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The Boudreau (Boudrot) Family: Our Acadian Roots

Expulsion of the Acadians by George Craig This is the forest primeval; but where are the hearts that beneath itLeaped like the roe, when he hears in the woodland the voice of the huntsman?Where is the thatch-roofed village, the home of Acadian farmers,—Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands,Darkened by shadows of earth, but reflecting an image of heaven?Waste are those pleasant farms, and the farmers forever departed!Scattered like dust and leaves, when the mighty blasts...

Old Photo Identification: Ove Tintypes Update

Nearly two years ago I posted about a set of tintype photos that were passed down in the Ove family. Unfortunately, the photos had no names, dates, labels or other forms of identification. I have shared them with many distant cousins in hopes that the individuals in the photos could be identified, with no luck. Identifying Individuals in Old Photos There are ways of identifying the folks in those old nameless photos with a little sleuthing. Here are some simple...

Tales of House Stark Part I: Stark Lineage

House Stark Sigil by Bruno Alberto In honor of the Game of Thrones final season, the month of May will be dedicated to tales about our own House Stark. This Stark line, who our Stookey ancestors descend from, arrived in the American Colonies during the same generation as the Pilgrims. These Starks were pioneers, warriors, and scoundrels—some more in line with the worst of House Targaryen. This family begins with Aaron Stark, one of the grittiest characters in our family...

Marguerite Lamain: Our pioneer ancestor on TV

To watch the full episode of “Finding Your Roots” on PBS click here More than a year ago I wrote a story about the Filles du Roi, Our French Canadian Matriarchs. Recently one of the Filles du Roi in the Gregoire/Granpre family tree, Marguerite Lamain, was featured in an episode of “Finding Your Roots” on PBS. During the show, actress, fashionista, and model, Chloë Sevigny, discovered that her French Canadian roots run deep in Quebec. Chloë’s 8th great grandmother, Marguerite...

Grandpre Roots Part 2: Coming to America

Joseph Nazaire Grandpre 1820-1902 Joseph Nazaire Duteau de Grandpre was born in St. Cuthbert, D’Autray, Quebec, the oldest son of Joseph Duteau de Grandpre and Marie “Angele” Dacier Trunet. He was baptized in the St. Cuthbert parish (shown left) on December 16, 1820. Joseph’s 3rd great-grandfather was Charles Duteau, who fled France with his mother Jeanne Perrin in 1658. Their story is told in Grandpre Roots Part 1.  Marriage and Family On February 5, 1844 Joseph married Marie “Adeline” Berard...

Grandpre Roots Part 1: Huguenot Diaspora

The Siege of La Rochelle, 1628 Pierre Duteau was born into the eye of a storm; the brief lull in the midst of a religious war. His hometown of La Rochelle, France, an important seaside trading port for regional wine, cheese, and salt, became a stronghold for Huguenots, like himself, during the early 16th century. The conversion of French citizens to the “Huguenot” protestant beliefs of John Calvin, spurred conflicts with the Jesuit Catholic majority from 1562-1598. Pierre was born in...

Marin Boucher: A Pioneering Percheron Emigrant

Building New France After French explorer, Samuel de Champlain founded the city of Quebec in 1608, Louis XIII, King of France needed craftsmen and other industrious individuals to build, settle, and grow the region. Robert Giffard, Champlain’s ship surgeon, received one of the original land grants from the King in exchange for recruiting settlers. Giffard sailed back to the Perche region of France, his homeland, and began traveling from town to town creating excitement about the opportunities which awaited travelers...

The Bergey Homestead

The Bergey Homestead still stands on land purchased in 1726 by Hans (John) Ulrich Bergey. The property is located on the banks of the northeast branch of Perkiomen Creek, in Salford Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Hans “john” ulrich bergey: first bergey immigrant Hans Ulrich Bergey was born in Canton Bern, Switzerland in April of 1700. He immigrated to Pennsylvania with a large Mennonite group around 1717 and married Mary (possibly Clemens.) After immigrating to America Hans changed to the anglicized...

Samuel Rider: American Pilgrim

Mayflower in Plymouth Harbor by William Halsall Nineteen years after the Mayflower’s 1620 arrival in America, Samuel Rider, and his family sailed from England to join the Pilgrims in the Plymouth Colony. By the time Samuel arrived in New England, Plymouth’s population was nearing 600 families. Over the next few decades, Rider would become a prominent name throughout the colony, with several of Samuel’s children and grandchildren marrying the descendants of Mayflower passengers. The early years of samuel rider Samuel Rider...