Stories plus Genealogy

Today I would like to talk about things I think is important for anyone who is interested in their family tree. As you know family trees is the in thing today, genealogy is the in thing today. You see advertising about it on television. Ancestry.ca is advertising it. They have a show called “Who do you think you are”. They have a similar show in Britain too. They have a movie on TV way back about Alex Haley’s “Roots”. How many of you watched it night after night? Remember there was Kinto or Kinta, and there was Chicken Little I think. Anyway it was long ago and I remember being glued to the TV enjoying it so very much.

It wasn’t just about born a certain date, married a certain date, and died a certain date. There was the in between time which was important. So this is why I believe in getting all the stories and information down about each ancestor of mine that I am able too. If I could go back in time and speak to my ancestors ,what a tale they would have to tell me. But that is impossible, all I can do is read what is written about them, and I am sure there would have been lots more stories they would have been able to share. What they did for entertainment for example or how and where they met their spouse and how they felt when their first child was born and did they come in contact with a wild animal and how did they handle the situation. I know they killed the animals but could there have been a bear for example that they came in contact with ?

We read in the newspaper about bear encounters, and crocodiles and alligators ,it is sad to read but it is the truth so how many of our ancestors had similar stories? We will never know unless we find some old newspapers well preserved hidden somewhere. So how can we make it better for the people coming after we are gone? Well gather stories for them. If your parents or grandparents are living I bet they would love to share some of their stories with you. Aunts and Uncles sometimes know more than we think. Stop by the nursing homes, or hospitals ,spend a day with your relatives, ask them questions, once they start talking you might get a lot of information about their parents or grandparents. Start looking through older newspapers in your area or where your grandparents lived, you can find these newspapers at your local library or archives. I have done this, I spent hours looking though newspapers, sometimes I found nothing, other times I hit pay dirt. I even found my birth announcement in the local paper. Sort of neat to see. So if you are thinking of doing your family tree, make it into a story, make it enjoyable for others to read, make it into a book, but most of all Just Make It.

Now changing the subject as I usually do, I have been creating new items in my store at http://www.zazzle.com/allicor* such as calendars, iPhone Cases, iPod Touch Cases, Mugs, and much more I do hope you will stop by. Have a great day

What are Ancestors ? This word is heard all the time. Well for the ones who haven’t got a clue about Ancestors, I will tell you what I know. For as long as I have been doing genealogy or family trees, that word Ancestors has been mentioned over and over again. I found out that Ancestors were people, just like you and I. They lived, they loved, they laughed and they cried. And if it were not for Ancestors you and I would not be around . Ancestors are our grandparents ,their grandparents and great grandparents and it goes on and on. Many of us want to go back and find out as much as we can and as many Ancestors as we can. The more we find ,the further we want to continue going. I am such a person. At the moment I am concentrating on another one of my lines, my English line. Many of you remember I told you I was doing my Chate dit Chase line . Well I am still at it, I have since found three more siblings of my first Chate to come to Canada. And I found that the three new ones were born where the parents married in St Giles Camberwell England. Can you imagine the excitement when I came across these ? I am not hoping to find out what happened to them. Now I keep looking for all that I can find and I have a Chate who married a Jackson and I was curious to find out more, well I found they married in Balcombe Sussex England and I even saw an image of the church they married in, but the church has since been renovated. Then I found the Jackson lady’s father and grandfather and they came from Ardingly Sussex England. I saw a photo of the village back in 1905 but these folks lived there in the 1700s so the village must have changed somewhat. But it is exciting to have a story and not just names ,dates,and places. I want to know more about my English Roots. I am reading about the Poor Laws in England, and hope to find some kind of document mentioning the names of some of my ancestors. I also have some French Canadian Roots , and there are still branches of my tree to fill in. I would suggest to you readers ,if you are bored and want to tackle a new adventure, start tracing your family tree, find your Ancestors, then you will be contented knowing who you really are.


On another note, I hope you will check out my store
http://www.zazzle.com/allicor*   I have lots of new products in case you have been there before. My latest are a couple of cute posters, iPhone cases,and postcards. Be sure to check out my genealogy folder and also my Acadian/Cajun folder. Thanks for the visit

Allicor

Acadians from a Normandy Frenchman's View

Sieur Diereville was a Frenchman from Normandy who arrived in Port Royal in 1699 and lived among the Acadians for one year. By this time many Acadians had grown up and moved and settled Beaubassin and



Grand Pre. When Diereville landed on the shores of the Dauphin River, there were around 501 settlers living


Along the river close to Port Royal. The following is the explanation he told France:

“Let me begin with, that there are only three settlements to divide so vast a territory ,and that the people of these places have the same occupations. The first is Port Royal ,the second is Grand Pre and Beaubassin is the third. I have never been to these two places and shall therefore give on description of them. I only know that Minas (Grand Pre) provides more wheat than all the rest of the country ,because its marshes, which are quite extensive have been drained and that the people of Port Royal have established their children there on concessions they have purchased in order that the land may be settled and rendered fertile; in this they are very successful. In regard to Beaubassin so called because of its situation it is the least populous settlement and also the least productive. The climate of all this region is like that of France and it lies in almost the same latitude; the summer is warm but the winter is colder; it snows almost continuously at this season ,and the winds are so cold that they freeze one’s face. “ Diereville described the country side around Port Royal as faultlessly beautiful although many of the houses were in poor condition because of the numerous raids and attacks Port Royal had suffered over the years. The parish priest did not live in luxury. Here is what he had to say; “ I asked for the church which I had been unable to identify y,because it differed in no way from the other buildings and I should have been more inclined to take it for a Barn than for the Temple of the true God. While I was on my way there to give thanks to him for his mercy in having brought me here in safety ,I saw Monsieur le Cure coming to meet me, we paid one another compliments after which he conducted me to the Church and honoured me by the offer of Holy Water. I said my prayer ,then Monsieur le Cure took me to his room,which was ill furnished ,and contrary to the rules concerning Presbyteries ,at the end of the church and adjoining it. Diereville did not criticize the Acadians for creating dykes here is what he said “ It costs a great deal to prepare the lands which they wish to cultivate. To grow wheat, the marshes which are inundated by the sea at high Tide, must be drained, these are called Lowlands, and they are quite good, but what labour is needed to make them fit for cultivation! The ebb and flow of the sea cannot easily be stopped, but the Acadians succeed in doing so by means of great Dykes called Aboiteaux.






I found this information in The Acadians of Nova Scotia by Alphonse Deveau and Sally Ross, a very interesting book to read. I do hope you enjoyed reading this little bit of information about the ways of the Acadians so very long ago.


Now I would like to change the subject and mention to all you readers, I have created more items in my store ,the latest are iPhone 4 Cases,iPad Cases and iPhone3/3Gs cases, if you are in the vicinity please stop by and look at my newest additions, I also have a couple of funny tee shirts added. Here are a few images. Here are two of my sites, http://www.zazzle.com/allicor*  
and   http://allicorshop.acadian-roots.com/     please tweet these sites if you go there?


Have a great day


Aline.