My mother Frances and aunt (who has passed away) who's maiden names are/were Ace tell a similar story regarding a family line to France but they are vague about this. As far as deeds etc are concerned the story was that an ancestor went prospecting to the Klondyke(?) or similar but died there taking the deeds with him. My grandfather (Murphy) always said that the Aces also owned areas of Swansea town centre but it was never proven. The deeds in Ottowa Museum sound interesting, may be worth a visit!