Spirit Walk at the Crown Cemetery

A Spirit Walk will be held on Tuesday June 11th at 7 p.m. at the Crown Cemetery at Aberfoyle, Ontario.

Join them as they tell the life stories of five people buried in Crown Cemetery

two pioneer settlers

a World War Two soldier

a travelling music teacher

a  pioneer storekeeper in Morriston

A 'tailgate lunch' will follow, and you are asked to meet at the rear entrance to the cemetery off Nicholar Beaver Road (at Tim Hortons on Brock Road), Aberfoyle, Ontario.

The web site for the Puslinch Historical Society is at www.puslinchhistorical.ca/Mtgs.shtml

Open Doors – Ottawa

 Open Doors – Ottawa will be held June 1 and 2, and it is a FREE event.

The doors will be open to the buildings which “celebrates our community’s built heritage, allowing access to functionally, culturally, and historically significant buildings.  Held during the first weekend in June, Doors Open Ottawa has witnessed the annual attendance rate rise to over 80,000 visitors, and include the participation of over 125 of the city’s finest buildings”.

Some of the buildings which will be open this year will include the Billings Estate National Historic Site, All Saints Cathedral, and the city transit building.  

If you go to the website, there is a map, where the parking will be, and there will be shuttle buses to take you to each of the buildings.

The web site is http://ottawa.ca/cgi-bin/doors/list.pl?lang=en 

Calgary Nurses in the Great War

A meeting will be held on Monday, June 3, 2013 at 7:00 pm by the Alberta Family History Society at the  River Park Church, 3818 - 14A Street, Calgary where the speaker will be Marjorie Norris, and her topic will be Calgary Nurses in the Great Wars.

Noted Calgary author Marjorie Norris will give a presentation on the contribution of Calgary nurses in the Great War, based on her years of research in often hidden resources.  Copies of her book Sister Heroines will be available for purchase.

 The Annual General Meeting will also be held.

For more information, go to www.afhs.ab.ca

If you want to read a review of the book Sister Heroines: The Roseate Glow of Wartime Nursing, 1914-1918, you can read a review by Cynthia Toman in The Canadian Historical Review, Volume 85, Number 1, March 2004.

The review is on the website at http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/can/summary/v085/85.1toman.html

Historical Maps of Toronto

Nathan Ng would like to share with us his newest site. His blog is called Historical Maps of Toronto.

The site is an easy site to use, online collection of notable pre-1900 maps of Toronto. Specific maps that researchers may find of utility include the 1858 Boulton Atlas of the City of Toronto and Vicinity, and the 1860 Tremaine Map of the County of York, Canada West.

He says that “I hope the site will facilitate discovery and exploration, as well as serve as a convenient resource for casual research [It's also enormously fun to randomly browse through]. The site is intended to serve as a companion resource for my previous mapping project, Goad's Atlas of Toronto -- Online!

I would be delighted if you could please share this with anyone who would enjoy it or find it useful as a resource...

I will be using the site when I am called to do research in Toronto. 

The site is at www.oldtorontomaps.blogspot.com If you go to the website and like what you see, drop him a line at nathan.ng@gmail.com

Canadian Week in Review

May 27 2013

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

Websites

The Ottawa Journal 1941-1960 Ottawa, Ontario  $  http://www.newspapers.com/title_1188/the_ottawa_journal/?xid=186 This is a subscription service, but it has the latest in updates. They have a Clip Service, and a sample page that you can view.

The Winnipeg Tribune 1901-1949 Winnipeg, Manitoba $ http://www.newspapers.com/title_1017/the_winnipeg_tribune/?xid=186  This is a subscription service, but it has the latest in updates. They have a Clip Service, and a sample page that you can view.

Blogs

Chroniques ancestrales http://chroniquesancestrales.blogspot.ca  This blogger write about his  Bélanger, Caron, Dagenais, Dusablon et Therrien lines.

Facebook- YouTube – Video

BC Students Celebrate Centennial of Canadian Expedition with Historical Videos

www.bcheritagefairs.ca/bc-students-celebrate-centennial-of-canadian-expedition-with-historical-videos

Newspapers

Petition looks to rename Victoria Day

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2013/05/19/victoria-day-rename.html ‘Victoria and First Peoples Day' would share holiday with Aboriginal Peoples

Concerns About Serious Mismanagement of the Library and Archives of Canada  http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2013/05/concerns-about-serious-mismanagement-of-the-library-and-archives-of-canada.html Read what Dick Eastman has to sat about the  trouble at library and Archives Canada.

Island students receive awards at annual Heritage Fair www.gov.pe.ca/index.php3/newsroom/index.php3?number=news&newsnumber=9006&dept=&lang=E The winners are listed for Grades 6, 7, 8, and 9.

Huge cache of Canadian history hits U.K. auction block, tests Library and Archives

www.canada.com/Huge+cache+Canadian+history+hits+auction+block+tests+Library+Archives/8436011/story.html#ixzz2UOSZHEJs Read about the huge cache of Canadian history left by Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, the Nova Scotia governor who conquered Maine during the War of 1812 and later served as Canada’s governor general.

Government of Canada designates first two heritage lighthouses in British Columbia http://news.yahoo.com/government-canada-designates-first-two-190000655.html Two lighthouses in British Columbia have been chosen by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada. They are the East Point Lighthouse on Saturna Island and the Fisgard Lighthouse in Colwood.  

Story of the Week

National Aboriginal History Month

In June, Canadians celebrate Aboriginal History Month,which is an opportunity to honour the heritage, and cultures of Aboriginal peoples in Canada.

June was declared National Aboriginal History month in 2010, after Nanaimo-Cowichan Member of Parliament, Jean Crowder, introduced a motion to make June a month of recognition for First Nations, Inuit and Métis. 

June has long been a month of celebration and remembrance in Canada, with National Aboriginal Day on the 21st, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day on the 24th, and Multiculturalism Day on the 27th.

Families, an Ontario Genealogical Society journal, recently published two papers on Canadian Aboriginal people.

The first one was about Squire Davis, who came to Canada after the Revolutionary War in the United States, and lived outside of the city of Brantford, Ontario. This article appeared in the February 2013 issue.

The second paper was about Marguerite Brien 1793- 1865 "Fille Naturelle", a Mohawk woman from Oka, Quebec, who, with her family, travelled all over Eastern Ontario in the 1800s. It was published in May 2013.   

For events that will take place during the month, go to www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1100100013322/1100100013323

The next Canadian Week in Review will be issued Monday June 3, 2013

Bentham Pioneers

Destitute to Successful, A Poor Man’s Dream will be a talk that will be given by Richard Bentham on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 at 7:30 pm at the Bruce and Grey Branch of the OGS at the LDS Family History Centre, 2nd Ave. SE, Owen Sound.

The forebears of Richard Bentham fled the grinding, dismal circumstances of ordinary people in Yorkshire, England and Ireland in the mid 19th century. They arrived in Ontario as pioneers and faced daunting challenges simply to survive. Hope for a new beginning saw them through many hardships.

Richard Bentham of Grey Highlands Farm near Flesherton discusses what they were leaving behind and what they were looking for here. The story of the Bentham Pioneers could be a template for the many thousands of pioneers that poured into Grey County.

For more information, go to www.bruceandgreygenealogy.com

Want to track down descendants of immigrants who were on the Empress of Ireland

A display of the sinking of the Empress of Ireland in the St. Lawrence River will tour across Canada in hope of tracking down descendants of immigrants who came to Canada onboard the ship. 

Here is the press release - 

TORONTO, May 24, 2013 - Is your last name Clark, Johnson or Smith? Do you know if your ancestors came to Canada onboard the Empress of Ireland? Would you like to know more about this Canadian Pacific Railway Company's ship?

On May 26th in Toronto, following the 99th Anniversary memorial service organized by The Salvation Army's Historical Society to commemorate the sinking of the Empress of Ireland, the "Site historique maritime de la Pointe au Père" (SHMP) will launch a national tour to trace down descendants of immigrants who came to Canada onboard the Empress of Ireland.

For a week, starting on Monday May 27th, at The Salvation Army's Territorial Headquarters for Canada and Bermuda (2 Overlea Boulevard, Toronto), you will learn everything about the fascinating but tragic story of the great ship that disappeared in 14 minutes on May 29th 1914 at 1 h 55 am in the frigid waters of the St. Lawrence River near Rimouski. 1477 people were on board, 1012 of them died. This disaster, overshadowed by the outbreak of the First World War, remains, to this day, the largest maritime disaster in Canadian waters.

A visual stand showing the ship in all its 1914 glory will showcase may pictures of the magnificent ship's interiors as well as a reconstitution of the disaster and rarely seen video footage of the underwater wreck. Documents and interesting information related to the exhibit will also be on display, including the list of onboard passengers from 1906 to 1914, the passenger list at the moment of the tragedy, a log book relating the ship's history and a complete calendar of all remembrance activities to be organized. Over ten cities across Canada will welcome this truly unique exhibition.

In 1914 The Salvation Army shared in the national tragedy of the sinking of The Empress of Ireland in the St. Lawrence. On board were more than 150 members of the Canadian Salvation Army, bound for a major international gathering in London, England. Most of them, including the national commander and members of the Canadian Staff Band, were drowned.

As the exhibit travels across Canada, Mrs. Pascale St-Amand, project manager, will be on hand to answer any questions from all visitors interested in this important page of Canadian history. Mrs. St-Amand will also keep a record of all the information and details visitors share with her regarding the hundreds of stories from immigrants who adopted this country at the beginning of the 20th century.

Come tell us your story!

Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) AGM

On Saturday, June 1, 2013, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., the AGM of the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network will be held at the Golden Rule Lodge #5, 560 Dufferin, Stanstead, Quebec.

There will be several items that be put to a general vote among QAHN core members including

** Minutes of May 12, 2012

** 2012-2013 financial statements

** Appointment of an auditor

** Reports from officers and directors

** Project reports: Significant Objects for Telling Identity (SOFTI); Mapping the Mosaic: Montreal & Its Diverse Neighbourhoods; StoryNet

** Proposed changes to QAHN Bylaws

** Election of new QAHN directors

One thing to note, is that the QAHN’s 2013 AGM will take place at historic Golden Rule Lodge #5, the oldest standing Masonic Hall in the province of Quebec. Following the business meeting, attendees will be treated to a guided tour of the Colby-Curtis Museum, which occupies a splendid 1850s-era home known as Carrollcroft.

A delicious lunch will then be served at the Vieille Douane Restaurant in downtown Stanstead.

This will include the annual awards ceremony and a talk by writer and humorist Ross Murray.

The day’s activities will conclude with a guided tour of the world-famous
Haskell Free Library and Opera House.

For more information, call QAHN at (819) 564-9595; Toll free at (877) 964-0409

Email home@qahn.org, or go to the http://www.qahn.org

Immigration and Citizenship records at LAC before 1865

In case you are not aware of the databases that the LAC has to offer on immigration and citizenship, here is a summary of the indexes -   

This article, the first of a series depicting Immigration and Citizenship sources, offers insight into pre-Confederation arrivals in Canada. Very few records compiled before 1865 still exist. Most surviving records, which are from various sources, have been indexed by name in databases.

The Immigrants to Canada database was compiled from documents such as immigration and land records and some private fonds, namely the Peter Robinson Papers. It provides access to more than 28,000 references to records held at Library and Archives Canada (LAC).

The Montreal Emigrant Society Passage Book (1832) database provides access to 1,945 references and digitized documents to people who received assistance from the Montreal Emigrant Society in 1832.

The Immigrants at Grosse-Île (1832-1937) database is the result of an agreement between Parks Canada and LAC. It contains more than 33,000 records spanning a 100-year time period. The references describe various events for immigrants arriving at the city of Québec and their time spent at the Grosse-Île Quarantine Station.

The Upper Canada and Canada West Naturalization Records (1828-1850) database gives references to the names of 2,967 persons naturalized in what is now the province of Ontario between 1828 and 1850. The 188 registers have been scanned and digitized images are accessible in this database.

The Citizenship Registration Records for the Montreal Circuit Court (1851-1945) database provides access to more than 8,000 references to the Citizenship Registration Records for the Montreal Circuit Court. The records have been digitized and linked to the database references.

If you think some of your “ancêtres” can be traced back to France, LAC holds a small number of lists from the French Regime (1717-1786).

To see the databases, go to www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-908.002-e.html

Release of a new version of the Census of Canada, 1901 database

I see where the LAC has released the new version of the 1901census today - 

Library and Archives Canada is pleased to announce the release of a new version of the 1901 Census of Canada database. This fourth general census covered the seven provinces and the territory that were then part of Confederation: British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Territories.

The new version includes suggestions for corrections that were received from users in recent months, as well as revised district and sub-district information.

To go to the 1901 Census, go to www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1901/Pages/1901.aspx

History and Importance of the Duff-Baby House

The Essex Branch of the OGS will be held on Monday June 10, 2013 from 6:00 pm at the Windsor Public Library, 850 Ouellette Ave., Windsor.

The talk will be entitled History and Importance of the Duff-Baby House, and the person giving the talk will be Evelyn McLean.

The meeting will be Free, and you can go to www.essex.ogs.on.ca for up to date info the meeting.

The Buff-Baby house was built between 1792 and 1798. It is considered to be the oldest building in Windsor. The house was built by Alexander Duff as a fur trade post, and bought in 1807 by James Baby. It  and was used as the headquarters of U.S. General Harrison. The British ravaged the building during the War of 1812.

The Duff Baby House is also one of the best-preserved and oldest Georgian-style houses in Ontario. Today the building is owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust and houses government offices.

Irish potato famine mystery solved

Scientists in Germany have discovered that a plant-pathogen strain, called HERB-1, was the blight that caused the potato famine in Ireland of the 1840s. Before this tine, it had been thought that an American strain, called US-1 has caused the famine.

According to the website at Irish National Famine Museum, Ireland lost almost a quarter of its population to death or emigration between 1845 and 1850.

The mystery finally has been solved.

Read the complete story at http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/21/4350890/researchers-discover-irish-potato-famine-pathogen

WHY AREN'T WE AMERICANS?

There will be an event Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the action between H.M.S. Shannon and the USS Chesapeake, on June 2, 2013, 1:50 pm - 3:45 pm at St. Paul's Church and The Old Burying Ground - Halifax, Nova Scotia.

On June 1, 1813, USS Chesapeake, Captain James Lawrence, sailed out of Boston harbour to attack HMS Shannon, Captain Philip Broke. Certain of another British defeat, Bostonians anticipating the evening's victory banquet came out to sea to enjoy the fight. They were shocked to see that only fifteen minutes after the battle began, Chesapeake's ensign dropped. Up rose the Blue Ensign; below it, the Stars and Stripes appeared. His captain, severely wounded, his first lieutenant killed, it fell to 22-year-old Halifax born Provo Wallis, Shannon's second lieutenant, to command his ship. The third lieutenant, Charles Falkiner, took charge of the Chesapeake, giving special care to Lawrence, who lay in his wardroom, mortally wounded. The two frigates sailed eastward into the gathering darkness as the disappointed sightseers returned to Boston to report the unbelievable news. Chesapeake taken!

His Honour Brigadier General the Honourable J. J. Grant, CMM.ONS.CD (ret'd), Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, will inspect the Maritime Forces Atlantic Honour Guard at the Grand Parade prior to the event commemorating ceremonies at St. Paul's Church.

Following the ceremony at St. Paul's we will continue on to the Old Burying Ground, on Barrington St. The Commemorative Service will take place from 3:00 pm to 3:45 pm.

For further information, please contact - Mr. Larry Camp-902-826-2630 or wendybrookpark@hotmail.com Chair of the Old Burying Ground Foundation.

Shannon vs. Chesapeake June 1813 http://ns1763.ca/hfxrm/shannon.html

Niagara Peninsula Branch Indexes Updates

Steve Fulton U.E., Chair of the Niagara Peninsula Branch OGS, tells us about the following indexes on the web site -

Surname Index - Contains over 24000 Pedigree Charts

Morse & Sons Funeral Home Records - Contains 19229 Funeral Records from 1828 to Sept 1963

Neff Young Index - Contains 19136 records of family histories, notes, newspaper clipping and memorabilia from Welland County

*NEW* Branch Publications Index - Contains 7998 various publication records for the Lincoln/Welland Area

Please check back often as indexes are being worked on.

Canadian Headstones Project - The Niagara Peninsula Branch continues to work on photographing headstones in the old Lincoln/Welland Counties. Just recently we crossed over the 20,000 mark and the number is continuing to climb.

Please visit http://canadianheadstones.com for your old Lincoln and Welland research needs.

For more information, please go to Niagara Peninsula Branch O.G.S. at www.ogs.on.ca/niagara

Canadian Week in Review

20 May 2013

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

Websites

Genealogy Karma www.mocavo.com/karma The search engine, Mocavo, has decided to “give back” to genealogy, and they have decided to build Genealogy Karma “to empower the Mocavo community and connect researchers around the country”. They modeled it after the former Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness. They are asking if anyone can volunteer or request help from someone for projects like taking a photo of a headstone, or finding a document in a local library.

There are 151 requests already on the site.

Blogs

The Passionate Genealogist http://blog.familyhistorysearches.com Canadian blogger, Ruth Blair, was at the NGS Conference in Los Vegas last week, and sent back reports on all three days of the conference.

Facebook- YouTube – Video

Ontario Genealogical Society www.facebook.com/pages/Ontario-Genealogical-Society/259163438258 Every time I go to their Facebook page, I discover new photos about Ontario.

Newspapers

Canadian history is not just about wars and battles www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2013/05/13/canadian_history_is_not_just_about_wars_and_battles.html An opinion piece written by Clive Doucet, a writer and former Ottawa city councillor, telling us his feelings about our history. Do you agree?

Historic restoration projects earn honours www.langleyadvance.com/news/Historic+restoration+projects+earn+honours/8392979/story.html This year, owners of the Cummings residence in Murrayville, the Matheson house in Willoughby, and the Hogben residence in Fort Langley were honoured by the Langley Township in British Columbia.

Card-Carrying Cajuns? Louisiana Lawmakers Weigh ID Change http://kosu.org/2013/05/card-carrying-cajuns-louisiana-lawmakers-weigh-id-change US News reports that Louisiana lawmakers are deciding whether to let Cajun citizens celebrate their ancestry by customizing their driver’s license, adding the phrase “I’m a Cajun” below their photograph.

Seeking PM's support for heritage designation www.thedailyobserver.ca/2013/05/18/seeking-pms-support-for-heritage-designation Read what has been a long history to getting heritage status for the Ottawa River. The rivers which feed into the Ottawa, namely the French, Rideau and Mattawa Rivers, already enjoy heritage status.

Op-Ed: Victoria Day is a uniquely Canadian holiday http://www.ottawacitizen.com/life/Victoria+uniquely+Canadian+holiday/8402341/story.html#ixzz2TkBt7pMg
Victoria Day, the Monday of the May 24 long weekend, sounds like a holdover from Canada’s history as a British colony – but it isn’t. Read about the real story behind May 24th.

Pictures and Story of the Week

The Library and Archives Canada was back in the news again this week. Although Daniel Caron resigned as Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist of Canada and Chair, Heads of Federal Agencies last Wednesday, a check of the LAC site this morning showes his picture was still there – giving the impression he was still in the position.

But he resigned because he paid $4,500 with taxpayers money to take Spanish lessons.

The bio says that “he launched the modernization initiative in order to ensure the institution would be able to embrace the multiple challenges of the digital environment. This initiative is a call for collaboration, epistemologically grounded institutional policies and policy driven decisions”.

Although the last time the page was modified was 2013-02-08

Further, he still appears on the Facebook page in a short list called The Deputy Head's Short List. Updated about a week ago, it says that “as the Deputy Head and Librarian and Archivist of Canada, I am fortunate to oversee one of the most impressive collections of Canadiana in the world. It is my pleasure to share my favourite collection items with you every week. Visit us regularly to discover fascinating Canadian treasures from our vaults”!

So I am confused. He resigned - didn't he? Why is his picture still on the LAC webpage? Is it an oversight?

You can check the website at www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

There were a number of news organizations, which covered his resignation. They were -

Head of Library and Archives resigns over Spanish lessons www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/05/15/pol-library-archives-daniel-caron-resigns-spanish.html

Canada's library head Daniel Caron resigns as $170,000 in expenses found www.ottawacitizen.com/news/Library+head+Daniel+Caron+resigns+expenses+found/8391614/story.html#ixzz2Tm11WTAS

In hot water for big spending ways, Canada's top librarian quits www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/politics/archives/2013/05/20130515-173805.html

The next Canadian Week in Review will be issued Monday May 27, 2013

Brant County Branch of OGS Monthly Meeting

On Sunday, May 26, 2013, there will be a General Meeting at 2:00 pm, the speaker will be Floyd Doctor, Smokey Hollow Estates, and he will speak about Chief Peter Green and his descendants. Come Early and Browse the Brant County Branch O G S Library.

There is Free Admission Everyone Welcome

And on Monday June 24, 2013, there will be a BBQ And Strawberry Social held at 6:00 pm Brant County Branch O G S, Library and Smokey Hollow Leisure Park, $12.00 per person.

Come Early and Browse our library.

This is our Annual Fundraiser!

The 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.

One thing to note is that they are having two reunions this year at the Brant County Branch premises.

The reunions are –

Haviland Family – July 9, 2013

Misner Family - August 17, 2013

The contact information is at www.ogs.on.ca/brant/reunions.html

The website of the branch is www.ogs.on.ca/brant

Google in overhauling it’s maps!

At the developer show held in San Francisco last week, Google announced it will be using two of its own programs to enhance it's map feature – it will be using anonymous data collected from people using Google Maps on mobile phones, it picks the best navigation routes, and it will be using photos people upload to its Panoramio and Picasa photo services, it generates immersive tours that swoop around popular attractions

Read all about it at http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57585066-93/how-google-with-your-help-is-overhauling-its-maps/?tag=nl.e496&s_cid=e496&ttag=e496

Newfoundland and Labrador's Historic Sites Open this Weekend

The Commissariat - At the corner of King's Bridge Road and Military Road, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Credit: Newfoundland and Labrador Historic Sites

Historic Site are opening this weekend in Newfoundland and Labrador.  Are you planning to visit any, or some or them this summer?

“Our Provincial Historic Sites offer an interactive history lesson on the many influences that have shaped who we are today as a people, including the lives of the Beothuks and the history of lighthouses,” Terry French, minister of tourism, culture and recreation, said in a news release. “You can experience Christmas in the Library at Mockbeggar; Voices on the Wind at the Beothuk Interpretation Centre; Jam and Jammin at Point Amour; or Cultural Company at Heart’s Content, to name a few. I invite visitors from home and abroad to explore our unique culture and heritage.”

Provincial Historic Sites include: the Commissariat House and the Newman Wine Vaults in St. John’s, as well as the Colonial Building (which is currently closed for renovations); the Cape Bonavista Lighthouse and Mockbeggar Plantation in Bonavista; Hiscock House Visitor Centre, and the Mercantile Premises in Trinity; the Heart’s Content Cable Station; the Beothuk Interpretation Centre in Boyd’s Cove; the Cupids Cove Plantation; and, Point Amour Lighthouse in Labrador.

For more information on these and other programs, visit www.seethesites.ca .
The provincial government has also announced that visitor information centres around the province opened today.

The centres provide information to the travelling public such as directions, advice and local knowledge, and also assist with booking reservations.

Provincial visitor information centres are located in Port aux Basques, on the Deer Lake Highway, Notre Dame, Clarenville, Whitbourne, and Argentia. The Argentia location is currently undergoing renovations and an update on its opening will be provided at a later date.

International Museums Day

Do you plan to celebrate Museum Day tomorrow?

The ICOM sent this press release -

"The worldwide community of museums will celebrate International Museum Day 18 May, 2013.

This year, the theme of the International Museum Day will be Museums (memory + creativity) = social change. Our rich heritage, which museums both display and protect, is associated with inventiveness and vitality, both of which have characterized the museum sector in recent years and are museums’ greatest strengths.

ICOM General Director, Julien Anfruns adds: “Reconciling their traditional mission of preservation with cultivation of the creativity necessary for renewal and visitor growth is the evolution that museums are striving for, with the firm conviction that their presence and their actions can change society in a constructive manner.”

The International Council of Museums (ICOM) established International Museum Day in 1977 to increase public awareness of the role of museums in the development of society. Momentum has been rising unabated ever since. In 2012, International Museum Day garnered record‐breaking participation with almost 32,000 museums hosting events in more than 129 countries.

ICOM is partnering with the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme – which celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2012 – for International Museum Day 2013. ICOM and Memory of the World, which is dedicated to world documentary heritage, share a common vision of safeguarding heritage for the benefit of society and are joined in their reflection on the potential of digitization for this purpose".

Visit the International Museum Day official website at
http://imd.icom.museum

Shuttle Bus Available Saturday and Sunday at 2013 Conference

A local, family-run, bus company, DURHAMWAY, will run a handi-bus shuttle service on Saturday and Sunday during the main people moving hours of the conference. Durhamway is also running the banquet shuttle for those who purchased bus tickets

A different local business will now rent mobility aids (including scooters) during the conference.

The website is
www.ogs.on.ca/conference2013/category/announcement

The conference website is www.ogs.on.ca/conference2013/home

Marketplace at the OGS Conference 2013

The marketplace will be open Friday 11:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m., Saturday 10:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m., and Sunday 8:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.

Vendors, heritage organizations and OGS branches will set up displays in Durham College’s largest and newest gym, which is three full courts in total area.

Vendors at Conference 2013 are -

Buisness 

•Ancestry.ca

•Archive CD Books

•The Bookfinder – Fenlon Falls

•Canadiana.org

•Dave Cook, bookseller

•Dundurn Press

•Fading History

•Family History Alive

•Family History Simplified

•FamilySearch.org

•Family Tree Magazine

•George Laidlaw

•Global Genealogy

•Kinfolk Finders

•Linda Corupe, UE

•Marks in Time

•Moorshead Publications

•Multitech Graphics

•National Institute for Genealogical Studies

•Our Digital World

•Pat McGregor Books

•Progeny Genealogy

•Durham County Genealogy

•Strategic Property Solutions

Heritage Groups

•Archives of Ontario

•British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa

•Canadian Friends Historical Foundation

•Guild of One Name Studies

•Newcastle Village and District Historical Society

•Toronto Cornish Association

•Trent Valley Archives

OGS Branches

•Ontario Genealogical Society

•OGS Conference 2014

•Brant CountyBranch

•British Home Child SIG

•Bruce & Grey County Branch

•Durham Region Branch

•Halton- Peel Branch

•Ireland SIG

•Irish Palatine SIG

•Kawartha Branch

•Kingston Branch

•Lambton County Branch

•Leeds & Grenville Branch

•Niagara Peninsula Branch

•Ottawa Branch

•Oxford County Branch

•Quinte Branch

•Simcoe County

•Toronto Branch

•Waterloo Region Branch

To go to the Marketplace, go to www.ogs.on.ca/conference2013/market-place. There is individual websites for each participant.

You can go into the marketplace for FREE, and there will be lots for you to see.

Head of Library and Archives Canada resigns

Daniel Caron, the head archivist of the Library and Archives Canada, resigned Wednesday. He had billed taxpayers nearly $4,500 for personal Spanish lessons.

Caron was appointed head librarian and archivist of Canada in 2009.

To read the complete story, go to www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2013/05/15/pol-library-archives-daniel-caron-resigns-spanish.html

Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe Conference 2013

A press release was received by the office this afternoon -

“Many of our German ancestors lived in areas of modern Poland which were once considered German, known as Prussia, Pommern and Posen. Others migrated through Poland and into Russian territory in search of land to farm.

Members of the Society for German Genealogy in Eastern Europe concentrate their search in the areas of Poland and Volhynia (Ukraine) and help others whose ancestors might have migrated through these regions.

The SGGEE is holding its annual Convention in Seattle, Washington from August 9-11.”

The web site is at www.sggee.org

Call for Presentations - Tracing Forward - Searching for Relatives in Recent Times

This came in this morning from Gwyneth Pearce, the publicity person for the Toronto Family History Branch of the OGS -

"This is a quick reminder about a Call for Presentations issued by the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society for our planned fall 2013 workshop titled Tracing Forward - Searching for Relatives in Recent Times. The deadline for proposals is Friday 31 May.

The aim of this workshop, to be held on Saturday 26 October, is to offer new ideas, skills or tools to help researchers trace members of their expanded family trees, people who might still be alive or recently deceased.

We are seeking proposals from professional genealogists, family historians, private investigators, legal experts and heir searchers”.

Go the Branch website at www.torontofamilyhistory.org

Welland Canal Workers’ Historical Exhibit

The following press release just came into the office –

“During the building of the Welland Canal from 1914-1932, 124 men tragically lost their lives while working in difficult and dangerous conditions. When the canal opened in 1932, the Federal Minister of Canals and Railways of the time committed to building a memorial to remember the sacrifice of those men. Unfortunately to this day, that memorial still does not exist.

Malcolm Allen – Member of Parliament for Welland is putting a call out to the community for photographs, letters, artifacts or historical pieces relating to the Canal workers. Items loaned to our office by community members/organizations will be displayed in our constituency office at 60 King St for the month of June in order to promote the need for a permanent memorial.

Your assistance or participation in the upcoming “Welland Canal Workers’ Historical Exhibit” is greatly appreciated.

For more information please contact Lisa Bastien, Constituency Assistant for Malcolm Allen at 905-788-2204”.

To read about the history of the Welland Canal, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welland_Canal

RootsTech 2014 - Call for Papers

This notice was released yerterday -

"Presentation proposals will be accepted online at www.rootstech.org/proposals from June 17—July 8, 2013. Due to the volume of presentation proposals we receive, please submit no more than five proposals per speaker. Limited, late-breaking technology submissions will be accepted, upon approval, until October 1, 2013.

Speakers selected to present at RootsTech 2014 will be notified by August 2, 2013. Syllabus materials (PDF file) for selected presentations will be due by November 1, 2013. Speakers who don’t submit syllabus materials on time may be removed from the schedule.

Presenters participating in RootsTech 2014 will receive a complimentary conference registration and access to all syllabus materials. Out-of-state speakers selected to present three or more presentations will also receive hotel accommodations. There is no monetary compensation for presenting at this conference".

Questions can be emailed to the attention of the RootsTech Speaker Selection Committee at info@rootstech.org

To see the full post, go to https://familysearch.org/blog/en/rootstech-2014-call-papers

Canadian Week in Review

13 May 2013

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

Websites

Randy Saylor: Family & Bay of Quinte Records Genealogical and Historical Research http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~saylormowbray/index.html What a gem of a site! There has been so much information added to it, since I first went to the site in 2010. New people, new information – it is added to every month.

Blogs

Where the story takes me http://wherethestorytakesme.ca A blog by Jane E. MacNamara in which she writes about Toronto, and its people.

Facebook- YouTube – Video

Museum explains history behind heirlooms www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/story/2013/05/06/nb-heirlooms-museum-1215.html People brought in their heirlooms to be assessed by the curators at The New Brunswick Museum last weekend.

Newspapers

Lorna Crozier, Sarah Ellis honoured at B.C. book prize http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/05/06/bc-book-prizes.html And the Bill Duthie Booksellers’ Choice Award went to Shelley Fralic, with research by Kate Bird, Making Headlines: 100 Years of The Vancouver Sun (The Vancouver Sun), and the winner of the Roderick Haig-Brown Regional Prize for contributing to the understanding of British Columbia was Derek Hayes, British Columbia: A New Historical Atlas (Douglas & McIntyre).

Manachaban students to get a taste of history when they visit Quebec www.rockyviewweekly.com/article/20130506/RVW0302/305069986/manachaban-students-to-get-a-taste-of-history-when-they-visit-quebec More than 60 Grade 8 students from Manachaban Middle School in Cochrane, Ontario will be in Quebec from May 12 to 18.

Durham history is one for the books: Oshawa teacher releases historical fiction about rebellion in Whitby area www.durhamregion.com/news/article/1614028--durham-history-is-one-for-the-books Mary Hosmar, a teacher in the Oshawa School System has written her first historical fiction novel, A Matter of Conscience, about a young boy and the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837.

Online exhibit honours work of former curator, archivist Harry Piers www.halifaxnewsnet.ca/News/2013-05-07/article-3239281/Online-exhibit-honours-work-of-former-curator,-archivist-Harry-Piers/1He was known as the Museum Maker of Nova Scotia. Besides reading about him, there is a timeline on http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/piers/timeline.asp of the development of the Nova Scotia Museum.

Nova Scotia's provincial flag confirmed 155 years later www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/05/08/ns-forgotten-flag.html Read about how a school students recognized that the coat of arms that represents Nova Scotia has never officially been recognized as the provincial flag.

Pictures and Story of the Week

Korean War Armistice

This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, as well as the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Canada and South Korea.

Veteran’s Affairs have put together a virtual exhibit which has online ceremonies and events, events photos, The Books of Remembrance...The Korean War, Certificate of Recognition, and a video of the War called Land of the Morning Calm: Canadians in Korea 1950 – 1953 at www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/korea.

To view the full exhibit, go to www.veterans.gc.ca/eng

The next Canadian Week in Review will be issued Monday May 20, 2013

Celebrating Our Female Roots Day

On Wednesday, May 15, 2013, at 1:30 to 4:00 p.m., Quebec Family History Society Heritage Centre and Library, 173 Cartier Avenue, Pointe-Claire will be open for a coffee, tea, and informal conversation to talk about some of the favourite women in your family. Bring your own books, photos, and memorabilia that have helped you in your research.

Bring a friend or just bring yourself.

You will have a chance to win two free tickets to visit the historic Maison Saint-Gabriel, acquired in 1668 by one of Montreal’s most well-known women, Marguerite Bourgeoys.

Chat with new and experienced genealogists about how to learn what life was like for your female ancestors. What was home life like during the time they lived? Do you own any letters or diaries? Share the challenges you face – and your successes – in your family history research.

On display for you to browse will be books from the QFHS collection about women and social history.

Remember, half of our direct ancestors are women. Since Mother's Day takes place this weekend, this is a good time to celebrate the women in our family tree.

Open to our members and the public. Admission is free. Visit www.qfhs.ca/events.php

Thank you Susan for the notice.

UPDATE: Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario & Quebec Cemeteries

Canadian GenWeb has reported the following updates to the cemeteries across the country -

ALBERTA

Cypress:
- Kin Coulee Cemetery

Stettler:
- Red Willow Cemetery

MANITOBA

Portage la Prairie City:
- Portage Hillside Memorial Cemetery

ONTARIO

Brant County:
- Fairfield / Fairfield United Cemetery
- Mount Pleasant Pioneer Cemetery
- St James / Old Anglican Cemetery

Elgin County:
- Fingal Cemetery

Haldimand County:
- Bethel Cemetery
- Gore / Clanbrassil / Dufferin Cemetery
- McGaw / Steele Cemetery

Lambton County:
- Lakeview Cemetery

Lincoln County:
- St Anne's Church Cemetery

Middlesex County:
- Robin's Hill / Brown's Hill Cemetery

Norfolk County:
- Bethel Methodist Cemetery
- Oakwood Cemetery
- Renew & McIntosh stones
- Teeterville United Church Cemetery
- Zion United Cemetery

Oxford County:
- Blenheim Mennonite Conference Cemetery

Perth County:
- First Lutheran Church Cemetery
- German Baptist Cemetery
- North Logan / Harvey's Cemetery
- Redeemer Lutheran / Monkton Cemetery

Wellington County:
- Hans Cemetery
- Rockwood Cemetery

Wentworth County:
- Westover Baptist Cemetery

QUEBEC

Bonaventure County:
- St Jules de Cascapedia RC Cemetery

Thanks must always go to Marilyn Whiting, Patricia Green, Alison Mitchell-Reid, Sharon Mattiuz, William Cooke and Tim Campbell for their help indexing these cemeteries.

And our “Thanks” must also go to Helen Braden, Angela M. Clatworthy, Beth Cotter, Todd Smith, Kate Ford, Bonnie Lee Breadner, Todd Lumley, J. Blackmore, Chris Pfeifle, Alison Mitchell-Reid, Sharon Mattiuz, William Cooke, Tim Campbell, and Leo Allen for taking photos of gravestones in these cemeteries.

The website is at http://canadacems.blogspot.com/2013/05/alberta-manitoba-ontario-quebec-update.html

Canada GenWeb is one of Canada’s oldest online resources having started in 1996 by Sherri Pettit. If you would like to volunteer in one of the many projects, contact Sherri through the Feedback page at http://canadagenweb.org/feedbackform.html

The site for Canada GenWeb is http://canadagenweb.org/index.html

Online registration ends May 17 for OGS Conference

The OGS Conference has let us know that at the end of the day on May 17, the online registration for the OGS Conference will be closed.

At that point, the OGS Conference committee will be letting the caterers and banquet hall know the amount of food to order.

We’ll reserve a few extra tickets, but the number will definitely be limited. Between May 18 and 24, registrations will be taken by phone, and the office staff will be able to tell you whether there are any food or banquet tickets left.

After May 24, no new advance registrations will be accepted.

Those who aren’t able to plan ahead can still register for the Saturday and Sunday lectures upon arrival at the conference, but will find most of the Friday events sold out, and should be prepared to make other arrangements for food in case there are no tickets left.

The Conference website is at www.ogs.on.ca/conference2013/home

Voices from the Dust – Family History Conference

I know this is a bit late, but if you live in the Ottawa area, and if you would like to attend a family history seminar this afternoon, there will be session from 1:30 pm to 5:30 pm, at the Ottawa Ontario Stake Family History Centre of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1017 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa.

Some workshop speakers share their thoughts, feelings and stories about their ancestors:

1. Joseph Auclair - by Sylvie Tremblay

2. Ronald McGregor Warrener - by Ken McKinlay

3. Florence Crofts Carr – by Lesley Anderson

4. Helene Wright - by Glenn Wright

5. Mary Ann Booker – by Shirley-Ann Pyefinch

Or you can drop-in to see displays in the Cultural Hall by Ancestry.ca, British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa (BIFHSGO), Gloucester Historical Society, Lanark County Genealogical Society (LCGS), Ottawa Branch – Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS), Ottawa Public Library, Ottawa Stake Family History Centre, Pepper Mintz – Scrapbooking, Ukrainian Genealogy Group (UGG)

To view the full program, go to www.ottawastakefhc.on.ca