When you search for a marriage in the PRDH, you may find a link to a marriage contract instead of the marriage itself. The clue in the record below is the format of the date, 1738-07-04, which is in italics. Normal print is a marriage record; italics indicate a...
We all have them. Piles of notarial records that need translating. Among them is arguably the most important notary record of all–the marriage contract. This document gives us an intimate look into the lives of our ancestors. Yet many of us haven’t tackled them yet due to the language...
It’s difficult to get the younger generation interested in genealogy when you show them a list of names, dates, and places. But stories of adventures and misdeeds can really spark an interest. So where do we get these tales of adventure and misdeeds? A good place to start is...
Most French-Canadian genealogists are familiar with the PRDH, but are you familiar with all three versions? Today we’ll describe each while discussing the pros and cons. To help you out, you can download a PDF copy of the Key to the Repertory, the English translation of the instructions for the printed...
Marriage records are the backbone of your French-Canadian research upon which you build your family structure. Before we dissect a marriage record, it helps to understand what’s behind the parts that make up the whole. In preparation, today we will discuss the history of marriage in New France, as well...
