AUBURN – The Maine Franco-American Genealogical Society will hold its semi-annual meeting at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 17, in the first-floor Great Falls Building library, High Street.

Henry Gosselin, who is retired after 26 years as editor of Maine’s Catholic weekly newspaper, Church World, will be the speaker. He was drafted in the Army at the outbreak of the Korean War, where he served as editor of a daily newspaper on a troopship. After his discharge Gosselin served as editor of weekly newspapers in Lisbon Falls and Lewiston. He was co-owner and editor of the Somerset Reporter for 11 years.

Gosselin is a graduate of St. Anselm College in Manchester, N.H., and received his master’s degree from the Boston University School of Public Relations and Communications in 1951.

Gosselin has written two books. He will share his research and the book of his cousin, Clement Gosselin, “George Washington’s French-Canadian Spy.” He has researched Clement’s background on the Island of Orleans/Isle de Orleans, the village of La Pocatiere, 70 miles east of Quebec City, his relationship with Col. Benedict Arnold and what led Clement to ignore the threat of excommunication.

Clement Gosselin not only joined the American Forces, but recruited many French-Canadians to do likewise. Then he led his men in several encounters with the English down the Champlain Valley, culminating with the decisive battle at Yorktown where, with the rank of major, he was severely wounded.

Henry Gosselin is a Franco-American descendant of Gabriel Gosselin, who came from France in 1650 and settled on the Isle of Orleans in Quebec. Gabriel was the great-grandfather of Clement Gosselin, Gen. George Washington’s French-Canadian spy.

The meeting is open to the public. Call the library at 786-3327 for details.


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