Autobiography of
Theodore Gegoux (1850-1931)  
Began in 1925, completed in 1926.  With a family page added in 1927.  
 
      On the 19th of November 1850 the subject of the following Autobiography was born at St Louis deGonzague, County of Beauharnois District of Montreal, Canada.  He is the 10th child of a family of eleven.  The son of Jean François Xavier Gegoux and Marie Josephete Leduc.  Baptized in the Roman Catholic Church at Beauharnois, P. Quebec.  When at the age of four, his father died {Jean François Gegoux was actually buried on January 19th, 1857 at St. Louis de Gonzgue, P. Quebec.  Theodore would have been six years old at this time}.  
      At the age of six years he began attending school; while yet in his A, B, C's he displayed a great love for drawing faces on the margin of his book, for which he was severely punished by the burly Teacher, so much so indeed that the would be little Artist's desire to draw was whipped out of him, and, of course, caused him to think that it was wrong to draw pictures.  Consequently years elapsed before drawing was thought of again.  
      But it is said, "What is within will out" may it be good or bad.  He was raised and brought up on the farm.  No chance to see any works of art to awaken his dormant talent.  His mother received her education after marriage and that was extremely limited, for, there was no time for literature.  Land had to be cleared, a home to build, and children came unto her with regularity every two years or less.  
      After the Father's demise the widowed mother was unable to keep intact her large family.  The older ones, Xavier and Honore broke home ties to seek their fortunes in the wide world.  Xavier landed in Clayton, N. Y. where a shipyard was in operation.  Having a liking for ship building he got a job hewing timbers.  Henry became a lumber jack in the big woods of upper Canada.  The three girls that were old enough to work, left home also to become domestics in different families, the other children remained at home, i.e. Rose, Joseph, Louis, and Theodore.  Able having died in his infancy, and Rose died at 15 years of age.  
      So at this time, 1857, the Gegoux family consisted of mother and three sons, the oldest one was nearly 15 years old and was the plowman and bread winner on the place.  The word bread reminds the writer that we did not always have it to eat.  Well, does the writer remember of being sent out on a bread borrowing mission, to the nearest neighbor first, then to the next, and yet to the next, the writer obeyed willingly, knowing that it meant an appeasing of that ravenous hunger, which seemed insatiable, the writer also remembers the queer looks in the ladies eyes when they handed him a full loaf of six pounds saying, "Tell your mama she need not pay it back when she gets some flower to bake some bread".  
1864      The oldest brother who resided in Clayton, N.Y. offered to take charge of him, which was gladly accepted and he made his way across the line into the United States, in October 1864.  He was hired as chore boy to a farmer for a period of six months.  Then, he went to Carthage N.Y. where years after he was destined to be born into the Art world.  At the latter place he busied himself at what ever he could find to do, such as peeling hemlock bark for the Tanners.  
      Taking contracts to cut into logs the hemlock trees which he had peeled and then skid those logs into big piles on the edge of the nearest creek, using an ox team to do the work, then roads were made and as soon as the winter set in the roads were used through which to draw the logs to the nearest creek which overflowed it's banks in the springtime, and floated the logs to the larger stream, being assisted along by the log drivers and eventually these logs found their way to the sawmills, miles away.  His contracts for peeling bark and cutting logs being fulfilled he resolved to discontinue that kind of work and learn a trade.  
1868       He entered a marble shop, with the intention of serving a full apprenticeship of three years.  After working for five months, doing the rough work in the shop, he asked the foreman if he would let him do some of the carving, and his reply was, "There are two ahead of you in the shop, and they are as anxious as you for promotion, you will have to serve two years before you can be permitted to do carving." It was then that he resolved to quit the marble shop and go to work and earn money, so that he could pay some one to teach him.  
      Then he got employment in a sawmill at $1.50 a day and boarded at a cheap hotel.  In the course of a few weeks the sawmill shut down for some necessary repairs.  Being idle the proprietor of the hotel said to him would you be willing to assist with tending bar, saying to him that the bartender had gone home for a visit and was taken ill.  
      He reluctantly accepted the job, until the sawmill was put in order again.  The sick bartender grew worse and after a few days, died.  It was then that the proprietor begged of him to remain as bartender and offered more pay than he was getting at the sawmill.  Considering that he would get his board free, he would save more money.  Very shortly he would be able to pay for the lessons he desired to take in art.  So he resolved to accept the hotel proprietor's offer, but found that it was next to impossible to save any money.  He was also in the constant company of tossers and drunks which was extremely distasteful to him.  
      For he knew that he was the cause of much misery, several forlorn looking women would at different times walk into the bar room and say to the bartender such as the following appeals "Oh don't give my husband any more liquor he came home drunk last night and was abusive to me and he said he was in here."  Others would pitifully recite tales of woe, which proved to him that he was in a very bad business.  But the saying that it is "darkest before day" proved true.  
      The proprietor requested the bartender to go and ask Mr. Wilcox "the sign painter" to come over.  Saying, "I want him to paint a sign for me." Being asked what kind of a sign he wanted, the proprietor said, "Well you see, we have a billiard table, a bowling alley, and a shooting gallery.  I want that lettered on a sign."  Like a flash, the thought came to him, "Oh let me do that painting for you."  The reply was, "Did you ever paint?"  "No", said the bartender, "But anybody can paint a sign, let me do it won't you?"  "Well if you think you can do a good job, go to it."  
      In due time the sign was painted but without any lettering.  It was pictured.  It consisted of three pictures alike on each side for the sign was to be hung over the side walk in front of the hotel.  There being a presentation of a bowling alley, a man preparing to roll a large ball at the 10 pins; and a billiard table, with two men engaged in a game; and a landscape, in which a hunter was in the act of shooting at a flock of ducks, that were flying overhead.  
      When the sign was completed the blacksmith was requested to bring on that long bar of iron which was to be affixed to the front of the hotel, and on which the sign was to hang directly over the sidewalk.  The Reader can imagine the intense, anxious feeling of the bartender who was just inside, and back of a transparent curtain watching every move, and listening to hear what would be said when his first work of art was seen by others as by himself.  For this was painted in seclusion, at times when he could be absent from his duty, filling beer muggs for the "guzzlers".  
      But the time has now arrived.  One of the blacksmith helpers was given a key and told to climb up three flights of stairs which led to the garret and to unlock the only door in sight and in that room he would find the sign which was made of inch board, round like a wheel, and bound with a thin band of iron, but instead of a hubb in the centre a round hole about ten inches in diameter was cut.  And in that hole, at right angles to each other two wires were inserted.  Two wooden balls on each wire were threaded, two of the balls were painted white, and of the other two, one was painted light red and the other dark red resembling four billiard balls, the tout ensemble producing a very pleasing effect.  
      Everything being in readiness the sign was brought down stairs and handed to the men on the ladders and hung up.  Now the query was heard on all sides "Who painted it?"  No one seemed to know!  Someone remarked, "Ah! that's one of Wilcox's best."  Others said "Wilcox can't paint like that."  But a knowing one said "Théo, the bartender painted it.", that news spread quickly and several of his friends rushed in to offer congratulations and take a drink on that, but one or two of the crowd stepped up to the bartender and told him a few things that would not look good in print, however the remarks made gave the bartender an awakening.  
      Shortly he was looking the town over in search of someone who could give him a few lessons in drawing and painting but found none.  In the mean time, the only photographer in town had been approached with a view of studying photography with him.  But in reply said that a friend of his, in Lowville N.Y. was looking for an apprentice I'll write to him if you can pay the price, he will teach you photography for in those days an apprentice had to pay $50.00 or more for the priviledge of entering into the secrets of the darkroom.  In a few days the Lowville photographer arrived in town to interview the bartender, but the latter was unable to produce the $50, which seemed to be the only obstacle.  
      So, the bartender being very anxious to get out of the atmosphere he was in, made the photographer the following proposition: "If you will teach me all you know about photography, I will work for you one whole year without pay, but you are to board me."  "Well", said he, "I'll confer with my wife about it and I will write you an answer".  In a few days a letter came which was worded briefly, saying, "Come and we'll give you a trial."  
      They had but little confidence that a bartender would ever amount to much.  However a beginning was made.  The first evening, shortly after supper the dishes having been cleared away, the three of them approached the table again, but this time it was to learn how to retouch negatives which had to be done by lamp light in order to save day light for other works.  
      A negative to be retouched was held over a white porceline lamp shade, the lamp light passing through revealed all the imperfections of the skin, such as wrinkles and freckles.  So the apprentice was given a lead pencil sharpened to nearly a needle point and was told to try his hand at it.  In a few minutes the negative was finished and was passed over to the photographer's wife who always helped doing this work.  She looked at the negative with much scrutiny, and without making any remarks passed it over to her husband.  Who looked as though he was extra well pleased at what he saw, and then leaned over to the apprentice, "Didn't you ever work at this business before?"   He replied, "No sir, this is the first negative I ever saw".  "Well!, Well!", turning to his wife said, "He can do it better than either of us."  And to prove what he said was true he put down his retouching pencil and would not retouch an other negative.  So the apprentice became a professional retoucher in one day and could have gone to New York City and commanded a $25.00 a week salary and though there was but a verbal agreement between the two men, it was adhered to strictly and he remained at his task till the end of the year.  
      During the last week of his stay a lady artist arrived in town to organize a class in painting.  In a few days she had secured the names of several pupils, including the ex-bartender.  The teacher named all the things quite necessary that each pupil must procure, such as easel, palet, paletknife, brushes and the principle colors, and saying, "I am going back home and I will return in a few days to commence teaching".  But the ex-bartender could not wait for the teacher's return. Having access to many good photographs in the gallery, he chose one of a gentleman who was well known and commenced to sketch a life sized portrait from it.  Within ten days the lady artist returned to proceed with her class and every pupil with easils and accessaries were present, and each one, in turn, was set to work.  Copying from some little colored prints or what ever they chose.  Finally, every one was at her special task, except the ex-bartender, "the only man pupil" in the class, who produced two canvases, of the same size, about 20 ins. X 24 ins.  One a brand new canvas and the other a portrait of a gentleman.  "Oh! I would advise you to copy something less difficult at first", she said.  "Well", said he, "On the new canvas, if you will permit me, I would like to paint your own portrait".  "The other is one that I have painted during your absence, do you like it?"  The ex-bartender never forgot the expression on the Teacher's face.  
This was in the year 1873.  
(written in Champoeg, Oregon Jan 24,1925.)  
CHAPTER II  
     At the age of 23 we find Theo Gegoux the exbartender launching out into the art of portrait making.  Having returned to Carthage N.Y. he opened a studio, and for nearly four years, continued to study portraiture in crayon, pastel and oil.  But a larger field of operation was desirable and he resolved to remove his studio to Watertown, N.Y.  Where after two years of close attention to business he had saved enough money to enable him to take a trip to Europe.  
      The reader must understand that this student had never received any instructions in the art of drawing and painting, and yet, while feasting his eyes on the many great works of art in the Louvre and in the Luxembourg he was inspired to copy some of the Master Pieces, believing that he could acquire knowledge of colors by so doing.  He decided to copy three masterpieces.  
      First, a beautiful sunlight effect that which he found in Jules Breton's, "La Benediction des Blis"  {note: Jules Breton (1827 - 1906), "The Blessing of the Wheat at Artois", Completed in 1857, oil on canvas, 50.5 ins. x 125.25 ins., Musees des Beaux-Arts d'Arras, France}.  
      The next was a moonlight picture by Joseph Vernet.  {note: Claude Joseph Vernet , born: Avignon - August 14, 1714;  died: Paris - December 3, 1789.}  
      The third was a lamp light effect by Prud'home, "Clytemnestra and Egistre" her accomplice.  {note: Pierre-Paul Prud'hon, born: Cluny - 1758;  died: Paris - 1823}  
      Having completed these three paintings which were considered excellent copies he returned to America with them and reopened his studio in Watertown, N.Y.  
      But now a problem arose in his mind which had to be solved and that was, Should he consider the bonds of matrimony or lead a batchelor's life?  Having arrived at an age (31) when such a question is paramount in a young man's mind, caused him much meditation.  If he decided to marry he must find a mate who could pass examination.  First, she must have perfect health, and must have talent for the arts of drawing and painting, especially in discerning colors.  The above requirements, strange to say, were closely approximated by a young lady, who happened to attend one of his exhibitions of paintings.  And having managed to receive an introduction, took the liberty to ask many questions apropos of the arts, and suggested that she try her hand at drawing and painting, that which she hesitated to do.  Being afraid, less she made a failure of it.  
      But finally agreed to try.  So brushes, oil colors palet + & + were brought to her and a small painting in oil for her to copy and she was requested to not seek any assistance or accept any suggestions from any one.  For it was explained that this trial was for the purpose of ascertaining what talent she possessed and gave her one week's time to execute the little picture and then bade her good by.  One evening, about a week later the teacher called on the young lady.  After being seated, the conversation soon drifted to drawing and painting and with some preliminary excuses she produced the little canvas, not quite finished, but it was evident that she had ample talent.  
      That much being conceded, it was deemed prudent and wise to enter into the regime of courtship and there by further acquaintance so as to avoid "repenting at leisure for having married in haste".  It must be explained, here, that the very motive for seeking a mate who had much talent for art was on account of the offspring if any came, for, and Artist is born, not made.  
      However, it has been proven that, although the physical has been reproduced to a great degree of exactitude in resemblance, the mental is seldom ever duplicated.  The reason to be presumed is that talents are coupled with likes and dislikes, as it is in a degree with taste for eatables.  A person can eat any food but has a preference for some.  So, when our firstborn came into the world, being a boy, as desired, he was watched, with great hopes and expectations, to discover, if possible, signs of aptitudes.  
      While yet unable to walk, but he could creep rapidly on the floor, one day having popped some corn a handful was put into his baby tinplate and placed in front of him.  His vocabulary was, as yet, very limited and he had his own way, of naming domestic animals, and in looking over his plate of popcorn, he picked up one that was flourished and resembled the head of a poodle dog, and exclaimed "Look Papa" a "wow wow" which proved that the child had talent for art.  For he could discern form at a glance.  The reader may sense the feeling of gratitude which filled the writer's heart, having received at the hand of the "Creator" the fulfilment of his wishes.  
     

Father:	Jean Francois Gegoux, Dead
Mother:	Marie Josephete Leduc, Gegoux, Dead
Justine:	Died in infancy
Xavier:	Died 69 years of age
Honore:	Died 72 years of age
Christine:	Died 61 years of age
Mathilda:	Died 49 years of age
Adele:	Died 52 years of age
Rose:	Died 17 years of age
Joseph:	Died 56 years of age
Louis:	Died 63 years of age
Theodore:	Alive at 77 years of age
Abel:	Died at 19 months of age

 
The above was written on the first of July 1927, by Yours Truly, Theodore Gegoux "and it shows that I am the only survivor of the whole family of Gegoux."