My ancestral home
@BelleStarr (61047)
United States
July 30, 2016 2:15pm CST
Several people have said that they would enjoy seeing my ancestral home in Canada that I visited so often as a child. The picture is the house. It was built by my 2nd great-grandfather Firmin in about 1834. My great-grandfather Cesare, my grandfather Charles and my mother Eugenie were all born in this house.
It now belongs to my cousin. I was glad to bring my great grandson to see the house. We had a wonderful visit and my cousin said something sad when we hugged goodbye. He said he hoped it wasn't the last time I would visit him there. He is in his 80s so it is possible we won't meet again but I am hoping we will see each other many more times.
26 people like this
28 responses
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
31 Jul 16
I loved the house and the surroundings.
Hope you all can go for many more visits there.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
2 Aug 16
I hope so too, I am very attached to this house.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
2 Aug 16
Thank you, it is very typical of homes in this area of Canada. Not the very steep roof to keep the snow off
1 person likes this
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
3 Aug 16
@BelleStarr I've actually owed a wood cook stove and really miss it. The summer time found the micro wave and barbecue active.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
@Bluedoll It did have a wood burning stove when I was a kid and a pump handle in the summer kitchen for a faucet but now it is l modern.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
I think the only addition to the house is the summer kitchen. It is now the permanent kitchen but when my mother was little it was only for the summer.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
I think it is very wonderful. It will next go to my other cousin's sons and I am not sure how attached they are with it, I guess we will see.
@PainsOnSlate (21854)
• Canada
30 Jul 16
What a beautiful home. It makes me think of history and love. Glad you got to be there this summer, I hope you go again and again.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
It was so good to be there, it had been at least 5 years and I always feel like I am coming home when I go there.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
2 Aug 16
I hope so, I am very attached to this place, I have so many wonderful memories.
@velvet53 (22528)
• Palisade, Colorado
3 Aug 16
@BelleStarr Your post has brought a lot of memories to me of places where family members have lived. And me.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
@velvet53 I am glad, that is what writing is all about isn't it , to evoke emotions and memories.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
Thank you , yes it is a lovely old home.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
Very sad for me, he is a priest, an astronomer, and scientist and the most fascinating person I know. I fell in love with him at 4 years old and nothing has ever changed that lol
1 person likes this
@jaboUK (64361)
• United Kingdom
3 Aug 16
@BelleStarr People are living longer nowadays, so perhaps he will have many more years and you will be able to see each other again.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
@jaboUK Well I have to say, his mother lived to 92 and my mother is 101 and another uncle was 94 so he may just!!
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
5 Aug 16
It is solid as a rock that is for sure. Not fancy but cozy and warm.
1 person likes this
@simone10 (54189)
• Louisville, Kentucky
6 Aug 16
@BelleStarr I really love it. Just from the outside, it looks like it would be warm and cozy. I have lived in houses like that in the past and to some degree, prefer homes like this one over newer homes.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38723)
• Midland, Michigan
3 Aug 16
It looks like a nice home to raise a small family. do you think the home will remain in the family when he does leave this earth? Since family has owned it all this time, I'm sure that would be nice, but I don't know whether there's anyone else there that would want it or have the extra cash to purchase it.
Just today, I saw a message on facebook from a cousin that found my grandmother's house foeclosed. No one in the family has owned it since my grandmother moved back in the seventies. I think that cousin wished she could purchase it for the memories it contains for all of us, but I'm sure that no one in our family will do so.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
Actually, that house has seen some very large families, my mother was one of 10 children. My cousin's nephews will inherit the house. They were raised across the street and I am sure love the house as well. I hope one of them will want to live in it.
1 person likes this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
11 Aug 16
How very nice that you were able to visit your ancestral home with your great grandson AND be able to visit your cousin.
I am going into West Virginia in the Fall to visit my cousin, who is 93.
I just wanted to ask you if your myLot name is your real name or if you are familiar with the Belle Starr of American history?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search For the film, see Belle Starr (film). For the 80s girl group, see The Belle Stars. Belle Starr Studio portrait of Belle Starr, "Queen of the Oklahoma Outlaws" Born Myra Maybelle Shirley (184
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
11 Aug 16
No, my real name is Isabelle, I chose this as a writing name about 8 years ago, and yes I did know whose name I chose!! lol
1 person likes this
@IreneVincent (15962)
• United States
11 Aug 16
@BelleStarr I was just wondering. Good choice. 
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
11 Aug 16
@IreneVincent Thank you for taking the time to send me that article about Belle Starr, she was a bad one lol
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
2 Aug 16
I am happy that my ancestor built it and that it is still in the family.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
It actually has been sold but it was from sister to brother. My Aunt inherited it and sold it to her brother. Then my uncle left it to my aunt's son. Stayed in the family.
1 person likes this
@miniam (9154)
• Bern, Switzerland
3 Aug 16
@BelleStarr
Let`S hope it stays in the family
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
This is the French speaking part so you need French to live here.
@digiguru (557)
• Bangalore, India
3 Aug 16
@BelleStarr Oh. thats a good information you provided. I started seARCHING FOR JOB over there as designer in UX/UI
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
I do hope so too, I need to make sure we go there every year.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39515)
• United States
31 Jul 16
how wonderful to've 't still'n the family! i hope such continues'n the future, 'tis been well-maintained. what a rich history, if'n those walls could jest talk, eh?
i hope that'cher cousin 'tis still 'round 'n healthy fer many more years to come, 'n that'cha get the chance to go 'n visit oft.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
Near the village, there is an even older family home. Firmin was not the eldest son which is why he had to build another house but generations before him lived in the other house. It is still in my family but it would be a very distant cousin.
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
31 Jul 16
I love that house @BelleStarr . I wouldn't mind having one like it.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
Thank you Nanette, it is not fancy, just one very small bathroom but it is warm and homey.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
I think it was built to last several hundred years that is for sure. They built quality two hundred years ago.
1 person likes this
@Chellezhere (5362)
• United States
31 Jul 16
It is so nice to see that your ancestral home is still in the family. I am at least a 5th generation genealogist and know of several ancestral homes that still exist. Several of them are now owned by cities, townships, counties, and/or states. The Billiou-Stillwell-Perine House is one of them. I am descended from the original builder/owner, Pierre Billiou.
A grass-roots effort is under way to rescue Staten Island's oldest building from decay
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
3 Aug 16
That is an amazing house. My family moved to this village in Quebec in 1660 and there is an older house that belongs to distant relatives near the village church. While it is not as old as your family home, it was built before 1700 I am sure. I am a genealogist as well
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
5 Aug 16
I really hope so too, I love that place.
1 person likes this
