Life History

Other facts

Notes

• His given name may be Augustin, looking of conformation.
  
  Came to Cloquet in 1901.
  
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  During our visit to Cloquet in September 1995, William (Patsy) Boyer shared this story.
  
      Patsy would go to local saloon and get beer for Grandpa.  He would take his pail and 5 cents.  Before he went Grandpa would put butter on the rim(?) to keep the foam down.  Patsy would tell the keeper to make sure he got a full bucket.
  
  This story was first told by Rose and confirmed by Patsy
  
      Grandpa (August) Boyer and his sons (Maurice included) moved a house during the July 4th Parade in Cloquet, Minnesota.  They moved the house down main street during the parade.  They used logs, crowbars and hammers. They would move the logs from the rear to the front as the house moved along.
  
  The Fire of 1918
  
      There was a fire in Cloquet in October of 1918.  The fire burned the whole town.  Everyone had to move out.  The company (Weyerhauser) brought in trains to move all the people out.
      It seems that the fire happened during a very dry summer and fall.  There was a spark from one of the trainis in the yard moving logs out.  Eventually the train company was held responsible for the fire.
      Someone (William or Royal Daniel) had to take the babies in a baby buggy.  The baby buggy got away from them and rolled down the street.  They had to chase the buggy and re-capture the children.
      August's home burned.  The current house on 310 Avenue C is the second home on the same property.
      It is not clear where August and his family went during the fire.  They re-build the house on their own.
      Betty (Boyer) Hanebeck and her brother Bruce Boyer were born in the same year (1918).  She was 3 months pre-mature, born early because of the trauma of the fire.
  
  Why some family members moved to Washington State
  
      The reason that some of the family moved to Washigton State was to follow Weyerhauser Industries when they established a plant in Everett, Washington.  They followed the lumber/paper trade.
  
  House Moving
      The house moving equipment of August Boyer was kept on the 'Island', Dunlap Island in Cloquet.  The island is in the St. Louis River.  This island was a place with a hotel and bars as well as a place to keep equipment.  The home in Cloquet did not have enough room to keep the equipment.
      Dunlap Island was also the place where "women of the night" stayed.
  
  Spoke French
      All of August's children spoke French Canadian and always spoke it at home.
      We were all surprised at this for Maurice never spoke French that we knew of.  When Karen and Mae asked their mother about this she said. "Oh, yes Dad spoke French". Surprise, surprise!
  
  Old tale about Indians
      One of August relatives went out west and the Indians would not scalp him because they thought he was a god because of his red hair and beard.

Sources

• 1. Death Certificate; Minnesota; Carlton County; Register D Page 127, Line #16
• 2. Original Birth Record - Delayed; Wisconsin Price County; Vol 33, Birth Page 145
• 3. Death Certificate; Minnesota; Carlton County; Register D Page 122, Line #64