poems set in Milltown

[Suzanne Noguere]

Hello, all

I have a special interest in the life and circumstances of those who worked in the Michelin plant c. 1916–1921 or longer, when my grandfather Joseph Noguere did, as well as my then-teenage great-aunts and uncles. My grandparents had emigrated independently from France to Argentina, where they met and married. From there they went to Cuba and then New Orleans. They must have heard there of the French community and work in Milltown, where they settled and my father was born in 1917. In 1918 my grandmother's family from the Basque Country in France joined them. I'm writing a historical poem series about their lives. Here's a link to two poems set in Milltown:

http://www.mezzocammin.com/iambic.php?vol=2017&iss=2&cat=po...

If anyone has connections to that era (the bungalows, schooling, daily life…) or could tell me if there are city records available that would show who lived at which addresses etc., I'd love to hear.

Thanks from Suzanne Noguere

[Barbara Wright]

Thank you Suzanne, for the link to your poems. It's exciting to see poetry set in our town.

Your question is now up on our website, and I will ask around to see if anyone that I know has the answers to your questions.

[Suzanne Noguere]

Many thanks, Barbara!

[Marie-Hélène KERNEUR]

Nice poems about the french community of  "Michelinville"! 

I have quite a lot of  information about the Bretons in Milltown but  too much to share on this forum.I have already left a few posts on this site.

I'm not sure his laughter rang out in the trenches, but Louis Canaff  went off to war in 1917 and behaved very bravely .He went back to the States after demob.I could trace him in NYC in 1939 !

Censuses and  city directories are available  and quite handy to locate  the French between 1917 and 1930.

Feel free  to contact me .

[Suzanne Noguere]

I am so excited to hear from you, Marie-Helene! My great-aunt Gabrielle Amestoy married Louis Canaff (b. 1898, Gourin, France; d. 1946, Manhattan—same Louis Canaff?) when she was 19, in October 1921, so I would be very happy to have any information about him. They were divorced while their daughter, Irene, their only child, was a teenager. In the 1940 Federal Census Irene is living with him in Manhattan on West 47th Street, and he is working as a truck driver for a bakery. I do not know when he first came to the U.S. or when he returned to France to serve in WWI though I do see ship manifests for trips back from France to the U.S. in 1921,1928, and 1930. I would be especially interested in his military service if you know it.… On Ancestry.com I've been successful only hit and miss in getting addresses in New Jersey city directories for 1916–21 and after. Do you know if Milltown and other nearby cities' directories can be accessed by other means? If you'd like to reply privately, please contact me at [e-mail]. Many thanks! Suzanne

[Marie-Hélène KERNEUR]

Couldn't send details about Louis Canaff ( wrong address) [e-mail]