Cloutier, Pelletier, Petitpas, Plourde, Michaud, Landry — I can’t remember all the French surnames that came up during the June 16 gathering at the Franco-American Center at the University of Maine’s Crossland Hall, but I’ll never forget how amazed I was at how much Franco heritage these women and men had at their fingertips.
It was a beautiful day in Orono, and summer is certainly the time to find plentiful parking at “the college of my heart, always.”
I’ve written many a time about the plentiful resources for French-Canadian and Acadian research at Fogler Library, most of them in the Canadian section on the third floor. But I want you to know there also is an impressive library at the Franco-American Center, and Lisa Desjardins Michaud will gladly show you that room weekdays.
I will write more about the collection another time, and instead, I want to revisit Le Forum, the wonderful quarterly publication of the center.
You don’t have to read French to enjoy this journal, but you may choose to, if you’re able. As someone who reads French better than I speak it, I appreciate the opportunity to have some articles printed in both French and English versions. It’s great to be able to peruse the French version, but double-check the English translation periodically to make sure I’m still on the right path.
The language also is one of the many ways Le Forum helps to preserve Franco culture, something that is doubly important because there are not as many written materials on the early history of French-Canadian and Acadian settling, migration and living as there are in relation to the British settling of what is now the United States..
There are genealogical offerings in Le Forum, as well, including “Franco-American Families of Maine” by Bob Chenard of Waterville. The spring 2015 issue focuses on Thebarge families. In the same issue is Richard Gay’s article about two people who are descended from the same Fille du Roi, “Daughter of the King,” sent to help populate Quebec, Jeanne Furrier or Fourier, who married Francois Noel Vanasse in 1671 in Trois Rivieres, Quebec.
This issue also has an article on the Hermione, the replica of Lafayette’s ship that will be visiting Castine July 14-15. Castine Historical Society is looking for volunteers to help with activities July 11-15. For information, visit www.castinehistoricalsociety.org.
There are many other items of interest in the 48-page spring issue. You also will find many back issues of Le Forum available at the Franco-American Center.
Historian Guy Dubay of Madawaska had a fascinating article, “The Irish Among Us (Us being the Acadians of the St. John Valley of Maine),” in the spring 2013 issue. Gorham native Eric Plourde did a great job on “Cultural Influences on my Family Identity,” about grandparents’ connections to Franco-American life in Greenville.
Another gem in that issue was “Franco-Americans in Maine: A Demographic Study — Report to the Maine Legislature Franco-American Task Force Sept. 26, 2012,” by Tony Brinkley, a senior faculty associate at the University of Maine.
To receive Le Forum, which I highly recommend, send $20 for one year to Centre Franco-American, Crossland Hall, Orono, ME 04469-5719. Outside Maine, the cost is $25 per year. Library subscriptions are $40.
For more information about the Franco-American Center, visit http://www.francolib.francoamerican.org//francoamericanarchives.org.
Genealogy fair
The Maine State Library and the Maine Genealogical Society will co-host their first free Maine Genealogy Fair 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at the Maine State Library, State Cultural Building, 230 State St., Augusta.
The fair is the first of its kind at the library and will bring together individuals and groups engaged in ancestry research. The event is free and open to all. Free table space will be provided to historical or genealogical organizations.
A panel of professional genealogists will be on-hand for a “Brickwall Busters” workshop where attendees can get expert advice on tracking down elusive ancestors. Staff from the Maine State Library and Maine State Archives will provide information on genealogy collections held by the state of Maine. The Maine State Museum will have free admission all day.
To learn more about the fair or genealogy resources at the Maine State Library, email Emily Schroeder at Emily.Schroeder@maine.gov or call 287-5600.
For i nformation on researching family history in Maine, see Genealogy Resources under Family Ties at bangordailynews.com/browse/family-ties. Send genealogy queries to Family Ties, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402, or email familyti@bangordailynews.com.