Along the way, there have also been pioneers in Acadian genealogy who have helped and inspired us. One such person was the pre-eminent Acadian genealogist and Canadian archivist, Placide Gaudet, who maintained a vast correspondence with many descendants of the exiled Acadians, who had kept their histories and genealogies alive in their families by way of oral tradition. Mr. Gaudet's "Notes on Acadian Genealogy," published in the 1905 Report to the Canadian Archives, forms the cornerstone of much of what we know today about our ancestors. His works are often consulted by the experts, so meticulous and detailed was his documented source material. In addition to his files of personal letters, census records, collected papers and documents regarding the Deportation and resettlement of the Acadians, many of the initial facts he gathered back in the late 1800s, and which he incorporated in his compilations of Acadian family lineages, still hold true today, supported by further data and other newly discovered documentation. By the way, contrary to popular belief, Placide Gaudet was not a priest, but married with children!

Throughout the years since, in another arena, the more solid research and documentation conducted by several clergy, such as Fathers Patrice Gallant, Archange Godbout, Hector Hébert, Clément Cormier, Donald Hébert, Anselme Chiasson and Clarence J. d'Entremont have all added veritable substance to the body of evidence which comprises much of the reference source materials on the Acadians. These men were not afraid to ask questions, dig for facts, test new theories, search for origins, nor share their conclusions. Through their further research and writings, so much more is now known about the history, traditions and families of various groups of Acadians from certain regions, be it colonial New England during the years of the Acadian exile there, or the populations found in certain districts such as Miquelon, Cape Sable, Cape Breton, Québec, France or Louisiana. We are indebted to these dedicated Acadian priests, whose contributions have enriched our pool of source materials in the various Acadian archival centers, and who have enhanced our knowledge of our ancestors and their particular roles played in the development of the local communities and parishes in which they lived.

Though riddled with inadequacies and sometimes erroneous conclusions, toward the late 1970s and early 1980s, Bona Arsenault published his "Histoire et Généalogie des Acadiens," a multi-volume work which for many at the time, was a partial solution of readily available information on the history and lineage of many Acadian ancestors. Unfortunately, the compilation by Mr. Arsenault, while encompassing a vast geographic area and several generations of people to the early 1800s, contained many unproven assumptions, and his conclusions left much to be desired, and much work to be done in order to either prove or disprove them. While many have found fault with his research and genealogical work, we should at least give him his credit due for trying to do his best. One must admit that like Alex Haley (the author of "Roots"), Mr. Arsenault's published work sparked a whole generation of Acadian descendants into motion on a dynamic quest for their Acadian roots and heritage. And for such a spark, Acadia and its descendants must be grateful.

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