How easily we overlook what was happening in Lower Canada in the early 1860s. While bloody conflict wrecked Mexico, the American giant was embroiled in a devastating civil war that would claim 700,000 lives and lead to “a new birth of freedom.” For a time, it seemed that the winds of war would sweep over […]
Continue readingFranco-American History in Ten Documents, Part II
See the first installment on important Franco-American documents here. A Man and His Dream (1909) Félix Albert had a tale to tell—with some false modesty, his own. In the early twentieth century, after a turbulent life, he had someone, perhaps a local priest, write down his experience as an immigrant and a man of many […]
Continue readingFranco-American History in Ten Documents, Part I
No history as rich and complex as that of Franco-Americans can be reduced to small vignettes. But what would a survey of iconic Franco-American documents and moments—perhaps destined to a neophyte—would look like? As a fun experiment, I propose the following. It is hoped that these texts (some well-known, some less so) will encourage readers […]
Continue readingFranco-American Books: A Wish List
Mark your calendars! On May 21, at noon (Eastern time), I will deliver a lecture as part of the Vermont Historical Society’s Third Thursday program. At the moment, the plan is to offer access on Zoom. The talk is titled “The Other Franco-Americans: Tracing French-Canadian Settlement in Vermont.” You can find more info on the […]
Continue readingThe Future of the Franco-American Historical Narrative
Mark your calendars! On May 18, at 2 p.m. (Eastern time), I will be speaking on Franco-American religious battles for the Franco-American Centre at the University of Maine. The link will be accessible through the Centre shortly before the event. Then, on May 21, at noon, I will deliver a lecture as part of the […]
Continue readingThe Franco-American Origin Story in Parish Records
They went to Corbeau and Whitehall. They went to Vergennes and Highgate. They returned, and again to the Great Republic they went. This was a proto-industrial era, a time before ubiquitous factories, before national parishes, before the idea of Franco-America could form as something succinct and coherent. These were the early days of French Canadians’ […]
Continue readingThose Fractious Francos (Part II)
Disunity and Discontent See Part I here. “I am full of grief,” Jacques Rouse declared, “that so few Frenchmen as we are here, we cannot live in concord together.” How often have we heard this story of the factious (or fractious) French Canadians? How often have we experienced it? French Canadians in Quebec failed to […]
Continue readingThose Fractious Francos (Part I)
Dueling Francos The battles were over. The fighting had ceased. But, while men might lay down their arms, often the war does not leave them. Trauma is not easily cast aside; invisible wounds remain. By 1792, the French-Canadian veterans of the Continental Army had not seen a battlefield in over a decade. But since those […]
Continue readingFrench Canadians and the Epidemic of 1885
After drafting this post, I learned that James Myall (Parlez-Vous American) will be discussing disease and public health in connection with French-Canadian migrations on April 28. His talk will be carried on Zoom thanks to the Franco-American Centre at the University of Maine. Worth checking out I’m sure! Last week, on HistoireEngagée.ca, I contributed, en […]
Continue readingThose Other Franco-Americans: Cohoes, N.Y., Part II
See Part I here. As Cohoes Franco-Americans became more numerous following the Civil War, they attracted the likes of Ferdinand Gagnon, who helped to bring the community into a larger Franco world. They also produced their own luminaries. Joseph LeBoeuf was one pioneer who anticipated the role that Hugo Dubuque and other attorneys would play […]
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