joe says he will never go back till he has enough money to buy him a place and pay for it. The Lord only knows when that will be.

I suppose you don’t have strawberries yet. We have had them here for a month.

[Unsigned, or page lost]

September 1 [1889]

Dear Sister,

I don’t owe you any letters but seeing you didn’t write I thought I would write a few lines.

Nellie is very sick. She is some better now. I don’t know what the matter is with her. She was taken with spasms but we think she will now get along all right.

What is the matter with Joe’s folks that they don’t write to us? We would like to hear how they are.

We have moved to Aspen. There is more work here.

Now Alice you be careful when you write be careful what you say as there is another JDB in this town and they sometimes get our letters. Tell his folks to be careful too. You know what I mean about that.

We are all well but Nellie. Baby doesn’t walk alone yet but goes all around the wall.

I must close for this time. Write soon.

Aff. sister Nettie

Address

J. D. Boyce

Aspen Box 614

Pitkin Co., Colo.

[Nellie was no stranger to health challenges: In 1887, before Nettie and Nellie moved to Colorado, there was a brief mention in the Malone newspaper that little Nellie was “dangerously ill with whooping cough, complicated by pneumonia”. “Baby” is 11 months old, and still has not been referred to by name – “Mamie”.

Aspen is about 54 miles southeast of New Castle. When I think of Aspen, I think “ski resort”, but its history began as a mining town. And like many towns in the West, its growth is often related to outside events. In the case of Aspen, the railroad arrived in 1887, bringing in workers, supplies, merchandise, and equipment and taking out ore from the mines. Then, in 1893, the price of silver plummeted (like in Granite, Montana, for my Pearce great-grandfather’s mine), the mines closed, and the people moved on. The population peaked at 12,000 and eventually dropped to 705.]

Aspen Dec. 29 [1889?]

Dear Sister,

Your letter containing those sad news reached us in due time. You must excuse me for not writing before as I have been sick four weeks. They all said I had typhoid fever. I don’t know but I was sick enough to die. All the rest of the family are all well. But people around here are dying by the dozen.

We have had no cold weather to speak of. We have had lots of snow but it melts right off.

I don’t see why Joe’s sisters have not written to us before now. I wrote to them all about six weeks ago. Didn’t they get the letter? What will the old man do with the children?

Well Alice everything is a blur before my eyes. You will have to accept a short letter for this time. Kiss Jennie for us all. Write soon.

Ever your aff. Sister Nettie

[There are a few mysteries in this letter. Joe’s mother Lina Truchon Giroux was buried in Malone, NY, a month earlier (Nov. 26, 1889), so that is likely the “sad news”. The “old man” is probably Joe’s father, Fred. Fred and Lina had 3 children under 18 at that time (Fred Jr. (17), John (15), and Olive (11)). There were also 3 older siblings including two sisters. It’s so hard to only have one side of the conversation.

Aspen, Colo. Jan. 26 1890

Dear Sister,

We received your letter last night and was glad to hear from you. We are all well. We have none of us had the grippe yet but lots of people are having it. I have got as well as ever again. The children are both well and healthy.

We have had some cold weather but it rained all last night and all day today so the sleighing is all gone. That is what makes it so unhealthy. It averages about three funerals a day.

I am so glad you got along so well with the girls about the money. That will give you a chance to get out of debt. We are just about making a living this winter. There is hundreds of men out of work. Times will probably be better soon. They are commencing to open up the mines now so that will take lots of men.

Do you know the reason why Joe’s sisters does not write? I can’t think of anything that would interest you any. Write us with all the news. Nellie speaks of Jennie every day. She says I wish I could have my little cousin to play with. Well I must close for this time, hoping to hear from you soon. I remain ever your

Aff. sister Nettie

Joe sends his love to you all. Is Jennie Wilson married yet? Does Jennie grow any taller? I should like her picture. We will have some of our children as soon as warm weather and send them.

[There is a two-year gap in the letters here. Sadly, during this time, little Nellie passed away on July 25, 1890, in Aspen. The cause of death was listed as cholera infantum also called “summer diarrhea”. She was about 5 years old. In just 2 years since arriving in Colorado, Nettie wrote of grippe, smallpox, typhoid fever, and now this tragedy. I am grateful that a lot of these illnesses are no longer regular occurrences in the U.S.

Also during this time Nettie and Joe had a son, Ernest Roy, my “Uncle Ernie” born in July 1891. (Technically my great-uncle).]

Aspen, Colo

Sept. 24, 1892

Dear Sister Alice,

It is a long time since I wrote to you before but I have been traveling a good deal and did not know where to have my letters sent. I am now in Aspen and am sure of staying here till after Christmas. Joe isn’t here with me, he is working away from home. We have been [illegible] since I wrote to you before but that camp did not amount to much so I came back and Joe went on farther and got work.

I hear from Addie that you are not at all well. I hope you are now better. I am sorry you have so many [illegible]. As for us I always have one sick and have had all summer. We are all well now for a wonder.

Night before last there was a house blowed up by giant powder [dynamite]. The man of house was killed and his wife badly hurt. I went to see the house today. There is a large hole in the floor and the roof all blowed off, furniture all into slivers. It is a sad sight to see. It is supposed some one had a grudge against them and took that way to get even.

Baby [Ernie] has just commenced to try to walk. I think I will have my teeth tended next week. It has been very sickly here this summer: diphtheria and scarlet fever has been raging all summer.

Does Jennie go to school and how does she learn? They have got a convent school here now. I wish Mamie was old enough to go. Jane is going to send her three youngest to the convent.

Well I must close for this time hoping you will answer this soon. I remain your loving sister Nettie.

Address: Mrs. Nettie Boyce, 504 South Aspen St., Aspen, Colo. Don’t give my address to anyone.

[“Jane” (also from Malone) is the wife of Phill mentioned above. ]

Aspen, Colo

Nov. 24, 1892

Dear Sister,

I received your two letters and picture a few days ago. I will now try and answer them. I think you have got a nice big girl. I will send you our baby’s picture as soon as I can get one taken.

Joe has not been home since April but I expect he will come to us, I don’t know which yet. Our baby has been very sick but he is now well [he lived to age 91!]. He is teething, I think that is all ails him. He weighs 23 lbs. Mamie is real healthy, she hardly ever is sick. We are having diphtheria pretty bad but it is better than it has been. They closed all the schools until it got better.

I don’t see why Addie said I wanted to come home. I wrote to her and said I could have come home if I had wanted to but thought the trip would be too hard on me. If Joe don’t stay with us another summer I will try to come home if I can. Jane has got a boy, it is four weeks old. How is everybody at the Bend [south of Malone]? I will write to them as soon as we get settled in one place.

We have had nice weather all along till today. It has snowed, rained, and blowed and you bet it can blow here. This place is terrible dull just now. The railroad men have made a strike on one of the roads and it is liable to make trouble as they will let no cars leave [illegible]. They will have to close all mines as they cannot get the ore hauled.

Well I have written all I can think of so will stop writing for tonight. If you don’t answer as soon as you get this you had better wait until I write again as I may be going away soon. If you answer right away address: Mrs. Nettie Boyce, 219 West Hyman Ave., Aspen, Colo.

Rico, Colo

Feb 8th, 1893

Dear Sister [Addie],

I will write again to let you know we are all well and have made another move. We are now in Rico about 300 miles from Aspen in a small mining camp. We are having a lot of snow. Trains are snowed in for whole weeks. I don’t think I will like this place very well. We have bought a lot and built a house on it. I will send you a picture and also Joe’s sisters and father one. Tell Alice to send her father’s to him. I would send it to him but do not know his address. I will write to the girls in a few days.

Jane’s baby died December 23 of congestion of the lungs and Phil got his leg broke about two weeks ago. The team he was driving ran away. They are still in Aspen.

Well I hope you are getting better. Well will close for this time as there is not much news to write. Hoping to hear from you soon. I remain as ever your sister, Nettie.

Joe wishes to be remembered to both. Will write more next time.

That is the end of the letters I have. The second batch I transcribed from photocopies of hand-written letters which is why some of the words are marked [illegible].

What a picture these letters paint of life in Colorado 1888-1893! Life was hard – there were few mentions of fun times (but the ice cream party!). I am struck by the serious illnesses, as well as the constant moving in search of work. Nettie sounds nostalgic for home, but as far as I know she never returned to New York for a visit. Joe and Nettie moved on to Silverton/Durango, Colorado, where daughter Ethel was born and where their daughter Mamie (my grandmother) met her future husband Gilbert Hammond. Finally, Joe and Nettie moved on to Southern California, preceding the Hammonds by a few years.

Joe and Nettie were the third of three of my ancestor families to migrate to Colorado. The first was Noah and Rosetta Taylor Hammond (1859/1860) and the second was Orrin and Judith Brown Little (1880). I will be putting their stories together in the coming months.

Joseph Boyce on the left in front of dairy wagon. Nettie Boyce in doorway wearing white apron. Just to her left is a young child crying: Mamie Boyce. Location: Aspen? Photo colorized and enhanced by MyHeritage.com.

I welcome your comments and additions!

Upcoming posts:

The Danielsens’ journey from Norway and England to Northern California
The fourteen children of Peter and Polly Little
Francis and Mary (Baker) Pearce - part 3

Nettie Boyce - letters home from Colorado

The Danielsens - from England and Norway to California

Francis Pearce and family in New Zealand