Toufic Nasser, an uncle to my brother—in—law Labeeb Rashed, said that my grandfather came to New York with a man named Ayoub Elias Nasser but was likely not allowed to stay because of some immigration regulations. As a result he ended up in Canada. Apparently many of the early immigrants had no idea as to where they were going. To them America was America, the land of opportunity whether it was North America, South America, Canada or the United States, it did not really matter.

In 1982 the Town of St. Damien De—Buckland, where my grandfather settled and spent most of his life, was celebrating their 100th Anniversary and published a history of the community. It included two pages about him, a picture of his store, a picture of him and my uncles Said and Sam. The following is a quote from the book:

“Immediately on arriving at the port of Montreal, Joseph Zakem left for Quebec City where he joined up with friends. Like them he decided to become a traveling salesman with a pack on his back. The countryside of upper Bellechasse was his territory. He sold hat pins, hair pins, diaper pins (because God knows there were babies in those days) used clothing, linen laces, leather laces, braces and rosaries completed his suit case.

Shortly after he bought a small house, not far from the church and opened a grocery and clothing store. Joseph sold a three piece suits for $5.00, dresses for 74 cents, women’s

shoes for 50 cents and men ’s boots for 75 cents a pair.

For some time after this “Pere Zakem ”, as he was known, kept up his work as a peddler. With his horse drawn buggy he covered all the villages and backcountry in the area.

In 1917 Joe’s business underwent an expansion. He moved the old house back and built the store, which is today the property of Maurice Gillemette grocer butcher of the chain “Jovi Inside the store there was merchandise of every kind hung from the ceiling: oil lanterns, tools, clothing and everything that could be suspended. It was a true bazaar.

It was a marvelous meeting place for young people. We passed many evenings with Pere Zakem whom, with his mysterious and warm personality, told stories of life in the country of birth. Joseph the Peddler was also the first photographer in St. Damien. Several

photographs of the village were taken by him.

From time to time Pere Zakem played the roll of dentist. The patient, without anesthetic, trembled in the simple chair, while the pliers were put in the gaping mouth to remove the

worst of all pain. The cost was 25 cents

To leave out the passage of this gentleman from our parish community would be to leave incomplete the recounting of our stories. ”

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