My Genealogy Hound

AMAND J. SCHILLARE, the leading photographer of Northampton, has advanced to his present position of business prosperity solely through his own personal ability and persistent determination to succeed. He is a French Canadian by birth, having first opened his eyes upon the world at St. Guillaume, Province of Quebec, Canada, July 30, 1856, and is the son of David Schillare, who was born at Maskinonge, in 1827.

Mr. Schillare’s grandfather, Thellosphore Schillare, who wedded Mile. Lamere, was a son of Dr. Frederick Schillare (or Schiller, which was the original manner of spelling the name), a German physician, who emigrated from Germany to Canada and is said to have been a relative of the famous poet of that name. He was a man of wealth and influence in his day, prominent both in public affairs and as a skilful medical practitioner, and was widely known as the “Red Doctor,” on account of his exceedingly ruddy complexion, although a man of strictly temperate habits. Of the three sons and one daughter born to Mr. Schillare’s grandparents, all have passed away with the exception of the latter. His mother was before her marriage Mile. Angel Mondor, a native of St. Francois, Province of Quebec, where the nuptial ceremony occurred. Of his immediate relatives an Aunt Lasine is the wife of Xavier Laurion, of Leeds, Mass.; an uncle, Louis Schillare, resided at the family homestead until his death, which occurred at the age of fifty-five years; and his son, Dr. Louis Schillare, is now a practising physician of Lowell, Mass. The others have all gone to their final rest, and are buried in their native province.

David Schillare moved with his family from Canada to the United States in 1863, first settling at Florence, Mass., and in 1867 removing to Leeds, where he resided until his decease, which occurred July 12, 1891. Although never having the advantages of even a primary education, he was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, and for a period of twenty-five years was a useful and trusted employee of the Nonotuck Silk Company. He was strictly conscientious, honest, and upright, and was often taken advantage of by others in business. He, however, succeeded in securing a comfortable home for his family, which reverted to his widow at his decease. She now resides with her son Louis, having been the mother of eight children, two of whom, twins, died in infancy. The others are as follows: David Schillare, a carpenter of Northampton; Mary, wife of Oliver Ducharme, a resident of Leeds; Amand J.; Ellen, wife of Frank Marcatte, also of Leeds; Mrs. Joseph Uarsall; and Louis Schillare, a plumber residing at Leeds.

Amand J. Schillare was by force of circumstances obliged to contribute toward his own support at a very early age, and was therefore denied the advantages of an education which other children were acquiring while he was hard at work in the cotton-mills at Florence. He entered the mills when he was nine years of age, and was employed there most of the time for three years. At the age of twelve years he removed with his parents to Leeds, and for the succeeding five years he was employed more or less in the Nonotuck Silk Company’s mills. When not directly engaged in mill work he labored at different occupations, among which was the taking of contracts to clear land, and besides working diligently himself he hired others to work with him, for whose labor he received a profit of ten cents per cord. Discontent and dissatisfaction with his lot in life were so plainly manifested by him that he was considered by his superiors as a wayward boy.

During these years of excessive labor and privation he was constantly dreaming of and aspiring to a higher calling, and was often censured for having a book or a paper in his hand while at work. Happening to visit the studio of the Knowlton Brothers one day, while admiring specimens of their photographs, it suddenly occurred to him that such a business would be most congenial to him; and acting upon this suggestion he made inquiries of the proprietor, who offered to give him three months’ instruction in the art for the sum of twenty-five dollars. This proposition he accepted after consulting his parents, and paid fifteen dollars down, that sum being the extent of his worldly possessions. He remained at the studio for a period of four months, during which he applied himself to the acquisition of all knowledge possibly obtainable in the art; and at the termination of that length of time he returned to Leeds, where he resumed work in the yards of the silk-mill, later finding employment in the spool shop of that concern at one dollar per day.

In 1874, when the memorable flood swept over the Mill River district and caused the industries to cease operations for an indefinite period, the Knowlton Brothers did an extensive business in taking views of the devastated landscape, necessitating the employment of extra hands; and Mr. Schillare again sought and obtained a position in their gallery, where he made himself so useful and agreeable that, when the rush of business slackened and the extra help was dispensed with one by one, he was retained. His employers took an interest in his desire to progress, and finally placed him in charge of their branch gallery, where he is at the present time conducting an extensive business on his own account. He was thus enabled to tenderly and bountifully provide for the comforts of his father during his declining years, and also to afford even a luxurious home for his aged mother.

Since the tide of success turned so effectually in his direction Mr. Schillare has made rapid advancement in his art, and is now the leading artist photographer in Hampden County, enjoying the patronage of the very best class of residents together with the majority of the college students. He has been in business on his own account for the past ten years, and his patronage has increased to such an extent that five assistants are constantly kept busy at his studio. He makes a specialty of views and crayon portraits; and, although he has laid aside his palette in order to attend to the more lucrative part of the business, he still retains his love and admiration for the higher branches of art. For years his leisure hours have been spent in repairing the neglect which his youth suffered in the way of education, and he has succeeded in enriching his mind with knowledge gathered from useful books, of which he has accumulated a large and exceedingly interesting collection.

In 1882 Mr. Schillare was most happily married at Florence to Miss Edwardina L. Mondor, of Salem, daughter of Amand and Ellen (Theiren) Mondor, both of whom were natives of Canada. Her father died at Salem in 1882, aged fifty-eight years; and her mother is now residing in Northampton. Of their twelve children, but two sons and two daughters now survive. Mrs. Schillare’s brother Edward enlisted in the United States Navy on board the ship “Baltimore,” and is supposed to have been lost at sea; Albert J. Mondor is a grocer at Lawrence, Mass.; and her sister is now Mrs. Oscar Lacroix, of Northampton. Mr. and Mrs. Schillare have an interesting family of two sons and two daughters, namely: Laura E., born June 21, 1883; Conrad, born August 16, 1887; Leon J., born February 8, 1889; and Eugenie M., born June 4, 1893. The family reside at their pleasant home at 39 Union Street, which Mr. Schillare purchased in 1892, at a cost of about five thousand dollars. He has also invested in other real estate, situated on Graves Avenue, upon which he erected a block of three tenements as a speculation.