Bruce & Grey Branch Fall Event

The annual Bruce & Grey Fall Event will be held on Saturday, September 24, 2011 at the Ayton Centennial Hall, 818 Albert St. Ayton, Ontario.

The speakers will be Kathleen LaBudie-Szakall who has spent over 30 years researching her Polish ancestors, and lectured for over 25 years on various Polish, Michigan and Ontario resources, and along with Jan Zaleski developed an on-line genealogy course & companion textbook, "Finding Your Polish Ancestors", and Steve Fulton as a Network Admin/Compter Tech., is the Chair of the Niagara Penninsula Branch, and the Technical Support and Innovation Committee as well as Webmaster and Tech Support for Niagara.

In addition to the Conference, you are invited to visit the Bruce County Cultural Centre and Archives and Grey Roots to see what they have to offer. There will be two free days of research to Fall Event participants on Thursday, September 23, and Friday, September 24. You must pre-register to take advantage of this offer.

You can send the registration form to Bruce & Grey Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society (BGOS), Att: Korleen Halbert, P. O. Box 66, Owen Sound, ON. N4K 5P1

The Registration Fee is $30.00 before Sept.10th or $35.00 at the door (includes a hot lunch of Chicken & Beef with Homemade Pies.-

Their website is at http://tiffanyweb.bmts.com/~bgogs/calofevent.html

FREE Genealogy Workshop in Windsor, Nova Scotia

Members of the West Hants Historical Society are holding a FREE Genealogy Workshop on Saturday, 20 August, 2011 from 10 a.m. until everybody gives up!

The workstations will be -

- Locating and using on-line sources

- Demonstration of a 'typical' genealogy package (Legacy)

- Thinking of writing a book?

- Hants County Cemeteries

- WHHS Library resources (try them)

- Care and storage of photos and documents.

- Lots of handouts.

They ask that you join them at the West Hants Historical Society, 281 King St., Windsor, NS

Their website is at http://www.westhantshistoricalsociety.ca/

National Acadian Day

August 15th was National Acadian Day.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said yesterday that “The Acadian people endured early hardships with great resolve and courage to emerge a proud and determined community that continues to make significant contributions to Canada, in every area of endeavour. Their customs, traditions and way of life have become a distinctive part of Canada’s social fabric”.

They have just finished the Acadian Festival and Cyr Family Reunion http://www.acadianfestival.com/

Read about the Congress in 2014 The Acadian World Congress http://www.acadian.org/congres5.html

Acadian Arts & Crafts in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia http://www.yarmouthandacadianshores.com/

They have just had the festival The Acadian Festival of Caraquet http://festivalacadien.ca/en

Former Titles for Canadian Forces

There is news in Ottawa this morning that Canada will return the titles of the Maritime Command, Air Command and Land Force Command to their former title of the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Air Force, and Royal Canadian Navy today.

It will happened 100 years to the day that the British granted Royal Consent to the Naval Service of Canada that it could call itself the Royal Canadian Navy.

Defence Minister Peter MacKay is announcing the name changes in Halifax today.

If you want to read of their history, the websites are -

Canadian Forces http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Forces

The History and Heriitage of the Royal Canadian Air Force http://rcaf.com/

Royal Canadian Navy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Canadian_Navy

Tall Ship “Pride of Baltimore II” in Amherstburg, Ontario

The "Pride of Baltimore" will make its grand arrival at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 27, 2011, and will stay overnight until Sunday, August 27, 2011 in Amherstburg.

The 157-ft "Pride of Baltimore II" is a reproduction of an 1812-era Baltimore-built topsail schooner privateer. The original "Pride", Chasseur, defended America's freedom during the War of 1812 by serving as an offensive weapon of war and blockade-runner, capturing or sinking 35 British vessels. The British attacked Baltimore in 1814 in an attempt to destroy the Fells Point shipyards where privateer ships were built. During the September 13, 1814 Battle of Baltimore, Francis Scott Key wrote the words that became the United States national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner”.

Amherstburg welcomes the "Pride II" as part of the celebration of the Bicentennial of the War of 1812.

Complimentary tour times are as follows at Duffy’s dockside -

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Dockside Deck Tours: 2 p.m. to 7:00 pm

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Dockside Deck Tours 11:00 am to 7:00 pm

You can go to the website http://www.1812amherstburg.com

Stories of a Canadian Family

A new blog appeared yesterday, and it is named “Stories of a Canadian Family”.

It is by Lianne Lavoie, and it explores her “French, English, Scottish, and Swedish ancestry”. Genealogy is right up there with the things she likes to do (right after computer science, languages, and philosophy), and she says that most of her “research so far has been on my dad’s side of the family, simply because it is the French Canadian side, and there are ample resources available. However, I do plan to discover as much as I can about my mom’s side, which is English, Scottish, and Swedish, as well. There are many gaps still in my family tree, and I intend to fill them in”.

She has the surnames of her paternal side, which are -

Bard
Daineault
Deshaies
Ducharme
Gagne
Lavoie
Levasseur
Ouellet
Paradis
Richard
Voyer

And the surnames of her maternal side, which are -

Angus
Aspinal
Fretwell
Jackson
Johnson
Pehrsson/Peterson
Prince
Watts

So if you have any of these names in your family, be sure to drop Lianne a note, and help her along the way.

The website is http://storiesofacanadianfamily.blogspot.com/

Late Summer Reading

The August issue of Families has just out, and in it, five books were reviewed. They are -

Education and Ontario Family History: A Guide to Resources for Genealogists and Historians by Marian Press.

This book is for the person who had ancestors in the educational system in Ontario, from the earliest days to the 1960s.

The six chapters range from Chapter One: "Where the Resources Reside" to Chapter Six, which covers the topic of post-secondary education.

The website is at http://ogs.on.ca/ogscart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=722

Tracing Your English & Scottish Ancestry Moorshead Magazines Ltd.

This is a collection of nineteen articles previously published by the company in their magazines, and include "British WWII Merchant Vessel Cards", "35 Top Sites for Scottish Research", and "Cornish Online Parish Clerks".

Each of the nineteenth subjects are written by such writers as Davis A. Norris, George G. Morgan (one of the Genealogy Guys), and Alan Stewart.

The website is www.moorshead.com

Some Early Scots in Maritime Canada, Volume 1 by Terrence M. Punch.

Here, he follows the history of the emigration of Scots from the mid-1700s to the 1800s.

He even partly reconstitutes passenger lists for the ships William Tell and Harmony.

The website is <www.genealogical.com/products/Some%20Early%20Scots%20in%20Maritime%20Canada%20%20Volume%201/4713.html>.

An Index to the Articles Referred to in Genealogy in Canada 4th Edition by Brenda Dougall Merriman.

This book lists 167 articles about genealogy in Ontario. Among the headings are "Afro-Canadian Ancestry", "Loyalists", and "Vital Statistics".

The website is at http://ogs.on.ca/ogscart/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1085

Perseverance, Pranks & Pride by Joy V.C. Forbes.

There are over 1,700 personal names listed in this book about one-room schoolhouses in the Ottawa Valley.

Over 120 schools are listed, and photos are available.

You can go to her website to see more about one-room schoolhouses at www.oneroomschoolhouses.ca

Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador

Have you been to the Family History Society of Newfoundland and Labrador site lately?

They have recently put new slides and audio recordings on the site from their April and May lectures, and Members can access these on their "Meetings & Lectures" page.

All 25+ years worth of back issues of The Newfoundland Ancestor have been digitised and put on their website for their members. For non-members they have made available a free sample issue that you can download and read.

And their website now has an interactive forum where they invite you to post genealogical queries, etc.

To go to the website, click om http://www.fhsnl.ca/

Camrose Founders Days Festival

Celebrations at Camrose Founders Days Festival, Camrose, Alberta, August 12th to the 14th. It will mark 100 year milestones for many Camrose organizations. Daily activities take place Downtown on Main Street, Camrose Centennial Museum and the Camrose Railway Station Museum & Park.

On Friday, August 12 at 12:30, a "promenade" down Camrose's Main Street will take place before arriving at Founders Square for the honouring ceremony of the three founders - Rev. Thomas Torger Carlson, Mr. M.A. Maxwell and Mrs. Carla Didrickson-Hoyme.

After the ceremony, the public is invited to the Bailey Theatre to take in a reception, "meet" the founders, tour the 100-year-old theatre and visit the City of Camrose historical inventory.

On Saturday evening there be a graveyard expedition through Poplar Grove cemetery. Following that, you can meet Glenys Smith at the Railway Station for a ghost tour through the city.

On Sunday, a display at the Camrose centennial museum will highlight another groundbreaking member of the Hoyme family, this time featuring the millinery of Miss Hoyme, a relative of Carla Didrickson-Hoyme. A Mad Hatters fashion show at 1 p.m. will be held to recognize her accomplishments.

If you wish to go to the website, the address is http://www.camrosefoundersdays.com/

GANS Meeting in Halifax, Nova Scotia

On Tuesday the 27 of September, 2011 at 7:30 p.m. the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS) will hold a talk which will be given by Conrad Byers of Parrsboro. The topic of his talk will be "Sea Captains: The Men Who Took Their Wives and Families to Sea With Them".

The meeting will be held at the Akins Room, Nova Scotia Archives and Records Management, 6016 University Avenue, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Their website address is http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/Recreation/GANS/

Another View of Genealogy Survey

There is another view of the Canadian Genealogy Survey given by British Columbia blogger M. Diane Rogers on her site "CanadianGenealogy, or, 'Jane's Your Aunt'" on August 9th at http://canadagenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/08/another-genealogyfamily-history-survey.html

Do you agree or disagree with her views?

She says in part that "I've already submitted my answers, and yes, I knew right away I couldn't agree with some of the broad assumptions apparently being made. Has there been a recent "surge of interest" in genealogy/family history as the Cape Breton Post put it? If so, when, where and what forms has it taken? Or are some paying more attention to television ads than perhaps is wise. Remember how long the widely heralded show 'Who Do You Think You Are' lasted in Canada?"

What are your views? Is she right, or is she too critical of the survey?

If you haven't taken the survey yet, it is on http://www.cusurveycentre.ca/gensurvey

Mississippi Valley Textile Museum

Just got this message from John D. Reid http://anglo-celtic-connections.blogspot.com/ about an event to take place at the Mississippi Valley Textile Museum on Thursday August 25th at 7 pm.

You are invited to "Remembering the British Home Children in Canada "where you will view "the Memorial Quilt prepared to commemorate the British Home Children in Canada and hear a personal account from Mary Thurston of Perth, Ontario, an accomplished author who wrote “Into the Hills.” Mary is the daughter of Isabella Hilson, a home child who is featured on the Memorial Quilt. Bob Stacey of Carleton Place, Ontario will talk about memories of his father, who also was a home child.

Please join us for this occasion. Refreshments will be served.

There is no admission charge but a goodwill donation would be appreciated.

The Memorial Quilt will be on display in the museum’s Norah Rosamond
Hughes Gallery until 31 August 2011".

Michael Rikley-Lancaster
Executive Director / Curator
Mississippi Valley Textile Museum
613-256-3754
curator@mvtm.ca
http://www.mvtm.ca

Death Notice in the "Island Register"

Dave Hunter keeps a website at http://www.islandregister.com/ about Prince Edward Island genealogy. As part of the website, he also issues a weekly free e-newsletter called the Island Register for over ten years. To subscribe, go to http://www.islandregister.com/whatsnew.html#newsletter

Since 2005, Eldon Sentner has put weekly obits on the newsletter, and you can read them at
http://www.islandregister.com/2005obits.html. His email is daleandeldon@eastlink.ca

There is also "Centenarians in the Death Notices Listings" at http://www.islandregister.com/eldoncentenarians.html

Peacekeeper's Day

Three years ago, National Peacekeepers' Day become an official day in Canada. Every year on August 9, past and present Canadian peacekeepers have been honoured through events, and activities across Canada.

Veterans Affairs Canada National Peacekeepers’ Day Also gives their history, and a list of events that are taking place across the country.
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/sub.cfm?source=feature/peacekeeper

Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping
http://www.cavunp.org/pkday.html

Gives the history of the RCMP as peacekeepers
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/po-mp/pks-gsp-day-jour-eng.htm

Museum Explores Mining Heritage

The Northern Ontario Railroad Museum and Heritage Centre is putting on "Mining Rocks of the North" exhibit from August 3 to September 5, 2011

They will have special events that will include "Gold Panning on Vermillion River" on August 20, 2011, as well as the exhibit.

If you have questions about the history of Capreol and Area including the towns of Sellwood and Milnet, the museum has books, and photos.

The museum is located at 26 Bloor St. Capreol, Ontario.

The website is http://normhc.ca/silverstripe/

Fergus Scottish Fesival & Highland Games

From August 12th to the 14th, Fergus, Ontario will be the place to be if you have an interest in things Scottish.

There will a full genealogy program at the The Record & Guelph Mercury's Genealogy and Education Venue, which is situated beside the Heavy Events field within the picturesque Avenue of the Clans.

The site says it "Lectures from our featured author, book signing, Scottish musicians, The Chieftain, dance, Scottish and Celtic related lectures given by top Canadian academics, featured athletes, tartan and kilt making, weaponry, battles, geography, sculptor, croft display, the distillation of Scotch, the many uses of Highland heather and much more".

There is a Historical Research Centre, Genealogy Research Centre and Tartan Research Centre within the venue. The Scottish Athletic Hall of Fame is the only comprehensive exhibit in the world illustrating the recorded history of indigeneous Scottish sport.

The exhibit is interpreted by historian-author Lynn Boland Richardson and renowned sports author and Commonwealth official Mr. David P Webster O.B.E. Photo opportunities and athlete autographs are available.

To go to their website http://www.fergusscottishfestival.com/
or contact them at info@FergusScottishFestival.com

Saint John Branch Genealogical Fair

On October 1, 2011, from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, at The St. Joachim’s Church Hall, 603 Loch Lomond Road, Saint John, New Brunswick the Saint John Branch of the NBGS Inc. will be hosting a Genealogical Fair.

Several exhibitors will be in attendance, and it will feature the NB Archives Road Show which includes research material from the New Brunswick Provincial Archives.

I understand that Dave Obee, genealogist from Victoris, British Columbia will be there giving talks.

This fair will be of interest from the beginner to the experienced researcher.

They say that you will be able to "Learn the first steps in the lifetime journey of family research, perhaps find that small piece of information that chinks away at that brick wall you've encountered or make connections with researchers that are on the same trail as you are".

There will be a small entrance fee, and refreshments will be available to purchase.

Plenty of free parking is available.

Their site is http://www.nbgssj.ca/GenealogicalFair_October12011.asp

PoW Camp in Winnipeg

The Whitewater PoW Camp Archaeology Project http://whitewaterpowcamp.com/ is the site where German prisoners of war spent much of the Second World War in Manitoba.

The archaeology dig is at Riding Mountain National Park, located about 300 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg, where the Whitewater PoW camp was located.

The camp housed about 500 people. About 450 German Afrika Korps soldiers were sent to the camp after their capture in October 1943 during the Second Battle of El-Alamein in Egypt. They were kept at the camp until October 1945.

There is a list of some of the POW camps in Canada (There were some 40 camps)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_POW_camps_in_Canada

Articles for "The Toronto Project"

I came across this notice today in the "Loyalist Trails" UELAC Newsletter 2011-31 Aug 7, 2011 -

"The Toronto Project, which is an online museum of the history of Toronto and its' people, will launch publicly on October 12th at The Art Gallery of Ontario. Amongst a number of initiatives, The Toronto Project is creating a wiki history of the city. This will eventually be an interactive forum open to everyone's contribution. Prior to the public launch of the wiki history, The Toronto Project is looking for contributions of some core articles with which to seed the wiki.

We have been asked to submit stories of our Loyalist ancestors and their contributions to the city of Toronto and the area around. Please submit your story to torontouel@bellnet.ca. We will review and edit, if necessary, and forward them on to the project co-ordinators".

Karen Windover UE,President, Toronto Branch