The Blogging from A to Z Challenge is to post everyday (except Sunday) in the month of April 2020 starting with the letter A and going all the way to Z. My theme is...
Ancestor Occupations
FRUIT MERCHANT
My cousin's great grandfather came from Ireland about 1855 and settled in Montreal. After working as a day labourer and then a carter for a brewing company, Daniel Hushion became a Fruit Merchant.
In 1901 Daniel was selling fruit and vegetables at the St. Antoine Market where he leased stalls 25 and 26. He stated on the census that he was making about $600 a year as a fruit merchant. In 1908 his business was doing so well he moved to stalls 9-10-11, closer to the entrance of the market.
Daniel's sixth child, Daniel Joseph Hushion, worked for his father and took over the business when he died in 1912.
Daniel was listed in the 1922 "List of wholesale dealers in fruits and vegetables in Canada", selling domestic fruits and vegetables.
The federal Department of Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment was established in 1918 to provide vocational training and medical treatment to soldiers returning from the First World War. In the next years Daniel got the contract to provide fruits and vegetables to military hospitals and bases in and around Montreal.
In the 1922 Sessional Papers of Canada it was noted that Daniel was paid $26, 287.71 for providing fruits and vegetables to nine hospitals under Care of Patients and Limb Factory Operations of the Department of Soldier's Civil-Re-establishment.
In the 1924 Sessional Papers of Canada it was noted that Daniel was paid by the Militia and Defence Department $151.00 for produce supplied to the base at St Jean and $366.23 for produce supplied to the base in Montreal. He was also paid $8977.95 for supplying fruits and vegetables for Patient Care at the Laurentian Sanitarium and the Ste Anne's Veteran's Hospital.
Daniel filed for bankruptcy and was adjudged bankrupt on 21 June 1941.
Daniel J Hushion died in 1946 at the age of 61.
Fascinating! I felt sad when he went bankrupt in 1941. Any idea why?
ReplyDelete~Tui Snider, @TuiSnider TuiSnider.com - Exploring Historic Cemeteries & Symbolism
Most likely because it was hard to get fresh produce during the war.
DeleteI love your A to Z posts about symbols on headstones. I shared your info about tonight’s podcast on my group fb page.
Great history and excellent sources. I definitely must consult more professional and business directories.
ReplyDeleteThanks Molly. I am surprisingly finding quite a few ancestors mentioned in the Sessional Papers of Canada.
DeleteAs ever in your series of occupations, I am impressed by what you have managed to find to create such interesting posts on your ancestors..
ReplyDeleteThanks Sue. It often takes some deep digging and varying keyword search.
DeleteGreat blog, I have not thought about writing about my ancestors occupation. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThanks! We’ll see how it goes when I get to Q and Z haha!
DeleteInteresting to see he had a good contract post WWI supplying the returned servicemen’s hospital.
ReplyDeleteBy this time his brother was a wheeling dealing businessman and member of parliament!
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