Peltier Ancestors

Edmund (Ed) is one of my Grandma Ellen (Peltier) Vadnais’ brothers.  The 5^th of 13 children, my granduncle Edmund Joseph was born in White Bear on July 1, 1893 to Albert and Celestine Peltier.¹  He was baptized by Father Joseph Goiffon at St. John’s Church in Little Canada on July 2, 1893.²  His godmother is his aunt, Mathilda Peltier and his godfather Esdra Morrissette is unfamiliar to me.

Edmund’s future wife Excellina M. Picard was born in Centerville, Anoka County, Minnesota on November 19, 1893.³

Edmund and Excellina married on May 23, 1918 when Edmund was 23 years old and Excellina was 24 years old.  I’ve not found their marriage license or certificate.  I assume that they were married either in White Bear or Centerville.

Edmund and Excellina on their wedding day – one of Edmund’s brothers Cleveland “Cleve” and Excellina’s sister Agnes are shown in the picture on the right.

On May 25, 1918, just two days after their wedding, Edmund enlisted in the Army.⁴  He was assigned to the 13^th Division Military Police, Company “B”.  The 13^th Division was activated at Camp Lewis, Washington on July 16, 1918 as a part of the U. S. military mobilization for World War I.  The commander during the summer of 1918 was Cornelius Vanderbilt III.  World War I ended with the armistice of November 11, 1918 before the division could complete training and depart for France.  By February 1919 the division was mostly demobilized.⁵  Edmund was discharged February 1, 1919.

Edmund and Excellina made their home at 513 (the house number now is 4817) Division Avenue⁶ located on the west side of Division Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Streets.  From the 1960s and later some of you may remember it as the Stawnychy home.

After the war, Edmund worked as an automobile mechanic.  At some point he opened his own garage.  It was not until I found an old newspaper article and a picture that I learned more. 

I don’t know how long Edmund was in business for himself, but according to a 1937 White Bear Press newspaper article “the garage has been closed since Mr. Peltier was incapacitated last spring,” so it would have closed in the spring of 1936.  What happened to incapacitate Mr. Peltier is unknown.

The 1940 U.S. census enumerates Edmund and Excellina in their home on Division Avenue.  The couple has no children and Edmund is working as a custodian at the White Bear Post Office.⁸ 

Edmund is working as a fireman at the St. Paul Post Office and Excellina as a department store clerk when the 1950 U.S. census was taken.  He is reported as having earned $2,600 ($50 per week) in 1949.⁹

Edmund died at age 57 at home on March 13, 1952.  His obituary said that “Mr. Peltier died Thursday in his home following a long illness.”¹⁰  According to his death certificate about a year earlier he had been diagnosed with lung cancer.  He was buried at St. Mary’s Cemetery in White Bear Lake. 

Excellina lived to age 77.  She died on May 20, 1971 in Saint Petersburg, Florida and she too was buried in St. Mary’s Cemetery.

Edmund and Excellina monument and Edmund’s military grave marker

Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cynthia

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Footnotes for Edmund Joseph Peltier Post