Identity area
Type of entity
Family
Authorized form of name
Violette family
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Other form(s) of name
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
Branch begins in 1873
History
Albénie J. Violette, the son of Sarah Levasseur and Germain Violette, was born at St. Léonard, Madawaska County, New Brunswick, on 6 October 1873. On 16 April 1894 he married Marie Annie Akerley (Memery, Mamary), and they had no fewer than 11 children, including Marie Blanche Hélène, Frederick Henry, Mary Edna, Charles Dollard, Léonard G., and Émile. A. J. Violette lived briefly in the state of Maine, but lived most of his life in the parish of St. Léonard.
Prominent in the community, he owned and operated a number of businesses -- S. J. Violette Woodworking Factory, The Brunswick Hotel, St. Léonard Brick Yard, St. Léonard's Fox Farm, The Hammond hotel (Van Buren, Maine), Martin & Violette (general store), and A. J. Violette car dealership. During the Prohibition years, he ran a lucrative rum-running, moonshine, and bootlegging business that crossed provincial and international lines. Several of his children were involved in these illegal enterprises. A. J. was a prominent member of the Progressive Conservative Party for many years. He died on 24 April 1928.
A. J. Violette's sons, Émile F. and Leonard G., both served overseas during the Great War. Émile was with the Second Divisional Signaling Company, Second Canadian Division in France. Following his return to Canada in 1916, he was appointed Special Recruiting Officer for Madawaska County. Later he moved to the United States, residing in Portland and Presque Isle, Maine and in Berlin, New Hampshire where he was manager of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.
In addition to his overseas service in the First World War, brother Léonard acted as Civilian Recruiting Advisor for Madawaska County in the 1940s. He was also a member of the Edmundston branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. Like his father, Léonard was involved in a number of enterprises. He operated Len's Service & Filling Station, the Hotel Brunswick, and was involved in the rum-running operation and probably the car dealership.
Source:
When Rum was King by B. J. Grant, 1984.