Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Storytelling and Migration history

A wonderful discussion of the art of storytelling and the survival of Franco culture in New England can be found through Google Books at: http://books.google.com/books?id=cjFZLXskuiMC&printsec=titlepage&dq=%22franco+american+migration%22&source=gbs_toc_s&cad=1#PPP1,M1

If your family had a story about Franco ancestry it would be great if you would post it here.

Saturday, March 1, 2008

Family moves and small industry in New England

Every time I sit down and do some investigation into Family a new and surprising finding pulls me even further into family movement and economics.

How people managed to meet over long distances when travel was so time consuming and difficult has become a new facination for me. Tracing the movement of Franco families throughout Maine and New England and learning of the support groups that naturally formed in those Franco communities has been an incredible journey.

It was interesting this week to find that the brother of my great grandmother was a manufacturer of agricultural tools, patented a grass saw and was part of the founding of three companies in Maine that developed cutting equipment.

I list a history of tool manufacturing source in the posting below. This museum has done a great job tracing the roots of tools, manufacturing companies and individuals involved. Check it out.

Family moves

http://www.davistownmuseum.org/TDMtoolMakers.html