It remains certain that the name "LaBrack" is totally unique in America (and very likely the world) to the descendants of Frank A. LaBrack. None of us, to my knowledge, use a different spelling. Because of the uniqueness of our name and the relatively small number of us involved, all seven branches are recorded here for posterity (7 of his 13 children had descendants). The birth records of his first seven children in Westminster, MA all indicate "Labreck" or "LaBreck" as late as 1888. However, Frank, his first wife, and their first two children are all buried in Woodside Cemetery, Westminster under the name "LaBrack". There are also records in Ashburnham, MA of his later children which use the current spelling. It is now with almost absolute certainty that I can state that the name started as Labrecque and evolved to Labreck/LaBreck to LaBrack in Frank's lifetime during his migration from St. Pie de Bagot, Quebec through Vermont to Massachusetts. Unfortunately, there were not many meticulous town clerks in those days, but thanks entirely to Shari Strahan, we now know that Frank started life as Toussaint Labrecque. "Toussaint" is a name chosen by parents who wish to invoke the blessing and protection of "all the saints" (French: tous {les} saints) at the time of Baptism. "Labrecque" (French: "La Brecque") is a habitational name from La Breque in Seine-Maritime in France, named with the Norman form of "breche." It may also be a Norman topographic name for someone living by a gap or breach of some kind.
Frank's origins also remained obscure until recently. Some records indicated that he was born in Highgate, VT, others indicated Canada, and word had it that he originated in the Alsace-Lorraine region of Prussia (now part of France). The date of his birth, April 26, 1849, is consistent throughout (but the official record in St. Pie clearly states that he was born April 26, 1850). His parents' names appeared to have been Lewis LaBrack and Esther Eagle (from his second marriage record), but nothing more was known about them until October 18, 2006, when I was contacted by Shari Strahan and she pointed in the right direction to Joseph-Louis Labrecque (Joseph was most likely just a baptismal name) and his second wife Esther Daigle (dit Lallemand) ("aigle" is French for "eagle"). We all owe Shari a huge thanks!
He had settled in Westminster, MA by the early 1870s and worked as a shoddy maker, teamster, and chair maker through the late 1880s. The 1880 census shows Frank and "Harriott" "Labresk", he 29 & she 23 in Westminster with John A. & Nettie M. as children. The 1885-86 Westminster Town Report indicates that he owned one horse, valued at $20.00; one barn at $100.00; and 10.5 acres of land at $250.00 (his total tax bill was $11.38). He may have had a relative in Westminster (possibly a brother)--the records show the death of a two-day old baby named Dolphus Labreck, son of Louis and Margurite, both of Canada, on February 23, 1879.
Frank's two marriages are recorded exactly as follows: "Frank LaBrack, 19, laborer of Fitchburg, Mass. (born in Canada to Lewis and Hattie) was married in Fitchburg on May 24, 1873 to Harriet Bore, 16, of Westminster, Mass. (born in Philadelphia, Penn. to John and Margaret ) by Rev. Charles W. Emerson, Unitarian minister." "Frank Labrack, 35, mechanic of Westminster, Mass. (born in Highgate, VT to Lewis and Esher {sic} [Eagle] was married in Gardner on December 24, 1886 to Mary L. Bogart, 20, of Westminster, Mass. (born in Canada to Anthony and Mary L.) by Rev. J. L. Tarpey, Catholic priest."
There are several inconsistencies with these two marriage records and subsequent birth and death records. For instance, Frank was 23, not 19, when he was first married. His first wife's death record points out other inconsistencies which make tracing more of a challenge: "Hattie S. LaBrack, of Westminster, Mass. (born in Belchertown, Mass. April 6, 1857 to John Borey of Bridport, Vt. and Aurilla of Middlebury, Vt.) died September 24, 1886 in Westminster, Mass. of consumption at the age of 29 yrs., 5 mos., 19 days."
Frank and Hattie had six children, all in Westminster: Frank H., Arthur W., Nettie M., John A., Louis A., and Leon F. Hattie died of consumption (tuberculosis) two years after the birth of their sixth child at the age of 29 (her tombstone erroneously reads "27 yrs."). Three months later, Frank married Mary L. (Bogart/Beaugrand/Hebert--the records vary) Beaugrand on December 24, 1886 in Westminster when he was 36 (not 35) and she was 17. Recently discovered records prove that she originated in Chatham, Kent, Ontario as Marie-Louise Beaugrand. Mary had been caring for Hattie and the four surviving children during Hattie's illness. The 1900 census for So. Ashburnham shows a Mary Ebert living in Frank's household as his mother-in-law (shows her as born in Canada in July 1831, immigrated in 1884 and having 3 of 6 children living). The 1920 census lists a Wilfred Beaugrand age 26 born Canada living in Mary's household as a border. Shari Strahan refers to an intriguing document that bears further research: Worcester County Probate 1894 case #17297 re: Guardianship of Nettie, John A., Louis, and Leon.
In late 1888, Frank and Mary moved to So. Ashburnham, MA. They had a total of seven children: Lula/Lela M., Archie E. (later changed to Elmer D.), Eva L., Arthur J., Ralph R., Pauline M., and Harry A.--the last six were all born in So. Ashburnham. Shortly after Harry's birth, Frank and Mary were separated. Mary continued to live in So. Ashburnham at the homestead (current address is 132 Center St.) with the younger children for about twenty years until her death of carcinoma of the liver on August 28, 1928 at the age of 59. Frank also lived in So. Ashburnham with his son Louis A. (they had also lived in Starks, Maine for a period) until his death of heart failure on April 6, 1925, 20 days short of his 75th birthday.
Frank's origins also remained obscure until recently. Some records indicated that he was born in Highgate, VT, others indicated Canada, and word had it that he originated in the Alsace-Lorraine region of Prussia (now part of France). The date of his birth, April 26, 1849, is consistent throughout (but the official record in St. Pie clearly states that he was born April 26, 1850). His parents' names appeared to have been Lewis LaBrack and Esther Eagle (from his second marriage record), but nothing more was known about them until October 18, 2006, when I was contacted by Shari Strahan and she pointed in the right direction to Joseph-Louis Labrecque (Joseph was most likely just a baptismal name) and his second wife Esther Daigle (dit Lallemand) ("aigle" is French for "eagle"). We all owe Shari a huge thanks!
He had settled in Westminster, MA by the early 1870s and worked as a shoddy maker, teamster, and chair maker through the late 1880s. The 1880 census shows Frank and "Harriott" "Labresk", he 29 & she 23 in Westminster with John A. & Nettie M. as children. The 1885-86 Westminster Town Report indicates that he owned one horse, valued at $20.00; one barn at $100.00; and 10.5 acres of land at $250.00 (his total tax bill was $11.38). He may have had a relative in Westminster (possibly a brother)--the records show the death of a two-day old baby named Dolphus Labreck, son of Louis and Margurite, both of Canada, on February 23, 1879.
Frank's two marriages are recorded exactly as follows: "Frank LaBrack, 19, laborer of Fitchburg, Mass. (born in Canada to Lewis and Hattie) was married in Fitchburg on May 24, 1873 to Harriet Bore, 16, of Westminster, Mass. (born in Philadelphia, Penn. to John and Margaret ) by Rev. Charles W. Emerson, Unitarian minister." "Frank Labrack, 35, mechanic of Westminster, Mass. (born in Highgate, VT to Lewis and Esher {sic} [Eagle] was married in Gardner on December 24, 1886 to Mary L. Bogart, 20, of Westminster, Mass. (born in Canada to Anthony and Mary L.) by Rev. J. L. Tarpey, Catholic priest."
There are several inconsistencies with these two marriage records and subsequent birth and death records. For instance, Frank was 23, not 19, when he was first married. His first wife's death record points out other inconsistencies which make tracing more of a challenge: "Hattie S. LaBrack, of Westminster, Mass. (born in Belchertown, Mass. April 6, 1857 to John Borey of Bridport, Vt. and Aurilla of Middlebury, Vt.) died September 24, 1886 in Westminster, Mass. of consumption at the age of 29 yrs., 5 mos., 19 days."
Frank and Hattie had six children, all in Westminster: Frank H., Arthur W., Nettie M., John A., Louis A., and Leon F. Hattie died of consumption (tuberculosis) two years after the birth of their sixth child at the age of 29 (her tombstone erroneously reads "27 yrs."). Three months later, Frank married Mary L. (Bogart/Beaugrand/Hebert--the records vary) Beaugrand on December 24, 1886 in Westminster when he was 36 (not 35) and she was 17. Recently discovered records prove that she originated in Chatham, Kent, Ontario as Marie-Louise Beaugrand. Mary had been caring for Hattie and the four surviving children during Hattie's illness. The 1900 census for So. Ashburnham shows a Mary Ebert living in Frank's household as his mother-in-law (shows her as born in Canada in July 1831, immigrated in 1884 and having 3 of 6 children living). The 1920 census lists a Wilfred Beaugrand age 26 born Canada living in Mary's household as a border. Shari Strahan refers to an intriguing document that bears further research: Worcester County Probate 1894 case #17297 re: Guardianship of Nettie, John A., Louis, and Leon.
In late 1888, Frank and Mary moved to So. Ashburnham, MA. They had a total of seven children: Lula/Lela M., Archie E. (later changed to Elmer D.), Eva L., Arthur J., Ralph R., Pauline M., and Harry A.--the last six were all born in So. Ashburnham. Shortly after Harry's birth, Frank and Mary were separated. Mary continued to live in So. Ashburnham at the homestead (current address is 132 Center St.) with the younger children for about twenty years until her death of carcinoma of the liver on August 28, 1928 at the age of 59. Frank also lived in So. Ashburnham with his son Louis A. (they had also lived in Starks, Maine for a period) until his death of heart failure on April 6, 1925, 20 days short of his 75th birthday.
