Joseph Boivin
Encyclopedia
Attorney Joseph Boivin was a co-founder and first president of the first credit union
established in the United States
, St. Marie's Cooperative Credit Association. The son of Stanislas and Marie (Doucet) Boivin, Joseph Auguste Boivin was born September 21, 1866 in Coaticook,PQ, Canada. Mr. Boivin contracted polio as a child and lost one leg to complications of the illness. He studied Ste. Hyacinthe College, Coaticook,PQ, and lived for several years in Ste. Hyacinthe, PQ, Canada. Joseph immigrated to Manchester, New Hampshire on October 1, 1883. He studied law in the offices of Burnham, Brown, Jones and Warren, and later with Judge George W. Prescott. He was admitted to ther NH Bar in December 1899 and,
subsequnetly, to the Hillsborough County Bar Association. He studied at St. Anselm College in Manchester where he also taught French. He married Miss Emma Gilbert of Lewiston, Maine in September, 1901; they bore 4 children between 1902-1907: Dominique, Therese, Gilberte and Gertrude.
In 1902, Mr. Boivin represented Manchester's Ward 9 at the constitutional convention. He served as treasurer for L'Association Canado-American. His law office was located in the Kennard Building, 314-315 Elm Street, where he also served as a justice of the peace, insurance agent and real estate broker. In 1908, he started the credit union on November 24, 1908 through a collaboration with Monsignor Pierre Hevey
of Ste. Marie Church
and guidance from Alphonse Desjardins
, the Canadian credit union pioneer. Boivin volunteered his time in the evenings and, assisted by his wife Emma, an able and experienced bookkeeper, ran it out of his home at 420 Notre Dame Avenue in Manchester, New Hampshire
. America's Credit Union Museum
now occupies the location of his home, where the credit union, now known as St. Mary's Bank, first operated.
Among his many accomplishments, Joseph Boivin served as a School Board member and as Commissioner of the Water Department in Manchester. He was a member of the Council Hevey of Union St. Jean Baptiste l'Amerique and of L'Artisans Canadien-Francais, a French Professional Association). An avid singer and music lover, he was a devout Catholic who sang in the church choir at Ste. Marie Church on Notre Dame Avenue; this participation required that he climb the long, narrow staircase leading to the choir loft for weekly rehearsals and Masses, in spite of the loss of one leg. His deep faith led him to counsel French-Canadian residents of Manchester in sound finacial planning and saving. His common practice when sought out for divorce cases was to counsel couples to remain together, work out their problems and honor their marriage vows. For his strong sense of values and deep commitments to family, church and community, Joseph was loved and respected by all who knew him.
Joseph suffered with chronic nephritis for several months in 1930; he died at home (420 Notre Dame Avenue) on Sunday, July 6, 1930 of myocarditis. He is buried in the Boivin family lot at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Manchester, NH.
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
established in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, St. Marie's Cooperative Credit Association. The son of Stanislas and Marie (Doucet) Boivin, Joseph Auguste Boivin was born September 21, 1866 in Coaticook,PQ, Canada. Mr. Boivin contracted polio as a child and lost one leg to complications of the illness. He studied Ste. Hyacinthe College, Coaticook,PQ, and lived for several years in Ste. Hyacinthe, PQ, Canada. Joseph immigrated to Manchester, New Hampshire on October 1, 1883. He studied law in the offices of Burnham, Brown, Jones and Warren, and later with Judge George W. Prescott. He was admitted to ther NH Bar in December 1899 and,
subsequnetly, to the Hillsborough County Bar Association. He studied at St. Anselm College in Manchester where he also taught French. He married Miss Emma Gilbert of Lewiston, Maine in September, 1901; they bore 4 children between 1902-1907: Dominique, Therese, Gilberte and Gertrude.
In 1902, Mr. Boivin represented Manchester's Ward 9 at the constitutional convention. He served as treasurer for L'Association Canado-American. His law office was located in the Kennard Building, 314-315 Elm Street, where he also served as a justice of the peace, insurance agent and real estate broker. In 1908, he started the credit union on November 24, 1908 through a collaboration with Monsignor Pierre Hevey
Monsignor Pierre Hevey
Monsignor Pierre Hevey was a leader of Ste. Marie Church in Manchester, New Hampshire in the early twentieth century. He played a key role in the establishment of the first credit union in the United States on November 24, 1908, to help his parishioners save money and access credit at a reasonable...
of Ste. Marie Church
Ste. Marie Church (Manchester, New Hampshire)
Ste. Marie Church is a Roman Catholic church on the West Side of Manchester, New Hampshire in the United States.-External links:...
and guidance from Alphonse Desjardins
Alphonse Desjardins (co-operator)
Gabriel-Alphonse Desjardins , born in Lévis, Quebec, was the co-founder of the Caisses Populaires Desjardins , a forerunner of North American credit unions and community banks.- Early life :...
, the Canadian credit union pioneer. Boivin volunteered his time in the evenings and, assisted by his wife Emma, an able and experienced bookkeeper, ran it out of his home at 420 Notre Dame Avenue in Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
. America's Credit Union Museum
America's Credit Union Museum
America's Credit Union Museum is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, on the site of the first credit union founded in the United States. The museum, at 418-420 Notre Dame Avenue, is housed at the original location for St. Mary’s Cooperative Credit Association, renamed in 1925 to La Caisse...
now occupies the location of his home, where the credit union, now known as St. Mary's Bank, first operated.
Among his many accomplishments, Joseph Boivin served as a School Board member and as Commissioner of the Water Department in Manchester. He was a member of the Council Hevey of Union St. Jean Baptiste l'Amerique and of L'Artisans Canadien-Francais, a French Professional Association). An avid singer and music lover, he was a devout Catholic who sang in the church choir at Ste. Marie Church on Notre Dame Avenue; this participation required that he climb the long, narrow staircase leading to the choir loft for weekly rehearsals and Masses, in spite of the loss of one leg. His deep faith led him to counsel French-Canadian residents of Manchester in sound finacial planning and saving. His common practice when sought out for divorce cases was to counsel couples to remain together, work out their problems and honor their marriage vows. For his strong sense of values and deep commitments to family, church and community, Joseph was loved and respected by all who knew him.
Joseph suffered with chronic nephritis for several months in 1930; he died at home (420 Notre Dame Avenue) on Sunday, July 6, 1930 of myocarditis. He is buried in the Boivin family lot at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Manchester, NH.
See also
- History of credit unions
- Monsignor Pierre HeveyMonsignor Pierre HeveyMonsignor Pierre Hevey was a leader of Ste. Marie Church in Manchester, New Hampshire in the early twentieth century. He played a key role in the establishment of the first credit union in the United States on November 24, 1908, to help his parishioners save money and access credit at a reasonable...
- Edward FileneEdward FileneEdward Albert Filene was an American businessman, social entrepreneur and philanthropist...
- Alphonse DesjardinsAlphonse Desjardins (co-operator)Gabriel-Alphonse Desjardins , born in Lévis, Quebec, was the co-founder of the Caisses Populaires Desjardins , a forerunner of North American credit unions and community banks.- Early life :...
- America's Credit Union MuseumAmerica's Credit Union MuseumAmerica's Credit Union Museum is located in Manchester, New Hampshire, on the site of the first credit union founded in the United States. The museum, at 418-420 Notre Dame Avenue, is housed at the original location for St. Mary’s Cooperative Credit Association, renamed in 1925 to La Caisse...