Researching your family
Relating their stories
Revealing their legacy
is my passion and my privilege.
Margaret Rose Fortier was named for her grandmothers (Marguerite and Rosaria), and inspired by her mother’s phenomenal memory (named for her grandmother).
Focusing on immigration to New England, particularly Italian, Portuguese, and French-Canadian immigrants (she is fluent in French), she also helps applicants prepare documentation for dual citizenship with Italy.
Margaret serves on the board of the Association of Professional Genealogists, (APG) and on the Program Committee for the 2021 New England Regional Genealogical Consortium (NERGC) Conference.
She volunteers for the Medford Slavery Project through The Royall House & Slave Quarters Museum. She also volunteers with the Unclaimed Persons group.
Margaret holds a BSBA from Boston College and an MS in Human Factors in Information Design (HFID) from Bentley University. She is a Certified Genealogist®. A genealogical researcher, speaker and writer, she is based in the Boston area.
My passion and my privilege
We’re all curious. We all wonder. Why did our ancestors leave everything they knew for someplace unknown?
We want to understand how they lived and where they came from.
We want to pass on knowledge and traditions to the next generation.
We want to learn about our medical history.
We want to understand family patterns of behavior.
We want to honor our ancestors by remembering their names and preserving their legacy.
Testimonials
You surely enriched the lives of my sister and her family. What a legacy you have given them! No words are adequate to express my gratitude for your research.
The translations, maps, links, suggestions and WOW, the NJ find, are all such a treasure! You have brought so much joy to my life!
Mona L.
Karen P.
Based on your information I was able to take the family back to the first part of the 1600’s.
I even found 2 witches and have the certificate from the Associated Daughters of Early American Witchesl Thank you so much!
Melanie R.
This is really terrific! We are just digesting everything and making some notes. Thanks again, we are thrilled with all you have uncovered.
Sara R.
I just wanted to say thanks for the very detailed report you sent. Even though you didn’t find the cemetery, as a fellow genealogist, I am familiar with “what it takes” and I’m impressed with your efforts given the time allotted. The marriage to Ann Grady was a complete surprise to me, and itself, worth the fee. Great find!
Tom L.
So incredibly impressed with your work. I appreciate your diligence.
Clint A.
Hints and Tips
Check out my tip on researching the whole family (1:30) in this episode of Genealogy TV on French-Canadian Research hosted by Connie Knox. See the whole episode (32:22) here.
Here is a whole episode (22:19) focusing on Getting Started with Your Italian Family History Research from Genealogy TV. Enjoy!
And here I am joining Sandra Goodwin of the Maple Stars and Stripes podcast, walking you through US Catholic Church Records Online (39:20).
Memberships
Publications
Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
National Genealogical Society (NGS)
Italian Genealogical Society of America (IGSA)
Italian Genealogical Group (IGG)
New England Historic and Genealogical Society (NEHGS)
Massachusetts Society of Genealogists, Inc. (MSOG)
Massachusetts Genealogical Council (MGC)
New York Genealogical & Biographical Society (NYG&B)
American-Canadian Genealogical Society (ACGS)
American-French Genealogical Society (AFGS)
The Irish Ancestral Research Association (TIARA)
Luzerne County (PA) Historical Society
Medford (MA) Historical Society
Quincy (MA) Historical Society
“The Identity of Alcina, Wife of Oscar Furkey of Quebec and Vermont,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 108 (December 2020).
“Not Bound By Convention: The True Identity of William Kenney of Boston, Lynn, and Nahant, Massachusetts,” MASSOG 40:1, 2015-16.
“Visualizing Information for Client Reports,” APG Quarterly, June 2014.