Source: Donation, Béatrice Daudelin & Claire Quintal.
Language: French, English, and German
Extent: 5.5 linear feet; 1 bankers box, 1 legal document box, and two oversize boxes.
Access: Materials are available to researchers without restriction unless otherwise noted.
Preferred Citation: Dr. S. Alphonse Daudelin Collection, French Institute, Assumption University.
Scope and Content: These are papers that belonged to Dr. S. Alphonse Daudelin and some documentation concerning the 1994 exhibit that was presented in honor of Dr. Daudelin. There are documents from his university years in Montreal as well as many documents concerning the International Maritime Exposition held in Bordeaux in 1907. There is also correspondence with various political figures.
Biographical Note:
Dr. S. Alphonse Daudelin
Dr. Siméon Alphonse (S. Alphonse) Daudelin was born in Sutton, Québec on February 13, 1870. He was one of at least 9 children of Casimir Daudelin (c. 1844-1927) and Flavie Thibault/Thibeault (c. 1846-1918), who married in 1864 in Dunham, Québec. Flavie Thibault was the sister of the renowned Québec orator and lawyer, Charles Thibault. Daudelin attended the Collège de l’Assomption in Québec, c. 1891. Daudelin then attended the Université Laval in Montréal, where he was the president of the school’s Medical Students’ Association. He graduated with his medical degree in 1895, and shortly after graduation he relocated to Fort Kent, Maine, where Daudelin was part of the surgical staff at St. Bazile Hospital, from 1896-1898. In the fall of 1896 Daudelin traveled to New York City from Fort Kent. The trip included well-known sights, and on the way back to Maine he stopped in various New England towns. A detailed letter documenting his trip is in this collection. In 1898, Daudelin moved to Worcester, Massachusetts, where he set up his own medical practice. Dr. Daudelin became a naturalized US citizen in 1903. Dr. Daudelin was involved in the Franco-American community in Worcester, and became the secretary of an organization honoring Ferdinand Gagnon, “the founder of Franco-American journalism” as well as a leader in the movement to encourage Franco-Americans to become US citizens. Daudelin was the driving force behind a 1906 banquet held in Gagnon’s honor in Worcester.
In 1907, Dr. Daudelin was named High Commissioner of the United States to the International Maritime Exposition by President Theodore Roosevelt. Daudelin’s appointment was lauded by the Franco-American community, as well as the larger Worcester community- it warranted an article in the 1907 issue of The Worcester Magazine. While in France he was granted the Legion d’Honneur by then President Fallières. This was a large achievement, and noted French naval engineer Louis-Émile Bertin, himself a member of the Legion d’Honneur, held a banquet in Daudelin’s honor. After the exposition ended, Daudelin remained in Europe where he continued his medical studies. Over the next three years he studied in Paris, France, Italy, and Vienna, Austria. During this time, he worked under noted doctors Professor Lapersonne (Paris) and Professor Fuchs (Vienna). His final year in Europe was spent pursuing courses at the University of Vienna. Upon the completion of his European studies Daudelin returned to the United States on the SS George Washington in late December of 1910, and after a welcome dinner hosted by a fellow Franco-American doctor, he settled back into his life in Worcester, specializing in eye, ear, nose, and throat care. The ensuing years saw Daudelin’s standing in the Worcester Franco-American and medical community rise, and he became quite well known. On September 4, 1934, he married Béatrice Albani Tougas (7 October 1896-5 March 1995) at Precious Blood Church in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Dr. Daudelin died suddenly in Montreal while on vacation, on August 31, 1943.
Series Outline:
Series 1: Exhibit Materials
Series 2: Correspondence
Series 3: Event Programs and Invitations
Series 4: Clippings
Series 5: Miscellaneous Notes and Writings
Series 6: Photos
Series 7: Volumes
Series 8: Diaries
Series Descriptions:
Series 1: Exhibit Materials
In 1994, there was an exhibit at the French Institute honoring Dr. Daudelin, and the generous donation that his wife made to the Institute. This series includes exhibit handouts, labels, and exhibit notes from Dr. Quintal.
Series 2: Correspondence
There is a sizable amount of correspondence in the collection including communication with American, Franco-American, and French-Canadian political and literary figures from the early 20th century, such as Henry Cabot Lodge, Elihu Root, Félix Gatineau, Jean Jules Jusserand, and Louis Fréchette. The correspondence has been arranged by name where possible, and when not, it has been arranged chronologically.
Series 3: Event Programs and Invitations
This series includes event programs and invitations from his university years in Montréal as well as from various Franco-American gatherings. However, most documents are from his activities at the International Maritime Exposition in 1907. A fair amount of the programs from the International Maritime Exposition include the autographs of guests at the event- a sort of autograph collection cum aide memoire. Of special note is the map and notes Daudelin kept as he made his transatlantic crossing.
Series 4: Clippings
There are two distinct types of clippings in this series: newspaper clippings and literary clippings. The newspaper clippings are extensive and are partially processed. The literary clippings are from his university years and are pulled from various literary works. Some of the clippings are actual pages excised from books, but the majority consist of recopied literary texts. The issue of Le Canadien Americain included in this series was previously framed. It was unframed at time of processing, as the frame was in poor condition and of no historical value.
Series 5: General
This series contains various records. Amongst Daudelin’ s writings, there are his speeches and a text entitled “L’Antechrist,” likely authored by him. The rest of the documents concern all aspects of Dr. Daudelin’s life and work from his university years up through the 1930s. The passport, Massachusetts medical certification, and the University of Vienna educational record were previously framed. They were unframed at time of processing, as the frames were in poor condition and of no historical value.
Series 6: Photos
The images in this series are demonstrate both Daudelin’s personal and professional life, although the bulk come from his time at the International Maritime Exposition. Three items were framed and mounted when they were donated. Said items have been unframed, as the frames were in poor condition and of no historical value.
Series 7: Volumes
There are six volumes in this series, including a book that belonged to Ferdinand Gagnon.
Series 8: Diaries
There are three legal-sized diaries that span the years 1893-1897 and include the years that Daudelin spent at university in Montreal.
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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