The First Lampron family in Westbrook, Maine
Paul Lampron was born on May 8, 1829, in Yamachiche, St. Maurice, Québec, Canada.
On February 17, 1858, when he was 29 years old, he married Philomène Mulaire, who was then 20 years old. They were married in Richmond, Québec, Canada. Three years later
the American Civil War would begin.
On April 10, 1861, Brig. General Beauregard, in command of the provisional Confederate forces at Charleston, South Carolina, demanded the surrender of the Union garrison of Fort Sumter
in Charleston Harbor. Garrison commander Anderson refused. On April 12, Confederate batteries opened fire on the fort, which was unable to reply effectively. Thus began the start of the
American Civil War.
While the Civil War raged in America, Paul continued to farm the land where he lived. He was 32 years old by now and farming proved to be a hard way of life for most Canadians. Most likely
Paul wished to escape British dominance, and was attracted by America's romanticized appeal of freedom. He also wanted to find new opportunities for himself and his family. He knew that the textile industry
was growing in America and decided to move his wife and children to the state of Maine. He was sure that his future would be more prosperous once he established himself in Maine.
Seven years after the American Civil War ended and the United States were formed, sometime between 1872 and 1875, Paul moved his wife Philomène, and their seven children to Westbrook, Maine
in search of new opportunities, and a better future.
Cotton textile mills migrated to Maine from Massachusetts beginning in the 1820s. One of the major sites for cotton textile manufacturing was Lewiston on the Androscoggin River.
Employed by the Lewiston mill was a young man by the name of Woodbury K. Dana. Dana left the Lewiston mill to fight in the Civil War, and after the war was over in 1865, he went back to the manufacturing
business, and with great skill and success, he established his own textile mill in the city of Westbrook, Maine in 1866. The firm was styled as Dana and McEwan, and later as Dana and Co, and was thus know
until 1892, when it was incorporated as the Dana Warp Mills.
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Textile mills were established on waterfalls and amidst farming communities as they initially relied on the labor of
farm-girls engaged on short-term contracts. In the years after the Civil War they would become magnets for immigrant labor. It was at the
Dana and McEwan Mills that Paul found work after migrating from Canada.
Dana's Woolen mill (1890) |
While living in Maine, his wife Philomène gave birth to her 8th child, Josephine Lampron, in August 1875. Paul continued to work for Dana and Co. for many years. His older boys would follow
in his footsteps as that was a main source of employment in Westbrook during the late 1800's.
Today, the Dana Warp Mills has become a symbol of the city’s transformation from a dying mill town to an emerging hub of artists and white collar office workers. No longer a textile
manufacturer, the sprawling Dana Warp Mill now houses more than 40 businesses, and holds economic hope for the city's future.
Paul worked at Dana Warp mills until his death, sometime between 1875 and 1880. He was around fifty years old when he died. Although Paul died at a relatively young age, he left behind the
legacy of all Westbrook Lamprons. Paul possessed the pioneering spirit of his forefather Jean Laspron, dit LaCharite and he is remembered as the first Lampron to begin our heritage in the city of Westbrook,
Maine.
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In the 1880 census for Westbrook, Maine (pg 19-17) Philena Lampro (40) a widow is head of household.
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Living with her are her children *Paul (22-cotton mill),
Luke (20-cotton mill), Octave (19-cotton mill),
- *Luke (Luc) Lampron, was born about 1860, Québec, Canada
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Peter (15-cotton mill), Lewis (8-school) and Josephine (5). They are living on Brown Street.
