December 7, 2011 6:29 PM
Remembering 17 siblings
Molly sent this:Winterport siblings recall the blessings of being raised among 17 children
Courtesy of John RancourtThe remaining 11 children of Alice and Harry Rancourt pose for a photo in John Rancourt's home in 2001. The first row, from the left, are sisters Margruerite Arrants, Mildred Whitten, Marion Hansen, Celestia Hamor and Geraldine Gavard. Second row, from the left, are brothers Reginald Rancourt, Kenneth Rancourt, Leon Rancourt, John Rancourt, Clayton Rancourt and Harry Rancourt Jr. The siblings who died before the family photo was taken are Dorothy Dulac, Clara Gavard, Corrine Suomi, Iris Rancourt, Gasper Ranco (changed the spelling of Rancourt), Leo Rancourt and Alton Rancourt.Posted Dec. 04, 2011, at 4:22 p.m.A Bangor Daily News photo of the family of Harry and Alice Rancourt taken in 1937. The caption reads: "Thirteen of the seventeen members of the Rancourt family of Harland, who were photographed in Bangor this morning. From left to right, front row, Alton, Kenneth, Geraldine, Reginald, John and Celestia; Second row, Clara, Mrs. Rancourt and Mr. Rancourt; third row, Henry, Jr., Leon, Clayton and Corinne."
Courtesy of John RancourtHarry and Alice Rancourt pose to be photographed for the Bangor Daily News in 1979 for their 70th wedding anniversary.When TLC first aired "17 Kids and Counting" in 2008, it stirred controversy. The reality show follows the Duggar family, now 19 children strong. And on Nov. 8, they announced on the "Today" show that they are expecting their 20th child in April.
While some people thoroughly enjoy the show, the Duggars often face the head shaking and finger wagging of strangers, the stigma attached to raising a large family in modern times. But not long ago large families were applauded by society. In fact, they were sought after by the government to run farms in northern and central Maine.
When the Rancourt family moved to Winterport in 1937, they were their own "17 kids and counting." Today, just four of Alice and Harry's 18 children are alive, but they all still live in Winterport.
"As a family, we never fought too much," said John Rancourt, 81, as he sat reminiscing with his sister, Geraldine, 79, and his brother Reginald, 82, over brunch at the Rise & Shine Cafe in Winterport. "If we did, Dad straightened us out."
The fourth, Marguerite, 93, had an appointment the day the remaining Rancourt children met with the Bangor Daily News and couldn't make it to her favorite cafe, but her son Rodney was there, and also John's wife, Ruth.
The Rancourts have long been local celebrities and perhaps would have starred in their own reality show, had television existed in their day.
They first appeared in the BDN in 1937, when they became the first large family to move onto farmland as a part of the New Deal Resettlement Administration State-of-Maine Farms Project. The family traveled days by buggy from their previous home in Hartland to their new home, Meadowsweet Farm.
In Hartland, the Rancourt children attended a one-room school, and when they left, the school closed down. Thirteen of the school's 17 students had been Rancourts.
Read more at Bangor Daily News
![A Bangor Daily News photo of the family of Harry and Alice Rancourt taken in 1937. The caption reads: "Thirteen of the seventeen members of the Rancourt family of Harland, who were photographed in Bangor this morning. From left to right, front row, Alton, Kenneth, Geraldine, Reginald, John and Celestia; Second row, Clara, Mrs. Rancourt and Mr. Rancourt; third row, Henry, Jr., Leon, Clayton and Corinne."](http://bdnpull.bangorpublishing.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/rancourt3-600x647.jpg "A Bangor Daily News photo of the family of Harry and Alice Rancourt taken in 1937. The caption reads: "Thirteen of the seventeen members of the Rancourt family of Harland, who were photographed in Bangor this morning. From left to right, front row, Alton, Kenneth, Geraldine, Reginald, John and Celestia; Second row, Clara, Mrs. Rancourt and Mr. Rancourt; third row, Henry, Jr., Leon, Clayton and Corinne.\"")
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