Motivational Monday - Free Canadian Records at Ancestry Was Great Help

    Well I don't know if you took advantage of the "Free Canadian Records Weekend" at Ancestry the other weekend; but I did. I found 35 records I didn't previously have. Birth, Death and Marriage records. Which added not only new info to my family genealogy records; but a few new people also. The marriage records lead to parents I didn't previously have info on and even new multiple great grandparents. I am now trying to add that info into my records. 

    Along with that there were a few new Facebook groups started this last month or so for the Nipissing, Ontario; Sturgeon Falls, Ontario; Sudbury, Ontario areas. I joined them since my mother's side of the family is from this area and some of them still live there. I posted the family names I am researching there and had several hits within days. One of them is a distant cousin. We share my Great  Great Grand parents as relatives. Her through one of their daughters and I through a son. Anyway I sent here a preliminary e-mail with pictures of my Great Grand Parents (the Son); their son, and then his daughter (my mother), then of myself with my kids. To fill her in on the line and let her know a bit about us. She was on vacation and didn't get back to me for a few weeks; but when she did, she sent some photo's and basic info also. The best part was she had photo's that included My great great Grand father. No one I know of in our family line has any pictures of him. This alone was worth the contact, if nothing else comes of it (which I hope is not the case). 

   

   So two great events this month have helped me move my family Genealogy record forward. I can't wait to see what comes next. Have to say that if you haven't been using Facebook for your genealogy research, you should.  There are all sorts of groups on their site that might help you too. I continually check into the message boards/forums on the genealogy sites and they have helped; but I wouldn't have made this contact without Facebook. This cousin hasn't been on the forum's to the best of my knowledge. 

Eldege / Ildege Lafleur 

Born - Oct 30, 1861 - Quebec, Canada

Thanks to distant cousin Diane Ertl for the picture.

Here is the church marriage record of Eldege Lafleur to Elmire Lemay.

St. Philippe, Chatham in Quebec 

between 1882 - 1885

Thanks to free Canadian records at Ancestry.com

This is the Marriage record of Eldege's son Eugene Lafleur to Marie Louise Trudel.

Nipissing, Ontario - Aug 28, 1918

Thanks again Ancestry.com

    I have been contemplating a membership at Ancestry.  Have to say that if I can come up with the fee, I am more likely to sign up now that I have seen this sample of what they have available for me. Maybe I could smash some of the brick walls in my records. The biggest being my dad's dad. John F. Goodwin of born in Aurora, Illinois back in 1908. That is all we really know about him. Anyway its been a busy month and I haven't blogged for nearly that long, but I have to say I "Remember When...." I use to visit Great Grandpa Eugene and Grandma Marie Louise; and it is good to have a picture of his father now. I hope this helps others to get motivated to check out the other resources they may be avoiding.