Friday, July 19, 2013

Marie Claire Yetto née Rivet: BIRTHDAY August 18th, 1918


My Aunt Claire, Cohoes and California legend, would be 95 years old in August 2013.  Recently came across some photos of my mother with Aunt Claire and another friend, Antoinette.  In the first two, taken sometime in the 1970s,  it looks like Aunt Claire was visiting from California and my mother was was purchasing a KODAK Instamatic camera - and putting the bill on her MasterCard.  These three women were all FrancoAmerican by birth.  Aunt Claire and Antoinette, first generation born in New York State, were both raised in French speaking households with parents born in Québec. My mother, Dorothy, was second generation, in New York; her maternal grandparents were born in Montérégie.

Antoinette, Claire, Dorothy
Antoinette, Dorothy, Claire
Dorothy, Santa, Claire


Thursday, July 18, 2013

Poutine in NYC


You have probably noticed that my blog entries are few and far between and the genealogy research has crawled to almost a halt in the past 12 months.  I blame my new location, New York City, on my inability to bring my genealogy interests to new heights. There's definitely too many distractions on this island and the boroughs surrounding it.  I have been immersing myself in other things and other histories so imagine my surprise when this fact was brought to my attention: the best place to grab Poutine in New York City is a few steps away from my apartment!




If you are in NYC you might want Poutine and a beer at The Dive Bar on 732 Amsterdam Avenue, Upper West Side.  I think it is as good as it gets in Québec but try it yourself. As you can see, it is a "House Specialty".

Monday, July 1, 2013

When the past gives way to the present

Here's a topic for amateur genealogists and family history seekers: how children can steal the show right from under us and our well made plans.  Take Memorial Day weekend 2013 when some of the Wills family came together to visit the grave of our great grandfather's brother in Port Henry, Essex County, New York.  Two separate generations came together. For one little member of the family, the grave was the site of her great-great-great grandfather's brother, William Henry Wills, born in 1840 in Cornwall and died in 1888 in Port Henry. William Wills served in the New York State 16th Infantry Regiment, Company F during American Civil War.

When we finally arrived at our destination in the midst of a downpour, I risked soaking my camera equipment to take photos of the little star of the day....and what a joy she was. A midst the rain and water everywhere, the older generation forgot the gravestone and forgot the past.  We stood among the droplets enjoying, for a few moments anyway, the present and the future.  Here is what we saw: