Adolphe Lazure

Adolphe Lazure was born near Montreal, Canada at St. Michele, December 19, 1841, spending his boyhood days among French Canadians before the Civil War. In 1866, his wanderlust blood took possession. He set out for the Great West, crossing the border. In spite of his language handicap, he kept onward toward his goal. He reached Omaha, Nebraska, then only a small settlement, in 1867, the year Nebraska achieved statehood. From St. Joseph, Missouri, traveling by steamboat, a 3 ½ day trip, he settled in DeSoto about two years, and was employed by the Union Pacific Railroad (which had a branch line to DeSoto) simultaneously learning the English language. In 1869, he secured a homestead west of Blair and moved to that farm. Blair was being laid out at this time; new inhabitants were coming daily; so, he joined other settlers, doing work other than farming. He was recognized as being quite proficient at chopping wood. In 1871, he returned to Canada to bring back his bride, Marie Josephine Poissant, also of St. Michele where she was born, September 18, 1845. She was a tailor and dressmaker in Montreal. Her parental lineage is traced back to Marne France who came to Canada in 1661, before the French and Indian wars. After the third child, they returned to Montreal, deciding if they would stay in the U.S.A. or Canada. Daughter, Therese Anne, was born: soon the family returned to Nebraska, purchasing land in DeSoto Township and living in a log cabin until a larger commodious nine-room, two-story house with basement, large barn and other buildings were built. An orchard, approximately 250 fruit trees, abundantly produced. This man, coming to Washington County with 50 cents in his pocket and $5.00 in debt, was to become one of the county’s largest land owners. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, later St. Francis Borgia, to which Mr. Lazure contributed its building, was the center of family activities all through the years. All five sons were farmers on the holding of their father, until various ones took up other occupations. Joseph Adolph, January 25, 1872 - July 2, 1941 - married Mae Allen. Mary Josephine, January 25, 1874 - January 24, 1917 - a teacher. Mary Louise, January 23, 1874 - October 12, 1960 - married Jeremiah Foley. Therese Ann, February 1, 1876 - August 2, 1960 - teacher, later a business woman. Patrick Adelore, July 27, 1878 - November 5, 1933 - married Nellie Strode. Ernest Jean Baptist, August 1, 1879 - died August -, married Emma Mencke. Charles Bazil, ebruary 17, 1884 - married Beryl Gamble and later Blanche Reynolds. Margaret Bazilesse, February 20, 1887 - July 24, 1980. James Louis, July 25, 1888 - October 26, 1956 - married Frances Krajeck. Most of Adolphe’s and Marie’s children are buried in Holy Cross Cemetery at Blair. Marie’s mother, Josette Poissant, a Quebec Province, Canada, native, was the first person buried in Holy Cross Cemetery. (1814 - 1879) This family endured the usual pioneer problems: grasshoppers in the seventies, blizzards and drought, sharing the joys of birth and sadness of death with their neighbors. Submitted by Mrs. H. L. (Vina Foley) Campbell

Source: Washington County Nebraska History 1980. The Washington County Historical Association. Taylor Publishing Company, Dallas, Texas, 1980.