Thank You, Father Hebert

I am working on my Landry line.

I have spent the past four days at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Mecca for genealogist. Or maybe more accurately one of the Meccas. This place is heaven. I wish I could be locked in here (with lights on) over night.

I came here with one goal in mind...to work on my Landry line. I am probably going to use this line as my three generation kinship determination project for my certification. At least that is the plan today.

Here's the thing about doing research in Southwest Louisiana. You're going to use a set of books called Southwest Louisiana Records. It is a 46 volume set. Let me tell you about it.

Once upon a time there was a young priest with a passion for genealogy. He came to Southwest Louisiana and began transcribing / abstracting the information provided in the church records. THANK YOU FATHER HEBERT.

That's all the church records. THANK YOU FATHER HEBERT.

That's all the births, baptisms, marriages, and deaths in all the churches in all the Southwest Louisiana Parishes. THANK YOU FATHER HEBERT. (Parishes in Louisiana are what Counties are in the other states)

Even some of the non-Catholic churches are included and courthouse records are included to. THANK YOU FATHER HEBERT.

That's 46 Volumes of records. This was his life's work. THANK YOU FATHER HEBERT.

And you gotta love the entries...for example...
HEBERT, Joseph m. Francoise HEBERT. Succ. February 1810. Children: Louis, Nicolos, Andre, Alexandre, Placide, Constance, Eloise- Deceased spouse is Francois LA BAUME, Magdaleine - wife of Joseph GUILBAUT, Marie-wife of Valentin LANDRY, Frosine - wife of Agricole LEBLANC (SM Ct. Hse: Succ. #50)

Succ. means Succession Record it's like a probate and /or will.  (SM Ct. Hse is the St. Martinville Court House)

Or how about...
Adolphe LANDRY (Valentin - of la fausse pointe & Marie HEBERT) B. 12 Dec. 1804, bt, 6 April 1806  Pats: Firmin LANDRY & Thoetiste THIBAUDEAU; Mats: Joseph HEBERT & Francoise HEBERT; Spons: Joseph GUILBO & Clemence FAUSTIN. Fr. Gabriel ISABEY ( SM Ch.: v.6, #327)

Ok, let me tell you how to read that...in case you don't get it.

first you have the name of the child Adolphe Landry, then the names of his parents Valentin Landry and Marie (maiden name) Hebert. It even tells where they live...La Fausse Pointe. Then the date of birth: 12 Dec 1804 and the date of baptism (bt) 6 April 1806. Then it tells us the name of the paternal grandparents....Firmin Landry and Thoetiste (maiden name) Thibaudeau; and the maternal grandparents: Joseph Hebert and Francoise (maiden name) Hebert. Then it lists the sponsors and then the priest performing the ceremony. Last but not least we are then told where to find the original record...St. Martin de Tours Catholic Church in St. Martinville, Louisiana in Vol. 6 (of the church record books) record number 327.

THANK YOU FATHER HEBERT.

In the French way...women were known all their lives by their maiden name...they did not take their husbands names legally. So all the documents you find in Louisiana if the woman has the same name as her husband it is because they are probably cousins. So in the case of Joseph Hebert and Francoise Hebert above, she was a Hebert before she married Joseph.

Don't you love French law.

And don't you love Fr. Hebert.   THANK YOU FATHER HEBERT.

Let It Go Day

Ok, I confess, as you saw from my post about "priceless family heirlooms" I'm a bit of a hoarder. Not like that T.V. program (Horrors NO) but I tend to have a hard time letting go of "stuff."

I'm baring my soul here so, be kind.

I am a dish whore and an information junkie.

I have three sets of china and four sets of stoneware. In my defense I did not buy all of them. I inherited my mother's china, my grandmother's china and my mother-in-laws china. I love each and every one of  them for their sentimental connection. They are all beautiful. None of them is what I would have chosen. But I'm not going to let them go.

My stoneware: I got one set when I married my first husband. They are plain white, classic and go with every kind of table linen (another collection.) So I have to keep them. I can't let them go.

Then there is the dark blue Fiesta Ware. This is the set I got as wedding presents for the second wedding. It's FIESTA it's not going anywhere...and I'd like to add more colors! So I guess they fall into the "not letting go" category.

Then there is the "other" set we got as a wedding present...don't know why the folks who gave it to us did so...we didn't register for it. Why do people do that? It's only four place settings and I could probably let them go...but they are pretty,

Then there is the set that my husband and I saw one day while shopping at Target...just about Christmas time...we both instantly fell in love...they are more modern and sort of Asian looking...he bought them for me as a Christmas present...they are my favorites...I can't let them go.

You see the problem!

I am also an information junkie...I save stories about places I want to visit, things I want to do, people I want to learn more about. I have a ba-zillion how to books. How to organize, how to clean stains, how to prepare your taxes, how to buy a car, how to fix a car, how to make soap, how to get rid of the clutter...perhaps I should read that one again.

And magazines...I know...read them then throw them out...but I remember an article and go back and read it again. For example I am getting ready to do a presentation on Railroad Records. I remembered that I had a "Discovering Family History" magazine that had an article about just that thing...I hunted through my house till I found it, and the information it contains will help me in my preparation.

Or the magazine will have a quilt pattern I just know I'm going to make ...someday. Or a recipe I want to try out...someday.

I also have been advised that I should cut out the article or recipe or pattern and file them..then throw out (recycle) the magazine. Great...who has time to clip articles/recipes/patterns and file...not I. Furthermore, I end up clipping the whole magazine minus two patterns or recipes.  Kind of defeats the purpose. So I guess, for now, I won't be letting go of my magazine habit.

So what am I letting go of?

I'm letting go of the guilt. I'm not like my friend Claire who has no unnecessary clutter in her house and lives like a minimalist monk. I like my stuff. I find my stuff useful (most of the time) and beautiful. I once read that you should only have in your home those things that you find useful (dishes, clothes, furniture...etc.) or those things that speak to your soul. Mine do.

I'm letting go of the feeling that I should "conform" be like "everyone else" (I guess that falls under guilt too.)

I'm letting go of the thought that I should seek help. I know the psychological reasons I hang onto my "stuff" and it would probably take years on a couch to get though that "stuff."  I guess that means I'm keeping that stuff too...at least for now. (so is that in the "letting go of" category or the "keeping" category?)

Ok, so I think I will let go of my glittered and sequined pine cones that I made in the 2nd grade. I can probably part with the books on pregnancy..since I'm of a "mature" age. I figure I can let go of magazines from the last century. Oh, and I suppose I can part with that set of dishes.

Whew, I'm exhausted...that's enough letting go for one day.