After considerable thought and reflection I have decided to amalgamate my two blogs. My brother made a compelling case for simplicity. The posts from My Canadian Family Tree have been moved to my main site Sunshine in a Jar. They are filed under the category Family History Stories.

I plan to continue to write about my family history. In February I have been blogging about the creative mind and the writing process. I look forward to returning to writing about stories about the people who went before me.

Please follow my writing and research at www.sunshineinajar.com or follow me on Twitter (@jessicaoutram).

In a couple weeks I will remove this site from the cyber-world.

Cheers,

Jessica

Fall, 2010. I sit in the board room at York Catholic District School Board. It is the first day of the Barrie Region Aboriginal Education Professional Learning Community (PLC).  David Bouchard is our guest speaker.

Since I was a teenager I have felt a connection to First Nation and Metis culture. One summer in the early 1990s I bought a copy of Michael Robinson’s poetry at the French River Trading Post, The Freedom of Silence.  The next summer I bought another, Touching the Serpent’s Tale. I read the books many times. Robinson’s words and pictures were treasures of my adolescence. Robinson’s poetry inspired me to feel connected to something greater than myself.

By the mid-nineties I was reading Tomson Highway’s plays The Rez Sisters and Dry Lips Oughta Move to Kapuskasing. Highway’s work is my greatest influence as a playwright. At Trent University I served on the Otonabee Council for a couple of years. One of my positions was Cultural Representative. The best perk of this position was that I was invited to amazing events. In about 1996 I attended a dinner (with 30 or so other people from the university) with Tomson Highway. I remember it was a magical evening. It was one of my first encounters with a real writer, one of my heroes.

Trent University invited me to dine with Thomas King too. He was my favourite novelist at the time. I was drawn to stories written by and about First Nations and Metis people.

I regret not taking a Native Studies course at Trent University during my undergraduate years. Trent’s Indigenous Studies department established itself as a leader in the 1970s. It continues to lead the way. While I write this post I am reminded of the cliché, “it is never too late.” I will add taking an Indigenous Studies course to my bucket list.

On the streets of Peterborough people would approach me at least once a week. They asked about my people. They wanted to know where I was from, who I belonged to–I could not tell them. I did not know. Other First Nations and Metis people saw something in me that I did not see in myself.

A hunger grew to metaphorically meet my grandmother. I think she whispered my name, calling me to find her through the poetry, the books, the art, the people on the street.

The Petroglyphs in Peterborough and a subsequent trip to the Whetung Gallery fanned the flames of my connection to the past, the lost stories of my ancestors. Whetung Gallery introduced me to Drew Hayden Taylor and Maxine Noel.

I began to ask questions, interview family members, search online, attempt to repair the broken links to yesterday.

In 2008 I joined the Aboriginal Advisory Circle in the school board. This work led me to the fall of 2010, to the circle in a board room, to the inspiring presence of David Bouchard. I had journeyed for 20 years to find my grandmother. As Bouchard read The Secret of Your Name my breath slowed, my heart drummed.

“But years have washed away / All signs that should have led to you / Years and miles have hidden / All the clues that would have told of you,” Bouchard read.

After the readings and the flute playing and the discussion of literacy, Bouchard signed books. I bought about half a dozen.

When I reached the front of the line with my pile of books and it was my turn, I thanked him: “That was awesome. I really enjoyed today. Thank-you.”

Bouchard was humble, gracious.

“I just found out last summer that I am Metis,” I blurted. I could feel the heat rise to my cheeks. I was not used to saying it aloud yet. I had not given myself permission to own this truth.

Bouchard smiled. His eyes met mine. It felt like he looked beyond my pupils, through my thoughts, and into a bigger, faraway, interconnected place. “What is your grandmother’s name?” he asked.

I gulped. ”I forget.” I wanted to look away. Run.

Bouchard leaned in toward me. “Get a tattoo,” he said. “Tattoo your grandmother’s name.”

It is January 2012. I am too squeamish for a tattoo, but I remember my grandmother’s name.

Agibicocona. My great(x4)-grandmother’s name is Agibicocona.

Ezekiel Solomon is honoured in Michigan

The earliest ancestor currently on my family tree  and on my maternal grandfather’s side is Ezekiel Solomon (1735-1809). He is my great(x5)-grandfather. It is a blessing that technology can transport us to other times and places with a couple clicks! Ezekiel Solomon’s life history fascinates me. I imagine there will be many posts about him to come.

Ezekiel Solomon was born in Berlin, Germany in 1735. Solomon shares his birth year with John Adams (second American President) and Paul Revere (American Patriot).  In 1735, Alexander Pope was writing poetry and George Frederic Handel composed operas. King George II was on the British throne.

In 1740 Frederick the Great came into power in Germany and would soon declare himself the leader of the Age of Enlightenment. Ezekiel Solomon was a child of the Enlightenment. He grew up during a time when ideas about science and faith and humanity were changing. Was Solomon an educated man?

To be Jewish in Berlin in the 1700s

Jews were among the wealthiest people of Berlin during this time. Since Solomon could afford to emigrate to Canada I think it would be a fair assumption that he came from a family of money. When Solomon arrived he would become a successful fur trader so I imagine his father was also a merchant.

Ezekiel Solomon grew up in a time when Jews in Berlin were encouraged to integrate into a secular society. Moses Mendelssohn wrote about the ”blending of cultures.” Was Solomon’s family influenced by Mendelssohn?

A Young, Ambitious Fur Trader in North America

According to one site, in 1755, during the Seven Years War, Solomon entered a partnership with Chapman Abraham, Benjamin Lyon, Gershom Levy, and Lucius Levy Solomons to provide supplies for the British army in North America. When did Solomon arrive in North America? Why did he come? Who was with him? Are Levy and Ezekiel brothers? Where was Solomon’s first step on North American soil?

One site hypothesizes that Solomon arrived in Montreal in about 1759. Solomon helped raise funds for the Shearith Israel Congregation in Montreal. It opened in 1760. It was the first Jewish congregation in Canada. I read a number of sources that suggest Solomon was noted in the synagogue’s records a number of times through his life.

Ezekiel Solomon is the first known Jewish man to live in the state of Michigan.  Ever.  “In 1761 Solomon went to Fort Michilimackinac, today’s Mackinaw City in Michigan.” Solomon was with Alexander Henry, an English trader who disguised himself as a Frenchman to enter the area. Henry was the first known English-speaking trader to travel in and around the area that is now Sault Ste. Marie.  This was a time of great conflict between the French and the English, the First Nations and the English. Which languages did Solomon speak? Where did Solomon and Henry meet?

Alexander Henry wrote Travels and Adventures in Canada and the Indian Territories between the Years 1760 and 1776. I have downloaded this text and look forward to reading it. This should include more details about Solomon’s life as a trader.

Survived Capture by Pontiac During Massacre

Solomon was captured by Pontiac’s men during the 1763 massacre, but gained his freedom by being ransomed.

Ezekiel Solomon Marriage Record, 1769

June 4: (I)-Ezekiel Solomon of Berlin is at British Fort Michilimackinac (Michigan), was taken prisoner, rescued by the Ottawa and ransomed at Montreal, Quebec. He had one known son (II)-William Solomon, Metis, born late 1790′s and married a daughter of John Johnson, Metis born Mackinaw.

• I Ezekiel Solomon, Resident in the Fort of Michilimackinac at the time it was surprized by the Savages, declare that on the 2d day of June a Frenchman, Mons. Cote, entered my House several Times and carried from thence several Parcels of Goods, my Property. And also an Indian named Sanpear carried the Peltry from my House to the House of Aimable Deniviere in whose Garret I was then concealed. I owed Monsr Ariek a Sum of money, but at the time He demanded it the payment was not become due, and I refused to pay Him till the Time I had contracted for; but he told me if I did not pay it he would take it by force: I told him, the Commanding Officer would prevent that, & he replyed that the Commanding Officer was nothing, and that he Himself was Commanding Officer. Sworn, &c., 14th Aug., 1763, before me. In: Historical Collections, Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, Vol. 27, 1897, pp. 631-670.
• I Ezekiel Solomon, Resident in the Fort of Michilimackinac at the time it was surprized by the savages declare that on the second day of June, 1763, a Frenchman, Monsieur Cote, entered my house several times and carried from thence several parcels of Goods, my property. * *  The Deposition of Garrit, Roseboom, Tunis, Fischer, Cummin, Shields and Wm. Bruce, Merch’s from LaBay, as taken upon Oath before a Court of Enquiry at the Detroit the 4th day of July 1764.In: Historical Collections, Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, Vol. 27, 1897, pp. 631-670.

After his release Ezekiel Solomon opened up a general store in Montreal according to From the Jewish Heartland: Two Centuries of Midwest Foodways.

Husband and Father

On July 23, 1769 he married Marie Elizabeth Louise Dubois, also called Okimabinesikwe. Marie was Roman Catholic.  They married in Montreal at Christ Anglican Church.  Thanks to some help from Bonnie, this morning I looked at a microfilm of an original document from “Cathedral Actes 1766-1795″ showing Solomon’s marriage. I have included the image in this post. Notes made about 250 years ago, on the day of his marriage, on my screen! Who was Louise DuBois? How did she meet Solomon? Did she accompany him on business travels?

An inter-racial, inter-faith marriage in the 1700s. In the early 1900s some of Solomon’s descendants would hide their Metis ancestry and any connections to the past.  Solomon and Dubois had at least one son, my great(x4)-grandfather, Guillaume Solomon (more on him later).

Contributions to the Economic Life of Early Canada

Ezekiel Solomon went on to help develop commercial trade along the St. Lawrence, the Great Lakes, and up through Northwestern Ontario. Solomon was responsible for trade in the territory of the Michilimackinac and continued to work in the interior of Canada despite the tension with First Nations people. Solomon was one of the few successful traders who competed with the Hudson’s Bay monopoly.

Solomon was wealthy and successful. He must have been brilliant and strong. To survive North America in the mid-1700s was a challenge. Susanna Moodie’s classic CanLit novel Roughing it in the Bush still surprises readers today with the challenges of living in early Canada–and it was written nearly 100 years AFTER Solomon arrived in North America. Not only did Solomon survive–he thrived! Was Solomon more than a merchant? Was Solomon a peacebuilder? What motivated Solomon to accomplish so much?

Ezekiel Solomon died in Mackinac between 1805 and 1808.

It’s the early 1950s, after school in a red house along the Britt road in Britt, Ontario.

Lucy is seven. She lies on her back, staring at the livingroom ceiling. Mr. McGarrity says, “Well, Maggie Muggins, I’d say you’ve had quite a day!”

Lucy smiles, kicks her legs in the air, and leaps to her feet. “Tra la la la lee!” she sings. Lucy wipes a piece of long, blonde hair from her face with one hand as she turns the knob on the radio to the ‘off’ position with the other.

Lucy feels the quiet of the house push up against her chest. The tic toc of the ship’s wheel clock on the radio cabinet whispers at first, then grows louder with the beating of her heart. Lucy hates to be home alone.

Her brother Charles was over at Ollie’s house. They were probably poking at grass snakes or pretending to chase bears.  Her sister Julia went with her mother for tea at Mary’s house down the street. Lucy’s father was probably down at the boathouse. It was an unusual afternoon.

Lucy went to Begin’s Store with her father the day he bought the ship wheel’s clock. It was a Christmas gift for Lucy’s mother.

“What do you think?” Lucy’s father asked.

“Mom will love it!”

Lucy’s father looked at the clock carefully, turning it over in his hands. Everyone knew he found buying gifts difficult. He always had trouble deciding if it was just the right gift.

Lucy felt butterflies doing somersaults in her stomach Christmas morning when it was her mother’s turn to open the clock. She was thrilled when her mother exclaimed, “what a beautiful clock!” Lucy’s mother admired the clock a moment, then placed it gently on the radio cabinet. The clock watched over the family from that spot for years.

Lucy turns the radio on again to stop the tic-toc, tic-toc from making her bonkers. She hopes she can find Orphan Annie or The Lone Ranger. After dinner she and Charles will listen to Inner Sanctum Mystery.

What I Learned About the Clock So Far

Grandpa Lamondin's Clock

• The clock was purchased in the 1950s at Begin’s store in Britt, Ontario.
• The clock may have been bought by my grandfather as a Christmas present for my grandmother. My aunt remembers feeling excited for her mom to open it.
• The clock sat on the record player or radio cabinet in the house. That led to some wonderful memories about radio programs my aunts enjoyed as children.

What I Learned About 1950s Radio in Canada

• In the early 1950s television came to Canada but many families continued to spend their leisure time listening to radio programs. Television, electricity, and now Internet takes longer to reach isolated communities.  Highway 69 was completed in 1952. Prior to 1952 the only way in and out of Britt was by boat or train.  In 1955, television services were available to 66% of the population. Eight million homes in the US owned televisions. Since the 1950s were a time of transition, the story of radio was woven into part of the story of television.
• CBC Radio dominated the Canadian airwaves.
• Many of the popular children`s radio programs became television programs by the mid-1950s (including The Lone Ranger, Orphan Annie, and Maggie Muggins).

Childhood: A Collage by Jessica

Last weekend was truly decadent. My car rested in the driveway from Friday after work until Monday morning. For two days I played. I felt like a child wrapped up in some important project like digging a hole in the sandbox and hoping it would lead to China or creating a dramatic play in the garage with all the kids from the neighbourhood. The work felt overwhelming, necessary, thrilling–just like the adventurous projects of my childhood.

Monday morning at work I bubbled and popped, telling anyone who would listen that I had started a new project.

“I spent the weekend researching my family tree,” I said.

“Ancestry?”

“Yes!” The popularity of the genealogy site is ubiquitous.

“My cousin is a historian. We have a binder with our whole family history. Both sides.” A newly married teacher smiled.

Another coworker said, “Someone contacted me yesterday about my family history. I didn’t learn anything new though. Our family history was compiled years ago. We have a family historian.”

A family historian. It sounded so official.

Last year I took a research methods course as part of my graduate program at University of Toronto. I read Lives in Context: The Art of Life History Research by Ardra L. Cole and J. Gary Knowles. They write:

“In as much as it is humanly possible, life history inquiry is about gaining insights into the broader human condition by coming to know and understand the experiences of other humans” (11).

By becoming a family historian I can serve my family, document their stories, learn about my family’s journey from arriving in Canada hundreds of years ago to today. But family history research can have a broader context too. We look to the past to understand the present.  We search for resonance in stories that are shared among generations, across cultural divides. In learning about my family I will learn about humanity.

I have not earned the title of family historian yet. This is the beginning.

Deanna Corbeil notes the importance of the word “story” in “history.”   I like that. Family Storian. This blog is as much about story as it is about history.

Do you have a family historian? What led him or her to life history research?

Grandpa Lamondin's Clock

Family Treasures

I love sentimental Christmas presents. When I was in my twenties mom and dad gave me Grandpa’s ship wheel clock for Christmas. It works beautifully when I remember to wind it. It is an “Ingraham 8 Day Ships Wheel” mantel clock.

A few weeks ago I chatted with Erika Bailey. Her research at University of Toronto focused on experiential learning and a sense of place. Her work will be published in 2012 by Backalong Books. As I recall, to begin the stories with her research participants Erika asked them to bring an object that had meaning for them. The object became an entry point to a story about place, about learning.

Grandpa Lamondin’s ship wheel clock is one of my favourite things. I was a young child when he passed away, too young to remember him. But somehow having his clock in my living room helps me to feel close to him. It reminds me of the years he spent on the water living at the lighthouse as a child, then as a Georgian Bay tour guide for Toronto fishermen when he retired. I imagine he felt at home on the water.

The metaphor of time is powerful as I begin this journey into the past.

E. Ingraham & Company

Formed in 1860, E. Ingraham & Company specialized in clocks in Bristol, Conneticut. In 1941 they opened a factory in Toronto to make clocks during the war. Since the text on the clock’s face indicates the Canadian company, it is safe to assume the clock was made after 1941. Likewise, it is unlikely that Grandpa’s clock belonged to his parents first.  Multiple Google-searches for more details about Ingraham clocks in Canada turned up very little information. With the success of television programs like Antiques Roadshow and Canadian Pickers, it seems like everyone is trying to see what their heirlooms are worth. My searches revealed pages of links to antique sales. I am not interested in sales. I am looking for a story.

(FYI: I enjoyed browsing the Canadian Clock Museum website).

The Story of Grandpa’s Clock

The first step of an inquiry is to ask questions. How old is the clock? Was it a gift? Did he treasure it or was it just another object in the home? Where was the clock purchased? How did my mother come to have the clock? Where was the clock kept in the house? Was it the family’s only clock or one of many? Who was in charge of winding the clock? Are there any family stories that include this clock? Is there anything of interest about the Ingraham Canadian Clock Company in Toronto?

The best place to start is by interviewing the family.  So, mom and dad and aunts and uncles I will be calling you soon :-)

When I have more information I will write and post the story of Grandpa’s clock.

Do you have an object in your home that could whisper stories from the past?

The Joys of Research: A Collage by Jessica

There is an art to blogging well: from blog design to topic selection to writing quality.  A blog needs to connect with the audience, inspire online dialogue, and serve as a database of insights and information on a given topic. It was too cold to walk this morning so as I sipped my tea I searched for some fabulous family history blogs.

1. Lorelle VanFossen Family History Blog: Clean design, abundance of resources. This blog is truly fabulous! It was one of the first ones I found. The design is simple and clean with clear headings and great pictures. VanFossen has included a variety of articles on the business of genealogy, her family history, and ideas for researching. The pages include many links to help readers connect to information about how to conduct research and where to look for information.
2. Alberta Family Histories Society Blog: Community involvement, good list of Canadian links. Family history research does not need to be a solitary act! This blog represents a community group. I enjoyed reading about how people of all ages are learning about their ancestors. From library events for children to monthly meetings for genealogy enthusiasts the culture of family history research is rich, inclusive, and widespread.
3. A Canadian Family: Awesome images, good variety of resources. The pictures of vintage Canadian postcards on this blog fascinated me instantly. Evelyn Yvonne Theriault includes some commentary about how the images relate to her family history. I have never been much of a collector, but this blog inspired me! Theriault includes numerous links to other blogs. This site exudes community and passion for Canadian history. I will absolutely visit again!

What family history blogs do you love to visit?

Gereaux Island Lighthouse was built in the late 1800s. It is on the northern tip of Gereaux Island marking the entrance to Byng Inlet from Georgian Bay, Ontario. My aunt shared the picture of the original lighthouse (on the right).

Two of the people from my family tree I hope to focus on are Joseph Normandin (Jr.) and Louis Normandin. Around the time that Joseph Normandin (Jr.) moved to the Byng Inlet area the family name was changed to Lamondin (more on this in a later post).

The Lighthouse Keepers

• 1885: Joseph Normandin was paid $250 per annum for keeping the light.
• 1901-1918: My great-grandfather Louis Lamondin was the lighthouse keeper (The History of Byng Inlet and its Shoreline Communities by Fred Holmes)
• 1918-1925: Charles Lamondin (Louis’ brother) was the lighthouse keeper  (Northeastern Georgian Bay and Its People by William A. Campbell)
• April 1925-April 1946: Louis Lamondin returned to the post of lighthouse keeper. He lived and worked at the lighthouse until he retired.

Did the Lamondins choose to be lighthouse keepers?

Gereaux Island Lighthouse fascinated me as a child. It still fascinates me today. My family lived and worked on this island for over sixty years. Generations of Lamondins grew up playing on the rocks, swimming in the bay, boating into town. I can not imagine the isolation, the extreme weather conditions, the boaters in distress, fish for dinner every night. In winter, the family moved into the town of Britt. Thank goodness!

More than sixty years of life by the water, on the margins, outside of town, devoid of neighbours and comforts. How did they pass their days on a mound of rolling granite surrounded by deep, cool Georgian Bay waters?

To be a lighthouse keeper one needed to be strong. The large containers of oil for the lamp needed to be carried up a narrow staircase to the top look-out. A lighthouse keeper needed to be adaptable to conditions, emergencies, boredom. A lighthouse keeper needed to be independent and self-reliant.

I have heard stories about Louis Lamondin’s wife, my great-grandmother. She was a teenager when she married. Did she know that she would spend 30 years living on an island with four children in a small lighthouse?

The Tom Thomson Connection

In July 2010 Ross King emailed me asking questions about the lighthouse. His research focused on Tom Thomson. He was writing an article for The Walrus about the summer of 1914. In 1914, my grandfather would have been four years old. His father Louis Lamondin was the lighthouse keeper. Tom Thomson paddled to Gereaux Island, Byng Inlet in 1914. He painted Byng Inlet, Georgian Bay. This painting hangs in the McMichael Gallery. On the back of the painting, in Thomson’s writing, it says “Gereaux Island.” Our family was not familiar with the painting so we were grateful that King helped us to make the connection.

We asked my great-Aunt Bernice if she remembered painters visiting the lighthouse. Although she was not born until 1921 she said that painters stopped by the island all the time. It is probable that Thomson stayed with my great-grandfather. The island that cradled my family history for over sixty years inspired one of Canada’s most influential artists.

How did the landscape inspire my ancestors?

Near Byng Inlet, Georgian Bay, Ontario

My Family Tree is a windblown spruce.

About four years ago my friend Nicole introduced me to Ancestry.ca.  We sat in her home office in front of the computer. We squinted at a marriage certificate on the screen. She showed me how you could search for records, follow hints, add pictures and stories, and connect to other people’s research. I signed up that Friday night.

Monday morning I sat at my desk as students entered my Grade 10 English class. Usually I tried to greet them at the door.

“Miss, you look rough,” they said. “Wild weekend?”

“Something like that,” I replied. “Don’t worry. You’ll get all the details.”

“You look fried.”

I told the students how I had hunched over a keyboard, searching for family records online for the whole weekend. They laughed as I tried to explain the frenzy of trying to trace my maternal grandmother’s line to Paris or my paternal grandfather’s roots in England. It felt like I was unlocking one family secret after another.

I have always loved family stories. I could listen to my aunts and uncles talk for hours about the old days. Ancestry.ca gave me a key to the past.

What I Learned Four Years Ago

• Family history research can be tedious. Patience is required.
• A second language is helpful. I wish my French was better!
• Start with what you know for sure–marriage certificates, birth certificates, and tombstones are good sources of preliminary information.
• Verify information you find with relatives if possible.
• Focus the search. Although it is tempting to look for everyone and everything at once, be focused. Choose one branch and learn all you can about it before going to the next branch.
• Be prepared to find information you would rather not know.
• Our ancestors did not spell names accurately or consistently.
• Learn some history to gain context about the people and places you are researching.
•  Not everyone finds the details of your family’s history as interesting as you (including members of your family).
• Set a timer.  Be in control of your research time. (Or, run the risk of hours passing by unnoticed).

What are your tips for family tree research?

In grade school I dreaded the bi-annual family history project. I was jealous of my friends who had great stories of emigrating to Canada, who talked about secret family recipes, who had fascinating objects and unique pieces of clothing. “I’m just Canadian,” I whined. “My people are all just Canadian.”  For years I wanted to be everyone but me. I did not understand what it meant to be Canadian. To be Canadian felt like being nothing.

Now I am in my mid-thirties. I have learned that to be Canadian feels like being everything.

My heritage and identity are important. I feel blessed to be born Canadian.

Why this blog? Why now?

Bonnie inspired me this morning. She loves to research family trees. Two summers ago she helped me navigate online French documents. I knew my relations included First Nation or Metis but I could not verify anything through the English documents. We had an exciting summer of research and conversation. When I returned to work in September life took over and my fat pink folder of family history sat neglected. A year passed.

We reconnected on Facebook last week. Bonnie sent me a note that she had been spending time researching my tree. People had sent her notes online. Bonnie had found some fabulous documents and interesting details. Creative energy danced through the phone connection like sunlight on a lake. We decided to collaborate on a project. We will write a book inspired by the family history research. Bonnie will lead the research. I will write.

Eight hours passed. Now, I write this blog post. After a full day of following the stories of my ancestors online I decided to begin our work by blogging about it. For months I have struggled with what I wanted to say next as a writer. I lingered between projects in a writer’s purgatory, haunted by indecision.

In May 2011 Sunshine in a Jar Press launched with its first title From the Cottage Porch: An Anthology. Inspired by summers at the cottage in Britt, Ontario, the book aimed to capture the spirit of cottage life in Ontario. The mission of my new independent publishing company is to capture the spirit of a place (real or imaginary) and its people through literature.

I know what I need to write about now.  I will blog about the people and places that define me as a Canadian and about the process of learning about the stories of my ancestors.

Today I begin the project I most dreaded in grade school. Where do you come from? Who are your people? Write about your family history. I am thrilled to begin the journey!

Thank-you Bonnie!

Where I feel most connected: Georgian Bay