Lucille Campey at BIFHSGO Conference

On Saturday and Sunday, September 15th and 16th, I attended the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa's Conference, and heard Ottawa native, Dr. Lucille Campey, give three talks about emigration from the British Isles to Canada.

Since I am deeply interested in emigration, I had waited impatiently since first hearing that she was coming to speak at the conference, so I had to make sure that I did not miss any of her talks.

The first talk was “Lord Selkirk and the Settlement of Scottish Highlanders in Canada”, and Lucille says that he is a favorite of hers to write about because he had such a strong personality, and such a commitment to bring Scottish Highlanders to Canada to settle in Red River, Manitoba; Baldoon (Wallaceburg), Ontario; and Belfast in Prince Edward Island.

Her next talk on Sunday was “Seeking a Better Future: The English Pioneers of Ontario and Quebec” in which she challenged the commonly-held idea that people were running from poverty in the homeland. She found out in her research that the English came to Canada seeking greater freedoms and a more attractive style of life than they could find at home.

Her third talk, “The Scots in Ontario – a New Look at the Data”, looked at Ontario census data to explain why Scottish people settled in the area where they settled. She showed genealogists why people such as weavers and kelp farmers settled in particular areas in Ontario. It was an interesting talk for me because it showed the patterns of settlement, and the reasons why people settled in one area, and not in another.

You should check out her books on emigration at Dundurn Press http://www.dundurn.com/authors/lucille_h_campey, and the interviews that were done with her by BIFHSGO at www.bifhsgo.ca/upload/files/Conference%202012/Campey.mp3 In addition, there is an interview with Lucille Campey, Chris Paton, and Patricia Whatley by Ottawa's Austin Comerton on his radio show, The Gaelic Hour (CJLL 97.9 FM) www.thegaelichour.ca. To listen to the interview, click here - www.thegaelichour.ca/20120916.m3u

You can visit her Scottish website at www.scotstocanada.com, and her English website at www.englishtocanada.com

John D. Reid is Going to RootsTech

Earlier this week, I posted that RootsTech was staring to fill up with people going to their 2013 conference (held March 21 to 23, 2013 in Salt Lake City), and now I read where John D. Reid, a blogger of all things Anglo-Celtic in Canada, and the official blogger at BIFHSGO, http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2012/09/rootstech-2013.html, is going to take in next year’s conference.

I will be waiting here in Ottawa for his posts on the conference, as he always seems to be able to pick out interesting people to talk to and things to do, while at these gatherings.

Also, I noticed that he mentioned that I was in the Oct/Nov 2012 issue of Internet Genealogy http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2012/09/internet-genealogy-octnov-2012.html with an article on “Researching English Ancestors in the Province of Quebec”.

We both agree with the statement that while “researching English-speaking ancestors in Quebec ...  the Quebec Family History Society is fast becoming the place to conduct initial research because of the databases they hold or access”.

If you want to hear what Gary Schroder, President of the Quebec Family History Society has to say about the “Cadastral Numbers System: The Key to Quebec Land Records” then you should listen to Brian Glenn's interview with him in a two-part series on www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=59

Dr. Charles Marius Barbeau Honoured in Oklahoma

The Museum of Civilization, located in Ottawa, has received word that the Sam Noble Museum in Norman, Oklahoma, is honouring the legacy of Dr. Charles Marius Barbeau with a special exhibition called “The Gathering of Traditions: A Centennial Celebration”. It features objects and photographs from the Barbeau collections at the Museum of Civilization.


The press release says that “Dr. Barbeau, who travelled to the state one hundred years ago to document the culture of its Huron people. The materials he collected—now housed in the Canadian Museum of Civilization—represent a unique historical record that is helping descendants reconnect with their heritage.

Barbeau travelled to Oklahoma in 1911 and 1912. He was then working for the Geological Survey of Canada, studying the Aboriginal cultures of Eastern Canada. In Ontario, he met a Huron elder named Mary McKee who told him about her relatives in Oklahoma. She urged Barbeau to go there to learn more about the Huron culture.

He did so, meeting members of the Wyandotte Nation and Seneca-Cayuga tribe. Armed with an early recording device, he captured their language, legends, and songs on wax cylinders. He also took photographs and detailed field notes, and purchased some of their belongings. He returned to Canada with a priceless cultural record. By accessing those collections, members of the Wyandotte Nation and Seneca-Cayuga tribe have learned long-forgotten details about their ancient culture.

He received a Rhodes Scholarship to study at Oxford University, and was among the first graduates in the new discipline of Anthropology. He also received many awards and honours in his lifetime and posthumously. In 1985, he was recognized as a “person of national historic importance” by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada”.

To see more about the exhibit at the Sam Noble Museum in Norman, Oklahoma go to www.snomnh.ou.edu/exhibits

To read more about Dr. Barbeau, go to Wyandotte Nation: Preserving the future of our past! at www.wyandotte-nation.org/traditions/dr-charles-marius-barbeau

The Gathering - Ireland 2013

A press release just received -

Toronto, ON (September 28, 2012) – Tourism Ireland is delighted to announce an upcoming collaboration with Ancestry.ca to promote The Gathering Ireland 2013. The Gathering is an open invitation to the world to come and visit Ireland in 2013 for a unique celebration of all things Irish. Ireland may be a small country, but the Irish have put down their roots all over the world. More than 70 million people worldwide now claim Irish ancestry; quite something considering the total population of the island of Ireland is just over 6 million.

Canada’s connections with the island of Ireland go back at least 200 years and today nearly 5 million Canadians claim Irish ancestry 1. Tourism Ireland and Ancestry.ca will work together to reach these Canadians, helping them trace their Irish roots and inviting them to be a part of this unique celebration.

“Ancestry.ca is really excited to help Tourism Ireland invite Canadians to Ireland in 2013,” said Julie Wingate, Marketing Director of Ancestry.ca. “Ireland is a big part of many people’s ancestral journey and The Gathering Ireland represents a natural next step for anyone with Irish roots to take their family history experience to the next level. And of course, anyone who isn’t sure if they have Irish roots can check by visiting Ancestry.ca and signing up for our 14-day free trial.”

“Tourism Ireland is thrilled to work together with Ancestry.ca on the promotion of The Gathering Ireland here in Canada,” says Jayne Shackleford, Manager of Tourism Ireland. “The Gathering is the most ambitious tourism initiative ever undertaken in Ireland and it’s about asking anyone who has Irish blood, a link to Ireland, or even just a love of our country to join the Irish for a series of amazing and diverse events throughout 2013. We can’t think of a more natural fit.”

The Gathering is the people’s party. It will kick off in spectacular style on New Year’s Eve 2012 with an event that will receive world coverage and will then be celebrated through clan gatherings, festivals, special sporting events, music and concerts taking place all across the country, all year long. Many Irish celebrities have put their name behind this citizen-led initiative such as Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan.

How Irish are you? Discover your Irish roots by visiting www.ancestry.ca for a 14-day free trial and to be a part of the Gathering visit www.thegatheringireland.com

Fall Worshops

There are a number of workshops this fall in Ontario, and some of them are -

Kent Branch (OGS)

On Saturday October 20, 2012 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, the Kent Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society will host the REGION 1 MEETING AND WORKSHOP, and they will have the War of 1812 as their theme.

They will present the following topics -

* The Women of the War of 1812 by Susan Spencer

* The British Army 1660 – 1815 by Eric Shaw

* War of 1812 – Walpole Island Perspective by James Jenkins

This is a full day workshop available to the public. $30.00 includes lunch and snacks. Held at St. Andrews Residence, 99 Park Street, Chatham, Ontario

For more information and to register, please go to http://ogs.on.ca/kent/?page_id=129

Brant County Branch (OGS)

On Saturday, October 27, 2012 a Fall Workshop will be held 9:30 am to 4:00 pm at the library of the Brant County Branch Ontario Genealogical Library.

$25 with lunch if registered by October 24th, and $30 at the door +$5 for lunch.

The morning session will feature speaker Zig Misiak, and he will talk on the ” Six Nation in the War of 1812”, and John Sietsm in the afternoon will talk about “Using Computers in Your Research.”

The Brant County Branch Library is at 114-118 Powerline Road, on the grounds of Smokey Hollow Estates, going east from the Wayne Gretzky Parkway, just outside the North-East corner of Brantford.

British Home Child Day

And there are a number of events on the British Home Child Day to be held tomorrow Saturday September 29th.

There will be a British Home Child Day in Ontario Symposium/Information Session at the South Stormont Township Hall in Long Sault.

This will be a day full of exhibits, displays, speakers, and research information. It will cost $10.00, which includes refreshments and attendance at the event.

For more details, go to  www.uppercanadavillage.com/index.cfm/en/activities/special-events/british-home-child-day-first-anniversary

If you can’t make it to the events, but still would like to know about British Home Children, I suggest that you go to the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa www.bifhsgo.ca to discover the work that is being done by Patricia Roberts-Pichette and other BIFHSGO members.

They have indexed Home Children names in the passenger lists of ships arriving in Canada, and the indexing of Middlemore Home Children arriving in Canada between 1873 and 1933. In addition, several groups of Home Children settled in Canada by some small agencies are also being indexed

And there is the British Home Child Day to be held on the Internet tomorrow. You are asked, if you are a descendant of a home child, to share your stories on the Ontario Ministry of Children and Youth Services website at www.children.gov.on.ca/htdocs/English/britishhomechildday/index.aspx

RootsTech 2013 Registration is Live with $149 Early-bird Pricing

I won’t be able to go to the confernce this year, but if you are going to RootsTech , it promises to be a great conference.

Registration is now live for the 3rd annual RootsTech conference on March 21-23, 2013 in Salt Lake City, UT. With several thousand attendees each of the first two years, the 2013 conference is shaping up to be the biggest and best yet!

RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, offers an opportunity unlike any other to discover the lastest family history tools and techniques, connect with experts to help you in your research, and be inspired in the pursuit of your ancestors. You will learn to use the latest technology to get started or accelerate your efforts to find, organize, preserve, and share your family's connections and history.

New in 2013! A full track of Getting Started classes and labs will help those new to family history learn where to start, how to build their family tree, and how to use technology to explore their connections. Learn more.

Register NOW and Save $70 with Early-bird Pricing!

Registration Options

Full 3-Day Pass

Access to everything RootsTech has to offer (250+ classes).

$219 $149 (Early-bird Pricing)

One-day Pass

Full admission for just one day. $89

Student 3-Day Pass

Student ID required. $39

NEW! Getting Started 3-Day Pass

Beginner track with access to over 30 classes. $49 $39 (Early-bird Pricing)

Getting Started One-Day Pass

A selection of fundamental classes to help get you started. $19

Developer Day Pass (March 22)

A full-day technology program just for developers. $89

They has something for everyone, whether you are an avid genealogist, just getting started, or simply want to discover the latest technologies and solutions to better connect with your family.

To get further information, youcan go to www.rootstech.org

The British Isles Family History of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) had its own technology expert at the conference earlier this month, and it was Tony Bandy who gave a workshop on “Tables, Netbooks, e-Readers and Apps for Genealogies”, and talks on “Dropbox, Evernote and Online Digital Notes”, and “Online Books: Are These Really Good Resources? “ which were well attended.

You may listen to an interview with John D. Reid of BIFHSGO and Tony at http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/2012/06/bifhsgo-conference-interview-with-tony.html

The McLellan Settlers of Indian River, Prince Edward Island

Every once in a while, a new post on settlement of Prince Edward Island is put on the Island Register by Dorothy Farish.

So far, she has put on the families of the following –

Alexander Brown

Donald Macdonald

The MacLellan's - John and Angus

Alexander Cameron

The MacLean's - Roderick and John

The Other Maclean's - Hugh, Hector, and John

Donald McDongald (McDougall)

The McKinnon's - Neill and James

James Smith

Donald Gillis

And this week, she has added “An Interesting Sketch of the McLellan Family Who Settled at Indian River”, and who had come to PEI from the Isle of South Uist in Scotland.

You can read the accounts of these people at www.islandregister.com/lot14_16.html#maclellan2

Re-enactment Battle of Queenston Heights Oct 13/14

Doug Grant UE, Editor of Loyalist Trails and Manager of the   (UELAC) website, says that on October 13 and 14, 2012, a Re-enactment of the Battle of Queenston Heights will be held in Queenston, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Lewiston, New York.

October 13, 2012 marks the 200th anniversary of the historic Battle of Queenston Heights. Join us at Queenston Heights where historic interpreters and musicians, re-enactors, merchants and suttlers will make history come to life!

Take a tour of the battle site, and climb the 235 steps to the top of Brock's Monument to get a bird's eye view of battle site. Don't miss the re-enactment of the Battle of Queenston Heights, which will be starting at 3:00 pm, and the burial of Issac Brock will also be honoured on the weekend.

For more information and links to greater detail, go to www.friendsoffortgeorge.ca/event.htm

And the is offering education materials called “About War of 1812” with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage, and the assistance of Library and Archives Canada,

The Canadian Geographic Education has been working on creating a host of educator resources surrounding the bicentennial of the War of 1812. These items include a Giant Floor Map (11m x 8m), a kit of replica documents from 1812, Portrait Cards of 27 influential figures of the War, Model Ships, and a freestanding Timeline.

All items are being shipped in September. Quantities are limited so be sure to check it out soon!

Check their website at www.canadiangeographic.ca/educational_products

The UELC website is at www.uelac.org

New Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles

I have come across the following websites, blogs, and newspaper articles this past week, and I thought you would be interested in them too -

History is Where You Stand www.calverley.ca This website covers Peace River Region of British Columbia and Alberta. Most of these articles have been selected from the Calverley Collection of local history materials created by the late Dorthea Horton Calverley of Dawson Creek, British Columbia.

BRANCHING OUT: My Endless Journey up the Family Tree and the Resulting Organizational Adventure http://kylanderbranches.blogspot.com This blog has posts about the Mt. Elgin Cemetery, the provincial Archives of New Brunswick, and Oxford County, Ontari o.

Site Genealogique Gaston Soucy & Ginette Pelletier www.freewebs.com/soucygaston/page.htm There are 2354 individuals listed here, and 693 families.

Local author continues her Dangerous Journey
www.mykawartha.com/what's%20on/article/1500082 Catherine Whitnall writes that Virginia Winters’third book featuring Canadian doctor and amateur genealogist Anne McPhail has been published. (accessed 21 September 2012)

Canadian Women and the Peace Movement
www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157631100522816/comments
Female advocates for peace made their voices heard in the public sphere long before they were fully welcomed into politics. (accessed 21 September 2012)

Chris Paton at BIFHSGO Conference 2012

Ttwo beautiful mornings (Saturday and Sunday, September 15th and 16th) greeted us as we made our way to the Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa to hear Chris Paton give four lectures (two lectures each day) on Scotland. He had also given workshops the day before which, unfortunately, I was unable to attend.

The first lecture was an introduction to “Researching Scottish Family History”, and Chris took us though Civil Registration, Decennial Censuses, Parish Records pre-1855, Wills and Testaments, Where People Lived, Newspapers, Books, and Courses.

Since my ancestor was Scottish (BARCLAY), and was born in 1738, I took particular interest in the records of Scotland pre-1855.

The second lecture was on the “Scottish House and Land Records” and, through his lecture, we learned that Scotland was under the feudal system up until 2004.

He went through all of the available land records and explained the terms so that land records could be more easily researched.

On Sunday, the morning started with Chris giving a talk on “The Godly Commonwealth” in which he talked about The Church of Scotland – the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

Besides giving a timeline of the development of the Church, he told us how to search the records, and the biographical details of the ministers.

The fourth and final lecture given by Chris was called “The Mount Stewart Murder”, in which he talked about the murder of his 3x great-grandmother, Janet (nee Henderson) Roger, who was killed in 1866.

The murder has never been solved, and Chris took us through a list of “possible suspects” of who could have the murderer.

His talks were easy to follow because his hand-outs were very well-organized, and we were given them before the lecture. He stayed behind and answered many, many questions, and was very approachable during the times when he wasn’t giving a lecture.

It was a very successful conference for Chris – he completely sold out of his books!

Go to his blog, British GENES (British Genealogy News and Events) http://britishgenes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/bifhsgos-2012-conference-report.html, to read his report on the conference in Ottawa, and the nice words he said about my booklet on the War of 1812 - "an absolute gem"!

There are interviews with Chris, Lucille Campey, and Patricia Whatley by Austin Comerton on Ottawa's radio show, The Gaelic Hour (CJLL 97.9 FM) www.thegaelichour.ca. To listen to the interview, click here www.thegaelichour.ca/20120916.m3u.

Podcasts at BIFHSGO

As I get in the car this morning to go to the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO) monthly meeting at 9:00 am at the Library and Archives Canada, I am reminded of the number of podcasts that are now online on their website.

For example, there is a two-part podcast with Gary Schroder, president of the Quebec Family History Society. He talks about the Cadastral Numbering System, and how they hold the key to the land records in Quebec. Gary calls it ‘the hidden history of Quebec”.

The website is at www.qfhs.ca

There are also interviews with four founding members of BIFHSGO - Fern Small, Gary Bagley, Alan Rayburn, and Bob Campbell.

There are interviews with Malcolm Moody, Canadian Archive CD Books from Ottawa www.archivecdbooks.ca/acdbcanada.html, Ed Zapletal, Moorshead Magazines www.moorshead.com, and Lesley Anderson from Ancestry.ca and Ottawa, who talks about her experiences at "Who Do You Think You Are?". The interview was recorded live in London with Lesley.

There are over 30 interviews to listen to, all of them enlightening. I think BIFHSGO is the only society in Canada which has adopted this method of doing interviews at such a prolific pace.

A big “Thank You” goes out to John D. Reid (who tells us in an interview why he blogs) http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com, Brian Glenn, and Brooke Broadbent for conducting the interviews.

So have fun listening to the podcats.

I have a feeling that BIFHSGO will be doing a lot more podcasts in the future. Another example of how social media is changing the genealogy world!

The BIFHSGO webite is online at http://bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=59

Upcoming PEIGS Meeting

The PEI Genealogical Society's next general public meeting is in Summerside, Prince Edward Island Saturday, September 29, at the Lefurgey Cultural Centre, 205 Prince Street, off Granville Street, at 2:00 p.m. All welcome, free admission.

Includes brief business meeting and illustrated presentation by Island historian Mr Earle Lockerby speaking on "Descendants of Samuel Holland on PEI and Their Royal Connection". Mr. Lockerby will trace the family lore that has grown up concerning the family's connection to Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (after whom the Island is named), and compare the conventional wisdom with the results of historical and genealogical research.

The meeting will also receive an update from the Public Archives and Records Office, one of the most-frequented resources for Island genealogical researchers.

For more details contact society president Fred Horne, fredchorne@gmail.com or go to www.peigs.ca

Lest We Forget: Researching Your World War Ancestors

The Keshen Goodman Branch of the Halifax Public Library is hosting a talk this Saturday at 2:390 pm on learning how to build your military ancestors' stories using the most common resources available online and at the library.

The talk will be given by Joanne McCarthy, Reference Librarian, and she will use actual examples of Nova Scotia service files from the Lest We Forget workshops for those of you in the area,

Visit the Keshen Goodman Public Library at
www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca/branches/locations/keshen-goodman.html

Visit them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/hfxpublib

Talk Notes

Do you know that they have a series of "Talk Notes" on the Alberta Family History Society since 1997 up to the present day.

These are notes on the talks that are given by the meeting presenters to post on the society's website, and some of them are quite useful.

I took a minute and read through them yesterday, and there are notes on Eastern European Ancestry, Scottish Law, Ontario Land Records, Mining Online Resources, and Family History in Homestead and Land Records.

There have been other societies in Canada which have done this, but they hae usually put them behind “Member’s Only” website, so they aren’t available to the public.

But if you want to read the AFHS "Talk Notes", go to www.afhs.ab.ca/aids/talks/index.shtml to see what notes are available.

Two Meetings in Ottawa on Sept 22nd

I, among other genealogists in the city, will be busy Saturday as we will have two events in Ottawa that I plan to attend –

There will be the first meeting of the fall/winter season by BIFHSGO to be held at the Library and Archives Canada on Sept 22nd.

At 9:00 to 9:30 pm, there will be the Before BIFHSGO Educational Talk which will be on Google Earth for Genealogy by Ann Burns.

From 9:30 to 10:00 am there will be Browse the Discovery Tables and Computer, and at 10:00-11:30 there will be the Monthly Meeting Speaker

The subject of the talk will be “Why Study Genealogists? Initial Results from the Canadian Genealogy Survey” given by Dr. Leighann C. Neilson

During the summer and early fall of 2011, over 2,700 family historians completed the Canadian Genealogy Survey online, including many BIFHSGO members. This survey was the first to attempt to capture data about family historians across the nation, and promises to expand our knowledge of the ways that genealogical So I am exhibited to hear the results.

Go to www.bifhsgo.ca

And at 1 pm on Sept. 22nd, there will be the first meeting of the fall/winter season of the OGS Ottawa Branch.

It will be held at the Diefenbunker Bunker, Cold War Museum, at 3911 Carp Road. A pre-meeting will start at 1:00 pm with tour starting at 2 pm.

The facility, was decommissioned in December 1994, and reopened as the Diefenbunker, Canada's Cold War Museum, and a National Historic Site.

Go to www.diefenbunker.ca, or the http://ogsottawa.on.ca for more information.

I have never been there before, and I have heard so much about the place, I am excited to see it for myself.

The Branch is covering the cost of the tour, so there will not be a charge for this tour.

Loyalist Weekend in Shelburne Nova Scotia Sept 21-23

Stephen Davidson UE of my former hometown of Shelburne, Nova Scotia tells us that the Shelburne (Nova Scotia) Re-enactment Association will be hosting a living history/Loyalist history weekend from Friday, Sept. 21-23rd featuring guest speaker Todd Braisted.

The event begins with a wine and cheese meet and greet at the Shelburne County Museum from 7-9 pm. The remainder of the event gets underway at the Shelburne Regional High School on Saturday, September 22nd with sessions running from 9 - 4 pm and again on Sunday with sessions running from 10-5 pm.

Information sessions include: Bergen County 101, History of the 4th Battalion of the New Jersey Volunteers, New Jersey Volunteer Material Culture, Who Do You Think They (men of the NJV) Were? Land Settlement and Heritage, military Drill sessions, Mannerisms and Deportment, Personal Development, Choosing Period Correct Fabric, Basic Minuet and English Country Dancing lessons.

Lunches and nutrition breaks are included. Registration for this event is $20. To register please contact Sam Brannen via Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Shelburne-County-Archives-Genealogical-Society/145848502093215, email at sambrannen@b-wauctions.com or by phone at 1.902.637.3422. Registration deadline is Sept. 18th. Some members of the association have offered rooms at their homes for out of town attendees. Please ask when registering. Period clothing is encouraged!

A separate event within the weekend will be the New Jersey Volunteers, 3rd Bt. Regimental dinner. This will take place at the Shelburne Lions Hall on the Saturday of the event. Cost of this event is $25 and registration is required by Sept. 15th. Please contact Mary Lee Gonzaga at 1.902.875.3291 and state meal preference - pork or chicken. 6 pm appetizers, and at 7 pm there will be dinner. Period dress please.

To go to the Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society, go to http://nsgna.ednet.ns.ca/shelburne.

New Website, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles

I have come across the following website, blogs, and newpaper articles this past week, and I thought you would be interested in them too -

Your Link to the Past www.yourlinktothepast.com $ A Professional Genealogy Research site that searches ancestors in Canada.

That’s Relative! http://thatsrelative.wordpress.com Krista Moore is back from an absence to writing her blog again, and this time, she is starting to explore Gills and Beatons surnames in Dominion Point, Exploits, Newfoundland.

Federal government calls for War of 1812 national monument
www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Federal+government+calls+1812+national+monument/7226903/story.html Chole Fedio from the Ottawa Citizen writes that is looks like the NCC is going to put up a monument on Parliament Hill in 2014.

Group tries to get Kingston Penitentiary heritage status www.ottawasun.com/2012/09/11/group-tries-to-get-kingston-penitentiary-heritage-status Peter Hendra writes in the Ottawa Sun that a group is being formed in Kingston (Ontario) to save the Kingston Penitentiary as an heritage site.

Digging through Stouffville's history www.yorkregion.com/opinion/columns/article/1501715--digging-through-stouffville-s-history Jim Mason, the editor of The Sun-Tribune of the York Region, writes about what Chris Burkholder found while renovating a house.

Culture Days in Canada

Culture Days will take place in Canada on September 28, 29, and 39th, and it is “A collaborative coast-to-coast-to-coast volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities for three days.”

There will be a special event in Ottawa on the weekend of September the 29th, and it will be Genealogy on the Internet.

A hands-on introduction to some of the most important online genealogical research sources. Internet experience is required, and will be presented by Genealogy Librarian, Diana Hall.

The events will be at the Ottawa Public Library - Main Library, and it will be Saturday, September 29, 2012 from 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM. The library is at 120 Metcalfe, Ottawa, Ontario.

To see events all across Canada, go to www.culturedays.ca/en

The second event (not associated with the Culture Days) is that The Friends of The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation will be hosting a historical lecture on the early history of Beechwood and Ottawa, given by local historian Glenn Wright (the president of the British Isles Family History of Greater Ottawa) on Sunday, September 30, 2012.

The event will take place at Beechwood, the National Cemetery of Canada, 280 Beechwood Ave. The talk will begin at 2:00pm, and will be followed by light refreshments.

Space is limited, so please register by calling 613.741.9530 or emailing info@beechwoodcemetery.com

The website is at www.beechwoodcemetery.com

The Fall Edition of Anglo-Celtic Roots

The fall issue of the Anglo-Celtic Roots (Autumn issue), is out, and it is absolutely full of interesting articles.

For instance, the first article is called “Bound for Canada” by Andrew Frownd in which he recounts the letters from his grandmother (Augusta Mary Oates) that she wrote as she travelled across Canada to Saskatoon right before the Great War broke out. In this part of the journey, you follow her across the Atlantic Ocean to Montreal.

“The Rowe Family Bible – a Link to Their Newfoundland History” by Robert P. Woodland writes about his family from Somerset, England to Trinity, Newfoundland, and the fortunate discovery of a family Bible which helped him to do the family’s genealogy.

Betty Warburton writes about ”Searching for Uncle Percy’s Naval Records” , and by reading the article you get a very good idea of what a treasure trove members of the family can be – she discovered the information she needed to know from Uncle Percy’s grandson so that she could uncover his service record at the Library and Archives Canada.

The article by Helen Garson writes about “A Mystery Solved in South Africa” tells us that by researching in South Africa, she found her Watson ancestors, and Glenn Wright writes about the War of 1812 resources in “Discover the War of 1812: Websites, Archives and Books for the Discerning Researcher”.

As the postscript to this edition of Anglo-Celtic Roots, it should be noted the Glenn Wright has been re-elected president of BIFHSGO for another two year term. Congratulations, Glenn.

Go to www.bifhsgo.ca

Family History & Genealogy Seminar

Pamela Wile, the editor of the Nova Scotia Genealogist of the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia, writes to say that there are only a few seats left at the Family History & Genealogy Seminar being held by the DesBrisay Museum in Bridgewater. 

As a sponser of the event, GANS will present the following talks -

Every Gravestone Tells a Story - Deborah Trask

Historic Maps a Great Resource - Joan Dawson

Oral History - A Wealth of Information - Barb Cullen

Inter-Generational Research - Joan Parks-Hubley

Turn Your Research Into Artwork - Dawn Josey

The cost is $20.00 for the day, and includes refreshments and lunch.
DesBrisay Museum at 902.543.4033 for further information. They can accept payment by VISA or Mastercard over the phone.

The Seminar will be held from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm, and the day will wrap up with a walking tour of the Brookside Cemetery, a municipal heritage site.

The GANS website is at www.chebucto.ns.ca/recreation/GANS

What is a ‘Reasonably Exhaustive Search? A Webinar

Michael Hait, a very renowned, and respected genealogists from Delaware, gave a Webinar Wednesday (sponsored by Legacy Family Tree) in which he gave a lecture on doing an exhaustive evidence search in using the Genealogical Proof Standard to do genealogy.

Michael discussed what a “reasonably exhaustive search” is, why it is necessary, and how to conduct a search.

He gave a case study of his own family who lived in Stanford, Connecticut, and New York. This is where he used the Genealogical Proof Standard – was his ancestor born in Connecticut or New York.

See how he used “direct evidence” and “indirect evidence” to solve the problem.

He has put three articles on his website that you may like to read http://michaelhait.wordpress.com  

•“How to conduct a ‘reasonably exhaustive search’ for relevant records”

•“Finding what you are not looking for”

•“Does a ‘reasonably exhaustive search’ include online family trees?”

This was the 83rd Webinar that they have given at Legacy Family Tree website. They have been giving them for 2 years, and they had 1,500 participants this time on Wednesday.

I encourage you to take part in these Webinars. He has some of the most important genealogists in the world who participate. They are very informative, and they are FREE!

Go to www.legacyfamilytree.com/webinars

New Digital Family History Books

An update to the list of digital books that FamilySearh.org is putting online has just been released.

They have added 1,200 family history books to the list reports Nathan W. Murphy in his blog, during the month of July. These books are now accessible to everyone for free at Family History Books.

In addition to 700+ family genealogies, right now they have United States and Canada Books, British Isles Books, Compiled Genealogy Books, and International Books.

I checked and there are book on Alberta, and on the Red River Settlement in the United States and Canada Books section.

Go to their website at https://familysearch.org/blog/en/digital-family-history-b

Doors Open Ontario 2012

The Quinte Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, Trenton, ON will thrown open the doors to its library on Saturday September the 15th from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. during Doors Open Ontario 2012.

Their library is housed in the Quinte West Public Library, and it contains traditional printed material and microfilm records, cemetery transcriptions, census data, birth/marriage/death records and searchable databases.”

For more information about Doors Open Ontario 2012 visit www.doorsopenontario.on.ca

New Canadian Websites

I came across these website over the past week, and I thought you might like to know about them too -


Victoria’s Victoria www.victoriasvictoria.ca This website focuses on Victoria, Canada, during the reign of Queen Victoria. Includes an index to Victoria, British Columbia newspapers from 1858 to 1921, including birth, marriages and deaths.

Reaching the Heartwood http://reachingtheheartwood.blogspot.com Linda, from Connecticut, has started a blog (using a leaf background of vibrant colours), in which she follows her New England and Québec ancestors

Some items that made the newspapers this past week in Canada were

The Compass www.cbncompass.ca/Columnists/Ed-Roberts/2012-09-05/article-3067985/The-Butlers---Newfoundlands-Oldest-Family/1 Read about the article that the family name of Butler could be added to the list of first settlers at Cupids in Newfoundland and Labrador.

A historian's obsession with the Medal of Honor www.oakbaynews.com/news/168017036.html
Read about Bart Armstrong, and his quest to find Canadians who had received the Medal of Honor in the American Civil War.

Cold Creek Stewardship unveils historical signs www.kingsentinel.com/news/2012-08-29/Community/Cold_Creek_Stewardship_unveils_historical_signs.html Read about how the ”The Cold Creek Stewardship Program, and it has completed the second of a series of educational signs for Cold Creek in the commemoration of the Cairns Family who first settled one of the four properties that comprise Cold Creek Conservation Area.”

Ireland Canada Monument

I have been following the news as the people behind The Ireland Canada Monument as they have put their plans before the Vancouver city Council for approval during the past couple of years.

Lately, they seem to be making good process, and the other day Brendan Flynn, the Executive Director of The Ireland Canada Monument sent out a progress report.

She reports, along other things, that all 120 names (100 on the Monument website) and 20 (Honourary Mention category) will be include on the Monument; that The Brian Ború Harp (The Harp of Ireland), the Celtic Cross and the Map of Ireland will feature on the Central Column of the Monument (how the Map of Ireland is to be included on the central Column requires review); and the drawing of Irish Music and Irish Dancing will feature on the Monument.

Once these issues are addressed in the very near future, The Monument Society will proceed with estimating the outstanding items to finalize the overall budget.

She says that fundraising to raise the required funds to build the Monument will begin as soon as possible. If you can help in anyway please do not hesitate to contact me.

To read more about this monument, go to their website at http://irelandmonumentvancouver.com

Promoting Canadian History through Horticulture

Doug Grant who is the editor of Loyalist Trails, the weekly newsletter of the United Empire Loyalist Association of Canada, and this week he had an interesting article that showcased the use of gardening to promote Canadian history.

When the Branch was asked by District 9 of the Ontario Horticultural Association to set up a display for the 2012 Ontario Horticultural Association  Convention in Niagara on the Lake, the proposed theme was "Gardening Then & Now 1812-2012" .

Doug says ‘It was the effort of Ann Huffman, Membership Chair of the Branch, that lead to a more successful promotion of the observation of 200 years of peace between Canada and the United States. Through her initiative, the City of Welland created a War o f 1812 garden at one of the prominent sites in town. Ann's description of the process as well as a picture of the final work of horticultural design is visible here. Perhaps she will be equally lucky with her plans to observe the centennial of UELAC in 2014”

Go to www.uelac.org/PDF/Floral-Design-Welland-1812.pdf to see the wonderful display "Gardening Then and Now 1812 – 2012".

The website of the UELAC is www.uelac.org

A Toronto Trust Cemeteries Indexing Project Milestone

The Toronto Family History Society of the OGS has a blog, and the other day they posted that their partnership with Salt Lake City has yielded yet another milestone concering the index of Toronto Trust Cemeteries.

The following will be online at FamilySearch.org

» York General Burying Ground (Potter’s Field) 1826 to 1855

» Toronto Necropolis 1877 to 1935 (1850 to 1877 were already available)

» Mount Pleasant Cemetery 1876 to 1903

The recent records includes plot owners, next of kin names, full addresses, and all have been indexed.

They are asking for more indexers. There are more records in progress: Mount Pleasant Cemetery 1904 to 1935, and Prospect Cemetery 1890 to 1935.

They would welcome your help. Please contact Jane MacNamara at fsi@torontofamilyhistory.org if you would like to participate. Their blog is at http://torontofamilyhistory.org/projects

Spirit Walk to be Held in Puslinch

Betty Andersen has sent me the following notice -

“Celebrate the 175th anniversary of Duff's Church with a SPIRIT WALK to be held Monday September 17 at 7 pm

Come with us to visit the resting places of five of Duff's Church's first members - early pioneers in Puslinch Township, Ontario. Hear the stories of their lives as presented by some of their descendants -

Kerr

Meldrum

McCaig

McLean

McRobbie

Meet at Crown Cemetery REAR entrance which is off Nicholas Beaver Road (at Tim Horton's on Brock Road, Aberfoyle).

The SPIRIT WALK is sponsored by Puslinch Historical Society http://puslinchhistorical.ca

GenWeb Monday Sept 3 2012

I came across these website, and newspaper articles over the past week, and I thought you might like to know about them too -

Canadian Vietnam Veterans Information Website www.canadianvietnamveterans.ca There is a Memorial Wall, News and Events page, and other Veterans organizations in Canada.

The Art of Genealogy www.theartofgenealogy.com Karin Hadden is a family historian and genealogy student at St. Michael’s College in the University of Toronto. She has researched such areas as New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Canada, England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Some items that made the newspapers this past week in Canada were -

Casey family returns to Ireland www.thechronicle-online.com/2012/08/30/casey-family-returns-to-ireland This story in The Chronicle Online and recounts that the Casey family has been reunited with their Irish counterparts by visiting their relative in Ireland this summer. (Accessed 31 August 2012)

Rob Ford's ancestor landed in Canada for being 'unruly' http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2012/07/31/20049106.html Read the story written by Don Peat, City Hall Bureau Chief of the Canadian online publication The Canoe.  He has done a story on Ancestry.ca's finding in their records that Rob Ford’s grandfather was sent to Canada as a child for being ‘unruly’. Looks like his grandfather was a Hone Child. (accessed 31 August 2012)

Fitz-Geralds visit their roots www.thecoaster.ca/News/2012-08-20/article-3056239/Fitz-Geralds-visit-their-roots/1 Read how three descendants of Dr. Conrad Fitz-Gerald were in the St. Jacques, Newfoundland area during the 2012 Come Home Year to research their family history in the The Coaster newspaper. (accessed 31 August 2012)

“Tracing Your Family Tree” Course

Interested in tracing your family tree?

The Alberta Genealogical Society Edmonton Branch will offer a course on Saturdays in the fall of 2012, and they will be -

October 13: Orientation to gathering, recording and organizing information.

October 27: Sources for genealogical research

November 3: Searching Government Records, using libraries, archives

and internet resources for genealogy research.

The sessions will run from 10 am to 3 pm with a half hour lunch break. Bring your own lunch; coffee, tea & juice provided.

The cost will be Members $75 Non-members $90 for the package of 3 workshops.

The classes will be held our facility in Nexus Business Park, #162, 14315 - 118 Avenue, Edmonton. Parking available.

To dowload a registration form, please go to www.abgensoc.ca/events.html

A New Article in the Canadian History Magazine

Paul Jones, a Toronto genealogical researcher and volunteer, has written the article Roots: Genealogy can be child’s play in the August issue of Canadian History Magazine.

The article is devoted to things that you can use to make it cool for kids to become involved with family history.

For example, you can use age appropriate activities such as looking through and discussing grandmother’s photo albums and heirlooms.

He explores other ideas, and this article should be read by people at genealogical societies because he has some interesting ideas. Any society could use these idea in their quest of getting younger people involved in family history.

To read the complete article, go to http://canadashistory.ca/Magazine/Online-Extension/Articles/Roots--Genealogy-can-be-child%E2%80%99s-play.aspx