Francois Xavier FOURNIER

  General Notes:

During the 1850's the Quebec economy suffered greatly from massive population growth. The poulation grew by more than 400% while the availability of farmland grew by only 225%.

This resulted in wide-scale unemployment, low wages, and low agricultural productivity. The banking system was poorly established so families had to travel to borrow money, and then at high interest rates.

As a result, many families suffered from a stagering debt load, or where unable to modernize or expand their farms due to lack of funds. Combined with the poor fertility of much of Quebec's farmland, many French-Canadians sought work elsewhere to help support their families or pay off debt.

It was at this time that thousands of French Canadians emegrated to the United States to find work. Most went to the state of New Hampshire where industry was thriving and the textile industry was recruiting labourers from around the world.

Most French Candian imigrants settled in Manchester, New Hampshire in an area known as Common Park. This became a largely french community and became known as Kalivas Park.

In 1882, ten French Candadian families settled in an area of Manchester known as McGregorville, later know as Notre Dame. It was during the 1880's that many shoe factories flourished in this area.

Since Francious was French Canadian, and he married an American from Manchester, New Hampshire, it is likely that he was part of this labour emmigration. His brother Edoul ran several shoe factories in Quebec in the towns of Plessisville, Victoriaville, and Trois Riviere.

Perhaps the Fournier brothers aquired their shoe making know how while working in New Hampshire?

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  Noted events in his life were:

• Immigration: Came to Quebec from Manchester, New Hampshire, USA.

• Employment: Owned a candy factory in Manchester, New Hampshire, USA.

• Moved: Moved family to Notre Dame (Ponteix, Saskatchewan), 1909.

• Residence: Sainte-Victoire, DRUMMOND & ARTHABASKA, Quebec, 1901 Census.

Francois married Jophine VINCENT DIT MAHER in 1894. (Jophine VINCENT DIT MAHER was born on 20 Mar 1870 in Victoriaville, , Québec, Canada.)

Francois next married Unknown.