Letter From Grandma Theaux

Last year when I visited my cousin Peggy she shared with me several letters that she and our grandmother had exchanged. Well, actually it is like one long letter that spanned several posts.

Peggy was estranged from her mother at the time (Cajun grudges can last a very long time) and was missing family so she started a correspondence with our grandmother, Flavie Marguerite (Landry) Theaux.

She asked Grandma "Mama" Theaux what life was like when she was young.

Now, Mama's first language was Cajun French and so the letters are a little hard to understand at times but...well, see for yourselves.

This is a transcription of those letters.

January 1976


To the young generation. You are not as bad as you are others think. I too have been young and thought it was the end of the world, everyone told me how bad I was, I got to where I did not care, I was told so often how bad I was but I alway did belive in God and prayed. My father was stick to me espesicaly when I got big and started having boy friend. [The spelling is hers] I see it all now, no one was good enoulf for his children, I went around with a good inersent [innocent?] good time any thing was fun, I did not see are [or] try to understand the bad, I did not have many friend because I was not smart enoulf for the gang they knew many thing. I could see, when I came around they would change the conversation. You too young one when you realy understand you will see that what ever your parent did was because they loved you and wanted you to be the best I can see all that so well now. I am sorry I had to see all this after my perent was dead and gone, I have there picture and I kiss then every morning becaus now I understand. We were to kiss our parence good night and good morning but to me that was......


That is the end of the first page....to be continued.

Family History Center Event Nov 5

Saturday, November 5 seems to be THE DAY. At least in California. At least for genealogy. Not only is the California Genealogical Society having their big shin-dig; but, the Regional Family History Center in Sacramento is also hosting an all day seminar.

Starting at 9:00 classes will be offered in English Research, Eastern European Research, Scandinavian Research, Basic U. S. Research, Land Records, Coroner's Records, Digital Scrapbooking and so much more.

Registration starts at 7:45 in the morning with a welcoming address at 8:30. Then classes will begin at 9:00 and go until 3:45 (with most classes running an hour.)

Your's truly will be presenting two lectures; What you can find at the National Archives; and, Ports of Entry other than Ellis Island.

For more information check out the Sacramento Regional Family History Center's website.

California Genealogical Society Nov 5 Event

My friend Kathryn Doyle has asked me to help spread the word about the California Genealogical Society's Event on November 5th.

So here's the buzz:

Sponsored in part by Ancesty.com the California Genealogical Society is presenting Ancestry Day in San Francisco.
The event is geared to those who are just beginning their genealogy and those who want to "hone their skills." There will be intermediate and advanced classes as well as those for the beginners.

Where is this wonderful event happening, I hear you ask.

At the Hyatt Regency San Francisco

The When: Saturday, November 5, 2011  from 8 am to 4 pm

This next bit was lifted from their webpage......

Choose from more than a dozen
classes covering a wide range of
topics like:

• Getting started in family history
• Finding immigration and emigration records online
• Locating living family members and lost relatives
• Getting the most out of your Ancestry.com membership
• Using maps in your genealogical research
• How social networking can further your family history research

Go to their webpage for more information...click here

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.  




 

Tips From My Genealogy Pals

I thought it might be fun to have my genealogy pals share their favorite tips or hints with you. So take notes, some of these are things I wish I had known when I was just starting out and some of them are tips that I am going to start using today. In other words: I learned something from asking my friends for tips...so that is my tip.

From Kim: Ask your genealogy pals what their favorite tip is, or what their favorite web site for genealogy is. Ask them what they wish they had known when they were just starting out.


Tami G.: Slow down - take the time to cite every source for every piece of information you find. It's always easy to get on a roll and figure you'll either remember where you got something, or that you'll go back later to cite things. You won't. Do it now. Your dead ancestors aren't going anywhere.

Share!  Post your family tree (with sources) online in a couple of places. It's so true that you end up getting more than you give. You may have the key to someone else's brickwall, and they may unknowingly have that one piece of information you've been looking for. It's happened to me several times.

Set up and use a free-mail account, such as yahoo or gmail, that isn't tied to your internet provider for your genealogy research. You want someone with the answer to your brickwall to still be able to contact you 10 years from now when they come across your message board posting online.  One woman who helped me solve a major family brickwall, had seen my sister's family info posted online and had been trying to contact her for years -- but my sister had remarried, moved across the country, and changed her email address a few times since her initial postings.

Thomas M.: Don't forget that besides the US Federal Census, there are other government projects which created their own record set - like the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Here is a great resource by Barb Snow on how to get started with WPA records. Click Here.

Joan G.: For German research...she recommends "attending" the online classes at FamilySearch.org to learn to read the old German Script. And for a second tip...write the surname you expect to research in the old German Script 3 times before you look at the film.

Jane H.: Remember to know where the event happened in relation to when it happened. Your ancestor might have died in Rensselaer County, NY in 1807, but when he moved there in 1780 it was Albany County, NY. “The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries” online maps by The Newberry Library http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/index.html and Randy Major’s, Historical U.S. County Boundary Maps tool http://randymajors.com/p/maps.html are great resources.

Myrt: My tip is to add a border to your digital image and put your source citation right there. 

Elyse D.: Find a friend. Hunting for dead people can be a really lonely hobby, especially since your friends and family will probably think you're mental for wanting to go to cemeteries or wanting to spend hours in a library for fun. You need people that share your passion and "get" you - so reach out! Go to society meetings, get involved online, start a blog, start a conversation. With technology and social media, it is easier than ever to find people who "get" you. You will soon find that these people will be your mentors, teachers, and become your best friends. It is so worth it.

Liz T.:  My tip would be to start a blog. It has been the best thing for my genealogy that I have ever done. It's a great way to get your name out there so that "lost" or "unknown" family members can find you. I have been found by at least a half dozen cousins that I did not know I had! Most from different family lines. Having a blog has also introduced me to some of the greatest people in the world - other Geneabloggers!


Linda W-G. : Keep a research log and write down the citation of each and every resource (book, microfilm, manuscript, courthouse document, etc.) before you start to look at it. Make brief notes about all findings-including negative results.


Thanks to my pals for some great tips. Now get out there and climb those family trees.

Tombstone Tuesday:D. Romero

Possibly one of my ancestors...unproven as of yet.
This tombstone is at St. Peter's Catholic Cemetery in New Iberia, Louisiana