New Quebec family histories at BAnQ — February 2019

The Grande Bibliothèque in Montreal received in February two published families histories for its genealogy collection — both about people from Poitou, France. One was published in Quebec and the other was published in France.

The Grande Bibliothèque is the flagship library facility of the Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec (BAnQ). All books published in Quebec, including family histories, must be deposited at the Grande Bibliothèque. They form part of the national collection.

Although most of the family histories at the Grande Bibliothèque are written in French, if you find one about your ancestors, you will probably figure out a way to use it in your research. To help, I have provided a brief description in English after each title below.

If interested in learning more about the books listed below, contact BAnQ by completing the online form. (Click on English in top right corner of form to see the English-language form.) The people at BAnQ will respond in English or French, depending on the language of inquiry, within a couple of days.

The family name in the first book is highlighted in bold. Family names were not provided for the second book.

Du Poitou à l’Île d’Orléans: L’histoire française du premier Ferland au Canada by Claude Ferland. Repentigny, Quebec : Claude Ferland, 2018. Bibliography.

History of the first Ferland from Poitou, France, who settled in Île d’Orléans, Quebec. François Freland was born in 1633.

Poitevins au Canada aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles : sur les traces des pionniers partis des Deux-Sèvres by Marguerite Morisson-Gaboreau. La Crèche, France : la Geste, 2018. 375 pages. Bibliography. Index.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, 251 men and women from 94 parishes in the department, Deux-Sèvres, in Western France, left Poitou for the New World where they would build a new country — New France — which would eventually become Canada. Most of these people were peasants who fled religious persecution, high taxes, poverty, sickness, and oppression under Louis XIV.

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One Response to New Quebec family histories at BAnQ — February 2019

  1. Brenda Turner says:

    This is wonderful news Gail. I must look into this.

    I have discovered that my 9 X great grampie was the first person in my family history NOT born in the UK. He was Jean Breillat, a religious refugee from Deux-Sevres who was a weaver and settled in Spitalfields, in London. I visited and walked the streets of Spitalfields last fall, and am leaving next week to do it again! AND to visit the Huguenot Society!

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