Melvina
and the children patiently remained back in Mattawa but Melvina was not
one to allow her little brood to be separated for very long and besides
she figured she had fretted long enough over Joe and Gus's well being.
The
following year, July 1927, the 42 year old mother packed up her young ones...Clem
then 16, Harry aged 11, and young Bruno aged 9 and with that same determination
of those prospectors she would reunite her family. It would not be an easy
trip and like many other times before in her life she would once again
place her trust and fate in the hands of the carpenter's son, Our Lord
Jesus Christ. He had watched over her many times before and surely would
not forsake them on this 190 mile boat trip to their new home in the Boreal
Forest of Northwestern Ontario on the shores of Red Lake.(Read
Clem's recollection of the story)
Train Mattawa,Ontario,
Canada Circa 1926 |
Train arriving Hudson, Ontario,
Canada Circa 1926 |
The
first leg of the journey would be by train from Mattawa to Hudson, Ontario
and the second leg would be by barge and canoe to Pipestone Bay.One could
only imagine this gentle lady tucking her children into their train berths
each night after saying their prayers. For the children this had to be
the adventure of a lifetime going into the wilds of Ontario, not knowing
what lay ahead. Riding the rails with the soot and ash of the train blowing
by as they looked out the window into the wild bushland with imaginations
running wild with the thoughts of fierce and savage Indians waiting
to jump down upon them.
 .
When
they arrived at Pipestone Bay they found a tent community with very little
conveniences they were used too, but this was not important to Melvina
because she finally could see for herself that Joe and Gus were all right
and she finally had the family back together and this is what mattered
the most to her.
She
had to leave most of the family belongings behind in Mattawa, hoping that
at some future time they could be shipped to their new home, however unfortunately
the barn they were stored in would catch fire and go up in blazes and all
the family treasures and history would be lost forever.
Clem
would teach her brothers their schooling by the light of the kerosene lamp
the first year. It was soon decided by Melvina and Gus that this was not
a place for the children and that they should be sent off to there grandmother
in Sturgeon Falls so they could get a proper education. They would return
to Red Lake in 1929 when a log schoolhouse was opened in the budding community.
 
First
School
Red Lake
When
the children returned to Red Lake there would also be log cabins instead
of tents which would give the resemblance of a town in its developing stage.
Cut out of the wilderness, Gus had built a cabin on solid bedrock and Melvina
would build it on solid love. No luxuries, each room being separated only
by a curtain , also no indoor-plumbing, the latrine was outside behind
the house. The facility was better known as an outhouse and was used summer
and winter and had no heating inside. The cabin was heated by a wood stove
in the kitchen area..
 
Reminance
of log cabin at Pipestone Bay.
Biffy
During
one of the first winters Clem would develop scurvy because of the lack
of fresh fruit and vitamin 'C' which is mainly found in citrus fruit. This
precious vitamin could be found in other vegetation, however the plant
life in this area was somewhat different to what Gus was familiar with,
so he did not know how to help his beautiful daughter.
Her
teeth would begin to become loose and her joints ached something terrible.
The older brothers went out to canvass every neighbour in the settlement
for the valuable citrus fruit and at a great expense they were able to
purchase enough to get their sister through this difficult time.
They
were deeply devoted to their sister for this was how Melvina had raised
them, however this would not stop them from from pulling pranks on her
.
Clem , Circa 1929
We
must realize that she was one of a few eligible young women in the
community, by now she was 19 years of age. Not only was she eligible but
she was a strikingly beautiful women as well. So it was very easy for her
brother Joe to convince a French fellow by the name of Paul Martin that
he could marry his sister Clem for 2 sacks of potatoes. When Paul arrived
at the Dupont cabin with his sacks of potatoes and his desire to take Clem
to be his wife, he was met by the fury of a mamma bear..named Melvina.
In her most powerful French tongue she made it clear to the confused Paul
that he was not welcome and Clem was not available and that Joe had been
up to his tricks again. Paul went away devastated but the family did get
2 nice fresh sacks of potatoes anyway.
 Joe
and Clem Dupont
 Paul
Martin and his pet fox
Being that the community
was only in it's infancy, many things were lacking but the people were
very resourceful. Mass would be held in the Dupont cabin by Father Belavance
until a church could be built.
In future years Melvina had
her favorite priest, Father Massicot nearby and would find so much strength
through her faith. For years to come her grandchildren would hear stories
of their Grandma. The gentle lady walked to mass everyday of the year,
no matter what the weather conditions.
   
Father Massicot and First
Catholic Church
....please read further
Background
Music:
Comming
Around the Mountain
Sequenced
by: Don Carroll
She'll
be comin' round the mountain
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
She'll
be comin' round the mountain
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
She'll
be comin' round the mountain,
She'll
be comin' round the mountain,
She'll
be comin' round the mountain,
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
She'll
be drivin' six white horses
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
She'll
be drivin' six white horses
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
She'll
be drivin' six white horses,
She'll
be drivin' six white horses,
She'll
be drivin' six white horses,
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
Oh,
we'll all go out to greet her
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
Oh,
we'll all go out to greet her
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
Oh,
we'll all go out to greet her,
Oh,
we'll all go out to greet her,
Oh,
we'll all go out to greet her,
When
she comes,
(When
she comes).
If
the music does not play on your computer you need to download one of the
music players below.
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Player(FREE)
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