As I mentioned last week, the next couple of weeks will be busy with family and friends so I’m sharing past blogs, including some additional thoughts. Summer is a busy time, and we seem to have more activities to participate in, watch together and enjoy. Even though our ancestors were likely working extremely hard to keep food on the table, they still liked to pause to enjoy community activities like baseball, dances, and celebrations (weddings, parades etc.) Do you have any pictures or newspaper articles that talk about your ancestors or what was happening in the community? Chances are that your people were at some of these events. How can you incorporate that into your family story? Read Fishing with our Ancestors - Herding Cats Genealogy for more ideas.

Summer is in full swing, and it will be a busy two weeks for me entertaining and enjoying family and friends. I thought I’d reshare a blog I posted some time ago regarding food and family and family stories plus a few more thoughts on the topic.

​I enjoy reading family histories. They give me ideas for writing my own family history and I learn more about people who may have had similar experiences to my ancestors. I also love to see how authors distill the plethora of information into a readable and useful book. I’d like to share one such book with you.
 
If your last name or an ancestor in North America has the name of Gaboury, you will want to purchase this book: The Gaboury Story: An Adventure Across North America by David Gaboury. David has undertaken the monumental task of determining that all Gaboury people in Canada and the United States are descended from this one gentleman, Antoine Gaboury. Antoine came from France to New France (Quebec) in the 1600s.
 
 If you’re thinking…oh that’s not how we spell our name, David has researched all the name variations and proven that these are all descended from the original man, the surname changed when they moved to English speaking areas prior to 1850. Here are the main variations: Gibree, Gabourie, Gabaree, Gabree and Gaboury. If you are from one of these branches, you will be able to understand how you are related to Antoine Gaboury as well as your ties to the other families in this book.
 
The research is detailed with illustrations, photographs, and endnotes to help guide you through this 424-page hardcover book. If you are interested in purchasing this terrific book, contact David Gaboury at [email protected]. My only regret is that I don’t have any Gaboury relatives! Enjoy!

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, you’ll know that I have an ongoing project to create digital copies of all my family history research, including photos and documents. While I’ve made great strides, I do have more work to do and am on the lookout for scanning options. Let’s look.

I hope that you will have the opportunity to spend time with your family and friends this 4th of July. Enjoy the holiday!
 
For those who would like to mix a little more history and genealogy with the fireworks and fun, here are some interesting links to get you started.
 
July 4th Origin and Timeline - Student Center | Britannica.com
 
Fourth of July - Origins, Early Celebrations & Traditions | HISTORY
 
Independence Day (United States) - Wikipedia
 
Finding Your Revolutionary War Ancestor • FamilySearch
 
Military Records - Ancestor Records
 
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library • FamilySearch
 
Happy 4th of July 2023!