Genealogy Canada

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Quebec Family History Society – Video

Three members of the executive - Gary Schroder, Deborah Robertson and Kelley O'Rourke – of the the Quebec Family History Society (QFHS) has made a YouTube video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgOYA6QtXec about the Conference which they will be holding on June 19, 29, and 21, 2015 at McGill University, Montreal.

Already, there have been over 100 viewers of the video, so that shows that there is interest in the Conference.

If you are interested in Conference 2015, you can go to http://www.qfhs.ca/cpage.php?pt=174 to see the programme, the accommodation, the Genealogical Resource Fair, and the registration package.

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/2015/03/canadian-week-in-review.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.

UPDATE: OGS Conference – Interview No 4

Shirley Sturdevant, former president of the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) has interviewed Dave Obee LLD (University of British Columbia) from Victoria, British Columbia. He will be a speaker at the OGS Conference to be held in Barrie, Ontario from May 29th to May 31st, 2015.

He will be participating in the Saturday morning panel discussion and be presenting lectures entitled A Sense of Place and Time, Western Canada by Rail, and From Eastern Europe to Canada.

Dave is the editor-in-chief of the Times Colonist newspaper. He is also the author of twelve books, including guides to Canadian immigration records and census records. He is a columnist for Internet Genealogy and Family Chronicle, and serves on the board of Canada’s History Society.

To view the YouTube interview, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5932gCFc5Ig

And to review the other interviews on this blog, you can go to the following websites -

Interview No 1 with Thomas MacEntee and Dr.Janet Few at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/02/update-ogs-conference-interviews.html

Interview No 2 with Dr. Maurice Gleeson at http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/02/another-ogs-interview.html

Interview No 3 with Kirsty Gray http://genealogycanada.blogspot.com/2015/02/update-ogs-conference-interview-no-3.html

The OGS website is at http://www.ogs.on.ca/

The Conference Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/OntarioGenealogicalSocietyConference?ref=hl

It’s the ONLY news blog of its kind in Canada!
It has been a regular post every Monday morning since

April 23, 2012.

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Upcoming events in Ontario and Quebec

On March 21, 2015, the Quinte Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society will feature author Bill Kennedy's recent book At the Call of King and Country, the stories of WWI Soldiers and the Canadian Army Medical Corp nurses, some from Hastings County.

The talk will take place at the Quinte West Public Library, 7 Creswell Drive, Trenton, ON K8V 6X5 at 1 pm to 3 pm. Everyone is welcome, and bring a friend!

For more information, visit www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canqbogs/

And there is a 2-session genealogy course at Quebec Family History Society and the lectures will be given by Gary Schroder. The lectures will be entitled Family History Research: How Do Find Your Ancestors?

Gary Schroder, long-time member of the Q.F.H.S. will be giving a 6 course at the Pointe Claire Public Library. This is an excellent way to learn about the Quebec Family History Society and it’s Heritage Centre and of course to learn more about family history resources and to discover what is available on the Internet.

This 6-hour course is an introduction to the sources used in family history research and also how to use the Internet for genealogical research.

The lectures will be at the Pointe Claire Public Library, 100 Douglas Shand, Pointe Claire, Quebec on Wednesday March 11 and March 18, 2015, and the time will be 6 to 9 (6 hour course). The cost will be $30.00 residents of Pointe Claire $40.00 non-residents.

Advance reservations are required: To Reserve a Place Call 514-630-1218 or go in person to the Pointe Claire Library.

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

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

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since

April 23, 2012.

Library and Archives Canada - online survey

Sylvie Tremblay, Manager, Online Content of the Library and Archives Canada (LAC), has sent out the following press release -

‘Library and Archives Canada is conducting a usability study of our to gather information about how visitors use our website. This study includes a question about digital content available on the LAC website. Please note that the identity of respondents is strictly confidential’.

The study can be accessed at: http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/lacbac01/lac/ until March 6^th.

If you have any questions about the study, please contact: webservices@bac-lac.gc.ca.

So I took the survey, and found that they asked very good questions, such as how did you find the LAC website and what (records) were you searching for today?

The questions caused me to think, and the two things that I would like to see added would be the 1851, 1861 and 1871 agricultural census and the vast collection of newspapers that they have onsite. Whether they will accommodate my wish list remains to be seen.

What did you think of the survey? What would you like to see in the future as far as digital content is concerned? Are there questions that they should have asked, and didn’t?

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 Speakers - Irish Genealogy

Gwyneth Pearce, the Secretaryof the Toronto Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society has sent me the following press release -

'Toronto Branch is planning a one-day workshop on 19 September 2015 on Irish genealogy and family history with a specific focus on Ulster. Historian Dr. William Roulston and genealogist Chris Paton have agreed to lead this workshop as keynote presenters, and we are now seeking other speakers with Irish expertise who would like to be part of the team. We invite proposals for presentations at either a beginner or more advanced level aimed at family historians researching ancestors in the nine counties in the historic province of Ulster'.

They have detailes at their call for presentations at http://torontofamilyhistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Call-for-Speakers-Irish-Genealogy-Workshop-Sept-2015.pdf.

The deadline to submit a proposal for this workshop is Saturday,18 April 2015.

Their Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/TOFamilyHistory

Their Twitter account is @TOFamilyHistory

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

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since

April 23, 2012.

Monday, March 2, 2015

Canadian Week in Review 02 Mar 2015

I have come across the following Canadian websites, social media websites, and newspaper articles this past week that were of interest to me, and I thought you might be interested in them, too.

This Week in Canadian History

1917 Women in Ontario win right to vote in provincial elections. On December 6, 1921, at the age of 31, Agnes Macphail became the first woman to sit in the House of Commons.

For more information, go to http://www.cbc.ca/history/EPISCONTENTSE1EP12CH3PA1LE.html

On February 24, 2013, the City of Vancouver, British Columbia, unveiled a plaque at the former site of Hogan’s Alley, officially recognizing the area’s deep historical ties to the city’s first Black community

For more information, go to http://www.pc.gc.ca/apps/cseh-twih/index_e.asp

Social Media

(Video) Black Halifax’s unseen histories

http://www.thecoast.ca/halifax/black-halifaxs-unseen-histories/Content?oid=4553663

Black Halifax: Stories from Here highlight 14 important historical African Nova Scotian moments
(Photos) Sir John A. Macdonald's gold watch impresses students

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/sir-john-a-macdonald-s-gold-watch-impresses-students-1.2971780

A pocket watch owned by the first prime minister of Canada has proven popular with students at a Summerside school.

New Brunswick

Girl Guides seek memorabilia for Saint John archives
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/girl-guides-seek-memorabilia-for-saint-john-archives-1.2973309
Former N.B. Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders asked for uniforms, photos and other items

Nova Scotia

Creignish stone cottage restoration wins heritage award
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/creignish-stone-cottage-restoration-wins-heritage-award-1.2971559
Settler's descendant reclaims family homestead. Ian MacMaster built what's known as Moidart house around 1801

Broughton ghost town attracts heritage interest
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/broughton-ghost-town-attracts-heritage-interest-1.2968959
Cape Breton heritage group hopes to preserve former mine town

Ontario

Museum of History among local cultural institutions to get a boost in funding
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/museum-of-history-among-local-cultural-institutions-to-get-a-boost-in-funding
Local museums and cultural agencies will be among the beneficiaries of federal government largesse this year, according to spending plans outlined in the 2015-16 main estimates.

Saskatchewan

A special month for black history in Saskatchewan
http://www.leaderpost.com/life/special+month+black+history+Saskatchewan/10836909/story.html
A pphysician, politician, pharmacist, farmer and publisher: Dr. Alfred Schmitz Shadd was the man whom history records as the first black settler in Saskatchewan.

News Stories of the Week

This week The Stories of the Week is slanted towards the youth of Canada – your talents are wanted!

Canadian Day Challenge 2015

This year, the youth from ages 8 to 18 years across Canada are asked to tell us what makes them proud to be Canadian by submitting their best, most dynamic drawings, photos or pieces of creative writing that represents everything that Canada is as a strong, proud and free nation.

Enter the 2015 Canada Day Challenge for a chance to win great prizes, including all-expenses paid trip for two to Ottawa to celebrate Canada Day on Parliament Hill: go backstage, meet some of Canada’s most inspiring people, tour museums, galleries, the iconic Parliament Buildings and be part of a special summer exhibit at the Canadian Museum of History!

Plus, there’s even more to be excited about this year! Winners will also receive the opportunity to work with the amazingly talented team of education specialists from the National Film Board of Canada to create their very own short films about their adventures in Ottawa.

How cool all of this is. So parents and grandparents, be sure to encourage the young people in your lives to enter the contest. The deadline is coming fast, so be sure to enter before March 20, 2015.

Contact the Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages at 819-997-7788
for further information.

Commonwealth Day

Commonwealth Day is March the 9th, and the theme this year is 'A Young Commonwealth'.

"A Young Commonwealth recognises the capacity, contribution and potential of young people, who play a vital role at the heart of sustainable development and democracy," said Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, announcing the theme.

"The Commonwealth is also a family of dynamic countries at the forefront of innovation, growth and contributing global value. As a diverse and increasingly connected global network, we bring fresh perspectives and new ideas.”

Find out about youth events taking place throughout the year at thecommonwealth.org/ayoungcommonwealth

That was the Canadian genealogy, history and heritage news in Canada this past week!

The next Canadian Week in Review will be posted 09 March 2015

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Family History Library - FREE Classes for March 2015!

FamilySearch.org is at it again – they are offering FREE classes this month, and I am going to take the first class (since I have relatives in the New England States) on March 7: New England States Research Series. The classes include “Town and Vital Records” at 9:30 a.m., “Probate, Land, and Tax Records” at 10:45 a.m., and “Pilgrims Progress and Migration Patterns” at 1:00 p.m.

The other classes include those given in Spanish for Hispanic Records and they are -

March 7: Arbol Familiar Para Principiantes Webinar is a class for Spanish-speaking guests and starts at 1:00 p.m.

March 14: Hispanic Research Methodology: A Case Study Webinar. This class starts at 1:00 p.m.

March 21: Hispanic Research Series Webinar. This series is for Spanish-speaking patrons. The classes include “Conozca los sitios asociados de FamilySearch: Inscripcion y findmypast,” “Conozca los sitios asociados de FamilySearch: Ancestry y MyHeritage,” and “Como utilizar Mejor el Wiki FamilySearch.” These classes start at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 p.m

Webinars can be accessed by going to FamilySearch.org, and then click Wiki,then Family History Library, then 2.2 Live Online Classes for details.

These classes and workshops are designed to help individuals and families find their ancestors and teach others family history techniques.

Meanwhile, more information has added to the name index of Canadian headstone inscriptions courtesy of CanadianHeadstones which is a family history database of records and images from Canada's cemeteries. Volunteers capture images of headstones in a cemetery and upload them to the site.

To search the site, go to https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2290953

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

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since

April 23, 2012

Archive CD Books Canada has a new website

Great news for Canadian genealogy!

The Archive CD Books Canada website has returned to a new website, and it looks fabulous!

It is easy to see exactly what they have to offer, and you get a first-hand look at the products that they have onsite.

So congratulations Malcolm and Chris Moody on their new website, and stop by to see if there is anything that you would like in Canadian books!

Remember to support out Canadian booksellers. They, and societies, are the backbone of out genealogy community.

And subscribe to their newsletter. It has regular news on their new products. As Malcolm says 'Remember this Newsletter is published for you so if you think we're missing something important drop me a line to Malcolm@ArchiveCDBooks.ca'.

The website is at www.ArchiveCDBooks.ca

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

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since

April 23, 2012.

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Crowd sourcing transcription - is it useful?

Everyone knows that people have been busy at Library and Archives Canada (LAC) digitizing the service files of the men and women who enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during the First World War.

Now, it is disclosed that 1,000 files (which is a small sample) of the medical records section of the service files - the form of temperature charts, dental records and medical case sheets has been transcribed and given to the public.

Read about it at http://blog.muninn-project.org/node/79

The press release says that “The transcribed data generated has value for researchers in handwriting recognition, and archival and medical institutions’. What about genealogists – we use these papers in our research too!

So how useful is this form of transcription? Is crowd sourcing transcription a good way to do it? How accurate will it be? They say it will be verified by computer.

Kingston Penitentiary inmate mug shots

The Kingston Penitentiary was located in Kingston, Ontario, and the penitentiary produced a series of Kingston Penitentiary Inmate History Description Ledgers from 1913 to 1916 in which there is detailed informant on each of the prisoners.

The ledger includes frontal and profile mug shots, the inmate’s name, alias, age, place of birth, height, weight, complexion, eye colour, hair colour, distinctive physical marks, occupation, sentence, date of sentence, place of sentence, crime committed, and remarks of authorities.

The ledger books are held by the Library and Archives Canada.

The ledger books are now on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157649959725467/#

Information on The Kingston Penitentiary is at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_Penitentiary

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

It has been a regular post every Monday morning since

April 23, 2012.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Day-long seminar at the BCGS

On Saturday, May 9, 2015, Jill Morelli, an sole proprietor of Cascade Research Services, will present talks at a day-long meeting of the 2015 British Columbia Genealogical Society (BSGS) Genealogy & Family History Seminar.

She will be giving talks on The “Push” and the “Pull”: Emigration Decision-Making in the 19th Century and From Scandinavia to the United States in the mid 1800’s: two case studies – one Norwegian and one Swedish – but interesting for anyone with European roots.

Another talk will be I Found My Family on the Internet! Now what do I do? – explore four major Internet locations and learn what to look for to determine whether it is worth using, and analyzing the records.

Doors open at 10:00 am / Seminar 10:30 am to 4:30 pm, and it will take place at South Arm United Church, 11051 No. 3 Road (corner of No. 3 Road & Steveston Highway) Richmond, BC.

Refreshments and lunch will be included with your tickets.

Early Bird Prices until April 15, 2015 – Tickets $44.00 for BCGS & Affiliate [Society] Members; $55.00 for non-members.

After April 15th, the prices increase to $55.00 for BCGS & Affiliate (Society) Members;
$65.00 for non-members.

To register, please contact Susan Snalam at 604-273-8209, email domers4@shaw.ca OR Eunice Robinson at 604-596-2811, email eunice@dccnet.com, and then send your cheque, made out to the BCGS, at PO Box 88054, Lansdowne Mall, Richmond, BC V6X 3T6 or pay at BCGS meetings.

The BCGS Boutique will be there too! You can vist the Boutique is at http://www.bcgs.ca/?page_id=23

The website of the BCGS is at http://www.bcgs.ca/

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

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

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Do you have Yukon ancestors?

If you have Yukon ancestors, and wonder if there are records to research. There are, and they are at the Yukon Archives in Whitehorse.

They hold manuscript collections that include diaries, correspondence, draft articles or books of persons engaged in exploration, transportation, the arts, politics, and etc.

Plus there are photographs, slides, postcards, stereocards and negatives, as well as movies and sound recordings onsite.

To go to the archives, go to http://www.tc.gov.yk.ca/archives.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.

Nova Scotia Archives - New vital statistics will be added

Good news from Nova Scotia Archives in Halifax! They are preparing to put on new vital statistics records on the Internet. The vital statistics was released on 31 December 2014 and is now being prepared for www.novascotiagenealogy.com.

They say that ‘The records are currently being digitized at the Nova Scotia Archives, electronic indexes are being constructed or improved upon, and quality control testing is underway. We anticipate uploading in July, with further information to be posted as we approach launch date’.

This year, the records include births registered in 1914 (including delayed registrations); marriages registered in 1939; and deaths registered in 1964.

Over 25,000 records will be added!

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

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

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

OGS eWeekly Update is FREE!

The Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) has many in-house publications, for instance, their journal Families, their regular newsletter NewsLEAF, and e-Announce which is available to their members. But they also have OGS eWeekly Update which is also available to the general public, and it is made available every Saturday.

It includes news on OGS matters, updates on genealogy initiatives and events, and heritage information from across the province.

The OGS eWeekly Update is available to anyone with an email address and you do not need to be an OGS member to subscribe.

You can subscribe to receive the OGS eWeekly Update by filling in the subscription form at http://multibriefs.com/optin.php?ogs (Hint, for the Company field, type “OGS.”), or if you can contribute content to the OGS eWeekly Update please contact ed@ogs.on.ca.

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

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

So how is your genealogy?

For genealogists, these are words to live by - Don't let the internet be your first stop when researching your family history. And the words are written by someone who should know - the former executive director of the Ontario Genealogical Society Dr. Fraser Dunford. These thoughts are in a column for the Peterborough This Week online newspaper published 23 February 2015.

He goes on to say that If you use only the internet, you will have a rather pathetic family history. And a confused one, I might add.

The first objective in genealogy is to properly identify the people involved, and this means that you have to have the correct people. And this means you must do more genealogy than that offered by online databases.

H ends his column with these words of wisdom - Remember that oral information has to be verified. It will tell you what to look for but does not excuse you from looking.

So how is your genealogy? Have you done all that you can to make sure that you have put the correct person in your genealogy? Did you check those family stories against the historical record in the library and archives?

The full article is here http://www.mykawartha.com/opinion-story/5443963-don-t-let-the-internet-be-your-first-stop-when-researching-your-family-

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

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

Need help in finding your Canadian Ancestors?

Michael D. from Florida says that“

'Ms. Elizabeth Lapointe is an experienced professional with a broad-based detailed knowledge of the available genealogical documentary resources, together with an understanding of the colonial and modern history, economy, and sociology of the French and English aspects of Canada. For a client, she is both a teacher and a guide into the field of genealogy'.

If you do, go to Elizabeth Lapointe Research Services and see how I can help you find that elusive Canadian ancestor.

Great service. Reasonably priced. Website: www.elrs.biz

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Glossary of Newfoundland terms

Ever wonder what bye-boats are? What a fishing room is? Or a Planter?

You may have come across these terms when you were doing Newfoundland and Labrador genealogy, and were unfamiliar with them, but these are words that have been used in Newfoundland speech over the years.

Now there is a glossary of terms on the Newfoundland and Labrador Heritage site at http://www.heritage.nf.ca/glossary.html which can help you.

Of course, you should also visit Newfoundland’s Grand Banks at http://ngb.chebucto.org/, and Family History of Society of Newfoundland and Labrador at http://www.fhsnl.ca/

By the way, a bye-boat is an inshore fishing boats owned and operated by fishers annually migrating as passengers from England, a Fishing room is the waterfront area from which a fishery was conducted (and each family had their own 'room' as soon as they arrived from the British Isles or Europe in the spring), and a Planter was a settler in Newfoundland, rather than a migratory fisherman, who supported himself through the inshore boat fishery.

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

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

Ancestry.ca update: Canada Quaker Yearly Meeting Minutes, 1836-1988

This message has come in from Ancestry -

'Today, Ancestry has launched a fascinating new collection of Canadian Quaker records, the Canada Quaker Yearly Meeting Minutes, 1836-1988, VI collection, a database containing records form Quaker meetings in Canada.

The Quakers, a longstanding religious society of friends that believed in a strong, personal experience with God, would hold yearly meetings with the top members of the society. This database is made up of more than 184,000 records from several Quaker meetings that took place in Canada. The records come from the Canadian Yearly Meeting Archives in Newmarket, Ontario.

The collection contains a large assortment of records including membership registers, marriage records, meeting minutes, removal certificates, death records and disciplinary records. Details within the records include name, date of birth, date of death, names of parents and spouses, event dates, witnesses and more. A large majority of these records come from Ontario, however there are records from other provinces and even a few from areas in the United States as some of these areas fell under Canada’s jurisdiction at the time.

I spent sometime today going through the records, and I agree, they do appear to be very inclusive and detailed. Even if you don’t know if your ancestor was a Quaker, you should check the records to see if he/she is there – because he/she might be, or he/she may have had ties to the Quaker community'.

The website is at http://search.ancestry.ca/search/db.aspx?dbid=60521&geo_a=r&geo_s=us&geo_t=ca&o_iid=41015&o_lid=41015&o_sch=Web+Property

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

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

Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Quebec Family History Society – Video

UPDATE: OGS Conference – Interview No 4

Tuesday, March 3, 2015

Upcoming events in Ontario and Quebec

Library and Archives Canada - online survey

Call for Speakers - Irish Genealogy

Monday, March 2, 2015

Canadian Week in Review 02 Mar 2015

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Family History Library - FREE Classes for March 2015!

Archive CD Books Canada has a new website

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Crowd sourcing transcription - is it useful?

Kingston Penitentiary inmate mug shots

Friday, February 27, 2015

Day-long seminar at the BCGS

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Do you have Yukon ancestors?

Nova Scotia Archives - New vital statistics will be added

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

OGS eWeekly Update is FREE!

So how is your genealogy?

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Glossary of Newfoundland terms

Ancestry.ca update: Canada Quaker Yearly Meeting Minutes, 1836-1988

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