The American Canadian Genealogical Society [ACGS] of Manchester, New Hampshire recently purchased the Drouin database. All of the records contained therein once belonged to the Drouin Institute of Quebec. When the Institute closed Jean-Pierre Pepin purchased all of those records as well as the rights. He first sold the microfilmed copies of the records and not too long ago decided to digitize everything onto hard drives. This is what ACGS purchased.

When you access this database you are accessing a *primary* source in research. For those new to research, this means that you are able to see and have the images of the *original* baptisms, marriages or burials of your Ancestors. These digital images were made from the original parish registers for Acadia [records that still exist], Acadian New Brunswick Parishes, Quebec Parishes, some Ontatio parishes, early Acadian Census Records and more.

You do not have to be within traveling distance of Manchester, New Hampshire to obtain these images. You can call ACGS at 603-622-1554 on Wednesday, Friday or Saturday with a credit card.

When I accessed the database for the first time what I saw was unbelievable. I was able to see my grandmother's baptismal record as it exists in the *original parish register* as well as the baptisms of her siblings who were all born at Ste-Anastasie, Lyster, Quebec. I accessed the marriage of her parents, my great grandparents and came across the burial of my great great grandfather at the same time. I also accessed the marriage record for my grandparents who married in Shediac, New Brunswick as well as the records needed for my application to the DAR.

This database also contains parish registers for Acadia [those that still exist], Acadian Parishes of New Brunswick, some of Nova Scotia, some records for Ontario as well as Volumes XXIII & XXIV of the French Neutrals that are part of the holdings at the Massachusetts State Archives. There are also early census records for Acadia and just a lot of good research data.

These records have been digitally enhanced and so they are quite clear and easy enough to read even those going way back to the 1700s though some in the early 1630s are more difficult and some of those are in latin.

This is a marvelous tool and not to be overlooked. None of us could never obtain all of the records we would want pertaining to our Ancestors but now these records are in one database.

The first time I worked in the database, I was able to access, save and take home 20 records that I saved on a key drive. However, the records can be burned to a CD or disk.

For more information send a message to: Drouin@acgs.org Here is what the images look like:

More images have been posted to the ACGS web site at ACGS site