LEON CAMARIE, first Franco-American to serve as Town Selectman

 During the last twenty years a great change has gradually taken place in the population of this as in most other cotton manufacturing towns.  Large numbers of French Canadians having settled among us with the idea of making this their permanent home. We deeply regret that we are unable to present to our readers a greater number of representatives of these industrious public spirited citizens.

The junior member of the present board of selectmen, Leon (son of Pierre and Sara Nudo) Camarie was born at Lewiston Maine December 20 1876.  When but eight years old the death of his father was the signal for the mother’s return to Canada, but the boy’s heart turned back to the States.

 Ambitious to make a beginning for himself when but eleven years of age he came to Newmarket where he found employment as a bobbin boy and later learned to weave.  In 1887 he removed to Lowell where for fifteen years he worked in the cotton mill.

 In 1902 he again settled in Newmarket this time to make it his home.  He has charge of the mechanism of the looms in the Newmarket Manufacturing Company’s works.  He is a member and director of Lafayette Club of the Foresters of America of which he is also treasurer. And a member of the Fraternal Relief, he was elected last year to the board of Town of Newmarket selectmen.  September 8 1890 he married Ole vena Dubay of Lowell Mass.  They have three children.

(Source: Granite Monthly, written 1908)