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GEORGES ARSENAULT - Historian and folklorist Georges Arsenault was born in 1952 in Abram’s Village, Prince Edward Island. He holds a B.Soc.Sc. degree in Political Science from Université de Moncton and a M.A. degree in Folklore from Université Laval.

He has published extensively on the folklore and history of the Acadians of Prince Edward Island. From 1977 to 1982, Georges Arsenault worked as a cultural officer for the Société Saint-Thomas-d’Aquin (Acadian and Francophone Society of Prince Edward Island) and then became Visiting Professor in Acadian Studies at the University of Prince Edward Island. Since 1986, he is the host of Radio-Canada’s morning radio show for Prince Edward Island. He lives in Charlottetown.



PEGGY GALE BENNETT was born in Stephenville, Newfoundland in 1951. She loves researching and got into Genealogy about four years ago. Peggy was interested in doing her family tree in the 1980’s but had no means of researching until about 4 years ago when she got a computer. Her other hobbies include Walking, Crocheting, Cross stitch, Crafts, Sewing , Reading,etc. Peggy spends every spare minute on her Family Tree. She has worked as a Beautician, a Food Service worker at Sir Thomas Roddick Hospital & also at Bay St.George Community College. She was also employed at a hotel in Alberta. I'd like to say a special thanks to Lucie for all she has done for me.



DENNIS BOUDREAU - former President of the Acadian Cultural Society in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, as well as editor of their journal Le Réveil Acadien for the past decade, has been a genealogical researcher for over 30 years. He was also a past president of the American-French Genealogical Society (Woonsocket, RI), and has served as editor of Je Me Souviens.

Dennis has researched and written dozens of articles for various publications, and is the author of two marriage repertoires, and co-authored several others. He has also written an eleven generation family history (yet to be published) and a beginner's guide to Franco-American genealogy. Of late, he is the author of the recently published Dictionnaire Généalogique des Familles des Îles-de-la-Madeleine, 1765-1948 in 4 volumes, published by the Société de Généalogie de Québec. His expertise is primarily focused on the Acadian families of the Magdalen Islands, from whom he descends, and their connections to Acadia, St-Pierre et Miquelon, France, and their continued descendance throughout the Maritime Canada region and into the United States. If a family has passed through this crossroads in the Gulf of St-Lawrence, then Dennis knows where they went, and who comprises the present generations of their lineage. He is presently a resident of North Providence, Rhode Island. In addition, he is also quite knowledgeable concerning Québecois ancestries.




JAMES CARTEN - Jim Carten, not much instruction, but a full life of education. Retired, thirty-two years as shipfitter near Québec city. Has been in Québec now for over forty years, after being born and raised in Stratford, Connecticut.

Avid genealogy and history buff who enjoys doing research and lookups. Gets a lot of pleasure from writing, cross-country skiing, cycle touring and the solitude of the woods. Here is a link to Jim's Web site




LUCIE LEBLANC CONSENTINO - Proud owner of the Acadian & French Canadian Ancestral Home website, as well as editor of The Ancestral Home Newsletter, she was born and raised in Massachusetts.

Married to Anthony for thirty years, they have two daughters: Rebecca married to Tyler, and Sarah. She has worked as a lay missionary, human resources manager, teacher and chaplain.

In addition to having served as Vice-President, Conference Chair, Acadian Acquisitions person, Web site Co-ordinator, and Board Director of the American Canadian Genealogical Society of Manchester, New Hampshire, she is also a member of the Lawrence Heritage Genealogical Group in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

She has been published in the American-Canadian Genealogist, Michigan's Habitant Heritage Journal, the Lawrence Eagle Tribune, The Descendants published by the Desendants of Urbain Baudreau dit Graveline Association, and the Roots - Racines - Késsinnimek E-zine and is often invited as a speaker. She was a presenter at two events at CMA 2004 - one at Grand-Pré and the other at the LeBlanc Family Reunion. She was also honored as an invited participant in the Closing Mass and Ceremonies.

In April 2005, her site and newsletter received a great review and comments in Dick Eastman's Newsletter.

October 1, 2005 she will be a featured speaker at the American-Canadian Genelogical Society's Fall Conference in Manchester, New Hampshire.

On July 28, 2005 she was the keynote speaker for the 250th Commemoration of the Deportation held on Boston City Hall Plaza and sponsored by the Acadian Cultural Society of Fitchburg, Ma.



BILL CORK - is a native of Connecticut, but has been living the past several years on the Gulf Coast.

His great-grandmother was a LeBlanc from St-Anselme, New Brunwick, who came with her family to Ansonia, CT, in the late 19th century.

Bill's main research and teaching interests are in church history and ecumenism; he has a BA in history, MA in church history, MDiv, and a DMin in ecumenism.

Now living in Houston, Texas, with his wife and two teenagers, he is Director of Young Adult and Campus Ministry for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

Bill's Acadian webpage: L'Acadie Toujours



GARRY GAUDET - I'm a pre-boomer, born Regina, Saskatchewan, 1939. On the sudden, premature death of my dad, I dropped out of secondary school and still at age 17, passed an announcing audition at a Saskatoon radio station. That started a radio broadcasting career which continued through 1986, with long periods in Vancouver, BC and Edmonton, Alberta.

Along the way I married and raised three children, one of whom is in her 20th year as a French language teacher. I also occasionally worked as a newspaper columnist and a host on educational TV programs.

From 1986 until recently I worked in media and community relations as Information Officer for Okanagan University College in Kelowna, BC.

These days I do freelance writing for NUVO Magazine, and am narrator for the audio edition of the Canadian Blind Monitor magazine.

Recreational activities include tennis, sea kayaking, river canoeing and van camping.



DR. DONALD LANDRY - Don's bio and photo are not yet available.



MAURICE A. LEBLANC - I grew up an only child in Montreal, Quebec. My parents were from Western Canada, having moved to Montreal before I was born. My mother's parents immigrated to Saskatchewan from Brittany (France) in the mid 1890's. In my father's case, his family moved to Saskatchewan from the Eastern Townships when he was about 3 years of age. My dad's paternal ancestors were Acadian, and his maternal ancestors descend from Louis dit Parisien DUPUIS, a "coureur des bois" who traded with the Indians, and was eventually divorced by his wife who wished to protect her own wealth.

After completing my studies in Civil Engineering at Montreal's McGill University, I began work for a large Montreal consulting engineering firm. I learned computer programming with them early in my career because we were one of the first engineering firms in Canada to purchase a computer.

Now retired from a career in Information Technology, I keep occupied mainly with research into my ancestors. Occasionally, I will get a letter from someone who came across their ancestors in my online database with either a question or some further information. You can't begin to realize how good this makes me feel. Whenever possible, I'll try to help them out.

I began my genealogical research after retirement. I started by building a database with the data my father had researched in his later years. His work had all been done on paper, and I felt that using a computer would be more efficient.

In October 2004 I adopted the orphaned DUPUIS mailing list at Rootsweb. I am particularly proud of the following testimonial by my cousin Roger LeBlanc whom I met on the internet when he responded to a query of mine on the LeBlanc GenForum bulletin board.

«It's very nice to see Maurice as list administrator. He and I are first cousins once removed, though we have never met! We have often corresponded since finding each other on-line, and I believe the list is fortunate to acquire him as admin. I have just subscribed to the list.»

Cousin Roger was instrumental in correcting the earlier work of my Dad, who had relied on a somewhat incomplete work from the town where he grew up in Western Canada. I have since been able to confirm the ancestral lines Roger sent, mainly by using the tools available at my local research center. I now plan on discussing these tools in a series of short articles for Lucie's newsletter.



STANLEY LEBLANC - was born in New Iberia, Louisiana. After high school, he served in the U.S. Marines. His service included duty as a Marine Security Guard in Paris, France for 27 months. He met his wife, Marilyn in Paris and they married in England in June 1967. They have 2 children: Sarah and James.

After his U.S. Marine service, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southwestern Louisiana [USL - now UL-L] in Lafayette, LA. In January 1971, he moved to Dallas, Texas to work for the Social Security Administration. He retired in June 2003; and, in addition to genealogy research, he conducts workshops, seminars and personal consultations on social security issues.

He has been interested in genealogy since childhood when he realized that all Cajuns were related! Most Cajuns need only speak a few minutes to find a common connection! For example, in addition to being the 4th great-grandnephew of four sons of Joseph Broussard dit Beausoleil and Agnes Thibodeaux, he is the 6th great-grandson of Alexandre Broussard dit Beausoleil and Marguerite Thibodeaux via their son Anselme [Enselme] Broussard m. Magdeleine Dugas. Joseph and Alexandre Broussard dit Beausoliel were brothers and Agnes and Marguerite Thibodeaux were sisters.

Stanley hosts a great website at theCajuns.com




SHIRLEY THIBODEAUX LEBLANC - was born February 16, 1944 in Lafayette, Louisiana

Daughter of Everett Joseph Thibodeaux and Norfleet Neta Lee Shirley is the sister of James Everett Thibodeaux and wife of John Allen LeBlanc. The mother of Kevin Charles Lee LeBlanc, Donna Lorraine LeBlanc Ernst and Sonya Claire LeBlanc Key she is grandmother of Damion Lee Garrett, Brazos Lee Bennight, Glenda Lee Key, Jessica Ann Ernst and Laura Claire Key as well as great-grandmother of Devin Lee Garrett.

Shirley was raised in a very silent world for both her parents were deaf mutes. Her father was an Acadian and her Mother was English.

She had interpreted for the deaf since very young and still continues to do so.

After high school she attended college majoring in Special Education.

After the birth of her first child she worked as Information Operator for South Central Bell Telephone Company.

Shirley taught religion and was very involved in both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. In Boy Scouts she was Den Mother to 30 little boys. In Girl Scouts she was Troop Leader, Day Camp Arts and Crafts, Day Camp Director and Resident Camp Assistant Director, Leadership Trainer for Women and Unit Leader for several years.

She is now retired from personally owned businesses: one being real estate by the my company name of Genesis Realty; the other a children’s resale shop named “Granny’s Toy Box”.

Since retirement Shirley enjoys traveling with John all over the United States and Canada especially Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. They are regular visitors Nova Scotia and New Brunswick and have travelled there on an average of once a year for the past 15 years.

Present day involvements:

President of Famille de Thibodeaux Association, Louisiana
President-elect for the Acadian Memorial Foundation
Secretary for Confederation of Associations of Families Acadian (CAFA).



JAMES PERRY - James H. Perry is an Industrial Electrician at Cavendish Farms, a frozen French Fry manufacturer in New Annan, Prince Edward island.

In his spare time, he is an amateur Acadian Historian and Genealogist. He has previously written articles for The Ancestral Home Newsletter, The Louisiana Genealogical Register, La Petite Souvenance and Les Nouvelles.

He lives in Summerside with his wife Dianne, daughters Melanie and Carolyn and son Christopher. He can be reached at jperry at pei.sympatico.ca




KAREN THERIOT READER - is a librarian and genealogist specializing in Louisiana Cajun lines. She lives on the Monterey Bay in California.

Karen attended the University of California at Berkeley during the 1960s, where she was Phi Beta Kappa, and earned her master's degree in Library Science. Having researched her family history for nearly fifteen years, she has traced connections to most of the early Acadian immigrants to Louisiana. Her Cajun grandfather left New Iberia, Louisiana for Los Angeles and his ancestry can be found at World Connect KATheriot Karen has been married for forty years, and she and her husband have three children.



ROGER ROZENDAL - was born and raised in South Dakota. Obtaining a B. S. degree in Geological Engineering from South Dakota School of Mines and Technology and an M. S. degree in Geology from the University of Minnesota, I was employed by the Shell Oil Company in the Exploration Department for 34 years.

Married to Patricia Thibodeau, a descendant of Pierre Thibodeau, while doing the genealogy of her family, I became fascinated by the history of the Acadians and the Grand Dérangement. As most of her ancestors came to Louisiana with Joseph Broussard in 1765, my special interest has been in the Acadians who were imprisoned in Acadia and came to Louisiana in 1765 (prior to the April 1766 Spanish census of Louisiana). I am attempting to trace their place of imprisonment in Acadia (1760-1763), their time of arrival in Louisiana, their place of settlement, and any subsequent moves prior to the 1766 census.





STEPHEN A. WHITE - is graduate of Harvard College and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He was practicing law in Boston, Massachusetts when offered the position as Genealogist at Moncton University's Centre d'études acadiennes [Centre for Acadian Studies].

After working on the Dictionnaire généalogique des familles acadiennes for almost 30 years, the CEA published his first two volumes in 1999. He is currently compiling more volumes for future publication.

Don't let the name of White deceive you for Stephen is actually an Acadian LeBlanc descendant. As he tells it, his great-grandfather, Simon-Pierre LeBlanc was a captain without a ship when he moved his family from Cape Breton to Massachusetts and changed his name to Simon Peter White.

Information on how to purchase the Dictionnaire, Contact Acadie published yearly [may be printed from this site and is free], and the "Trente-sept familles de retrouvailles" [referred to as the "Thirty-seven Families"] by Stephen A. White can be found at Centre d'études acadiennes.




BRENDA FAYE COMEAUX TRAHAN - is Curator Director of Acadian Memorial and Museum of The Acadian Memorial in St. Martinville, Louisiana.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Interpersonal & Public Communication, ULL and a Master of Science in Organizational and Interpersonal Communication and is a past Adjunct Instructor University of Louisiana at Lafayette Department of Communication. Brenda received the Department of Communication 1994 Outstanding Graduate teacher award. She has co-published an article entitled "International Journal of Listening related to thesis topic: Listening Needs of Nursing Home Residents."

Professional and Civic affiliations:

Louisiana Association of Museums, Committee Member - Nominating & Conference Planning;Southeastern Museum Confederation;American Association of Museums;ULL Communication Department Alumni Association;CODOFIL Board member;Member of the Friends of the Humanities;Chamber of Commerce/St. Martinville, 2003 Business Woman of the Year/Board Member; Member of “OWL Players” Theater troupe (OWL - Older Women of Louisiana); St. Martinville KIWANIS Club - Publicity Chairman, Pepper Festival; Vice-President & Publicity Chair of "Les Comeaux du Monde"; Daughters of the American Revolution/New Iberia Chapter; Member of the Krewe of Victoria and the "Ooh la la" Victorian Royalty 2001, "Victoria Loves Paris".

Brenda lives with her husband Ernest Ray Trahan who is retired Regional Director of the Department of Revenue and is acting President of "La Famille Trahan Family Association" as well as a member of CIFA organization and Vice-President of the Board and President of the Acadien-Louisiane Association. They have two chidren Joey married to Jennifer and Scott Jules married to Emily who each have three children.



FRAN WILCOX - is a first generation American her parents were from Canada, her mother Fleurette Savoie provided her Acadian side and dad, Georges Duhamel provided the Quebequois side. Fran, while born in Vermont, lives now in New Hope, Pennsylvania and is home sick for New England.

Her love of History and Genealogy came courtesy of Dad and Grandpère François Duhamel, who's legacy to her was a compilation of the family tree and the hand written copies of church records, done some 80 years ago going back to the very early 1600s.

The lure of history and its wonderful stories blend perfectly with the love of genealogy. Where ever she lives, local history becomes a passion. She has written articles on Black history, local history and participated in local Archaeological digs. At present she is concentrating on the French and Indian War Period. Fran has also gone back to school for a certification in Historic Preservation. She is proud to be amongst such wonderful researchers and writers.

Thank you, Lucie, for a great venue for us to express ourselves and make new friends.



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