White Bear Lake Vadnais Genealogy & Family History Blog

George Albert Vadnais and Frances Catherine McHugh (Part 2 of 3)

1 Comment / Cynthia Vadnais / August 9, 2024

A number of pictures exist from when George and Fran were dating in the early 1930s.

George on top of the **Manitou Island** **entrance gate**

**Portrait of George**
(What a handsome young man!)

**Fran and George on an outing to Taylors Falls**

**Fran in front of the Inter-State bridge over the St. Croix River at Taylors Falls**

**Fran and George (in front) with a group of friends at Taylors Falls**

**George in either Taylors Falls or St. Croix Falls**

On Thursday June 14, 1934, George and Fran were married at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in St. Paul, Minnesota. At the time of their marriage, George was 24 years old and Fran was 21 years old. Eight days later Fran would turn 22 years old.

**George Vadnais and Frances McHugh marriage license and certificate**

**The wedding party (left to right): Edward McHugh, Virginia Johnson, Charles Vadnais, Mary McHugh, Anna Mae Vadnais, George Vadnais, Fran (McHugh) Vadnais, Charles Wagner and Lou Kelly**
Edward, Mary and Fran are siblings and Charles Wagner is their cousin. Charles and Anna Mae Vadnais are George’s siblings; George was the first born and Anna Mae the last born in the family with their being a 20 year age difference between them. Virginia went to St. Joseph’s Academy with Fran and Lou worked at The Emporium in St. Paul with Fran.

Their wedding announcement appeared the next day in the White Bear Press.

**June 15, 1935 *White Bear Press* wedding announcement for George and Fran**⁸

The 1935 St. Paul Directory shows the young couple rooming at 1032 Grand Avenue in St. Paul. George is working as a driver for Sanitary Farm Dairies.⁹

**Current view of 1032 Grand Avenue, St. Paul**

**George standing by his Sanitary Farm Dairies delivery vehicle**
(I wish the picture had better focus)

By 1936 the couple was living at 824 Margaret Street in St. Paul.¹⁰ It is while they are living there that Fran, on January 28, 1936, gave birth to their first child, George Michael.¹¹ Tragically, the trauma George Michael suffered from the difficulties of his birth could not be overcome; he passed away the following day and was buried at Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul. Fran and George must have been inconsolable.

**Baby Boy [George Michael] Vadnais Minnesota death certificate #25432**¹²

**George Michael Vadnais grave marker – Calvary Cemetery**

On June 6, 1938 Fran gave birth to the couples’ second child, Jerome (Jerry) Thomas.¹³

**1938 – The proud parents, George and Fran, showing off their son Jerry**
George is wearing his work uniform for Sanitary Farm Dairies

In September of 1938 George, Fran and Jerry moved back to White Bear Lake where George and Fran opened Vadnais Cash and Carry. The business was run out of their home at 919 Stewart Avenue where according to licenses they held, they sold milk, cream, cigarettes, soft drinks and gasoline. From what George wrote on the back of the following picture, in general they sold groceries. George continued to deliver milk for Sanitary Farm Dairies and Fran, besides taking care of Jerry, worked in the store and pumped gasoline.¹⁴