The Martineau Women of Tupper Lake, Franklin County, New York

The first photo is my great-grandmother, Rose (Labounty) Martineau (1859 - 1931) and daughters, Leona and Lottie of Tupper Lake Junction, New York (around 1924). Rose's first language was Canadian French. She worked as a cook in Adirondack logging camps and then in hotels and boarding houses including The Faust and The Grand Union. The Faust was owned by her son, Victor Martineau and the Grand Union was managed for a few years by her husband, Oliver Martineau. Before that, it is claimed that he managed The Tobin House for a time. As a child, I enjoyed several trips to Tupper Lake to visit my Aunt Leona, Aunt Lottie, and Uncle Elmer. The photo the Grand Union Hotel was taken around 1904. My grandmother, Alma Martineau Ricketts is the little girl peering over the balcony. She lived there when her father managed the hotel (about 1903 - 1908) and her mother was the cook there. It was across the street from the railroad depot in Tupper Lake Junction. She told me that it was exciting growing up there since she met a steady stream of people from all over. As the youngest of 10 children, Grandma was "progressive," resilient and adaptable. Grandma (Alma Martineau Ricketts) met her husband, Charles Julius Ricketts, while visiting her sister, Altina, who had moved south and married Robert Steven Thetford (points: Blitheville, Arkansas, Memphis, TN, and Vicksburg, MS). The photo of the five females shows the Martineau sisters around 1915 (left to right: Alma, Altina, Julia, Lottie, Leona). Leona and Lottie married brothers James Alfred Farmer and Elmer Farmer of Tupper Lake and never left. Julia married Henry Prespare. They lived in Tupper Lake for a time and then moved to Plattsburgh.

Leona (Martineau) Farmer, Rose Martineau, Lottie (Martineau) Farmer in Tupper Lake.
My best guess is this was taken  sometime around 1914 - 1924.

The Grand Union Hotel about 1904. The Martineaus were proprietors from 1903-1908.
Alma Martineau Ricketts is the little girl peering over the balcony (center).

The Tupper Lake Martineau sisters, youngest to oldest.
Name and year of birth (left to right): Alma 1900, Altina 1895, Julia 1889, Lottie 1892, Leona 1886