An excerpt from Digging for Treasure, Two Pioneer Coal Developers in Portage, Pennsylvania by Jean Crichton My sharpest memories of Portage, Pennsylvania, date from certain Sundays before my father’s death in 1952 (when I was 8). After church and Sunday dinner at our suburban home in Westmont, outside of Johnstown, Father would suggest “a drive up to the mines.” In an era before seatbelts, I climbed into the backseat of our maroon Cadillac beside my brother Alan. Piled around us were books and toys, enough, it was hoped, to keep us occupied for the 20-mile trip. Father took the wheel, (more…)

An excerpt from We Were not Spoiled by Lucille Ledoux as told to Denis Ledoux. In Franco-American New England, marching drill teams were popular. These teams were made up of Franco-American girls who played instruments and marched in formation. Rhéa Ledoux was a team captain and she got to march in front of the other girls. The various drill teams would prepare elaborate sequences which they performed in parades—often in competition for a prize. Some of the local teams of Franco-American girls were very good. The St-Jean-Baptiste parade was always a focal point as Canadians celebrated their patron saint on (more…)

An excerpt from We Were not Spoiled by Lucille Ledoux as told to Denis Ledoux. While our family was already large by today’s standards—there were already 6 kids, it was to grow even larger. In the spring of 1929, my mother was pregnant again and she made arrangements to have the baby in the hospital for the first time. I don’t know if she had some extra money or what, but René was born at St. Mary’s Hospital on June 24—Saint-Jean-Batiste [1]Day. In the next months, she developed mastitis. She believed she had contracted it when she went to the (more…)

Here to Stay: Developing Nationhood and Community in New France Here to Stay: Developing Nationhood and Community in New France is excerpted from my historical memoir Here To Stay. Here I write about my maternal ancestors Bartélémy Verreault and Marthe Quittel. As I recorded genealogical information—the births, marriages and deaths of my ancestors, I began to be fascinated with the question “What must their daily lives in New France have been like?” My mild interest in genealogy—to see how far back I could go in my Ledoux lineage—grew into a passion to reconstruct the French-speaking seventeenth-century culture that emerged on (more…)

National Memoir Writers Telesummit National Association of Memoir Writers is presenting their 10th Memoir Writers Telesummit—a free teleconference with experts in the areas of writing, publishing, blogging, and platform building—on May 3. Join the memoir writers telesummit for a great day of learning, exploring, and sharing passions about the ways that memoir writing and reading memoir has united people, and changed how literature and publishing is viewed. I am excited to be participating in this Memoir Writers Telesummit which is free to listeners. Memoirs are more popular today than ever. There is an evolving grass roots movement where ordinary people, not just (more…)

Special Announcement: Soleil Lifestory Network is now The Memoir Network It is official. We are now calling ourselves The Memoir Network. It better reflects you, our clients and friends, who are writers of memoirs. We hope you like the new website. As you peruse it, please be a good editor and notify us of any typos or errors you find. We appreciate your keen eye and willingness to share information. Also, don’t forget to provide feedback about the new site. Tell us what you think. Do you like the feel of it? Is it easy to maneuver? Do you have any ideas for (more…)

DL—The following excerpt is from We Were Not Spoiled, the Franco-American Memoir of Lucille Verreault Ledoux as told to Denis Ledoux. My Father Learns About April Fool’s Day Moving to Howe Street also meant that I lost my friends on Jefferson Street. I could still get together with Juliette and Jeannine at school but they were no longer just outside for me to play with. Soon after we moved into our new home, it was April Fool’s Day. April Fool’s was a new thing for us, something we had learned in school. It fell on a Wednesday that year, and (more…)

It’s 10:00 a.m. “What’s next? How can I fit writing time into my day?” I ask, checking my day’s agenda in my head. Don’t make a busy day’s schedule a reason to not stay motivated to write. I’ve been writing memoir for over 20 years and have concluded the following 5 suggestions to help you stay motivated to write even if you have a full day’s agenda. 1. Think of your day in terms of segments. I segment my day, based on my volunteer job, my paid job and my writing work. Thinking in terms of blocks in your day (more…)

On Monday, the 5th of February, 1663[1], at about five o’clock in the evening, an earthquake[2] that reportedly lasted for as long as a half hour shook New France. In Québec, Marie de l’Incarnation wrote about hearing a loud noise and a “terrible buzzing sound” coming from far away. She described it as the sound of many coaches rushing recklessly over cobblestones. Almost as soon as the people of Québec heard the sound in the air, they heard it coming from the ground as well. Then, the earth began to move. It was about 5:30 in the afternoon. Rafters snapped (more…)

Outing to the Mine Office

By Jean Crichton

Franco-American Girls Marching Drill Team

A Marching Drill Team of Franco-American Girls

By Lucille Ledoux

In Franco-American New England, marching drill teams were popular. These teams were made up of Franco-American girls who played instruments and marched in formation. Rhéa Ledoux was a team captain and she got to march in front of the other girls. (more…)