So much has passed since then. The Acadians were among the troops that soundly beat the British at the Battle of New Orleans. And as some Historians have said it was difficult to restrain the Acadians who wanted to charge the British and vent the hatred on those who had driven them from their homes in their beloved Acadia. But we can also be grateful that we, as Americans, enjoy a much more secure life and lifestyle than many of our cousins to the north enjoy today. You could almost say that the expulsion was a blessing. Don

Lafayette attorney Warren Perrin, told us that the Queen ... in response to a suit he filed on behalf of the Acadian descendants asking for an apology from the British for the shameful treatment to our ancestors ... had her British government draft a statement of sorts that it had been sent to the Canadian government for their evaluation and reaction. I am sure he is surprised that any public statement is being made this early.

Hi All, I am sorry but, this Celebration of a Proclamation admitting that the British ousted our ancestors.... seems somewhat trivial for several reasons. 1. She sure took her sweet time doing it. (Afraid of law suites?) 2. We know that our ancestors were ousted...........the whole world knows by now! I just can't seem to muster up any excitement that this is something to celebrate. To celebrate that the Queen finally decided to half admit some wrongs and proclaiming it .........well.........it's like O.J. admitting that he abused his wife awhile back but .............never admitting anymore...should we celebrate? I think.... like the Holocaust.......the Jews are getting back their paintings, Swiss bank accounts and jewels etc........We as Acadians should get back our lands and be compensated for the loss of so many lives and the hard ships and devastation inflicted upon our families. After delving into the heart wrenching stories of our ancestors for over 20 years, I don't even think an apology is enough. "I am sorry" .......just 3 little words, that the Queen can't seem to spit out, would fall on my deaf ears! Yes..........I have anger.........and I am not ashamed to admit it. This anger won't pass away and if some pompous Queen finally decided to proclaim that we were ousted and that was not nice...........well................big deal Queenie! Too Little To Late! Just have your people get off our lands and give them all back! Then I could try to find some semblance of forgiveness in this heart, before I go to meet my maker. Until then, I will stay as angry as my ancestors were when they stared down the barrel of the British muskets and watched their houses burn, their children separated, starved, ships sunk, be forced to beg in the streets, put out as slaves and then die ....etc etc etc. Acadians are very sweet people but wimps? ...........I think not! **Chiasson said. "People are always revising history and undermining certain events. The fact that it is now recognized in this proclamation makes it a reality." It's been REAL to us for 250 years! Her piece of paper doesn't change a thing. This sounds like just another politicians rhetoric Just had to get this off my chest. Linda Louviere d'Amours ______________________________________________________ CHRIS MORRIS Canadian Press: FREDERICTON (CP) - Acadians in the Maritimes are celebrating a decision by the federal government to issue a proclamation acknowledging the wrongs done to their ancestors during the expulsions of the 18th century.

Hi, Here in PEI, the Royal Proclamation has been reported all day long on the radio. It seems that our Federal cabinet approved the Royal Proc. and it will be signed next week by the Governor General. One of our local historian authors and President of the Miscouche Museum board, David Le Gallant was involved in bringing the matter up before our politicians and ultimately to the Queen a couple of years ago. I guess the wheels of government move slowly but they do indeed move. It will be very interesting to see the document. Acadie Vie James ----- Original Message ----- From: "Linda Maitland" <lindamaitland@telus.net> To: <ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 2:53 PM Subject: RE: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] British pardon? > This is what was reported in the Vancouver Sun today... > http://www.canada.com/vancouver/story.asp?id=A7A7CD7C-4C84-42D5-BA5E-F19C760 > >

| ----- Original Message ----- | From: "Cajun" <cajun@thecajuns.com> | To: <ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com> | Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 1:43 PM | Subject: RE: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd | | | > We could use a project today to convert the church records!!!! | > | > Stanley | > | -----Original Message----- | From: Judy Riffel [mailto:j.a.riffel@worldnet.att.net] | Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 3:32 PM | To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com | Subject: Re: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd | | | I'm wondering what you mean by "convert the church records"? What | church records and convert to what? | | Thanks. | | Judy Riffel | ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cajun" <cajun@thecajuns.com> To: <ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 4:55 PM Subject: RE: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd | I was thinking of preparing abstract cards from the church records, | civil records, etc. and then putting in books like DOBR, Fr. Hebert SWLR | etc. For example, There isn't a good source for North Louisiana records, | many parishes in the 1910 and 1920 census records aren't indexed and the | 1930 census isn't indexed! | | Stanley LeBlanc | Stanley, Judy, and List: There is a real need for someone or group to take up the challenge of continuing the work of Fr. Hebert's SWLR, where it leaves off (roughly 1900) and develop abstracts of the Lafayette and Lake Charles Dioceses to 1930 (which is the latest release of the U.S. Census). That could be published in book or CD format. Will the Catholic Church in Louisiana allow access to these records of OUR ancestors? Carl HUVAL Vicksburg, Mississippi U.S.A. Email: CarlHuval@huvalfamily.com HUVAL PAGE: http://www.huvalfamily.com

I was thinking of preparing abstract cards from the church records, civil records, etc. and then putting in books like DOBR, Fr. Hebert SWLR etc. For example, There isn't a good source for North Louisiana records, many parishes in the 1910 and 1920 census records aren't indexed and the 1930 census isn't indexed! Stanley LeBlanc -----Original Message----- From: Judy Riffel [mailto:j.a.riffel@worldnet.att.net] Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 3:32 PM To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd I'm wondering what you mean by "convert the church records"? What church records and convert to what? Thanks. Judy Riffel ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cajun" <cajun@thecajuns.com> To: <ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 1:43 PM Subject: RE: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd > We could use a project today to convert the church records!!!! > > Stanley > > -----Original Message----- > From: Don2717@aol.com [mailto:Don2717@aol.com] > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 12:29 PM > To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd > > > received these replies and I thought I'd forward them to the listers: > > Subj: WPA > Date: 12/3/03 10:01:47 AM Central Standard Time > From: eoubre@charter.net (Elton Oubre) > To: don2717@aol.com > > Hi, Don. Good explanation. Just to remind you, some of the most > valuable > > works of the WPA unemployed intellectuals for historians and > genealogists in our area included: histories of each civil parish, > translation of some of the > oldest French records in the courthouses, at least conveyances and > mortages, and > indexing of the Superior Court Records (Little Black Boxes), and > negative > filming of the so called Little Red Church Records. > > > Re: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville > Date: 12/3/03 11:19:39 AM Central Standard Time > From: jleblanc@eatel.net (James R Le Blanc) > To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com > > > The Work Projects Administration was involved in other efforts that > were/are important to genealogist. They sent their people into > courthouses (the Louisiana State Library has books of many of the La. > courthouses) to inventory, even showing drawn maps of the buildings). > > So much more important was their work in producing the soundexs of > many of the census. > > Jim Le Blanc > Baton Rouge, La. > > > ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/CAN/ACADIAN-CAJUN.html > This is the link to our archives. You may search or browse. Also, > subscribe or unsubscribe and contact admin. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy > records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=topics.ethnic.acadian -cajun > This is a link to the Acadian-Cajun Message Board at RootsWeb. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy > records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=topics.ethnic.acadian -cajun This is a link to the Acadian-Cajun Message Board at RootsWeb. ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

I'm wondering what you mean by "convert the church records"? What church records and convert to what? Thanks. Judy Riffel ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cajun" <cajun@thecajuns.com> To: <ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 1:43 PM Subject: RE: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd > We could use a project today to convert the church records!!!! > > Stanley > > -----Original Message----- > From: Don2717@aol.com [mailto:Don2717@aol.com] > Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 12:29 PM > To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd > > > received these replies and I thought I'd forward them to the listers: > > Subj: WPA > Date: 12/3/03 10:01:47 AM Central Standard Time > From: eoubre@charter.net (Elton Oubre) > To: don2717@aol.com > > Hi, Don. Good explanation. Just to remind you, some of the most valuable > > works of the WPA unemployed intellectuals for historians and > genealogists in our > area included: histories of each civil parish, translation of some of > the > oldest French records in the courthouses, at least conveyances and > mortages, and > indexing of the Superior Court Records (Little Black Boxes), and > negative > filming of the so called Little Red Church Records. > > > Re: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville > Date: 12/3/03 11:19:39 AM Central Standard Time > From: jleblanc@eatel.net (James R Le Blanc) > To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com > > > The Work Projects Administration was involved in other > efforts that were/are important to genealogist. They sent their people > into courthouses (the Louisiana State Library has books of many of the > La. courthouses) to inventory, even showing drawn maps of the > buildings). > > So much more important was their work in producing the > soundexs of many of the census. > > Jim Le Blanc > Baton Rouge, La. > > > ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/CAN/ACADIAN-CAJUN.html > This is the link to our archives. You may search or browse. Also, > subscribe or unsubscribe and contact admin. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy > records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=topics.ethnic.acadian-cajun > This is a link to the Acadian-Cajun Message Board at RootsWeb. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >

We could use a project today to convert the church records!!!! Stanley -----Original Message----- From: Don2717@aol.com [mailto:Don2717@aol.com] Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 12:29 PM To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] WPA, cont'd received these replies and I thought I'd forward them to the listers: Subj: WPA Date: 12/3/03 10:01:47 AM Central Standard Time From: eoubre@charter.net (Elton Oubre) To: don2717@aol.com Hi, Don. Good explanation. Just to remind you, some of the most valuable works of the WPA unemployed intellectuals for historians and genealogists in our area included: histories of each civil parish, translation of some of the oldest French records in the courthouses, at least conveyances and mortages, and indexing of the Superior Court Records (Little Black Boxes), and negative filming of the so called Little Red Church Records. Re: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville Date: 12/3/03 11:19:39 AM Central Standard Time From: jleblanc@eatel.net (James R Le Blanc) To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com The Work Projects Administration was involved in other efforts that were/are important to genealogist. They sent their people into courthouses (the Louisiana State Library has books of many of the La. courthouses) to inventory, even showing drawn maps of the buildings). So much more important was their work in producing the soundexs of many of the census. Jim Le Blanc Baton Rouge, La. ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/CAN/ACADIAN-CAJUN.html This is the link to our archives. You may search or browse. Also, subscribe or unsubscribe and contact admin. ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Thanks Linda, I've added a page on my site at http://www.thecajuns.com and I've sent an email to my hometown newspaper. The initial effort for a royal apology [which is dropped in the royal proclamation] was initiated by Warren Perrin, an attorney in Lafayette, Louisiana - Lucie has the text of a newspaper article re the apology on her site. Stanley LeBlanc -----Original Message----- From: Linda Maitland [mailto:lindamaitland@telus.net] Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 12:53 PM To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: RE: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] British pardon? This is what was reported in the Vancouver Sun today... http://www.canada.com/vancouver/story.asp?id=A7A7CD7C-4C84-42D5-BA5E-F19 C760 B430E Acadians celebrate Ottawa's approval of expulsion proclamation CHRIS MORRIS Canadian Press Wednesday, December 03, 2003 ADVERTISEMENT [Ad] FREDERICTON (CP) - Acadians in the Maritimes are celebrating a decision by the federal government to endorse a royal proclamation acknowledging the wrongs done to their ancestors during the expulsions of the 18th century. Euclide Chiasson, head of the Societe Nationale des Acadiens, said Wednesday the proclamation was approved by the federal cabinet during what was expected to be its final meeting with Prime Minister Jean Chretien earlier this week. "It was, to use the Latin phrase, 'in extremis,' because it was the last cabinet meeting," Chiasson said in an interview. "Up to the last minute, we didn't know if it would make the agenda. We have to thank (MPs) Sheila Copps and Stephane Dion who took leadership on this and pushed it through. We are very happy." The Acadian society wrote Queen Elizabeth several months ago asking the Crown to consider an acknowledgment of the expulsions, which began in 1755 and ended around 1763. Earlier efforts to seek a royal apology were dropped. Buckingham Palace responded by saying the Queen would need the advice of her Canadian ministers. "The proposal was put to the cabinet and we understand it was accepted unanimously," Chiasson said. He said the proclamation will be signed next week by Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson. He said that in addition to acknowledging the expulsions as part of Canadian history, there also will be a special commemorative day - July 28. "We finally have a document that recognizes the events surrounding that very sad part of our history," Chiasson said. "That, to me, is important. People are always revising history and undermining certain events. The fact that it is now recognized in this proclamation makes it a reality." Chiasson said 2005 is the 250th anniversary of the expulsions. He said the proclamation will be incorporated into commemorative activities. As well, he said it is hoped there will be a royal visit to the Maritimes during 2005. The decision by British governors to remove an entire ethnic population - the French-speaking Acadians - from the colony of Nova Scotia had consequences that resonated for generations. It's believed about 11,000 Acadians were deported from what is now the Maritimes. Some were sent to France, but most wound up scattered through the American colonies. It's estimated another 3,000 hid in the region's forests and in Quebec. Others sailed south to Louisiana where, over the centuries, they lost their language and much of their culture in the huge U.S. melting pot. There are now about 245,000 francophones, most of them Acadians, in New Brunswick, with another 34,000 Acadians in Nova Scotia and 5,500 in Prince Edward Island. The British Crown has made several mea culpas in recent years, including to the Maori people of New Zealand who lost vast tracts of territory to land-hungry settlers over 130 years ago. It has also issued apologies relating to the Boer war, the Irish potato famine and for Britian's role in the 1938 appeasement of Nazi Germany that led to the end of democracy in the Czech Republic, then part of Czechoslovakia. As well, the British government recently offered "sincere regrets" for its home-children policy under which about 100,000 children, classed as orphans, were shipped from England to Canada between 1867 and 1939. Chiasson's ancestors hid during the deportation, finally settling in Cheticamp, N.S., when the expulsion ended in the mid-1760s with a peace treaty between France and Britain. He said lingering pain from being an unwanted and expelled people haunts Acadians to this day. He said their history has made the Acadian people who they are today and he believes their contribution, and suffering, needs to be recognized. "It's not a question of looking back," Chiasson said. "It's a question of looking forward and knowing who you are." C Copyright 2003 The Canadian Press > -----Original Message----- > From: Shirley [mailto:s.belliveau@ns.sympatico.ca] > Sent: December 3, 2003 8:52 AM > To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] British pardon? > > > I've been hearing on the news all morning there's going to be some > kind of announcement from the Queen next week, it's not going to be an > apology for the deportation but an acknowledgement of sorts. Anyone > else heard anything? > ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== The number one rule of this list is no flaming. If something is posted to the list that disturbs you, bring it to the _admin._, not the list or the person who posted. Your concerns will be addressed. ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

received these replies and I thought I'd forward them to the listers: Subj: WPA Date: 12/3/03 10:01:47 AM Central Standard Time From: eoubre@charter.net (Elton Oubre) To: don2717@aol.com Hi, Don. Good explanation. Just to remind you, some of the most valuable works of the WPA unemployed intellectuals for historians and genealogists in our area included: histories of each civil parish, translation of some of the oldest French records in the courthouses, at least conveyances and mortages, and indexing of the Superior Court Records (Little Black Boxes), and negative filming of the so called Little Red Church Records. Re: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville Date: 12/3/03 11:19:39 AM Central Standard Time From: jleblanc@eatel.net (James R Le Blanc) To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com The Work Projects Administration was involved in other efforts that were/are important to genealogist. They sent their people into courthouses (the Louisiana State Library has books of many of the La. courthouses) to inventory, even showing drawn maps of the buildings). So much more important was their work in producing the soundexs of many of the census. Jim Le Blanc Baton Rouge, La.

I've been hearing on the news all morning there's going to be some kind of announcement from the Queen next week, it's not going to be an apology for the deportation but an acknowledgement of sorts. Anyone else heard anything?

The Work Projects Administration was involved in other efforts that were/are important to genealogist. They sent their people into courthouses (the Louisiana State Library has books of many of the La. courthouses) to inventory, even showing drawn maps of the buildings). So much more important was their work in producing the soundexs of many of the census. Jim Le Blanc Baton Rouge, La. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Cajun" <cajun@thecajuns.com> To: <ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 6:11 PM Subject: RE: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville > The U.S. Works Progress (later Work Projects) Administration (WPA) from > 1936-1940 was a Depression-era program to provide work for the > un-employed. One of the projects involved writers who wrote "life > histories". The Library of Congress collection includes 2,900 documents > representing the work of over 300 writers from 24 states. For > additional info see > http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/wpaintro/wpahome.html > > Another example of History and Genealogy Blending!!! > > Stanley LeBlanc > http://www.thecajuns.com > > -----Original Message----- > From: Rita [mailto:grannyharg@bellsouth.net] > Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 5:38 PM > To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville > > > In the foreword of Winston De Ville's book 'Gulf Coast Colonials - A > Compendium of French Families in Early Eighteenth Century Louisiana' it > states: > > "...utilizing copies of WPA records of baptisms, marriages, and funerals > for most of the earliest Louisiana families,..." > > I must be having a 'senior' moment ;-) Can anyone tell me what 'WPA' > stands for??? > > Any help appreciated! > Thanks, > Rita > > > > > ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== > http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=topics.ethnic.acadian > -cajun > This is a link to the Acadian-Cajun Message Board at RootsWeb. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy > records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > > > > > ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== > http://lists.rootsweb.com/index/intl/CAN/ACADIAN-CAJUN.html > This is the link to our archives. You may search or browse. Also, subscribe or unsubscribe and contact admin. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 >

This is what was reported in the Vancouver Sun today... http://www.canada.com/vancouver/story.asp?id=A7A7CD7C-4C84-42D5-BA5E-F19C760 B430E Acadians celebrate Ottawa's approval of expulsion proclamation CHRIS MORRIS Canadian Press Wednesday, December 03, 2003 ADVERTISEMENT [Ad] FREDERICTON (CP) - Acadians in the Maritimes are celebrating a decision by the federal government to endorse a royal proclamation acknowledging the wrongs done to their ancestors during the expulsions of the 18th century. Euclide Chiasson, head of the Societe Nationale des Acadiens, said Wednesday the proclamation was approved by the federal cabinet during what was expected to be its final meeting with Prime Minister Jean Chretien earlier this week. "It was, to use the Latin phrase, 'in extremis,' because it was the last cabinet meeting," Chiasson said in an interview. "Up to the last minute, we didn't know if it would make the agenda. We have to thank (MPs) Sheila Copps and Stephane Dion who took leadership on this and pushed it through. We are very happy." The Acadian society wrote Queen Elizabeth several months ago asking the Crown to consider an acknowledgment of the expulsions, which began in 1755 and ended around 1763. Earlier efforts to seek a royal apology were dropped. Buckingham Palace responded by saying the Queen would need the advice of her Canadian ministers. "The proposal was put to the cabinet and we understand it was accepted unanimously," Chiasson said. He said the proclamation will be signed next week by Gov. Gen. Adrienne Clarkson. He said that in addition to acknowledging the expulsions as part of Canadian history, there also will be a special commemorative day - July 28. "We finally have a document that recognizes the events surrounding that very sad part of our history," Chiasson said. "That, to me, is important. People are always revising history and undermining certain events. The fact that it is now recognized in this proclamation makes it a reality." Chiasson said 2005 is the 250th anniversary of the expulsions. He said the proclamation will be incorporated into commemorative activities. As well, he said it is hoped there will be a royal visit to the Maritimes during 2005. The decision by British governors to remove an entire ethnic population - the French-speaking Acadians - from the colony of Nova Scotia had consequences that resonated for generations. It's believed about 11,000 Acadians were deported from what is now the Maritimes. Some were sent to France, but most wound up scattered through the American colonies. It's estimated another 3,000 hid in the region's forests and in Quebec. Others sailed south to Louisiana where, over the centuries, they lost their language and much of their culture in the huge U.S. melting pot. There are now about 245,000 francophones, most of them Acadians, in New Brunswick, with another 34,000 Acadians in Nova Scotia and 5,500 in Prince Edward Island. The British Crown has made several mea culpas in recent years, including to the Maori people of New Zealand who lost vast tracts of territory to land-hungry settlers over 130 years ago. It has also issued apologies relating to the Boer war, the Irish potato famine and for Britian's role in the 1938 appeasement of Nazi Germany that led to the end of democracy in the Czech Republic, then part of Czechoslovakia. As well, the British government recently offered "sincere regrets" for its home-children policy under which about 100,000 children, classed as orphans, were shipped from England to Canada between 1867 and 1939. Chiasson's ancestors hid during the deportation, finally settling in Cheticamp, N.S., when the expulsion ended in the mid-1760s with a peace treaty between France and Britain. He said lingering pain from being an unwanted and expelled people haunts Acadians to this day. He said their history has made the Acadian people who they are today and he believes their contribution, and suffering, needs to be recognized. "It's not a question of looking back," Chiasson said. "It's a question of looking forward and knowing who you are." © Copyright 2003 The Canadian Press > -----Original Message----- > From: Shirley [mailto:s.belliveau@ns.sympatico.ca] > Sent: December 3, 2003 8:52 AM > To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com > Subject: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] British pardon? > > > I've been hearing on the news all morning there's going to be some kind of > announcement from the Queen next week, it's not going to be an apology for > the deportation but an acknowledgement of sorts. Anyone else > heard anything? >

Since the discussion of the WPA began yesterday, I have received countless replies, ALL POSITIVE. When the Great Depression hit the United States in 1929, the American economy hit rock bottom and millions of Americans lost their jobs. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced "The New Deal", a series of new programs designed to pick America back up on to its feet and get the economy moving again. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was one of those programs. Initially designed to fund the building and improvement America's infrastructure, it also funded the arts, history, and culture of America. In short, the WPA employed out-of-work Americans who were certified by local agencies as meeting certain qualifications. The WPA was responsible for building structures, such as airports, seaports, and bridges. It paved 651,000 miles of road, built 78,000 bridges, 8,000 parks, and 800 airports. The WPA also funded some programs in the humanities, including the Federal Arts Project, Federal Writers Project, Federal Theatre Project, National Health Survey, and the Historical Records Survey (HRS). Although I was quite young (born in 1928), I remember when the WPA was actively improving the infrastructure of New Orleans and the surrounding parishes. The lakefront seawall, drainage and sewage systems, Audubon Park zoo and lagoons, roads and bridges, City Park lagoons and bridges, highways in and out of the city to name a few. The WPA put millions of un-employed Americans back to work. They worked and produced valuable projects that enriched this nation. It was not a hand-out. It gave pride to those who began to feel a self worth. A new name for this program could be PUBLIC Works. Something we could use today to give jobs to the un-employed. NO HAND-OUTS, just a job. We need a tremenduous amount of upgrading of our infrastructure. Instead of giving away countless billions of American Taxpayers' dollars to our so-called allies, we should spend this money at home. Don Landry don2717@aol.com

Works Progress Administration....it was a New Deal Program to put people to work, it was especially successful in the areas of writing and art. Here in Chicago we have the largest collection of murals in public buildings of anywhere in the country. There has been a big push to save and restore those that can be still located. Cheryl Quinn

-----Original Message----- From: SwampQueen CHAUVIN [mailto:CAJUN-BAYOU@webtv.net] Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 8:35 PM To: DS Cc: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville THOUGHT WPA WAS DURIN THE DEPRESSION ?:) Take time to laugh, for it is the music of the soul. I not only Believe in Miracles~I Rely on Them:) 

In a message dated 12/2/03 5:39:15 PM Central Standard Time, grannyharg@bellsouth.net writes: > In the foreword of Winston De Ville's book 'Gulf Coast Colonials - A > Compendium of French Families in Early Eighteenth Century Louisiana' it > states: > > "...utilizing copies of WPA records of baptisms, marriages, and funerals for > most of the earliest Louisiana families,..." > > I must be having a 'senior' moment ;-) Can anyone tell me what 'WPA' stands > for??? > > Any help appreciated! > Thanks, > Rita ==============++++++++++ ========== In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced "The New Deal", a series of new programs designed to pick America back up on to its feet and get the economy moving again. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was one of those programs. Don Following are details of the program: WPA Historical Records Survey by Steve Paul Johnson, July 28, 1999 As part of the Historical Records Survey, WPA staff created indexes of historical records across the country, fostering today's interest in genealogy and history. If you have surfed the Internet for genealogical records, chances are you have run across a site or two that published "WPA Cemetery Indexes". The WPA is now long gone, but their legacy lives on in the genealogical community. What was the WPA, what did they do, and what happened to them? When the Great Depression hit the United States in 1929, the American economy hit rock bottom. The value of the dollar became nearly worthless and millions of Americans lost their jobs. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced "The New Deal", a series of new programs designed to pick America back up on to its feet and get the economy moving again. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was one of those programs. Initially designed to fund the building and improvement America's infrastructure, it also funded the arts, history, and culture of America. In short, the WPA employed out-of-work Americans who were certified by local agencies as meeting certain qualifications. The WPA was born in 1935 with an initial appropriation of $4.88 billion dollars from the Emergency Relief Fund. Over the years, the WPA would employ some 8.5 million Americans, and spent a total of $11 billion dollars. Interestingly, half of those workers were employed in New York City alone!. Typical WPA workers were paid $15 to $90 dollars a month. It remains today as the most vigorous attempt in history to stimulate the U.S. economy. In 1939, the WPA was renamed to the Works Projects Administration. The WPA lived for only eight years. The WPA was responsible for building structures, such as airports, seaports, and bridges. It paved 651,000 miles of road, built 78,000 bridges, 8,000 parks, and 800 airports. The WPA also funded some programs in the humanities, including the Federal Arts Project, Federal Writers Project, Federal Theatre Project, National Health Survey, and the Historical Records Survey (HRS). WPA staff indexing the 1920 U.S. census. Source: National Archives and Records Administration. Originally organized in 1935 as part of the Federal Writers Project, the HRS documented resources for research into American History. It later became a unit of the Research and Records Program in 1939. The HRS was responsible for creating the soundex indexes of the federal census which genealogists today have come to rely so heavily on. The HRS also compiled indexes of vital statistics, cemetery interments, school records, military records, maps, newspapers, and the list went on and on. Microfilms of these indexes were later made by other organizations. The WPA was organized into regional, state, and local divisions. Much of the work conducted by the HRS was done for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as well as state archives agencies, and state historical societies, which these entities are still in possession of. One can access the microfilms by paying a visit to these organizations. As the years went by, government officials became highly critical of the WPA, arguing that money was being spent to fund projects that people did not need, such as tap dancing lessons, and murals painted in post offices. Roosevelt claimed the high morale of the workers was well worth the money. However, federal funding for the WPA decreased over the years, and certain projects were terminated. WPA staff began waging labor strikes, which only fueled arguments against the WPA. When the United States entered World War II in 1941, Americans went to work building war machines. Hundreds of defense contractors earned orders, which spurned the growth of yet thousands of more companies. By 1943, it was clear that the WPA had run its course. Roosevelt signed the order terminating the WPA, which ended on June 30, 1943. After the WPA was dissolved, the records, now in the hands of state archives and historical societies, were microfilmed, indexed, and made available for use. However, many other records were placed into boxes and stored away. Fewer yet had been destroyed, and in some cases, destroyed purposely. With the emergence of the Internet, WPA records have found their way into mass distribution. Genealogists, who have long relied on microfilms of WPA records, are now finding the same records online. The most prominent example is the USGenWeb Census Project, where volunteers are migrating the census index microfilms to the Internet. Many WPA cemetery recordings are also finding their way online. While no single WPA based project currently exists, hundreds of people across the United States have visited their local historical societies, copied some records, and published them to the Internet on their own personal websites. Michael Hedrick, webmaster of Friends of the Occoquan Mills, has published some WPA records, including a recording of a cemetery, which he has graciously volunteered for this article. Click here to see it. While critics might argue that federal money was wasted on unnecessary projects, it is clear that the work of the WPA fostered a greater appreciation for the arts and humanities. The thousands of publicly accessible paintings, writings, plays, and music, stimulated the people's appreciation of the arts. The thousands of parks and recreational facilities built by the WPA, is the reason why we have become used to having so many parks and facilities nearby. Likewise, the projects of the HRS created interest in the research of history and genealogy, which subsequently spurned the restoration of old cemeteries, erection of monuments, and establishment of societies and clubs. Interest in genealogy would not be at the level it is now if not for the WPA.

The U.S. Works Progress (later Work Projects) Administration (WPA) from 1936-1940 was a Depression-era program to provide work for the un-employed. One of the projects involved writers who wrote "life histories". The Library of Congress collection includes 2,900 documents representing the work of over 300 writers from 24 states. For additional info see http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/wpaintro/wpahome.html Another example of History and Genealogy Blending!!! Stanley LeBlanc http://www.thecajuns.com -----Original Message----- From: Rita [mailto:grannyharg@bellsouth.net] Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 5:38 PM To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville In the foreword of Winston De Ville's book 'Gulf Coast Colonials - A Compendium of French Families in Early Eighteenth Century Louisiana' it states: "...utilizing copies of WPA records of baptisms, marriages, and funerals for most of the earliest Louisiana families,..." I must be having a 'senior' moment ;-) Can anyone tell me what 'WPA' stands for??? Any help appreciated! Thanks, Rita ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec?htx=board&r=rw&p=topics.ethnic.acadian -cajun This is a link to the Acadian-Cajun Message Board at RootsWeb. ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Thanks, Don. Interesting article! Rita -----Original Message----- From: Don2717@aol.com [mailto:Don2717@aol.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2003 5:51 PM To: ACADIAN-CAJUN-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [ACADIAN-CAJUN] "Gulf Coast Colonials" by Winston De Ville In a message dated 12/2/03 5:39:15 PM Central Standard Time, grannyharg@bellsouth.net writes: > In the foreword of Winston De Ville's book 'Gulf Coast Colonials - A > Compendium of French Families in Early Eighteenth Century Louisiana' > it > states: > > "...utilizing copies of WPA records of baptisms, marriages, and > funerals for > most of the earliest Louisiana families,..." > > I must be having a 'senior' moment ;-) Can anyone tell me what 'WPA' stands > for??? > > Any help appreciated! > Thanks, > Rita ==============++++++++++ ========== In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced "The New Deal", a series of new programs designed to pick America back up on to its feet and get the economy moving again. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was one of those programs. Don Following are details of the program: WPA Historical Records Survey by Steve Paul Johnson, July 28, 1999 As part of the Historical Records Survey, WPA staff created indexes of historical records across the country, fostering today's interest in genealogy and history. If you have surfed the Internet for genealogical records, chances are you have run across a site or two that published "WPA Cemetery Indexes". The WPA is now long gone, but their legacy lives on in the genealogical community. What was the WPA, what did they do, and what happened to them? When the Great Depression hit the United States in 1929, the American economy hit rock bottom. The value of the dollar became nearly worthless and millions of Americans lost their jobs. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt introduced "The New Deal", a series of new programs designed to pick America back up on to its feet and get the economy moving again. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) was one of those programs. Initially designed to fund the building and improvement America's infrastructure, it also funded the arts, history, and culture of America. In short, the WPA employed out-of-work Americans who were certified by local agencies as meeting certain qualifications. The WPA was born in 1935 with an initial appropriation of $4.88 billion dollars from the Emergency Relief Fund. Over the years, the WPA would employ some 8.5 million Americans, and spent a total of $11 billion dollars. Interestingly, half of those workers were employed in New York City alone!. Typical WPA workers were paid $15 to $90 dollars a month. It remains today as the most vigorous attempt in history to stimulate the U.S. economy. In 1939, the WPA was renamed to the Works Projects Administration. The WPA lived for only eight years. The WPA was responsible for building structures, such as airports, seaports, and bridges. It paved 651,000 miles of road, built 78,000 bridges, 8,000 parks, and 800 airports. The WPA also funded some programs in the humanities, including the Federal Arts Project, Federal Writers Project, Federal Theatre Project, National Health Survey, and the Historical Records Survey (HRS). WPA staff indexing the 1920 U.S. census. Source: National Archives and Records Administration. Originally organized in 1935 as part of the Federal Writers Project, the HRS documented resources for research into American History. It later became a unit of the Research and Records Program in 1939. The HRS was responsible for creating the soundex indexes of the federal census which genealogists today have come to rely so heavily on. The HRS also compiled indexes of vital statistics, cemetery interments, school records, military records, maps, newspapers, and the list went on and on. Microfilms of these indexes were later made by other organizations. The WPA was organized into regional, state, and local divisions. Much of the work conducted by the HRS was done for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), as well as state archives agencies, and state historical societies, which these entities are still in possession of. One can access the microfilms by paying a visit to these organizations. As the years went by, government officials became highly critical of the WPA, arguing that money was being spent to fund projects that people did not need, such as tap dancing lessons, and murals painted in post offices. Roosevelt claimed the high morale of the workers was well worth the money. However, federal funding for the WPA decreased over the years, and certain projects were terminated. WPA staff began waging labor strikes, which only fueled arguments against the WPA. When the United States entered World War II in 1941, Americans went to work building war machines. Hundreds of defense contractors earned orders, which spurned the growth of yet thousands of more companies. By 1943, it was clear that the WPA had run its course. Roosevelt signed the order terminating the WPA, which ended on June 30, 1943. After the WPA was dissolved, the records, now in the hands of state archives and historical societies, were microfilmed, indexed, and made available for use. However, many other records were placed into boxes and stored away. Fewer yet had been destroyed, and in some cases, destroyed purposely. With the emergence of the Internet, WPA records have found their way into mass distribution. Genealogists, who have long relied on microfilms of WPA records, are now finding the same records online. The most prominent example is the USGenWeb Census Project, where volunteers are migrating the census index microfilms to the Internet. Many WPA cemetery recordings are also finding their way online. While no single WPA based project currently exists, hundreds of people across the United States have visited their local historical societies, copied some records, and published them to the Internet on their own personal websites. Michael Hedrick, webmaster of Friends of the Occoquan Mills, has published some WPA records, including a recording of a cemetery, which he has graciously volunteered for this article. Click here to see it. While critics might argue that federal money was wasted on unnecessary projects, it is clear that the work of the WPA fostered a greater appreciation for the arts and humanities. The thousands of publicly accessible paintings, writings, plays, and music, stimulated the people's appreciation of the arts. The thousands of parks and recreational facilities built by the WPA, is the reason why we have become used to having so many parks and facilities nearby. Likewise, the projects of the HRS created interest in the research of history and genealogy, which subsequently spurned the restoration of old cemeteries, erection of monuments, and establishment of societies and clubs. Interest in genealogy would not be at the level it is now if not for the WPA. ==== ACADIAN-CAJUN Mailing List ==== The number one rule of this list is no flaming. If something is posted to the list that disturbs you, bring it to the _admin._, not the list or the person who posted. Your concerns will be addressed. ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

In the foreword of Winston De Ville's book 'Gulf Coast Colonials - A Compendium of French Families in Early Eighteenth Century Louisiana' it states: "...utilizing copies of WPA records of baptisms, marriages, and funerals for most of the earliest Louisiana families,..." I must be having a 'senior' moment ;-) Can anyone tell me what 'WPA' stands for??? Any help appreciated! Thanks, Rita