St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1911-05-17
RECENT DEATHS


David Prudent Frecnette died Fri
day morning at his home on St, Mary
street after two days illness with
angina pectoris. He was ore Of Ine
NEST influential men OF his race III
town as was shown by the large
number of estates he had settled
and the fact that he often acted as
legal adviser to the French people.
He had the reputation Of being per-
feetly square and just and was as
much respected by the English resi-
dents as by the Freneh-Americans
He had served as policeman, notary
was born in September 16, 1847, at
Maskinonge, r. @. His mother died
when he was nine years old and pos
sessing the most .meagre education
possible he was thrown upon his own
resources. When he was 15 he came
to Albany, N. r., and knowing no
English, enlisted thinking that the,
papers he signed were only con-
tract for work. The first intimation
he had of what he had really done
came to him when he reached the bar
racks and saw the soldiers. The story
of this experience was one which his
fellow comrades in ~Chamberlin Post
dearly loved to hear him relate. His
first enlistment was with the Ist N.
Y. regiment but on reaching the
front he was transferred at once to
the 56th Massachusetts,. His first
engagement was at Pigram Farm and
later he was with his regiment at
Weldon railroad, Richmond and
Petersburg.
After the war he settled at Arctic,
R.. l., and while living there was mar
Fied in 1857 to Miss Rosalie Greg
ORE. They had eleven children OF
whom four survive their father,
David s., Joseh p, and Arthur of st.
Johnsbury, and Mary, Mrs. A. j. Au-
bin, of Lyndonville. His first resi-
dence in Vermont was at Fair Haven
and while living there he became ac-
quainted with the late Rev. J. A.
Boissonnault. When Father Boisson-
nault came to St. Johnsbury Mr..
Frechette followed him here and was
for many years In charge of the
church and school buildings and the
cemetery. Practically all the educa-
ton he ever received was under the
inspiration of Father Boissonnault
and he taught for time in the
church school when he had SO little
knowledge of the branches he taught
that every lesson ne taught
had to be taught him before
he could instruct others. He held
this church position for II years
or. more. was associated for time
with Joyite Pihard in box and fur
niture factory and Is years ago
went into the grocery business which
his son, David, had already started
This business he had continued with
success and was still managing at the
tine of his sudden death. Besides
his immediate family three brothers
and two sisters survive him. The
funeral was held Monday morning
from Notre Dame church with Rev.
Frs. Drounin, Lachance and Dame Of
floating. The Union St. John the Bap-
fist of which the deceased was a
member attended in a body as did
Chamberiin Post, q. A. r., and the
retail grocers, The bearers were
Jovite Pinard, Thomas Gagner, Louis
Gingras, p, D. Dupont, Joseph Rae
cite and, Ferdinand Bedard Inter
ment was at the s4tonlan Catholic
cemetery.
Mrs Solomon Gregoire of Lowell,
Mass, and Joseph Gregoire of Schen-
ectady were called here by his death
but on account of the wreck at
White River Junction did not reach
here in tine for the funeral.