Genealogy, the study or investigation of ancestry and family history, is a preoccupation of many people.    But until recently it has been very difficult to do research.    Talking to relatives and friends, scouring church records and visiting archives seemed to be about the only means of accessing information.  Library and Archives Canada provides information on Genealogy and Family History which includes  -- Births, Marriages & Deaths, -- Census and Enumerations,  -- Immigration and Citizenship, Military, and many other areas which can be explored.  As interest increases, more sources of information are becoming available.   

The Harvey House in the Gaspesian British Heritage Village (Britville) has a genealogy center where one can do research on families in the Gaspé.   The Gaspé Museum (Musée de la Gaspésie) has a section of their library devoted to genealogy.    Their collection includes a copy of the information collected and recorded by Raymond Patterson.  A few excerpts from that book can be found on the DVD "Gaspé of Yesteryear".  There is a genealogical research center in Rimouski.    If more resources are required, Quebec and Ottawa both have reams of information in their archives.

For those who would like to do research at home, the Internet holds an unbelievable amount of information.    But where to start?    Search engines are not necessarily the best approach.    GoGaspe.com has two pages that surely will include many items to help with research.    One page, " Genealogy Links ," provides many sources of general information.    A second page, "GoGaspe.com Genealogy ", includes a list of several local sites, as well as links to several Gaspesian families. 

Trying to reach other Gaspesians?    GoGaspe.com also has a "Genealogy Bulletin Board" where genealogical questions can be posted for fellow Gaspesians.

The Gaspe Genealogy Database, created by Curtis Patterson, contains information on many of families in the Gaspé area. 

Another site, Our Gaspé Roots, created by Lani Baker Mitchell, contains a large database filled with information and supplemented with photos, documents, letters, articles and other historical data.   

Canadian Geology and Historical Links contains both photos and information on grave markers in different parts of Canada

An internet site, Cemeteries of Quebec, lists a number of counties in Quebec which include listings of the information on the headstones of their respective cemeteries. 

La Société de Généalogie Gaspésie site contains sources of genealogical information and connections in Gaspé. 

Look, also, on the DVD "Cemeteries of the Gaspé Area" for details on a family member or ancestor who was buried in one of the cemeteries in the area.

An excellent collection of information, "Obituary of Non-catholic Deaths of the Gaspé County ca 1820 - 2000 by Serge Ouellet and Guy W. -Richard", Tome 1 & 2, is available from Bibliotheque nationale du Canada. Order address: Diffusion genealogique Pepin, 2855 Belcourt, Longueuil (Quebec) J4M 2B2.   Also available from the same address is a book entitled "Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths and Burials of St Albert's de Gaspé, 1869 - 1941."

Now what is the best way to handle the information after it has been collected?    It has to be arranged so that information can be located with ease.    It can be recorded on paper but organization can be a trying experience.    Many are finding that computer programs make the task much easier.   "Family Tree Maker" by Ancestry.ca is a very popular program.  Another product is "Linage Family Tree Software" by Broderbund.  Many use a shareware program, "Brother's Keeper".     

With all of today's resources, genealogy can be an interesting and enjoyable activity.

You may enjoy this "Family Tree Poem".