Alternate names

Fernand Perrault Cowboy Hat

Description

Narrow brimmed hat with large soft crown, right side slightly folded, "gus/gamber" styled pinch

History of Use

Fernand was born in Ponteix on October 30, 1919. His parents were Jospehat (Joe) Perrault and Eva Charlebois. They originally came from Quebec and moved to Val Marie in 1928 and farmed here. They were married April 21, 1918 and had three children: Fernand, Rosa, and Beatrice. Fernand was only ten years old when his mother died. His father later remarried to Lucienne Facette. They had nine children together: Lucille, Dolorese, Rene, Lorraine, George, Doris, Denis, and twins Emilien and Emile. Fernand was the oldest and while quite young, he left school to help his father on the farm. Fernand went to the Canadian army around 1940 and came back from training in Jamaica in the fall of 1943. During WWII he was supposed to be shipped from Jamaica to Europe, but the war ended and he came back. When he returned he met Lise Lacoursiere. Lise had come from Ponteix to Val Marie to teach in the Little Brick Schoolhouse. They were married on November 12, 1946 and had nine children. Their names were Claude, Joann, Normand, Guy, Jacklyn, Leon, Nicole, Conrad, and Liann. Like their father, they went to school in the Little Brick Schoolhouse. The couple lived in town but they owned land east, west, and south of Val Marie. Their ranch was a place called Gergovia. Unlike his father, Fernand was always much more interested in ranching than farming. He owned approximately 400 cattle. His first herd was started at age seventeen; he purchased seventeen Black Angus heifers and a bull. However, he later switched to strictly Hereford cattle. He owned horses and had a horse team. However, automobiles and machinery were being used quite frequently and the horse team wasn’t used very often. He seemed to never get ill and he never neglected his cattle. Sometimes he would canoe across a river to feed them. In all his life he missed but one day of feeding his cattle. He nearly broke his leg when he was bucked off a horse and they went unfed for one day. Fernand was a hard working, honest, organized, and strong man. He was not only a perfectionist, but he would plan everything in his life ahead of time. For pets, they sometimes came across wild animals: antelope, a bobcat, and a golden eagle. Fernand was the second to sell his land to Grasslands National Park. He sold promptly after his mentor Walt Larson did. Fernand and Lise shared a serious interest in the conservation of various wildlife species and in habitat preservation. It was on their land that the last of the prairie dogs in Canada were preserved. On February 22, 1989 Fernand had a heart attack and passed away. He is buried in Val Marie in the Val Marie Cemetery. May he rest in peace.

Materials

beaver felt