Certified genealogist, Amy Johnson Crow, created a program by which she encourages genealogists to write about 52 ancestors each week over the whole year. She calls it, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks. Since I was making a renewed effort to actually put down on paper all the stories my 40 years + research has accumulated, I thought in 2021 that I would take on her tasks as well. Why, since I was already planning to write anyway? I am hoping for ideas that trigger themes for me to adapt each week. That’s the point of her prompts. I, however, shall write many more than the 52 articles on 52 ancestors needed to complete the year. To keep these together I have listed them below as I complete them.
January 2021
Week 1 (Jan. 1-10): Beginnings
My choice this week is to continue my recent writings on the family of Mathurin Meunier and Françoise Fafard. They played an intricate role in the beginning history of Montreal, Canada. I also added an article about Louis Hebert, the first European settler in Canada.
- The First White Marriage in Montreal
- The First White Child Born in Montreal
- Louis Hébert, the first settler of Quebec
Week 2 (Jan. 11-17): Family Legend
Proving a legend is a difficult task when so little facts are known. When time mangles memories, our minds try to fill in the gaps with something… anything. I find most family legends have a basic theme, but the actual facts may change depending on who you ask, and how much they embellish those missing gaps.