On Saturday, April 26th, The Nine Devines played to a standing-room-only crowd at the Chippewa Area History Center. The event, sponsored by the Chippewa County Genealogical Society, was a celebration of what it takes to document a family’s history – in this case, the hows and whys of telling the story of The Nine Devines in book form.
Deacon Devine (who preferred to be called Lefty throughout the proceedings because, “he was back home”) and Darius have been overwhelmed by the warm reception they have received regarding The Nine Devines, especially from the residents of the Chippewa Valley. The audience that “occupied every chair in the History Center” couldn’t have been kinder and more receptive as they discussed the six-year saga of bringing this project out into the light. Select passages were read, the tools for publication were covered, and Tim Devine talked about his first reaction when the manuscript arrived in the mail.
But the real highlight was Lefty’s riveting and emotional commentary throughout. When he described how his mother, Erma, looked on with pride during a McDonnell High School basketball game – two of her sons in the starting line up, another one home from his first semester in Marquette, and her daughter leading on the cheer squad – and declared, “I told you things would get better,” there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience.
The main takeaway from those in attendance was what a hero Lefty has been to the Devine Family and everyone who is inspired by this book. There comes a time in everyone’s life that they eventually need to have a better understanding of who they are, where they come from and why certain things about themselves can’t be fully explained. It is distinctly human to want to be connected to the past and in a way be anchored into the future. But by the time one becomes fully interested and invested in finding out more, often their links to the past are no longer with them. And with it, these snapshots of the way things used to be vanish. Lefty recently celebrated his 90th birthday and he is the last of the Nine Devines. The story could have ended with him. With his courage and openness, however, Lefty has painted a vivid portrait of the Devines for future generations to view and appreciate.
A special thanks to Wendy and all the members of the Chippewa County Genealogical Society for welcoming us as one of their own. Family histories continue to evolve and develop. As part of their commitment to supporting Lefty & Darius in telling their family’s story, the two author’s were generously gifted a year’s membership to the Genelogical Society. Also, a note of gratitude to those who brought and shared pictures at the event including a gem of one of Erma and her sister that is included in this blog post. And, of course, no trip to Chippewa is complete without a celebratory meal at the Leinenkugel’s Brewery. Thank you Denise and Dan for treating the authors to lunch!
If you are ever in the Chippewa Falls area, it is strongly encouraged to visit the Chippewa Area History Center. The CAHC is truly a community labor of love. The beautiful building was designed to resemble the logging mills that so prominently dominated the landscape of the valley. The center is home to the Chippewa County Historical Society, The Past Passed Here, and the Chippewa County Genealogical Society. Volunteers from these organizations painstakingly preserve and curate the artifacts of the peoples and cultures of area from the Native Tribes, the fur traders, the European immigrants, to the individuals who call it home today.
The tagline of the CAHC is “What’s your story?” It encapsulates the belief that everyone has an important story to tell. If anything was learned from The Nine Devines presentation and book event on April 26th is that don’t wait, don’t hesitate. Sit down with the older people in your life and ask them the important questions. Anyone can record these stories. You won’t regret doing so because it will always serve as a link to your past and treasure chest for future generations.
