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Archiver > MNPOLK > 2000-07 > 0963191423


From: Mary Boisselle <>
Subject: RE: [MNPOLK-L] From Polk Co, to Yakima, WA
Date: Sun, 9 Jul 2000 18:10:23 -0700


Hi Karen,

Many of the French Canadians who immigrated from Quebec to Minnesota, then
went on to Yakima. My father's family, both maternal and paternal
(Boisselle and Laurent) did this. Here are some of the reasons I've heard
from my father and some distant relatives.

They considered Yakima as "Like Paradise". The weather is much less
extreme then Minnesota or Quebec. The ancestors were able to work
continuously throughout the year. Yakima does have it's different seasons,
but the winters are much more tolerable.

Another reason, which is how the Boisselle families came, was because of
the timber industry. My grandfather's brother was sent to Yakima by a
logging company to work a certain piece of machinery in the mill. My
grandfather, his three sisters, their families and my great-grandparents
all followed him to Yakima and lived there until their deaths.

I have heard there were serious epidemics in Minnesota in those years, so I
would imagine rather than stay and risk death, they moved on.

Lastly, I have also heard they came because of the war. There were jobs
here (Boeing-Seattle). In Yakima there were millwork jobs, carpenter work
and farming.

I hope this helps a little in explaining the "mass immigration" of our
ancestors.

Let me know if we have any family connections (Surnames: Boisselle,
Laurent, Shields, Hecker)

Good luck in your research,

Mary Boisselle (born in Yakima, WA)
Seattle, WA



-----Original Message-----
From:khuber53 [SMTP:]
Sent:Saturday, July 08, 2000 5:48 PM
To:
Subject:[MNPOLK-L] From Polk Co, to Yakima, WA

It seems quite a few families moved from Polk Co, MN to Yakima,WA in the
early 1900's. Is there something written about why there was such an
exodus? My relatives were some of those that moved and I am interested in
if they went in groups of friends or families? What was there in Yakima
that interested these people so much? Thanks for a history lesson. Karen
Huber SLC, UT




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