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Archiver > QUEBEC > 1999-03 > 0920599880


From: hgsmith <>
Subject: Re: [QUEBEC-L] Surnames
Date: Thu, 04 Mar 1999 21:11:20 -0500


Jane,
I am not sure I can descibe this correctly so hopefully someone will correct
me if I`m wrong.
The Blue Druin is actually a set of aproximately 50 huge Tomes. Inside these
books are listed most of the marriages in the Province of Québec. (There are
also a few from New Brunswick) Most of these are from the the late 1700`s to
about the 1930`s. The Blue Druin is indexed by the husband's last name, then
first name, then the bride`s last name, then first name. As an example if there
was a Michel Lavigne married to a Marie Boucher and a Michel Lavigne married to
a Sophie Houde the listings would look something like this:

LAVIGNE
Tessier Michel Boucher
Marie Montréal
Joseph - Roy Cécile Jean - Demers Marie 23
Jul 1837

Poutré Fernand Houde
Cécile St-Patrick, Mtl
Jn-Bpt - Gagnon Adèle Louis - Gouin M-Anne 14 Feb
1816

Note Tessier and Poutré are "dit names" or interchangeable Surnames. Dit names
are another long story but I`ll see if I can dig up Denis Beaureguard`s web
site. I believe he has a better explanation for this.

Any way you can see the parent`s for both are listed when known unless the
person is a widow or widower. In which case the previous spouse is listed.
This means if someone was married 3 times, you would still have to find the
first marriage to find the parents.

As far as the location given for the marriage, this could be the name of the
town or the name of the church. It also may only give the contrat notaire`s
name if the marriage were a civil marriage. In which case you would go to the
notaire`s records.

As with any secondary source you must verify your information. The
American-French Genealogical Society now owns the rights to this resource and is
in the process of entering into a database to eventually put on CD. This is an
enormous undertaking and will probably take months if not years to compile
this. (I know because I`m one of the volunteers) The AFGS has microfilm of the
original records. So once you find a marriage you can request from them, for a
fee, a photocopy of the original document. (I`m not sure what the fee is but I
know it`s nominal. You could probably find it on their web site)

The Red Druin is the same thing only the marriages are listed by the wife`s name
first. The name comes from what color the books are bound in. As far as is it
readily available, I sappose that depends on where you live. I know of several
other places that have copies of these books or a microfilm of them. Most are
in Canada. The AFGS is in Woonsocket, RI.
I believe the french Genealogical Society in Manchester NH also has them. I
would probably bet the New England Historical Society in Boston and the Allen
Public Library (I believe it`s in Ohio) also have them.

As long as people are patient about getting the answers (I only go to the
Library once a week, if I can) I will do look-ups when I can. My help file
still has some room in it.

Hope this helps,
Marie-Paulette

Soules wrote:

> Red and Blue Druin? I've never heard of this record. Elaborate SVP! Is it
> a readily available tome?
>
> TIA!
>
> Jane Tait Soules
> Researching: Tait, Bufil (Beaufield), Kerr in Montreal, QC.
>
> >

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