Sister Léa Martin (1857-1939) and Sister Marie Levasseur (1856-1914) (ph_1742)

These two nuns were born in Saint-Basile and both studied at the convent. Léa, to the left in the photo, was a day pupil from 1873 to 1875, and a boarder in 1876. Marie was placed in the boarding school when the Hospitallers arrived in 1873. Léa entered the Religious Hospitallers Community in 1877 and Marie, in the summer of 1878. They were some of the first women of the Madawaska region to join the Hospitallers. Sister Martin knew English as well as French and gave private lessons to the young English girls. She also worked in the linen room, the sewing room and the sacristy. As for Sister Levasseur, she took care of the sick and looked after the boys and girls of the boarding schools. She had a twin brother named Joseph, who became a priest.