Name/Title
Desroches FamilyEntry/Object ID
MSS-02-009Scope and Content
This collection contains four folders and five books, with material ranging from the mid 20th century to 2015.Context
The Killian-Desroches were a family of Polish descent who came to Taunton for work in the textile industry in the mid 1900’s. Among the materials in this collection are naturalization papers for Joseph Killian and Katherine Mary Killian (Katarzyna Killijan), presumably the first members of their family to acquire American citizenship. Also mentioned in the collection are Stanley and Helen Killian. The “Verney News and Vues” mentions Stanley taking a loomfixers course in Taunton in 1948, therefore he and Helen were likely relatives of Joseph and Katherine.
Stanley and Helen Killian had two daughters, Carol Ann and Gail Mary, and Carol Ann later married to become Carol Ann Killian Desroches. Carol’s daughter, Lisa Gail Desroches (Herbert), attended Wheaton College with the help of the Miss America Scholarship program, and went on to win Miss Massachusetts in 1992.Archive Details
Archive Size/Extent
There are three series in this collection concerning the Killian-Desroches family. The first contains material on Lisa Gail Desroches, who was crowned the 1992-1993 Miss Massachusetts. The second and third series focus on Joseph and Katherine Killian, and Stanley and Helen Killian respectively.
