This is the first time that I am a blogger. So I hope that whoever reads this blog, my first one, will be at least charitable. First of all, I am a Canadian historian, who has written articles on Alberta’s Jewish community. For many years, I have used a lot of computer time and computer paper and ink in accumulating genealogical data and relevant articles for a book about the Massion family. Why this family and not another? The Massions not only are related to me: my mother was the daughter of a Massion, but their family history intrigued me.
The Massions were conversos. For Anglos and others, they were New Christians. For the Old Christians of the post-1391riots, conversos were popularly known as Marranos. My mother always preferred the name conversos. They came from Gerona, Catalonia. When they became converts they
adopted the name Massia. They became good, devout Christians, though, they probably retained some Jewish traditions.
The Massia family soon found itself in Catholic France. This was the period of the Inquisition in Spain. France was Catholic, but seemingly less anxious to burn Catholics at the stake. Someone in the family decided to jettison Massia for Massion. After all, the former was Spanish and the latter was French-sounding. For generations, the Massions would be registered
in parish records as Massion or Masion.
Whether living in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, or Germany, they were involved in a number of occupations, one in particular, became a hobby of sorts: the growing and tending of grapevines. In my mother’s case: the growing of Concord grapevines. A family obsession that leads me to what I have today: three chapters nearing final draft status, one chapter at the first draft stage, and four chapters to start.
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