I have been researching my family and am having trouble going back before the mid 1800s. The US census lists immigration from Canada (French) in 1870-1871. I'm not really sure where to start looking in Canada. The names I have are the following:

Flora (unknown)1838-1920? married unknown Therriault
Children:
Minnie (Lumina?) 1860-1949
Josephine 1864-1909
David 1865 (my great-grandfather)
Belle (Belzimier?) 1867-1909?
Annie (Honorine?) 1875
Alfred 1876-1911
Flora 1879

The first 4 of the children were born in Canada. Their mother was a widow by the time of the 1880 US census. Not knowing the father's first name or the mother's last name, I'm stuck.

I have quite a bit of information on the children's families.

Nancy