View of Up. Frenchville, Me. 7.

View of Up. Frenchville, Me. 7.

"View of Upper Frenchville, Me. 7." "The photo was taken from St. Hilaire, NB, Canada, on land belonging to my great grandfather on my mother's side of the family. Her mom or my grandmother was Lydia Cyr, Hilaire's oldest daughter. This land and house had been in the family for five generations or since the late 1700's or early 1800's. My uncle and godfather passed away in the early 1960's and my godmother sold the house in the early 1970's and moved to an assisted living apartment. The big building across from the church is the Daughters of Wisdom convent. They provided medical and well as educational services in the early years then educational only. The church seems to be the first one built. I think it burned down and was rebuilt. I don't know the dates. My grandmother and her husband Emile Sirois lived in the white house before the church located on the corner of Main and Church Rd. There's a road that comes down to the river and crosses to my grandfather Hilaire Cyr's land. That was before the days of strict enforcement of customs regulations. I've been told of the road but don't remember it. It wasn't there when I grew up. What we see of my grandfather Sirois' house is the third floor. The 'boutique' or blacksmith shop was down in a gully. We see a small portion of the porch roof of the second floor. The apartment on the south side of the building may have been there but we can't see it in this photo. It was attached to the first and second floor." -- Narrative provided by Philip Dechaine, 2014