Genealogy Workshop: Using Research to Verify a Family Story - A French-Canadian Case Study

Most of us start to research our families from orally transmitted stories, scraps of information we have received from parents or relatives. This presentation is a case study in using documentary evidence to verify (or falsify) family stories. Based on a family oral history that contained barely more than fragments, this presentation will show how research was able to substantiate the details and fill out the story. The resulting research unraveled the (sometimes uncomfortable) truth about a French-Canadian line from Bellechasse, Quebec, that moved first to the Eastern Townships region, and then to Maine. This presentation will interest attendees with French-Canadian ancestry as well as anyone interested in how to use research to verify the details of family oral histories. It will discuss the genealogical sources and how they can be used to create a richer picture of our ancestors beyond birth, marriage, and death records.
This event is on Zoom. Registration is required! Learn more and sign up here: portsmouthpl.librarycalendar.com/event/GW267
About the Presenter
David Vermette is a writer, editor, and researcher. He is the author of the book A Distinct Alien Race: The Untold Story of Franco-Americans (Baraka Books, 2018) (French translation: Une race d'étrangers: Le récit méconnu des Franco-Américains, Septentrion, 2024) and the blog French North America. His writing has appeared in Smithsonian and Time. He has been interviewed or reviewed by NPR, CBC, Radio-Canada, The French-Canadian Legacy Podcast, Publisher’s Weekly, Le Devoir, Le Journal de Montréal, l’Action Nationale, Montreal Review of Books, The Globe & Mail, Huffington Post France, and other outlets. Originally from Massachusetts, Vermette is a frequent speaker at universities, historical and genealogical societies, libraries, museums, and conferences on the topic of French North American history.