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About

BelgianFamily.com

This website contains research completed on my Belgian ancestors. The pedigree includes these major surnames. Many more names appear on the Name Index page or in the family group sheets accessible from the pedigree. :

These ancestors have been traced back through records to their homes in Wallonia, Belgium, as far back as 1600. They come from Beauvechain, Hevillers, Namur, Nethen, Sarisbar, Spy, and Temploux.

The first ancestors came to the New World in the mid-1850s. The last to arrive came in the 1870s. All settled first in northeast Wisconsin: in Kewaunee and Door counties, an area that contained many French and Walloon-speaking people. From there some migrated to Harris, Michigan, while others moved to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Currently, we live all across the United States.

Thanks to DNA research, our migration from East Africa thousands of years ago to Belgium has also been identified.

The Author

I lived most of my life in Chicago, while my Belgian family lived primarily in Northeast Wisconsin.

Soon after finishing college, I read a book about genealogical research, and began. Though my grandmother was dead, her younger sister, Marie Pirlot LaFountain, was very much alive and had a great memory.

So I would spend time in Northeast Wisconsin and Upper Michigan interviewing people, visiting county courthouses, libraries, and walking through cemeteries. Then I would return to Chicago and continue my research going through family papers, libraries, the National Archives Research Center, and of course writing letters. Since retirement, I have increased and expanded my research to make use of the Internet.

The Research

I started my research in 1973. Needless to say, all the research was done either in person or through the mail. And, of course, all of my notes, records, and charts were on paper. This was before the era of the home computer, let alone the Internet.

At some point in the 1990s, I computerized my records and continued my research using both the old and new methods. I also expanded the depth of research. On this site you will find Family Records for over thirty families, but I have information on many more "branches" than space on this "tree". If you think you are related, please contact me.

Because of the length of time I spent on research, the different methods used, and the different software programs, you may find some inconsistencies in the way sources are cited. If you are unsure of my data, please email me and I will be happy to cite my sources in more detail.

The Data

When viewing this data, I am well aware that there may be inconsistencies. I collected this data over a long period of time. Additionally, a lot of it was collected on paper and later transferred to electronic form, which runs the risk of error.

Some ancestors seemed to be a little less concerned about the accuracy of data than others. Also, the collection of data by government was not always neat and tidy. For instance, the birth of my grandmother was recorded in two different states. Her younger sister's birth was mixed up with that of a cousin, making it nearly impossible to find.

Until shortly before his death, my grandfather thought his birthday was in January. Then he discovered that he was actually celebrating his baptism; his birth was in December. And the first name he used was actually one of his two middle names.

Because of all of this, you may find inconsistencies in the data. When I received more accurate information, I tried to go back and correct my original data, but I'm sure I was not always successful. For instance, my great-grandmother was born Marie Therese Deprey. Her name evolved to Mary Tracy, Tracy Mary, and finally Tracy. Her last name went from Deprey to Pirlot to DePas to DeMain, as she buried two husbands and divorced one. And actually, her last name was really Deprez. Her father changed the spelling of the family name some time after arriving in Wisconsin. I never suspected she had so many aliases.

So, if you suspect I have it wrong, or want to question the accuracy of information, please email me. My feelings will not be hurt.

If you would like to contact me regarding this research, please email me:

Belgian Family Update Log