Gastineau Channel Memories

Lovely, Henry and Celina

Sarah Lupro

Henry Lovely was born Henri Lamoureux in Quebec, Canada, in 1857, and apparently Americanized his name when he moved to the United States. He married Celina E. Yelle in Minnesota in 1882. They had three children - Joseph, Alphonsine, and an adopted daughter Annie.

Prior to coming to Alaska the family lived in Minnesota and Hamilton, Washington. Henry came to Juneau in August of 1895, from Hamilton, and his wife and daughter followed several months later. Henry was a seaman before coming to Alaska, but he would work as a carpenter and prospector while in Alaska.

While living in Juneau the family home was at the top of Gold Street just about where the Hillcrest Apartments are now located. The family lived there until after Alphonsine married. Then Henry, Celina and Annie left Juneau. They went first to Warm Spring Bay where Henry built a public bathhouse and several cabins. He tried to get title to the property; but when he was unable to do so, they moved to Fairbanks. At one time he was caretaker of one of the Catholic Missions, at either Ruby or Nulato.

Henry had several mining claims, mainly in the Yukon, which he sold over the years, making him quite well-todo. After the claims were sold, he and Celina moved to Roswell, New Mexico, where he built and operated a motel type hotel. He died in 1930 in Roswell.

Their oldest child, Joseph was born in 1883, at Moorhead, Minnesota, and according to a family story, committed suicide because his father mistreated him. If this is true, it happened prior to the family coming to Juneau. Alphonsine was born at Moorhead, Minnesota, in 1886, and married Charles W. Carter in Juneau in 1902. She died in Juneau in 1955. Annie was born in Juneau, married and lived in California until her death.

After the death of her husband, Celina returned to Juneau where she lived with her daughter, Alphonsine and son-in-law, Charles Carter, until her death in 1931. She is buried at the Evergreen Cemetery.