Title: Biron Family Collection
Dates: c. 1870s-2024
Extent: 2 boxes
Linear feet: 1.9 linear feet
Language: French and English. The bulk of this collection is in French.
Scope and Content: This collection centers on the life and family of Philip J. Biron (1907-1977). First, there are photographs of his nuclear and extended family, most notably that of his wife, Emilienne J. Lemelin and her siblings. Second, while Philip was a student at Assumption Prep in Worcester, Massachusetts (1921-1925), his mother and other family members wrote to him regularly. That correspondence, over 100 letters written in French with occasional comments in English, is a highlight of the collection. Third, are eight journals that Philip J. Biron kept from 1945-1978. His journaling was not always consistent, with sometimes six months of gap between journal entries. However, the contents are interesting, ranging from weather and events to musings on religion, health, wealth, and other topics. A final journal was turned into a scrapbook after his passing in 1977, documenting the various losses and major events in the family, including the death of his brother-in-law Probate Judge Emile Lemelin (1899-1967).
Last but not least, in the 1920s, Philip asked his mother, Annie Vincent, to write the family’s history. Two handwritten versions of this history are included in the collection, in notebooks which also include poetry and various other writings. The history focuses primarily on the Comeau family, the family of Annie Vincent’s father Antoine Comeau, but does touch on the Biron family as well. Annie Vincent’s story highlights many themes of French-Canadian immigration in the early 20th century: economic opportunity, health difficulties, education, and chain migration.
Biographical Note: See Finding Aid.
Arrangement: This collection only has one series, due to its limited size.
Restrictions: The collection is available to researchers and other interested parties. Permission for use or reproduction can be obtained from the director of the French Institute, and is subject to the Institute’s user policies.
Preferred Citation: Biron Family Collection, French Institute, Assumption University
Processing Information: This collection was processed by Kate Bradley in the summer of 2024.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition: Lionel Biron donated this collection to the French Institute in 2024.
Digitization Status: This collection has been fully digitized and will be available soon.
Full Finding Aid:
Appointments recommended.
The French Institute follows the academic calendar of Assumption University. Exceptions to our regular hours may be found here.
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Kate Bradley
Librarian/Archivist of the French Institute
508-767-7495
For reasons of preservation, French Institute collection materials do not circulate; however, non-rare materials are allowed to circulate through the d’Alzon Library or inter-library loan with the director’s permission.
It should be noted that the Institute’s collection includes a number of Franco-American newspapers from the New England region. Most consist of bound copies and nearly all have been microfilmed. To preserve the bound volumes, the Institute encourages scholars to consult the microfilm copies whenever they are available, for example, at the American Antiquarian Society or the Boston Public Library.
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