Many English captives were redeemed and returned to the British colonies. Others stayed with the French or the Natives for the rest of their lives. George Ducharme takes us on a journey of discovery as he uncovers the story of his ancestor, Samuel Gill. Samuel was abducted from his...
Native Americans
MSS-060-Settling the American West: the Role of the Canadiens and Métis-Part 2
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...
MSS-059-Settling the American West: the Role of the Canadiens and Métis-part 1
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...
MSS-056-Health and Sickness in New France (Hélène’s World-Part 4)
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...
MSS-037-Canadian National Censuses, 1871-1921
How we genealogists LOVE census records! Lucky for us, more and more of these wonderful documents are digitized and available online. In this episode, I’ve gathered together, from all corners of the internet, information about online census records from the post-Confederation era. This includes national decennial censuses from 1871 until...
MSS-033-Hélène’s World-part 2
In this episode, Susan McNelley, author of Hélène’s World: Hélène Desportes of Seventeenth-Century Québec, rejoins us for a more in-depth look at two themes covered in her book: ‘Survival’ and ‘Relationship with the Natives.’ It’s a fascinating look at social history from that time period in Nouvelle France. Also,...
MSS-028-Researching Your Northeast Métis Ancestors
Most French-Canadians have a family story or two about Indians in the family tree. Are you still looking for yours? Today’s guest, Paul Bunnell, Koasek Tribal Chief & Genealogist, will give you a few hints on what to look for as well as ideas for further research. Then in Language...
MSS-016-The History behind the Geography
When entering data into your genealogy database, have you ever asked yourself: Do I enter Nouvelle France or Canada? Is St-Charles the parish or the village? Where is the Pays d’en Haut? With the help of our guest Suzanne Boivin Sommerville, we will attempt to answer some of your...