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Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes at UMFK: Where can I find primary source documents?

A helpful guide to learning about and navigating the archives.

Where can I find primary sources?

              Primary sources can be found anywhere. You are a primary source.

Example #1
George L. White letter, 1861

Written by George L. White to "Mr. Stevens" on October 3, 1861, from Washington, D.C.

In the letter, White states that seven men in his regiment have died in Baltimore, including a William Knowlen (Noland?) from No 11 Aroostook." He was buried in the western cemetery of the city. he mentions their skirmishes under the direction of Generals McLellan and Scott and describes fighting the Confederate forces. He also mentions the 8th, 9th, and 10th Maine. White states that the weather is as cold in Baltmiore as it was in Fort Kent at that time the previous year.

Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes collection MCC-00222

 

Example #2

Pierre A. Cyr ledger, 1905-1907

This collection consists of a business ledger belonging to Pierre A. Cyr, spanning the years 1905-1907. The primcipal business contained in the ledger is for a potato broker and shipper.

This ledger is both a primary and a secondary source: 

Within the first 15 pages of the ledger are interleaved 12 pages of description for both the ledger and the Cyr family, written by Guy Dubay in 2006.

Acadian Archives/Archives acadiennes collection MCC-00305

 

Example #3

Census

A timeline of census taking in the United States:

  • 1790: Enumerators travelled door to door collecting information. First Federal census. Only the name of the head of household was listed. Ages of household members were noted as within 10-year spans.
  • 1850: Collected census information was expanded to include age, race, occupation, etc. With each census, the collected information changed, sometimes including country of birth for the person andhis or her parents, literacy, occupation, etc.
    • Some slaves were listed within the household, and some were given the family's last name.
    • The first slave schedule was collected in 1850 (the last was 1860).
  • 1950:  The last year that enumerators were required to collect the information either in person or over the phone. Mail-in forms were used for the 1960 census and subsequent censuses.

 

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