Home – Never very far

My paternal grandfather, Adlore Joseph Vadnais, did travel, but he never really ventured far from home.

Adlore was born September 20, 1889 in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, to Eugenia (Jennie) Baillargeon, age 23, and William Vadnais, age 25. Not unlike most people born during this time, Adlore was born at home. He was the fifth of seven children born to Jennie and William.

The following map shows the three locations where Adlore resided from birth to death.

The first home, where Adlore was born, sat on the northeast corner of Murray Avenue and Third Street in White Bear Lake. The address was 253 Third Street. The house is long gone, but we are fortunate that its existence was documented.

After their marriage, Adlore’s wife, Ellen, moved into the family home on Third Street. Adlore, Ellen, George [Albert] (Adlore and Ellen’s firstborn), Jennie (Adlore’s mother) and Adlore’s brother William (as a boarder) are enumerated in the 1910 U.S. Census¹ as living at the Third Street address.

Adlore and Ellen would have one more child, Charles Adlore, at this location. Both George and Charles were born at home.

On June 10, 1912 Adlore and Ellen purchased Lot 30, Oakhurst Acres, White Bear Lake, Ramsey County, Minnesota.² The address at that time was 1309 Fourth Street and the property was about an acre in size.

Adlore and Ellen moved about two blocks to their new home on Fourth Street where Ellen would give birth to ten more children. During the first several years they lived there two of those children, Lawrence Thomas and Henry Woodrow, would pass away in that home.

By 1932 Adlore and Ellen had purchased their last family home.³  The home was located on the same block as the Fourth Street property, but just around the corner to the northeast.  The address then was 411 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake.  On April 15, 1941 they sold the Fourth Street home to their second son, Charles Adlore and his wife, Florence Cecelia (Doran) for one dollar.⁴

In the 1940 U.S. Census⁵ Adlore Vadnais, age 50, along with Ellen, age 51, were enumerated in their household at 411 Bald Eagle Avenue, White Bear Lake, Ramsey County, Minnesota. Eight of the ten living children are listed as residing with them: Florence E. (22), Richard A. (20), Mona (18), Leona (17), John (15), Margaret [Marguerite] (13), Gordon (11), Anna Mae (10). Adlore is listed as a Prop. [Proprietor] Service Station. The X in a circle next to Florence’s name on the census record tells us that she provided the information to the census taker.

Ellen passed away on June 10, 1969. Adlore remained in the family home until his passing on May 4, 1973. The home has been owned by Vadnais family since then.

Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cindy

© 2021 Copyright by Cynthia Vadnais, All Rights Reserved

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Footnotes for Home – Never very far post