Ancestry.ca and the World Archives Project

Ancestry.ca let us know yesterday that the World Archives Project has already started in Canada with the soon to be released "Ontario, Canada Marriage Registers by Clergy, 1896-1948."

If you go on Ancestry.ca, a mnetion is made that the project is 80% done already, so I guess they are trying to make sure that people know about it and will help them make it over the top.

They have said that it will be free when completed, and will include approximately 24,000 names as registered by the clergy under the Resignation Act of 1896.

No where do they say that this is already available at the Ontario Archives by microfilm (it is) and is also available by the Mormons - but it will be available on the Internet for the first time when it is completed by Ancestry.ca.

You can go to the site to access the download page and for instructions on how to use the indexing tool.

As Karen Peterson, Marketing Director of Ancestry.ca says, "Historical record preservation and access go hand-in-hand so it is important that institutions, business and individuals all play an active role to ensure that as many Canadian records are preserved for future generations as possible."

Quebec Family History Spring Meetings

I just received an email from Jackie Billingham of the Quebec Family History Society www.qfhs.ca telling me about the free spring programe of events to be held at St. Andrew's United Church, 75-15th Avenue in Lachine (near Montreal), Quebec.

The meetings will be held every second Saturday of the month at 10:30 a.m., with the first one on March 14th when QFHS members will host "Show & Tell: Photos", and will give themselves an opportunity to display and talk about their genealogical research collection.

At the second meeting on April 18th, QFHS members will host "Show & Tell: Items of Interest" and discuss what they have collected in their genealogical research.

And finally, the last meeting in their spring series, entitled "Meet the Experts Panel", will be held on May 9th, where you will be able to question them about your own research.

Anyone wishing to participate in either of these events, contact Raye Fraser at ruthrays@total.net.

Some Blogs that Elizabeth Follows ...

Since Diane named my blog for the Kreativ Blogger Award, I have agreed to list some of my favorite blogs. They are on my list to read every morning to see "what's what" and who has been doing what genealogical things since I last checked the day before.

As Diane knows, I can't let anything pass without a comment. I have put my comments beside the blogs I have picked here, too. Some, but not all, of the blogs have Canadian content as the main focus, and aren't in any particular order.

(In the December 2008 article on GenealogyToday.com, I wrote an article on Canadian genealogy blogs called "All-Canadian Blogs of 2008")

1. Dick Eastman's Blog (blog.eogn.com) - This was the first blog that I had followed, and I think (although I am not sure) he was the first to change from an electronic newsletter to a blog.

It has posting of genealogical significance from all over the world, and I do find Canadian information on there most of the time. I even wrote an article for him many moons ago.

He was at Conference '08 (for the Ontario Genealogy Society) and I had a sit-down interview with him. I found that he was a very nice man, and knew his genealogical "stuff" to the letter.

2. John Reid's Anglo-Celtic Connections (anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com)- John is a fellow Ottawa blogger (he has been at it longer than I) , although he blogs mostly about Anglo-Celtic genealogical news, with news about the Library and Archives Canada thrown in for good measure.

3. Leland Meitzler Genealogy Blog (www.genealogyblog.com) I have followed Leland's blog since he first started it a few years ago.

I write on a annual basis for Everton's Genealogical Helper (Leland is the editor) and I'm always interested in what he has found on a daily basis.

He was off of the blogs for a couple of months, but is now back on, and I always check his writings because he always has a personal take on things genealogical.

4. Jane's Your Aunt (canadagenealogy.blogspot.com) I consider Diane a friend. I read her blog every day and although I do not blog as much as she does, we do our best to cover Canada (she on the West Coast and me in the middle of the country), and I think we do a pretty good job.

I met Diane last summer and we had a lovely time together. We went out one Friday night and showed her some of Ottawa's treasures.

5. Dear Myrtle (blog.dearmyrtle.com) I did a radio interview with her about five years ago, and have kept up with her genealogical happenings ever since.

I listen to what she says, as she has been doing this for a long time and know her genealogy to a "T".

6. Olive Tree Genealogy (http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.com) - Like many others, Laura started her blog after she had been on the Internet for a number of years.

She has a great interest in Loyalist, Canadian, and Palatine history, and you can find it on her site.

7. Randy's Genealogical Musings (http://www.geneamusings.com) - I like Randy's blog for two reasons - one, I've got relatives in the San Francisco area of California (and Randy lives in Chula Vista, California), and second - he writes about going on genealogy cruises/conferences and about his own genealogical club, which I love to read.

8. And the last one is a blog that I will write twice a month for Ancestry.ca, starting March 1st.

The blog will cover things I have discovered in doing my own blog or from what people have asked me in my genealogical career that now covers 15 years.

The first blog will appear March 1st.

Honours! A Kreativ Blogger Award!!

I received a very surprising — and very pleasant — comment from M. Diane Rogers, of "Jane's Your Aunt" fame, advising me that I was a proud recipient of the Kreativ Blogger Award, and that she was the nominator!

Thank you, Diane, for this honour!

For a list of the other lucky winners, please visit Diane's site at http://canadagenealogy.blogspot.com/2009/02/kreativ-blogger-award-for.html

And since I'm eighth on the list, I'd also like to thank her Na for giving Diane that great piece of advice -

"I have chosen to nominate 8 - one extra for good measure as my Na always said to do:"

Come back soon to see the blogs I will nominate - so many choices ... (now I know what a judge at the Oscars goes through!)

LAC Reports Major System Interruption

The Library and Archives Canada is reporting a serious system interruption today (Friday) which has affected all LAC internal and external websites, as well as all email services.

Take note that the system will be down from 6:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. due to maintenance on the system.

It means that no databases can be accessed during this time, and you cannot send an email to them. Wait until the system is back up at noontime.

They have also said that the system will be down on the following dates:

Saturday, March 21st, 2009
Saturday, April 18th, 2009
Saturday, May 23rd, 2009
Saturday, June 20th, 2009
Saturday, July 18th, 2009
Saturday, August 15th, 2009
Saturday, September 19th, 2009
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
Saturday, November 21st, 2009
Saturday, December 19th, 2009

Wiki for Chinese-Canadian Roots

I first heard about this last year when I attended a conference at the Library and Archives Canada, and subsequently wrote an article about Chinese-Canadian immigration for Internet Genealogy Magazine last fall.

At that time, Janet Tomkins, Genealogy Librarian of the Vancouver Public Library, said that the wiki which was under development at that time — ccgwiki.vpl.ca — would soon be added to the page on which had been set-up by the library she works for, with the Library and Archives Canada

According to a press release, "The goal of the wiki is to create a portrait of the early Chinese-Canadian community by collecting and sharing the stories of individuals of Chinese origin who were born in Canada in the 19th century."

If you go to the wiki, you will see that already there are 461 indiduals in the database, with a separate profile on each one.

It is hoped that people whose ancestor inmmigrated to Canada can now go to the wiki where they can register for free and contribute to the profiles by adding biographical details, photographs, and document images.

Valentines for Vets

Although it is too late for this year's Valentine's Day, how about next year - making Valentines for Vets?

Started 20 years ago by the late American newspaper advice columnist, Ann Landers, it was officially adopted by Veterans Affairs Canada in 1996, They have been collecting and distributing Valentines across Canada for the past 13 years.

On the Veterans Affairs Canada website at www.vac-acc.gc.ca/youth/sub.cfm?source=feature/valentine, one can view Valentines going back to 2002, and the cards that have been sent to the veterans.

On the website, there is a special meaning giving to the word "Valentine" -

V is for Valentine for Vets

A is for All of Canada's brave Veterans

L is for Living in freedom

E is for your heroic Efforts

N is for the New Veterans Charter

T is for Teaching youth

I is for students, organizations and Individuals sending valentine tributes

N is for the Numerous ways we appreciate you

E is for thanks for Everything

S is for your valiant Sacrifices

For next year, please send your Valentine to: Valentines for Vets, Veterans Affairs Canada, Communications Division, P.O. Box 7700, Charlottetown, PE C1A 8M9 information@vac-acc.gc.ca