Did any of your Acadian ancestors migrate to Quebec after the deportation and become voyageurs? I had never considered such a thing until speaking with Claude Ferland, today’s guest. Not only did some become voyageurs, but some also held very responsible positions in these ventures. Monsieur Ferland shares with...
The Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis & Clark Expedition–two important American historical events. We all learn about the Anglo adventurers who took part in these events. We learn about Sacajawea and maybe her husband, Toussaint Charbonneau. But we rarely learn about the other French and Métis who participated in...
Many mid-western and western town/city histories tell stories of their Anglo founders. But in many instances, the real founders were Canadiens or Métis families, often erased from the history books. In Part 2 of Settling the American West, Rob Foxcurran, co-author of Songs upon the Rivers, introduces us to...
French-Canadian voyageurs and soldiers spent parts of their careers in the Pays d’en Haut. Some stayed, and some went west. This is their story. Rob Foxcurran, co-author of Songs Upon the Rivers: the Buried History of the French-Speaking Canadiens and Métis from the Great Lakes and the Mississippi across...
The “filles du roi” is one of the most popular topics covered on this podcast. In previous episodes (#7 and #44), we covered these women in a general way. But today, we get down to specifics. What was a particular fille du roi’s life like? Lynne Levesque (episode #40)...
To whom did our ancestors turn when they were sick? What treatments were available? How can we tell whether we had sickly or healthy ancestors? Susan McNelley, author of Hélène’s World: Hélène Desportes of Seventeenth-Century Québec, joins us in part 4 of a series examining the lives of the...
Several of the elder members of the Franco community, especially those in the northeast United States, might recall dealing with prejudice in their earlier years. Many were made to feel “less” because they were French-Canadians. Today’s return guest, Jeanne Douillard, was one of those people. She observed that not...
Québec records often list home parish in France for our immigrant ancestors. Are you ready to take that information and extend your family lines back a few more generations? Today’s guest Anne Morddel, professional genealogist and author of The French Genealogy Blog, shares her expertise with us. Anne leads...
You’ve probably heard many times, “Parish registers are easy to read. Once you know how to read one type of record, you can read them all. They follow a pattern.” “Oh, no! This record is different!” And that’s true – for the most part. But what happens when you...
Most of us have a voyageur or two in our family tree. What was life like for them? And what was life like for the wife left alone months on end? In an interview with author Marcel Pronovost, he shares with us the discoveries he made about his ancestors,...
