Photo: The Cormier Family, 1915. Courtesy of Anna (Cormier) Caldwell.
The Cormier family were included in the Waltham Rediscovered project as part of the French community. They first lived in the "Little Canada" neighborhood around Felton St. before settling on Grant St.
Theotime Cormier (born 1871) emigrated from New Brunswick, Canada in 1887. He married Dauphine (Melanson) Cormier (born 1871) in 1890, when they were both 19 years old. The couple had 9 children:
- Lena (born 1893)
- Henry (born 1895)
- Eva (born 1896)
- Deonne/Leonne (born 1898)
- Almira (born 1900)
- Leo (born 1904)
- Edith (born 1906)
- Anna (born 1908)
- Timothy/Theotime Jr. (born 1910)
Theotime and Dauphine both worked for the Boston Manufacturing Company; Theotime as a carpenter, and Dauphine in the cotton mill. Several of their siblings and children worked for Boston Manufacturing as well.
Theotime was active in Acadian organizations in Waltham, and was a member of the drill team "The Garde Acadie."
Two of the Cormier children were noted athletes. Leo was a heavyweight wrestler who who won state and all-New England titles with his team. Tim played under Coach Jack Leary for Waltham High School football in the mid-1920s.