A few weeks ago I was watching the PBS show “Finding Your Roots.”  Henry Louis Gates was talking with the singer and songwriter Alanis Morissette about her family tree.  I was preoccupied doing something else when near the end of the program they showed a portion of a tree with a set of Alanis’ 8^th great-grandparents, Jean Morisset and Jeanne Choret.  I immediately perked up; I know these names. 

As it turns out, Jean Morrisset and Jeanne Choret are my 9^th and 10^th great-grandparents on both the Vadnais and Peltier sides of the family.  That means that Alanis is my 10^th cousin once removed as well as my 10^th cousin twice removed according to this couple.

Unlike our other famous cousins, our relationship with Alanis does not end there.  We share 6 sets of n^th great-grandparents with Alanis on both the Vadnais and Peltier sides of the family tree.  Here are the other 5 relationships.

Her 9^th great-grandparents Jean Cloutier and Marie Martin are my 10^th & 11^th great-grandparents on the Peltier side of the family, so Alanis is my 10^th cousin once removed and my 10^th cousin twice removed according to this couple.

Her 10^th great-grandparents Jean Guyon and Maturine Robin are my 10^th great-grandparents on the Vadnais and Peltier sides of the family, so Alanis is my 11^th cousin according to this couple.

Her 8^th great-grandparents Pascal Mercier and Marie Anne Cloutier are my 10^th great-grandparents on the Peltier side of the family, so Alanis is my 9^th cousin twice removed according to this couple.

Her 9^th great-grandparents Jean Boucher and Marie Madeleine Pare are my 9^th great-grandparents on the Vadnais side of the family, so Alanis is my 10^th cousin according to this couple.

Her 10^th great-grandparents Jacques Asselin and Cecile Olivier are my 9^th and 11^th great-grandparents on the Vadnais and Peltier sides of the family, so Alanis is my 10^th cousin once removed and my 11^th cousin once removed according to this couple.

All of these relatives are early settlers in New France.  The numerous relations we share with Alanis are not all that uncommon for someone with French-Canadian ancestors because there were so few of these early settlers.  My belief is that if you are French-Canadian, you are a relative.  I’ve yet to be proven wrong.

Alanis, are you taking any song requests from family members?

Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cynthia

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