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Little Lester was the youngest of six children born to Belgian Flemish immigrants Joseph and Mary Gillis. The family moved to the impoverished and gritty Humbolt Park area of Chicago, where they struggled against the oppressive realities of city life. While Joseph was employed tirelessly at the nearby stockyards, Mary taught French to wealthier families to make ends meet, highlighting the divide between their lives and those of the affluent.