Descendants of
George Adam Krumbholz
and his wife
Pauline Zeller
Second Generation


KATHERYN LOUISA2 KRUMBHOLZ (George1) was born at Pawtucket, Providence County, Rhode Island, on 20 November 1891 a daughter of George Adam Krumbholz and his wife Pauline Zeller .[1] She died at New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts. She married at New Bedford on 8 August 1911 ADELARD EUGENE BRANCHAUD.[2] He was born at Quebec on 17 August 1890, a son of Edouard Branchaud and his second wife Helene Bergeron.[3] He died at New Bedford on 6 December 1975.[4]

Katheryn was the third of five children who survived infancy. When she was four or five years old her family moved back to New Bedford, where they had previously lived. Katheryn would live the remainder of her life in that city. Her parents worked in the textile mills, and were active in the small German American community of New Bedford.

Adelard Eugene Branchaud was baptized at Sainte Rose de Lima Catholic Parish, Sweetsburg, Quebec, on 28 August 1890. His parents were Edouard Branchaud, worker, and his wife Helene Bergeron.[5]

The small town of Sweetsburg was annexed by Cowansville in 1964. Formerly part of Missisquoi County, it is now part of the Broome-Missisquoi regional county municipality. Cowansville/Sweetsburg is located 16 miles south of Granby, and 47 miles northwest of Newport, Vermont. The nearest community in the United States is Berkshire, Vermont, 20 miles to the south.

Adelard's Parents married at Saint Catejan of Potton Church, located in Mansonville, Quebec. Mansonville is a small community about 29 miles southeast of Sweetsburg and 11 miles northwest of Newport, Vermont. The marriage record described Edouard as a carpenter of Sweetsburg, son of Desiré Branchaud, day laborer, and Marguerite Royer, of Sweetsburg. Helene, of Mansonville, was the under-age daughter of Pierre Bergeron, worker, and Adeline Leblanc, of the parish of St. Etienne, Bolton.[6] Considering their age difference - 32 and 20 - Edward could have been married before, and the 1910 census reported that this was his second marriage. However I have found no other record of a prior marriage.

Adelard's family was rooted in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, but evidently moved often between the United States and Canada. The 1881 census reported Edward Branchaud with his family at Sweetsburg, Dunham township, as follows:[7]

L Name Sex Age Birthplace Religion Origin Occupation M.S.
4. Branchaud, Margarete F 63 Quebec R. Catholic French W
5. Branchaud, Julia F 35 US R. Catholic French
6. Branchaud, Leon M 33 US R. Catholic French carpenter, joiner
7. Branchaud, Rose F 25 US R. Catholic French
8. Branchaud, Edward M 26 US R. Catholic French carpenter, joiner
9. Branchaud, Sophie F 23 US R. Catholic French

According to this record, all the children born from 1846 to 1858 were born in the United States, including Edward. However I have not found any United States vital records or census records to support this.

The 1891 census reported Edward Branchaud, carpenter, 35, his wife Helen, 22, and their eight month old son Adelard, living at Sweetsburg. This record indicated that both Edward and his father were born in the United States, while his mother was born in Quebec. Helen and both her parents were born in Quebec.[8]

The family soon moved to Massachusetts, where they were reported in the 1900 census living at 150 Mill Street, New Bedford:[9]

Line Name Related Race Sex Born MS B FB MB Occupation
64. Branchaud, Edward head W M May 1856 M VT Canada (English) Canada (English) carpenter
65. Branchaud, Helen R. wife W F Jan 1869 M Canada (English) Canada (English) Canada (English)
66. Branchaud, Adelard E. son W M Aug 1890 S Canada (English) VT Canada (English) at school
67. Branchaud, Annie E. daughter W F Oct 1891 S MA VT Canada (English) at school
68. Branchaud, Mary L. daughter W F Nov 1893 S MA VT Canada (English) at school
69. Branchaud, Julie sister W F Dec 1848 S VT Canada (English) Canada (English) dress maker

The record also indicated that Edward and Helen had been married eleven years, Helen had three children, all living, and she came to the United States in 1896. Some of this data does not make sense. They came from Quebec and were French in background; it is not clear why the census taker placed them from English Canada. Also, Helen had two children born in the United States before the year indicated for her immigration. Nevertheless, this record does indicate that Edward and his sister were both born in Vermont, and Edward's family must have been living in Massachusetts by 1891. This is supported by other records.

The 1910 census, which also found this family in New Bedford, adds to the puzzle:[10]

Line Name Related Sex Race Age MS B FB MB Occupation
1. Branchaud, Edward head M W 55 M2 VT VT VT carpenter, house
2. Branchaud, Helen wife F W 41 M1 Canada (Fr) Canada (Fr) Canada (Fr) none
3. Branchaud, Adelard son M W 19 S Canada (Fr) Canada (Fr) Canada (Fr) printer, office
4. Branchaud, Annie daughter F W 18 S MA Canada (Fr) Canada (Fr) winder, cotton mill
5. Branchaud, Louise M. daughter F W 16 S Canada (Fr) Canada (Fr) Canada (Fr) none

The record also reported that Edward and Helen had been married 21 years, Helen had three children, all living, Edward rented their home, Helen came to the United States in 1891, Adelard and Louise in 1896.

What can we conclude from these conflicting records, besides that we had a couple of confused census takers? The Branchaud family came from French Canada. Perhaps Edward's early years in Vermont gave him an ability in English that caused the 1900 census taker to place them in English Canada. Like many other French Canadian families, they may not have moved to Massachusetts all at once, but continued to move back and forth for several years.

When they married in 1911, Adelard Branchaud, 20, worked as a compositor; Katharine Krumbholz, 19, lived at home.[11]


Adelard and Katharine Branchaud, 1911
Photo courtesy of Carole Branchaud

Adelard had alredy started in the position he would hold for his adult life. Arnold Kuntz wrote in 1985:

My Uncle Adelard Branchaud was a compositor for the New Bedford Standard newspaper. I think he started there as a young man. I know he used to work nights as long as I remember because he used to work from 7:00 p.m. until late. He retired from this position. [12]

Katharine (Krumbholz) Branchaud gave birth at least five times in their first decade of marriage. According to the family, she had three sets of twins, but only one of these six babies survived infancy.[13] I cannot support this with the record. According to the vital records, Adelard and Katharine had twins in 1912, one of whom lived six months, the other survived. They had sons born in 1914 and 1915 who survived into adulthood. A son born in 1917 lived only four months. A daughter born in December 1919 was present at the January 1920 census, but does not appear in any other record. It would appear that the family was overwhelmed with the coming of new life and the sorrow of death in this period. The 1920 census reported them at 32 Shawmut Avenue, New Bedford, as follows:[14]

Line Name Related Sex Race Age MS B FB MB Occupation
7. Branchaud, Adelaide E. head M W 29 M Canada French VT Canada French linotype operator, newspaper
8. Branchaud, Katherine L. wife F W 28 M RI Bavaria Germany Wurttemburg Germany none
9. Branchaud, Agnes H. daughter F W 7 S MA Canada French RI none
10. Branchaud, Norman E. son M W 5 S MA Canada French RI none
11. Branchaud, Paul M. son M W 4 S MA Canada French RI none
12. Branchaud, Genevieve L. daughter F W 1/12 S MA Canada French RI none

According to this census, Adelard immigrated in 1893.

The 1930 census reported the family at 287 Wood Street, New Bedford. Adelard owned the home, valued at $3500, they owned a radio, had been married twenty years, he immigrated in 1892, and had been naturalized. Agnes, 17, attended school. Norman, 15, worked as a cleaner in a cotton mill.[15] Otherwise, information on the couple and the three remaining children remained consistent with the previous record.

In 1940 the family was living at 8 Studley Street, New Bedford, a property that would remain in the family to the current day. Adelard and Katherine lived in one residence in that dwelling; son Norman and his wife Aurilla lived in another residence in the same building. Adelard, as a linotype operator for the newspaper office, earned $2184/year. He paid $45/month rent for his part of the house. Daughter Agnes, listed as Agnes Reynolds, had been married and widowed, and worked as a stenographer in a broker's office, for $728 over 40 weeks. Paul Branchaud, a "new worker" had earned $110 for eight weeks work. Adelard and Katherine had completed eighth grade, Agnes completed one year of high school, and Paul all four years of High School. Norman Branchaud had only four weeks work in the previous year, as a handy man in the building trade, earning $53. He paid $20/month for rent. Norman completed one year of High School, his wife Aurilla completed eighth grade; their son Eugene was three years old.[16]


Paul Branchaud

Paul Branchaud served in the Army in World War II, from 23 October 1941 to 23 October 1945.[17] Norman died in 1944, at the age of thirty. Adelard lived until 1975.

Paul Martin Branchaud was remembered in the following obituary:[18]

EUGENE, Ore. -- Paul Martin Branchaud, 82 died of heart failure Sunday, Aug. 16, 1998. He was the widower of Marion E. (Shurtleff) Branchaud and son of the late Adelard E. and Katherine L. (Krumbholz) Branchaud. Born in New Bedford, he graduated from New Bedford High School in 1933.
During World War II, he served for five years in the Army as a radio operator and forward observer in the Field Artillery of the 3rd Army. He attained the rank of Corporal. He was awarded the Bronze Star for heroic achievement in action in a battle near Wiltz, Luxembourg on Jan. 20, 1945. He also was awarded a medal for good conduct.
He married Marion E. Shurtleff in Fairhaven, Mass., on July 7, 1946 and they lived in Hyannis, Mass., until moving to New Bedford. They were married until Marion’s death on March 17, 1979. Mr. Branchaud moved to Eugene in 1991. He spent most of his working life in the newspaper industry, working in the composing room as a linotype operator and as a proofreader at the Morning Mercury in New Bedford, the Cape Cod Standard-Times and the New Bedford Standard-Times.
His interests included gardening, tropical fish, locksmithing, dancing, reading and movies. He also enjoyed music, cooking and traveling with organized tours and with his family. He was a member of the American Legion and the International Typographical Union.
Survivors include a son, Bruce P. Branchaud of Eugene; and a granddaughter. . . .
Katharine Louisa Krumbholz and her husband Adelard Branchaud had the following children:
  1. AGNES HELEN3 BRANCHAUD b. at New Bedford on 8 September 1912;[19] d. at New Bedford on 2 January 1984;[20] m(1). at New Bedford on 1937 GLENNON FRANCIS REYNOLDS,[21] d. bef. 1940; m(2). aft. 1940 TONY SIMMONS.[22]
  2. LILLIAN PAULINE3 BRANCHAUD b. at New Bedford on 8 September 1912;[23] d. at New Bedford on 22 February 1913.[24]
  3. NORMAN EUGENE3 BRANCHAUD b. at New Bedford on 13 May 1914;[25] d. at New Bedford on October 1944;[26] m. at New Bedford on 1935 AURILLA ________,[27] b. at Massachusetts on 15 April 1914, d. at New Bedford on 5 September 1997.[28] Children of Norman and Aurilla:[29]
    1. Eugene4 Branchaud b. at Massachusetts about 1936-7[30]
    2. Ronald4 Branchaud
      1. Carole5 Branchaud
    3. Susan4 Branchaud
  4. PAUL MARTIN3 BRANCHAUD b. at New Bedford on 13 December 1915;[31] d. at Eugene, Lane County, Oregon, on 15 August 1988; m. at Fairhaven, Bristol County,on 7 July 1946 MARION SHURTLEFF,[32] b. on 24 May 1912, d. on 17 March 1979.[33] Child of Paul and Marion:
    1. Bruce4 Branchaud[34]
  5. RICHARD EDWARD3 BRANCHAUD b. at New Bedford on 30 January 1917;[35] d. at New Bedford on 15 June 1917.[36]
  6. GENEVIEVE LOUISE3 BRANCHAUD b. at New Bedford on 5 December 1919.[37]


NOTES

1"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914," database, Family Search (famliysearch.org : accessed 9 March 2017), Catherine Louisa Krumbholz, 1891; Family Record, in Pauline Zeller Krumbholz Prayer Book, privately held by Charles A. Maxfield, Lansdale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
2Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, v. 602, p. 320, e. 709, Marriage: Branchaud-Krumbholz, 1911; digital images, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 20 March 2018).
3Gabriel Drouin, "Drouin Collection," digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 28 March 2018), Ste. Rose de Lima, Sweetsburg, 1890; Institut Généalogique Drouin; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Baptism: Adelard Branchaud.
4Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Health Services, Boston, Massachusetts, "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003," index, American Ancestors (americanancestors.org : accessed 20 March 2018), Adelard Branchaud.
5"Drouin Collection," Ste. Rose de Lima, Sweetsburg, 1890, Baptism: Adelard Branchaud.
6"Drouin Collection," St. Cajetan de Potton, Mansonville, 1889, Marriage: Branchaud-Bergeron.
7Census of Canada, 1881, population, Dunham, Missisquoi County, Quebec, roll 13204, p. 8, household 41, Margaret Branchaud family ; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 30 March 2018); Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa; Record Group 31-C-1. LAC microfilm C-13162 to C-13286.
8Census of Canada, 1891, population, Sweetsburg Village, Missisquoi County, Quebec, p. 9, household 42, Edward Branchaud family ; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 28 March 2018); Series RG31-C-1. Statistics Canada Fonds. Microfilm reels: T-6290 to T-6427. Ottawa, Ontario.
9Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 187, p. 14, household 343, Edward Branchaud family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 3 April 2018); NARA microfilm group T623; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
10Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 183, roll 578, p. 47A, household 731, Edward Branchaud family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 28 March 2018); NARA group T624, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C...
11Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, v. 602, p. 320, e. 709, Marriage: Branchaud-Krumbholz, 1911.
12Letter from Arnold G. Kuntz, to Charles A. Maxfield, 21 February 1985; held by Charles A. Maxfield.
13Carole Branchaud, "(no subject)," electronic mail to Charles A. Maxfield, 26 September 2017.
14Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 134, roll 686, p. 5A, household 99, Adelard Branchaud family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 23 December 2015); NARA microfilm record group T625, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
15Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 98, p. 27A, household 542, Adelard E. Branchaud family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 23 December 2015); NARA microfilm record group T626; Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
16Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940, population, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, enumeration district (ED) 20-45, roll 1699, p. 3B, household 62, Adelard Branchaud family and household 61, Norman Branchaud family; digital images, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 28 March 2018); NARA microfilm group T627.
17United States, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC, "Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File, 1850-2010," database, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 29 March 2018), Paul Branchaud.
18"[Paul Martin Branchaud]," obituary, Southcoast Today; online, South Coast Today (southcoasttoday.com : accessed 29 March 2018), Obituaries.
19Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, v. 606, p. 389, e. 2635, Birth: Agnes Helen Branchaud, 1912.
20"Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003," Agnes Smmons.
21Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Registry of Vital Records and Statistics, "Massachusetts Vital Records Index to Marriages [1916–1970]," digital images of index, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 28 March 2018), 1937: 59:367; Reynolds-Branchaud.
22Letter, Arnold G. Kuntz to Charles A. Maxfield, 21 February 1985.
23Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, v. 606, p. 389, e. 2636, Birth: Lillian Pauline Branchaud, 1912.
24Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, 1913: v. 72 Deaths, p. 136, Death: Lillian Pauline Branchaud, 1913.
25Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, v. 622, p. 363, e. 1384, Birth: Norman Eugene Branchaud, 1914.
26Social Security Administration, "U.S. Social Security Death Index," database, Ancestry (ancestry.com : accessed 28 March 2018), Norman Branchaud, 020-01-7015.
27"Massachusetts Vital Records Index to Marriages [1916–1970]," digital images of index, Ancestry, 1935: 54:64; Norman Eugene Branchaud.
28"Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003," Aurilla Branchaud, no. 46120.
29Carole Branchaud, "(no subject)," electronic mail to Charles A. Maxfield, 12 October 2017.
301940 census, New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts, ED 20-45, roll 1699, p. 3A-B, household 61, Norman Branchaud family.
31Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915, v. 628, p. 384, e. 3499, Birth: Paul Martin Branchaud, 1915.
32"[Paul Martin Branchaud]."
33"U.S. Social Security Death Index", Marion Branchaud, 012-24-1173.
34Carole Branchaud, "(no subject)," electronic mail to Charles A. Maxfield, 12 October 2017.
35Massachusetts, Commonwealth of, Secretary of the Commonwealth, "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1916-1920," digital image, Family Search (familysearch.org : accessed 27 March 2018), Births New Bedford 1917, p. 321, e. 289; Richard Branchaud.
36"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1916-1920," Deaths, New Bedford, 1917, p. 452, certificate 978; Richard Edward Branchaud.
37"Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1916-1920," Births, New Bedford, 1919, p. 47, certificate 3309; Genevieve Branchaud.


BIBLIOGRAPHY

Branchaud, Carole. "(no subject)." Electronic mail to Charles A. Maxfield, 26 September 2017.

Canada, Statistics Canada. Census of Canada, 1881. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

________. Census of Canada, 1891. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

Drouin, Gabriel. "Drouin Collection." Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

Krumbholz, Pauline Zeller. Prayer Book. Privately held by Charles A. Maxfield, Lansdale, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

Kuntz, Arnold G. Letter. 21 February 1985, to Charles A. Maxfield. Privately held by Maxfield.

Massachusetts, Commonwealth of, Department of Health Services, Boston, Massachusetts. "Massachusetts Death Index, 1970-2003." Index. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2018.

________. "Massachusetts Vital Records Index to Marriages [1916–1970]." Digital images of index. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

________. Massachusetts Vital Records, 1911-1915. Digital images. American Ancestors. americanancestors.org : 2018.

Massachusetts, Commonwealth of. Secretary of the Commonwealth. "Vital Records of Massachusetts, 1916-1920." Digital image. Family Search. familysearch.org : 2018.

"Rhode Island Births and Christenings, 1600-1914." Database. Family Search. famliysearch.org : 2017.

Southcoast Today. New Bedford, Bristol County, Massachusetts.

United States Department of the Census. Twelth Census of the United States: 1900, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

________. Thirteenth Census of the United States: 1910, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

________. Fourteenth Census of the United States: 1920, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2015.

________. Fifteenth Census of the United States: 1930, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2015.

________. Sixteenth Census of the United States: 1940, population. Digital images. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

United States, Department of Veterans Affairs, Washington, DC. "Beneficiary Identification Records Locator Subsystem (BIRLS) Death File, 1850-2010." Database. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.

United States Social Security Administration. "U.S. Social Security Death Index." Database. Ancestry. ancestry.com : 2018.


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