Extra news items

Here are some news items which have come across the desk this week -

There will be a full-day of activities on April the 25th at the Ottawa Branch Genealogical Society of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

At 10:30, there will be Genealogy: Back To Basics! Genealogy B2B. There will be a short lecture on a genealogical topic, followed by a Question and Answer session with Ottawa Branch members. This month's topic will be Genetic Genealogy with Richard McGregor.

Then at 1:30 to 3:00 pm, the society will hold their regular monthly meeting, and the topic will be Don't Fade Away: digitization and preservation of family photographs by Kyla Ubbink.

Digitization is a great way to facilitate creative use and sharing of photographs and documents, but with so many options out there for scanners, cameras and software it is hard to know what will suit your needs.

In this workshop aimed at beginners Kyla will discuss the different kinds of equipment and software available as well as the techniques required for carrying out digitization, organizing the resulting images, and some of the creative projects you can undertake to make the most out of your memories

The website is at http://ogsottawa.on.ca/

There will be a meeting of the Kent Branch Ontario Genealogical Society and it will be held on Friday May 8, 2015 at 7:00 PM at St. Andrew’s Residence, 99 Park St., Chatham. The Victorian Celebration of Death will be the topic.

Learn how our Victorian ancestors buried their death and the rituals and traditions they followed with Catherine MacKendrick, University of Windsor.

Everyone is welcome. Open and free to the public. If you are unable to join the meeting in person, please join us live online!

The website is at http://ogs.on.ca/kent/

If any of you are interested in the idea of researching a single surname, but if you would like to find out more about it, the Surname Society at http://surname-society.org/ now has a public Facebook group which is open to members and non-members alike.

The website is at https://www.facebook.com/groups/905667519498834

This is an international site, with Elizabeth Kipp from Ottawa being the editor of the newsletter The Surname Scribbler. 

One of the founder of this society, Kirsty Gray, will be the keynote speaker at this year's conference of the Ontario Genealogical Society  at http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference/

 

Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

 

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-20-april-2015.html

 

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

 

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

Could you become an arbitrator for FamilySearch?

 FamilySearch.org is looking for qualified indexers to become arbitrators. 

All indexers who have indexed at least 4,000 records are eligible to become arbitrators. Qualifying indexers who would like to participate as arbitrators should visit https://FamilySearch.org/indexing/help to learn how to get started.

They say that the following four essential tips will ensure volunteers are ready to submit high-quality arbitrated records during the Worldwide Arbitration Event May 1-8, 2015 -

• Read the instructions. Read or re-read the field helps and project instructions for each arbitration project before beginning. 
• Record match. Record matching ensures that arbitrators use a correct and fair comparison between the information recorded by indexer A and indexer B. For instructions, watch the video: “Arbitration Training - Record Matching,” which teaches how to complete this essential step in the indexing process.
• Index. If possible, volunteers should index one or more batches from each project they plan to arbitrate during the event, then continue to index one batch for every ten they arbitrate. Indexing (and reviewing the instructions) will help arbitrators stay sharp.
• Arbitrate in native language. Accuracy is highest when volunteers work only in their native language. Unless they have received extensive training in a second language and are highly proficient in that language, or have been specifically trained to index certain types of records in a second language, volunteers should stick with projects in their native language. 

So are you ready to be an arbitrator?

If you are, visit https://FamilySearch.org/indexing/help

Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-20-april-2015.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

 

Call for papers

  

 

The second annual Kawartha Conference in Peterborough, Ontario will be held by the Kawartha Genealogical Branch on Saturday, October the 3rd, and they are putting out a call for papers. 

The theme of the conference will be Military Settlers and the organizers are seeking papers on all aspects of the settlement of British discharged military in Ontario.

In particular they are seeking papers on -

• the situation (economic and political) in the UK that caused military people to emigrate
• the military situation in Canada that encouraged military settlers the economic situation in Canada how the military emigration took place
• the results
• where the documentation is  

 

This will be a one-day conference with five speakers, each of one hour.

   

Please send a brief outline of your paper to kawarthaconference@ogs.on.ca by April the 30th.

 

The site of the is at http://www.ogs.on.ca/kawartha/

 

This is a conference that I am thinking of attending because the subject is so unusual, and the Kawartha Genealogical Society should be congratulated for thinking of having a conference on Military Settlers. 

 

 

Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

 

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-20-april-2015.html

 

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

 

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012

New building for Stratford-Perth Archives, Ontario

The new building - the Stratford-Perth Archives - located in Stratford, Ontario is almost ready to be occupied and the Grand Opening will be held Saturday, June 6, 2015. 

Next month in May, they will reopen the reading room at the new building (with limited stack retrievals) with a new schedule of hours. They will move to retrievals from the stacks over the following 2 – 3 weeks. Please call ahead of any research visits in May to confirm open hours and what records are available.

They will post updates regarding the progress of the move and any additional service disruptions on the Perth County website as the project moves along and you can contact them if you have any questions.

They have many collections to research including tax assessments, newspapers, and township records.

You can phone 519-271-0531, ext 250, or email them at archives@perthcounty.ca

The website is at http://www.stratfordpertharchives.on.ca/

The new building is at 4273 Huron Road (Highway 8 West, Next Door to Stratford-Perth Museum), Stratford, Ontario.

Happy Researching!

Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-20-april-2015.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

Are you a Billings descendant???

One of the things that Mike More of the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society has done over the years is to keep the Descendants of the Immigrant Roger Billings of Milton Mass to Ottawa, Ontario. So far, there has been 5,894 people listed in the genealogy.

The website says that ‘Braddish BILLINGS, a son of Dr Elkanah BILLINGS was one of the first settlers in what is now the capital of Canada – the city of Ottawa. Braddish's house was left to the city by one of his descendants and has become the Billings Estate Museum.

There is considerable interest in the genealogy of the BILLINGS family by visitors to the City Archives, and this is an attempt to compile a reference chart of the family. It initially concentrated on the descendants of Dr. Elkanah, but an article in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, `Roger Billings of Milton, Mass., and some of his descendants, by Harold Ward Dana published 1938-1940, lead to an expansion to include the known descendants of immigrant Roger Billings”.

The website is at http://www.ogsottawa.on.ca/billings/index.htm

The website of the Billings Bridge Museum is http://ottawamuseumnetwork.com/index.php?page=billings-estate

The website of the Ottawa Genealogical Society is http://ogsottawa.on.ca/

Happy researching!



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

Guelph Museum - Your stories live here

The Guelph Civic Museum in Guelph, Ontario will host an exhibit Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Times: Italian Canadian Experiences During WWII. This exhibit opens next Friday, with a reception starting at 6.30 p. m.

More than 31,000 Italian-Canadians were designated "enemy aliens" and around 600 were removed from their homes and held in prisons and camps. Many also lost jobs or experienced racism and violence in their communities.

And while you are there, why not take the time to look at their archives (many of which are already online – and there are photos, objects, papers at http://guelph.pastperfectonline.com/). 

The museum was started back in the 1960s, and moved to 52 Norfolk Street, the former Loretto Convent in 2012.

Their website is at http://guelph.ca/museum/



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012. 

Did your ancestor' s marry or die in Victoria, British Columbia?

If you have ancestors in the City of Victoria in British Columbia, then maybe you should look at the City of Victoria Archives.

They have the following reords online -

Ross Bay Cemetery Records 1872-1980

The information about each gravesite (where possible), as well as photos and descriptions of select gravesites along tour routes. The map can be used to determine the location of gravesites within the cemetery.

Death Notices Index1901-1939 

Marriage Notices Index 1901-1939

The archives was started in 1967 by Ainslie Helmcken, a descendant of one of Victoria's pioneer families. Mr. Helmcken held the position of City Archivist, he worked to create strong ties to the people of Victoria and was very active in the acquisition of archives.

The website is at http://www.victoria.ca/EN/main/departments/legislative-services/archives.html



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.
 

Two newspaper column this week

Janice Nickerson and Dr. Fraser Dunford, two Ontario genealogists, have newspaper columns this week in area newspapers.

Janice continues on with her monthly column in the City Centre Mirror by writing GENEALOGY WITH JANICE: What’s in your closet?

Old documents tell your family’s history and they may be hidden in your mother's or grandmother’s closet for safe keeping until it is discovered one day by yourself, or another person. What a find!

To find out what you may possibly find, go to the newspaper article at http://www.insidetoronto.com/news-story/5561867-genealogy-with-janice-what-s-in-your-closet-old-documents-tell-your-family-s-history/

Janice’s website is at http://www.uppercanadagenealogy.com/aboutus.html

And Fraser Dunford continues with his column, and this time he writes about census in Ontario.

Fraser is a professional genealogist and member of Kawartha Branch, OGS, and former executive director of the Ontario Genealogical Society, and he has written a column called The  Amateur Genealogist: How To Read A Census.

They both offer sage advice. They have been at the game for a while, so to speak, and they offer good advice.

His article is at http://www.mykawartha.com/community-story/5561328-the-amateur-genealogist-how-to-read-a-census/



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

New Brunswick Archives adds more birth records

On April the 16th, the Province of New Brunswick Archives has added 2,284 birth records to the years 1870 -1877 at http://archives.gnb.ca/Search/VISSE/?culture=en-CA

There is an excellent finding aid at http://archives.gnb.ca/Documents/FindingAids/GovernmentRecords/RS141-EN.pdf, and this finding aid cover births, marriages and deaths and there is an Introduction and a Help page.

You can search 3,179,613 names from 34 databases in one place online!

The website for the Province of New Brunswick Archives is http://archives.gnb.ca/Archives/?culture=en-CA

Happy researching!



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

A “New” old historical society of Toronto

The goal of the New Toronto Historical Society is to preserve and promote the history of the Town of New Toronto.

The village of New Toronto is located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, bounded by Mimico on the east and Long Branch on the west It was incorporated as a village in 1913, became part of the City of Etobicoke in 1967, and then part of the city of Toronto.

But it has a history of its own, as is clear when you read what is online.

If you go down the left hand side a click the Discover page and it opens a page of over 40 links to different subjects like from the Cumberland House, to schools in the area to New Toronto Fish & Chips.

There will be a meeting on Tuesday, April 28 at 7 pm at the LAMP CHC (New Toronto Town Hall0, 185 Fifth Street when the society will welcome Archives Ontario’s Stewart Boden.

He will feature historical film clips from the Archives’ collection, all produced by the Ontario government. The all-Ontario subjects of the films include health promotion, tourism, education and OPS staff training.

The website of the New Toronto Historical Society is http://www.newtorontohistorical.com/

To read more history of New Toronto, you can go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Toronto



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

 

Ontario's Movie Theatres

From May 2nd to the 29th, the travelling exhibit "Ontario's Movie Theatres" from the Archives of Ontario will be in the Part Hope Archives at http://www.porthopearchives.com/whats-new.html

They will also show the exhibit "A 'Capitol' Idea: Port Hope's Capitol Theatre" which has been curated by the Port Hope Archives in partnership with the Capitol Theatre.

While there, they have photographs; artworks; business records (i.e. ledgers, minute books, etc.); genealogical resources (i.e. family histories, bibles); Municipal records; personal papers collections; maps & blueprints; local history publications; and research databases for you to research.

Their Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/PHArchives?_rdr



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

 

An incredible number of letters!!!

Ancestry.com has put on a great First World War record set – Canadians who fought under the Imperial Army, Navy, or Air, and who were entitled to payment under the Imperial War Service Gratuities, 1919-1921.

You may ask - Why would a Canadian enlist in England? Why wouldn’t he enlist in Canada?

Yes, normally he would enlist in Canada. But what if he was in England at the time that the First World War broke out? What would happen then?

He would enlist in the British troops, and this is exactly where Edward Barcley, from Debert, Nova Scotia, found himself. He was in England visiting his parents at the time.

The record set contains letters. Many letters!

And if you are a descendent of Edward Barcley of Debert, Nova Scotia, you will know, as it is written in one of the many letters you can search at Ancestry.com, that he was sent as an ‘immigrant boy’ - from a Middlemore Home to Canada in 1906! He came with his brother and sister (although he doesn't name them).

This is incredible information – right from the immigrant’s mouth, so to speak.

It just goes to show you, that when you start to search records - you will never know what you will find!!!!!!!!!!

So if you can't find them in the Canadian records, but you know he or she was in the First World War, then check these records. They might be here.

The website is at http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9149



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.


 

 

Digitized Directory of Schools

This afternoon I was doing some research in Nova Scotia, and I came across the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development: Digitized Directory of Schools (1950s-present) at  bit.ly/1Cn6wXE

They name the school, where it is located, and how many teachers were employed at the school, and starting in 1958, they give the principles names, and extra information about the schools. There are even notes in some of the books that may prove helpful.

They are organized by the counties, and then by school districts within the individual county. 

Happy researching!



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

The Town of Tecumseh has launched their historical archives

The Tecumseh Historical Archives is the result of an archiving project, undertaken by the Town of Tecumseh, in partnership with the Tecumseh Area Historical Society and Employment Ontario, to digitize the history of Tecumseh by photographing and scanning historically significant items and documents that were then uploaded into an online archive known as the Tecumseh Historical Archives.

The first thing that has been done is to put the Tecumseh Tribune online at http://ink.scholarsportal.info/tribune

You can choose any issue between January 30 1959 to November 11, 2010 to research.

At the Tecumseh Historical Society are deeds from Tecumseh, St. Clair Beach, Maidstone and Sandwich South area. They also have artifacts of medical supplies from Col. Paul Poisson, who was Tecumsehʼs first mayor, antique photographs of the old centre of the town, memorabilia from the Tecumseh Baseball Club, a Doherty pump organ, the telephone switchboard from Hotel Dieu Hospital, an Essex Scottish army uniform, and a photographic portrait of the townʼs first postmaster, Joseph Christe.

Follow the developments on their Facebbok page of the Tecumseh-Historical-Museum https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tecumseh-Historical-Museum-Ontario/303551066341121



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012/

 

Extra news items

Here are some news items which have come across the desk this week -

For those people who regularly follow the Dear Myrt's Beginning Genealogy posts here every week, there will not be a regular post today. Dear Myrt is attending the New England Regional Genealogical Consortium Conference in Providence, Rhode Island this week. She will return to her desk next week.

If you have not been following my posts, all of the posts are here at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/dear-myrts-beginning-genealogy-sessions_9.html

Also, the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society usually has their yearly Conference in the spring of the year. But they have found it impossible to plan one for this year, so they have postponed it until next year – 2016. So keep posted for news as it comes to us.

You have to listen to this!

Essex County Genealogical Society now hold their meeting on a YouTube channel, and the first presentation that they had this week was given by George Pitfield and called Do You Know Your Family?

George always thought that he was English (even had the genealogy to prove it), but a surprising turn in his search that he is full blood Aboriginal – on both sides of his family. All of that English genealogy was wrong. Since then, he has been made an Elder, and has leaned the language of his people. Truly fascinating story!

The YouTube presentation is at http://www.ogs.on.ca/essex/?page_id=165#Apr2015Speaker



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

Beginning Genealogy classes in Winnipeg start today

There will be a two part genealogy Beginning Genealogy class in Winnipeg, Manitoba during the month of April, and the classes will be given by Bill Curtis of the Manitoba Genealogical Society.

The first class will be tonight from 6-8 pm, and the second class will be Tuesday April 21 and it also be from 6-8 pm. Bill will introduce the basics of genealogical research.

In Part 1, you will be a family history detective and find clues in a case study. 

In Part 2, you will learn where to find personal information about individual ancestors both on and off the Internet.

These courses will be given at the HENDERSON LIBRARY in Winnipeg, and you can phone 204-986-4314 to register.

The webpage for the Manitoba Genealogical Society is at http://www.mbgenealogy.com/

Their Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Manitoba-Genealogical-Society-Inc/7054423205

And they are also thinking about doing a possible group trip to Salt Lake City.

Anyone who is reading this and are interested in a possible trip for the week of May 17 to 24, 2015, are asked to please email Jayne Paradis. Rooms are $85US single/double and $92US triple/quad.

Jayne is looking into the costs of bussing and flying. Please email jparadis@mts.net if you are interested or if you have any questions.



Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed this week’s edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/04/canadian-week-in-review-13-april-2015_13.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.

BC Provincial Heritage Fair Society

The BC Heritage Fair Society is a non-profit organization that supports their Heritage Fairs Program throughout the province of British Columbia.

They hold 12 regional fairs per year, involving about 6000 young people.

The highlight of the Fair will be the showcase of student projects to the public at the Royal BC Museum on Sunday, July 5, from 12:00 to 3:00 pm

The website is at http://www.bcheritagefairs.ca/

Their facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/bcheritagefairs

The Story of Grosse Île – Canada’s Ellis Island

On Saturday, April 25, 2015, there will be a meeting of the Quebec Family History Society at the Briarwood Presbyterian Church Hall, 70 Beaconsfield Blvd, Montreal. Anne Renaud will present the Story of Grosse Île, and the lecture will start at 10:30 am.

From 1832 to 1937 more than four million people sailed across the Atlantic to the port of Quebec with the dream of creating better lives for themselves in the new world. During this period, a tiny island called Grosse Île, known also as the Irish Memorial National Historic Site, located fifty kilometers downstream from the port, served as a quarantine station, its mission was to prevent ship passengers from spreading diseases to the mainland. This is the story of the island, which served both as gateway and graveyard for thousands of people, and of the caring island workers who welcomed them to its shores.

The website of the Quebec Family History Society is at http://www.qfhs.ca/

 If you want to learn more about Grosse Île you can go to Immigrants at Grosse Île Quarantine Station, 1832-1937 at the Library and Archives Canada website at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/immigrants-grosse-ile-1832-1937/Pages/immigrants-grosse-ile.aspx.

You can slso check the database at http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/immigration/immigration-records/immigrants-grosse-ile-1832-1937/Pages/search.aspx





Check the Canadian Week in Review every Monday morning for the latest in Genealogy, Heritage, and History news in Canada.

If you missed the last edition, it is at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/03/canadian-week-in-review-30-march-2015.html

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since April 23, 2012.