Edmund Joseph "E.J." Peltier (1894-1952)

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.

**1893 St. John’s baptism record for Josephum Esdram Edmondum Peltier** [Edmund Ezra Joseph]

**Circa 1916 – brothers Cleveland (left) and Edmund with dog Buster**

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.

**Old Peltier home on Division Avenue, October 2016**

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.

Even though the 1937 Ford Tudor police car fills the view, what caught my eye was the building above the roof line of the car, and the signs on it. The main sign reads “Mobilgas, Peltier Autos, Repairing, Storage.” The picture was taken on Clark Avenue in White Bear Lake. Edmund’s garage, Peltier Autos, was located on the west side of Clark Avenue just north of the Christian Science Church. *Courtesy of the White Bear Lake Area Historical Society*

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.

**Story about Edmund “Ed” Peltier’s garage in the 1937** **White Bear Press**⁷

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 and Excellina in the 1940 U.S. census**

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.