JOEL BOWMAN New Hampshire’s history is rife with stories of natives and settlers. Some of these stories are more well-known than others but all are important to the establishment of our state. This ongoing photo project attempts to bring light to some of the lesser known pieces of history while simultaneously exploring the practice of studio style portraiture. Joel Bowman uses his large format film camera as a way to meet new and interesting people and learn their stories.
First image: Boy with Banana Earbud, Large Format Film Photography, 8”x10”, 2019 Second: Ste Marie Parish, 32”x40”, Digital Print 2020 Third: Father Moe, 16”x20”, Digital Print, 2020
@jb_imagemaker
jbowmanimages.myportfolio.com
bowmanj603@gmail.com
STE MARIE PARISH In 1763, the French speaking Catholics of Quebec had been forced to vacate their language and religion after a royal proclamation by British King George III. This forced many Canadian French Catholics to find refuge in the United States. Manchester and its thriving mills became a favored destination for settlement. In 1880, to accommodate the growing population of mill workers and their catholic families, Bishop Healy assigned Father David Joseph Halde to build a parish on the west side of Manchester. In 1882, Father Pierre Hevey was appointed by Bishop Healy to replace father Halde. Over the next 17 years, he oversaw the fundraising and coordination of the growth of the mill community. His ambition and vision were directly involved in establishing many buildings and businesses that helped Manchester and the mill community. These included St. Mary’s Bank, Salle D’Asile on Cartier Street to house orphans and senior citizens, Notre Dame Hospital (currently CMC), the Note Dame Orphanage for girls, Saint Peter’s Orphanage for boys, residence for the Marist Brothers (currently Joseph House), and many more. Today, Father Maurice Larochelle, aka Father Moe, carries the torch as the eleventh Pastor of Ste Marie Parish. He has found time in his busy schedule to sit in one of the ornately carved chairs from the altar, to pose for his portrait.