Richard Andrew Vadnais was born on August 8, 1919 to Ellen and Adlore Vadnais.¹  His birth came less than 2 months after his 4 year old brother, Henry Woodrow, had died.  The birth was attended by Dr. A. E. Voges and, like the rest of his siblings, Richard (Dick) was born at home.  At the time of Dick’s birth, Ellen was 30 years old and Adlore was 29 years old (the birth certificate ages are incorrect).  Dick was welcomed by his siblings: 9 year old George, 7 year old Charles and 2 year old Florence.  Ellen and Adlore must have been elated with Dick’s birth, while at the same time mourning the loss of Henry.

Dick was baptized by Father John Fahey on August 17, 1919 at the first St. Mary of the Lake Church in White Bear Lake, which was then located on Bald Eagle Avenue near the head of Birch Lake Avenue.²  His aunt and uncle, Alice Peltier and her husband Benjamin LaBore, are listed as his godparents; Alice is Ellen’s older sister.

Dick is enumerated with the rest of his family in the 1920 U. S. census: Adlore J. is 30 years old, Ellen L. is 31 years old, George A. is 9 years old, Charles A. is 8 years old, Florence E. is 2 years 7 months old and the newest member of the family Richard A. (Dick) is 6 months old.  Adlore’s occupation is yard clerk for the railroad (Northern Pacific).³

Between 1921 and 1930, Dick would welcome 6 more siblings into the family: Mona Celestine born on April 5, 1921, Leona Rose born on April 4, 1923, John Russell born on February 19, 1925, Marguerite Marie born on October 17, 1926, Gordon Francis born on November 20, 1928 and Anna Mae Ruth born on March 27, 1930.^{4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9}  Dick was 10 years old when the last of his siblings was born.

The 1930 U. S. census records show all 10 children living at home.¹⁰  Anna Mae, the last child born, was almost 2 weeks old when the census was taken.  Dick’s brothers George and Charles must have been at work when the above picture was taken.

Dick, along with his other siblings, attended the 8-room St. Mary’s School where classes were taught through the 8^th grade.  I’m unsure of when Dick stopped his education.  I couldn’t find him in any of the 8^th grade graduation pictures, so I assume he may have gone to work for his father prior to graduating from the 8^th grade.

Dick’s future wife, Martha Phylis Doran, was born to 46 year old William and 36 year old Alice (Vaughn or Vaughan) Doran on August 2, 1916 in the Village of Madison Lake, Blue Earth County, Minnesota.¹¹  She was the 7^th of 8 children born to the couple.  Only 5 of her 7 siblings would live to adulthood. 

The William Doran family was enumerated in the 1920 U.S. census as living in the Village of Madison Lake.  Five children are listed: 14 year old Marion, 12 year old Walther (Walter), 8 year old Florence, 6 year old Robert and 3 year old Martha.  William is 50 years old and Alice is 39 years old.  William’s occupation is as a laborer in a garage.  The home is owned with no mortgage.

In 1920 Martha’s older sister Florence met her future husband, Dick’s older brother Charles, at the Minnesota School for the Deaf (MSD).  From then on, the Vadnais and Doran families would be connected to one another.  Florence meeting Charles would eventually result in Dick meeting Martha.

Martha attended All Saints School in Madison Lake., which opened on September 9, 1907 with classes taught by the Sisters of Notre Dame.  A high school addition was completed in 1922 with high school courses being offered for the following 13 years.  Martha would have graduated from high school about 1934.

To be continued…

Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cynthia

© 2026 Copyright by Cynthia Vadnais, All Rights Reserved

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Footnotes for Richard Andrew Vadnais and Martha Phylis Doran (Part 1 of 3) post