In 1696 Jacques Bonnevie Sr. moved from Paris to the Cap-pelé settlements in New Brunswick, Canada. Seven generations later, my mother, Claudette Marie (Bonnevie) Ankiewicz, was born to Aimé and Elda (Leblanc) Bonnevie. These pages aim to document my maternal family history and genealogy, capture the beauty of photos and records passed down through the years, and present snippets of New Brunswick French-Canadian culture.

Aimé Bonnevie, my grandfather

Aimé Bonnevie, shown with coworkers from the General Electric plant in Lynn, Massachusetts (center, shaking hands).

Aimé was born 1888, New Brunswick, Canada to Simon and Dometilde (Bourque) Bonnevie. He lived in Lynn for more than 60 years and had been employed as a tool crib attendant at General Electric River Works for 34 years. He was a member of the Thomson Quarter Century Club, the Holy Name Society of St. Jean Baptiste Church and the Assumption Society. He died at age 87. He had 14 brothers and sisters.

I didn't know my grandfather well. According to my mother, Claudette, he adored his wife and was a gentle doting father who walked my mother to school every day. My grandfather was close to 60 when she was born, and was thus already retired when she was a kid. I have only the faintest memories of him. Oddly enough one that stuck with me was seeing my grandmother and him having to turn sideways when they passed each other through the entryway into the kitchen. As a little kid I thought this was cute and funny.