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Comment by Chris Dunham on April 12, 2010 at 10:48pm

Welcome to the site, Jeanne! I couldn't resist jumping into your family tree and seing what I could find.

From the clues you left in your profile, I'm guessing your mother was the Rita M. Metayer who married Raoul R. Rivard in 1942. I find Rita living with parents Joseph and Anna Metayer at 81 Lincoln St., Lewiston, in 1930 with siblings Roland and Yvette. The 1920 census shows Joseph and Anna Metayer living at 81 Lincoln Street with all three children. The census says that Joseph had emigrated from Canada in 1902, and was naturalized in 1915.

Rita's mother, Anna (Ouellette) Metayer, died 10 May 1962. Her obituary says that she was born 18 July 1888 in Fort Kent, the daughter of George and Virginie (Dube) Ouellette. She was called "Malvina" Ouellette when she married Joseph Metayer, 18 May 1914. Malvina, with parents George and Virginie and her siblings, was living in Lewiston as early as 1900.

This database of St. Peter's Cemetery burials confirms that Joseph Metayer died in 1941, but without an exact date of death, I wasn't able to find his obituary in the Lewiston papers. His obituary, his death record, and his burial record might all give details on his origins. His naturalization record can probably be obtained from the Maine State Archives, and might tell you exactly where he came from in Canada.

Comment by Jeanne Rivard Pittman on April 13, 2010 at 6:12pm

Thank you so much for the information you found.I am going home in August and hope to be able to find more information at that time.Most of the happenings in my family's and ancestors lives seemed to be mainly in the Lewiston area so I am hoping to get some birth certificates and marriage and death from the city hall.Maybe i will be able to get more from Maine State Archives also.I never knew my grand-father Joe.He dide before i was born and they tell me he died of T.B.I wonder if that would make a difference on why there is no info.on his death?Anyway thank you again for the help.Do you Know where I can get census info.other than Ancestry.com?

Comment by Chris Dunham on April 13, 2010 at 6:28pm

If he died in Lewiston, you should be able to find your grandfather's death record either at city hall or in Augusta. And it should give his exact cause of death.

There are a few places to find census records online for free. You can search and view images of the 1900 census here. You can search the 1920 census here, but no images are available. You can search Footnote.com's 1930 census index here, and view images for free until the end of April. Footnote.com does require free registration before you can see the images.

Many libraries provide free at-home access to HeritageQuest census databases to anyone with a library card. You can check to see if any of your local libraries offer this service here.

Comment by Jeanne Rivard Pittman on April 13, 2010 at 7:07pm

Yah I thought about that after i sent out that last message.Sometimes I wonder where my head is at.Thanks again.

Comment by Chris Dunham on April 13, 2010 at 7:08pm

You're welcome!

Comment by Katie Kirby on April 24, 2010 at 7:02am

You said you cannot afford Ancestry.com - which, in my opinion is an excellent resource! I would eat PB&J sandwiches forever rather than cancel my membership! BUT check out your local - or near local library. Many libraries, especially if they have a genealogical collection, subscribe and allow patrons free access.

Comment by Randall Griffin on July 20, 2011 at 10:05pm

Newcomer,

Please join ancestry.com and use it to establish and keep a record of your family tree.  Their research database is excellent and free for two (I think) weeks.  Then, if joining is still outside your budget you can cancel.  You will still have access to your tree and will be able to make new modifications.  Ancestry will offer suggestions in the form of figleaf hints.  You can see the details of the hints while your membership is active.

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