Welcome newcomers. Please post queries or tell us what surnames you are researching. I have checked out some of the profiles and cannot see what French-Canadian surnames that are being researched. Feel free to post them. Thanks. Jim.

Richard,

New York is difficult to do research, I finally ended up going there to find my connection.

LAVANWAY is no doubt a corruption for LIVERNOIS, which is a very common dit name for BENOIT, however it is also a dit name for MELOCHE. In fact my LIVERNOIS came from northern NY (Clinton Co.) and also used the name MILLER, which was no doubt a corruption of MELOCHE.  This is probably your family as my also come from Ellenburg. Some of the church records have been published for the area so you might want to check those.

There is also a genealogy society which posts queries in their publication "Lifelines" which may be useful.  I will check what I have, but did not collect that much extra on the MELOCHE-LIVERNOIS-MILLER, mainly my direct line.  Good luck.

FYI Denissen's "French Families" is available on line:

As a break, if you like mysteries, then these will surely interest you. However you need to start with the first one as the series builds on the previous story. It's main character is Inspector Gamache in Quebec and if you are in the least bit a Francophone the mystery as well as the culture and social life will fascinate you.  Here are a couple of reviews on the newest book in the series, enjoy, Jim.

Videos of Quebec & Acadian history:

http://www.afgs.org/acadia/AHS-Acadian_Videos.html

I have posted my name before.  My French Canadian ancestors were the family SINNETT (SINNOTT, SENNET, ZENETTE are some other spellings).  Our earliest known progenitor was a Francis Sinnett who was in Clarendon Parish, Charlotte Co., NB, by the 1871 census, but had been in New Brunswick as early as 1825.  In the 1871 census, the family, father and sons, reported their racial origin as French, but at first the census-taker had written Canadian, then crossed it out and entered French.  They were Church of England at that time.  Francis reported that he was born in Canada, but his sons reported that they were born in New Brunswick.  In the 1871 census, Francis reported that he was 70 years old, which would place his birth in 1801; however, he died in 1879 in Millville, York Co., NB, where his daughter (my 2nd great grandmother) was living with her family, and his gravestone inscription says that he was 96 years old when he died!  This discrepancy between his reported age on the census and that on his gravestone makes it very hard to trace him backwards. I did find a Francois Senet, born in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, in 1801, who would fit the man of the census, but I don't dare say that they are one and the same.  When the census for New Brunswick in 1871 says that someone was born in Canada, does could that be Quebec or Ontario?  Does anyone with fresh eyes have any ideas about how I could do more with this family line?   Thank you, Dick.

From Eastman's online newsletter:

New Version of the Lower Canada Land Petitions (1626-1865) Database Now Available

The following announcement was written by Library and Archives Canada:

Ottawa, June 8, 2011 - Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the online database Lower Canada Land Petitions (1626-1865). This version includes digitized images of the actual petitions for all individuals listed in the database. Corrections to entries, including suggestions received from users, have also been integrated into this updated version. Many staff members contributed to the success of this project, and their efforts are much appreciated.

The database is available at:

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/lower-canada/index-e.html.

For more information, please contact webservices@lac-bac.gc.ca.

Archaeological dig - bringing history to life -

http://www.canada.com/health/Canadian+built+structure+unearthed+Mis...

I am looking for my Bishop family line from around the Leeds Ontario area. I was wondering where a good place is to start when looking for former British soldiers that settled in the area after the war of 1812. I have a copy of a land grant for my Bishop but I am unable to find where he came from, there is no mention of the where's or what's. If there is anybody with helpful hints of where to look.

The fifth World Acadian Festival scheduled for August 8-24, 2014.

2014 Acadian Congress seeking family reunions — Maine Living — Bangor Daily News

http://bangordailynews.com/2011/06/19/living/2014-acadian-congress-seeking-family-reunions/

Grand Réveil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening

 
"Le Grand Reveil Acadien - The Great Acadian Awakening" will be taking place in St. Martinville, Louisiana for ten days, in October 2011.

It will celebrate the Acadian history of Louisiana. Included in the celebration will be music, food and history.

Louisiane-Acadie, Inc. is aiming to encourage all Acadians to participate in the continued expression of the native French language and culture by announcing a grand gathering of Acadians in Louisiana called the “Grand Réveil Acadien / Great Acadian Awakening”.

Hosted by Louisianians, the entire region of South Louisiana is opening their doors to welcome family and friends who want to celebrate and help maintain the culture, customs, traditions and history of the Acadians. This celebration will be held October 7th through 16th, 2011 in four Acadian regions.

After engaging a group of young Louisianians to prepare and participate in promoting Louisiana for the World Acadian Congress 2009, an awakening of their heritage was visibly evident. "The Acadians of the Acadian Peninsula of New Brunswick helped start a renaissance and an awakening of our younger generation's pride and interest in promoting the French language and culture of their ancestors.” states President Ray Trahan.

For More Information Contact Ray Trahan, Louisiana Acadie President
Phone: (337) 288-2681 Email: beaufile@bellsouth.net

In order to maintain our rich heritage, it is now time to take advantage of this renewal and to learn from the past. We should do everything we can to keep this hope alive. Acadians and friends are welcome to join us in Louisiana to celebrate this unique, living culture!

Vive l'Acadie et vive la Louisiane!

Across the Border: Canadians in the Upper Peninsula

On Thursday, August 4 at 7 p.m., the Chassell Heritage Center will open a new exhibition, Across the Border: Canadians in the Upper Peninsula, on loan from Northern Michigan University ’s BeaumierU.P. Heritage Center, with a program featuring traditional French-Canadian songs by Maple Sugar Folk.  Light refreshments will be provided. 

Across the Border focuses primarily on the immigration of Canadians to the Upper Peninsula during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.  However, the story begins much farther back than that with the Anishinaabeg people who have lived on both sides of what they view as purely a political border for centuries.  The very nature of this border, which has been seen at times as irrelevant and porous, will be discussed in this exhibition as will the nature of Canadian identity as it relates to the immigration of people to the Upper Peninsula from Québec and Ontario.   

One of the most interesting parts of this exhibition will be the spotlight on specific families who came from Canada to the Upper Peninsula looking at the experiences they had before and after they immigrated to the region. There will also be a focus on specific communities that had significant settlements of Canadian people. Chassell and Lake Linden are among the communities featured.

Across the Border will be on display through August 30, 2011. The Chassell Heritage Center is located at 42373 North Hancock Street, Chassell (from US 41, turn west onto 2nd Street ) and is open Tuesdays 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. and Thursdays 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.

The exhibition was funded by Cliffs Natural Resources, NMU's College of Arts and Sciences and the Province of Québec Chicago Delegation.

There is a pplace in France called La Cauchie:

http://en.db-city.com/France/Nord-Pas-de-Calais/Pas-de-Calais/La_Ca...

Plus there is someone posting about the last name Couchois:

http://boards.ancestry.com/surnames.couchois/4/mb.ashx

And Couchois seems to be a region referred to as Valley of the Couches in Burgandy France (this next site is about wine, but makes mention of the subject):

http://www.burgundy-wines.fr/find-out-about/the-burgundy-region/vin...

Lastly, Couches, France: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Couches

I have to say that DIT names really throw a wrench into things sometimes. I have a Cheval dit St. Jacques who later became St. Jacques only. A bit frustrating if you aren't able to make the connection from the place name to the surname. But beneficial for area research, at least!  Good luck!

An Acadian Parish Reborn

I am still trying to find out more information on my late mother-in-laws parents,birth certificates,death certificates, for Erdras Thiffault and Exilena Chounard,also a birth certificate for Eve-Ann Thiffault. They lived in Greenville,New Hampshire,  after Erdas died Exillena married a man by the name of Duval,do not know his first name,am looking for any of his ancestors, he had a son name unknown

 am trying to solve the mystery.

Marlene

Listing of place of origin of FC ancestors -

http://home.gwi.net/~frenchgen/orig-bl.htm

Marlene - my gr-grandfather's 3rd wife was Marie Chouinard.  She was out of Quebec, but not sure where.  She married Charles Maltais in about 1919 in Laconia, Belknap, New Hampshire.  Apparently there were quite a few CHOUINARD in that area - maybe yours were connected?

Pat

How-to Quebec research

I have been able to complete my French Canadian genealogy by using the magnficent Drouin records. I have one ancestor who is still a bit of a mystery. He is Francois Lajoy (Lajoie) he appears in 1747 on L'Isle Aux Coudres,Quebec. It is his marriage to Brigitte Desbiens. In the Drouin record of this marriage there is no mention of parents. Soo that is a dead end for me - I have searched other Lajoie lines but they do not match. I would appreciate any help with this! thank you Elaine Falt

Site of possible interest -

Canadian Gravemarker Gallery

http://www.gravemarkers.ca/

Elaine, apparently there is no surviving record in QC that reflects his parents' names.  He was a soldier who was sent from France to Quebec.  He married Bridgette Desbiens on 18 November 1748 in Ile Aux Coudres.  They had five children: Etienne, Louis, Francois, Bridgette, and Felicite.

You would have to research old French records to find anything else about him.  But you might try another angle - it appears he arrived in Quebec in about 1740 +/-, so you could possibly research history about the soldiers who were arriving in that time period and where they were coming from in France.  That may possibly lead you to the names of the parents.  It's a long shot, but who know? You might stumble onto the info!

Bridgette was born 4 August 1728 in Baie St Paul, QC - maybe Francois was also there and there might be something noted in the records in that village.  But if he came as an adult, and he did - then it's a long shot to find something in QC.

Mary Ellen.  The Drouin Collection has information about the marriage of Charles and Eva.  They were married April 26, 1893 in Quebec, parish of St. Roch.  His father is Magleine Aube, cordonnier (shoemaker) and his mother is Camille Turgeon.  He was born May 25, 1868 in St. Malachie (Dorchester County) and he was baptized May 26, 1868.  Eva's parents are Joseph Richard and Marie Louise Cantin (I think this is the correct spelling--the writing is difficult to read.  Eva's mother is deceased at the time of Eva's marrige.  It appears that Eva's name may have been different at the time of her birth.  I am still looking for her birth record.  The Drouin Collection is a huge resource when researching in Quebec.  I do hope this helps in some way.

Mary Ellen, 

If you ever need help translating, I can help you. Just let me know. I can read, write and speak fluent French. Merci.

Dan

Acadian site of possible interest:

http://terry-long.suite101.com/the-history-of-the-acadians-a186613

Some F-C sites of possible interest-

F-C research

http://denise-larson.suite101.com/tracing-the-genealogy-of-the-fren...

http://heather-phillips.suite101.com/a-brief-history-of-what-life-i...

All F-C's related

http://rosemary-e-bachelor.suite101.com/versatile-entertainer-madon...

I am new to this site. I have already learned more terrific history of New France and able to get mental pictures of some of my early family  in those times.

Some of my surnames are;Baril/Berry, Beaulac/Bolack, Guillet dit Lajeuness, Couturier, Moran, Meny, Cloutiuer.

Welcome Sandra, glad you are finding the references and links helpful. Don't know if you noticed that the Dictionary of Canada is online http://www.biographi.ca/index-e.html and often brief biographical sketches can be found on your ancestors.  Also I mentioned the English version of "Madam Montour", I am about half way through it and is chocked full of history and is quite interesting. They had their economic problems back then too, things don't really change.Good luck in your search.