Hi! I am the late arrival to this merry band of researchers. After doing
some initial research of my own immediate family, a first cousin once
removed told me about Roger Fontaine. By this time, I had about 250 names.
During our initial phone conversation, I learned he had held several
extended FONTAINE family reunions and had been researching for a while. I
proudly announced the results of my efforts and learned he had collected
about 10,000 names on paper. Needless to say, my jaw dropped to the floor.
Knowing the only way to gain access to such a large database was to
volunteer my help, I quickly offered to organize his information on the
computer. Being the computer geek I am [grin], I have spent approximately
the last 35 years entering the research data of
Roger and Daniel Fontaine on the computer with additional research
of my own mostly for the PIERRE FONTAINE dit BIENVENU and ETIENNE
FONTAINE lines. The other Canadian FONTAINE
lines have been entered on the computer, but need some more work to be
useful for the serious genealogist.
Despite all the work, I enjoy the
hobby of tracking down all the Canadian descendants that share my name
and variations. I have learned about the Canadian customs of naming
children with Joseph and Marie first, after the parents of Jesus Christ.
I learned about the formation of "dit" names, nick-names given
to our ancestors that some descendants took as their primary surname. I
learned about the significance of tourtierre, the meat pies my
grandmother made during the holidays. I learned about the immigration of
Canadians into the United States and the conditions they worked under in
the mills in certain towns throughout New England. The hobby has raised
my consciousness about my heritage and how many of us are distant
relatives. We just don't know about it until it is researched.
Since my access to genealogy libraries is limited now, my contribution
to the team is to keep configuration control on the databases and to
keep a presence on the internet. Data will be added through
correspondence with other researchers willing to exchange information.
The FONTAINE-BIENVENU database is now well over 32,000 names and still
growing. So feel free to contact me and I will do my best to help you in
exchange for helping us.
Tony Fontaine
tony@canfga.org