More About the Children of
Narcisse and Edesse.

Charles Francis Petelle (1870-1946).

Charles was born April 13, 1870 and baptized the same day in Notre-Dame de Montréal. The godfather was his uncle Charles Charbonneau and the godmother was Charles' second wife Elmire Reil. The family moved to the United States in July 1871 and according to his naturalization petition they entered through Detroit. His youngest brother, Paul, was born in Wisconsin in January 1873.

Charles was only a ten-year-old schoolboy when his father died in Bay View, Wisconsin in 1880. By age 14, he appears in city directories as a nail packer. He married Corinne Desjardins on July 3, 1893 at the age of 22. Brother Paul, and his future wife, Anna McCartin stood as witnesses. The service was held at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Milwaukee, where family members report Charles continued to serve as an altar boy even after his marriage. For the next five or so years, his mother Edesse, and his brother Edwin and his family, all lived at the same address. But by 1900, a year after his mother remarried and moved to Chicago, he and Corinne had moved to 358 Logan Avenue in Milwaukee, a block or so away from brothers Edwin and Joseph.

They were renting at 769 New York Avenue in Milwaukee at the time of the 1910 census. His siblings, save Edwin, had left Wisconsin for Chicago. His nine children included: Paul Henry, Leo Narcisse, Marie Justina, Charles Francis, Joseph Edward, Alice Corinne, James Frederick, Louise Margaret and eight-month-old Frances Raymond. His son Paul, age 16, was a student at St. Francis de Sales Seminary in Milwaukee, and was enumerated twice in the 1910 census. Charles was a house painter according to this census.

By 1912 the family was in Chicago where little Frances died in March. St. Sylvester church records reveal Marie, Leo and Charles were confirmed by Bishop Paul Rhode on October 27, 1912. They lived at 2028 Milwaukee Avenue, close to his sister Matilda Odenbrett, and to his brother Joseph Petelle.

Son Paul married Ruth Anderson on May 6, 1918.

Son Charles also corresponded with cousin Walter and his son Wally well into the 1960's. He had married Rebecca McLean on November 11, 1922. C.F. Petelle owned a bookstore in Chicago on West Armitage Avenue. His letterhead promised "A thorough search service for out-of print books - any subject - any language - new and current books supplied". He kept an eye open for books referencing the Petelle name, some he located in France. The books, including one by Abbe Auguste Pétel was said to have referenced the name back to 1362, and another describing three Pétel priests fleeing France at the time of the revolution, have been lost.

In the ensuing years, Charles and Corinne divorced. Renting a room in 1930, Charles sold sporting goods. Corinne, claiming to be a widow, was living with son Fred and his wife Mary in that census year.

Whether they reunited, or just fondly remembered their many years together, their obituaries each referred to the other as a spouse. Charles husband of Corinne died August 22, 1946 and was buried in St. Joseph cemetery in Rivergrove, Cook, Illinois (just outside Chicago). Corinne beloved wife of the late Charles died October 18, 1959 and was interred in the same cemetery.