When one finally decides to write a blog about their family history, it can get so mind-boggling. On one hand you want to share stories and pictures and talk about what is current in your life. But as you do more and more research and read others blogs and truly appreciate what some write and how to best verfiy your facts, and each day goes faster and faster, and you still haven't written anything and the seasons have changed and you should really go outside and ready the backyard before winter sets in....it gets to be overwhelming. And I think that anyone who takes their research seriously can get bogged down in having the perfect family tree, the perfect blog, the perfect picture and the perfect "stopped in one's tracks" because it can't be perfect. That's how I feel today. My beginning attempts at sharing with my family the stories behind the pictures, has left me with four or five boxes of what used to be "somewhat filed away" pictures and articles to a very large pile of stuff that gets moved from floor to desk and closet to bedroom. And back again.
And what does one write about? Everyone's life has a story to tell. I want to know them and share them all. Let's just start with October babies. It must be the month or maybe the water.... Currently, in my extended family, my husband and I celebrate 1 daughter's, 2 brothers, 1 sister and 1 close enough and considered sister, and 3 nephews' birthdays. We won't even get started on the anniversaries.
So I wondered how many October birthdays are in my family tree. Taking a quick peek at the calender put out by "Family Tree Maker", I quickly came to the conclusion that the Trepaniers held the record for family births for this month. There were 29 births and 10 weddings in the month of October for this prolific line. My great-grandmother on my mother's side was Sophie Trepanier (1861-1925). I looked in my files for a quick story that I could transcribe about the Trepaniers and came across a letter written March 10, 1999 by Normand Trepanier, Chicoutimi, Quebec, Canada.
"Just this day, I received your letter and I began to reply immediately. At first, I ask you to excuse my very poor english....
I am happy to inform you that I have the name of all your ancestors older or before Francois-Xavier Trepanier, born January 17, 1800, and married with Judith Lagrave. This Francois-Xavior is at the 6e. generation."
He continues further in the letter, "The father of Pierre-Francois 2e and the ancestor of all Trepanier is ROMAIN D'ESTREPAGNY, born 19 april 1627 at St-Pierre-de-MUCHEDENT, little village or hamlet, located about ten mils south-East from Dieppe, department of Seine-Maritime in the North of France. He married Genevieve Drouin, 24 April 1656 at Quebec city. They had 12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls. He died 20 March 1702 at Chateau-Richer, Quebec, Canada, aged 75 years old. He was the son of Charles D'Estrepagny and Marie Marette."
He ends his letter in his own handwriting, "As I am 84 years old, and soon I will go away for another world ---I give you an address for ask other informations about Romain D'Estrepagny or Trepanier family."............Normand Trepanier
I have yet to write to the Association des Familles Trepanier, but it's on my list of things yet to follow up on for this family.
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