Genealogy Canada

Monday, April 20, 2015

Canadian Week in Review - 20 April 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

In April 1861 an ice dam caused St Lawrence River rapidly to overflow its banks, inundating one-quarter of Lachine and old Montreal with river water 24 feet deep.
   For more information, please go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lachine,_Quebec

Also in April 1871 Parliament passed Act to create uniform currency in Canada; sets denominations of currency as dollars, and cents.
   For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_do llar

And on April 14, 1872, Parliament passed the Dominion Lands Act to promote homesteading in the Western (prairies) of Canada.
   For more information, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dominion_Lands_Act

Social Media

(Photos) Northumberland’s historic records revealed in vault opening
http://www.northumberlandnews.com/news-story/5545984-northumberland-s-historic-records-revealed-in-vault-opening/
   The 1845, first-ever meeting minutes of the former Alnwick Township landowners were among items found in a recently opened vault

(Video) Saving the disappearing prisms: Saskatoon heritage advocates try to save relics
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Saving+disappearing+prisms+Saskatoon+heritage+advocates+save+relics/10969990/story.html
   Saskatoon's downtown is less colourful after a section of sidewalk containing glowing purple prisms was yanked earlier this week.
   Construction crews tore up the concrete in front of the Avenue Building on 21st Street after a fire marshal deemed the tunnels below unsafe following an inspection.

Articles

Newfoundland & Labrador

Putting history afloat
http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2015-04-10/article-4107725/Putting-history-afloat/1
   Basque whaler sunk in Labrador in 1565 will be relaunched in Spain
   A piece of Newfoundland and Labrador history is slowly being brought to life by the Albaola Foundation, a sea factory in Pasaia, Spain, to celebrate the Basques’ achievements in exploration and marine history.

Holocaust survivor Lisa Hurd: Her story, 76 years later
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/holocaust-survivor-lisa-hurd-her-story-76-years-later-1.3029291
   The Jewish Community Havura of Newfoundland and Labrador is holding its annual Holocaust memorial service on Sunday night in St. John's.
   Sunday's special guest speaker is actress and long-time St. John's resident Lisa Hurd, who is a Holocaust survivor.

Nova Scotia

Hants History (April 9, 2015 edition)
http://www.hantsjournal.ca/Opinion/Columnists/2015-04-09/article-4104788/Hants-History-(April-9,-2015-edition)/1
   Here's a look at what was making the news 25 and 50 years ago in the Hants Journal

Province supporting region’s plans for 150th birthday
http://www.novanewsnow.com/News/Regional/2015-04-12/article-4108679/Province-supporting-region%26rsquo%3Bs-plans-for-150th-birthday/1
   Momentum continues to grow in southwestern Nova Scotia to build a regional legacy strategy to mark Canada’s 150th birthday, according to the local organizing committee.

Nova Scotia adoption record access urged in new petition
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/nova-scotia-adoption-record-access-urged-in-new-petition-1.3030200
   More than 600 Nova Scotians have signed a new petition asking the province to allow more access to adoption records.

New Brunswick

Partridge Island tourism feasibility study now underway
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/partridge-island-tourism-feasibility-study-now-underway-1.3026359
   Partridge Island being established as a quarantine station in 1830.
   Up to 2,500 people were quarantined there with small pox and typhus fever during the peak of the Irish immigration. Over the past two centuries, the island has also served as a military post for soldiers, and home to lighthouse keepers.

Ontario

Parliament Hill’s booze-filled history revealed as archeologists unearth thousands of 19th century artifacts
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/parliament-hills-booze-filled-history-revealed-as-archeologists-unearth-thousands-of-19th-century-artifacts
   Recent archeological digs outside some of the main buildings in the precinct have turned up tens of thousands of artifacts from the early 19th century.

Petition wants government to force return of drill rifles to Navy League cadets
http://ottawacitizen.com/news/politics/petition-wants-government-to-force-return-of-drill-rifles-to-navy-league-cadets
   A petition is being circulated to try to force the Navy League of Canada to reverse its decision to take away replica rifles from its cadets.
   The online petition is at https://www.change.org/p/minister-of-national-defence-jason-kenney-navy-league-of-canada-chief-cadet-bureaucrat-mr-paul-bury-force-the-navy-league-and-quebec-cadet-region-to-bring-back-rifle-drill-for-cadets

Old Durham Road cemetery to get pavilion
http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/2015/04/12/old-durham-road-cemetery-to-get-pavilion
   Some important pieces of Grey County's black history will be better protected thanks to a pavilion being constructed near Priceville this summer.
   The approximately 100-square-foot concrete structure is to better protect and display four headstones at the site of the Old Durham Road Pioneer Cemetery.

Library and Archives Canada set to spend after six-year drought
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/library-and-archives-canada-set-to-spend-after-six-year-drought-1.2311078
   Library and Archives Canada is suddenly in a spending mood after six years of budget cuts and curtailing of acquisitions.
   In its first purchase in six years, the collector of national art and archives announced Thursday it would spend $175,000 on 10 items from the coveted Winkworth collection, including a variety of watercolour paintings and a journal of a tour in Canada, the United States, and Jamaica.

Manitoba

Rotten logs concerning Heritage North Museum board
http://www.thompsoncitizen.net/news/thompson/rotten-logs-concerning-heritage-north-museum-board-1.1823056
   Board members from the Heritage North Museum spoke to the Chamber of Commerce on April 8 about concerns facing the Manitoba Star attraction site.

Saskatchewan

Railroad through Lac La Biche reaches 100-year milestone
http://www.laclabichepost.com/article/20150402/LLB0801/150409996
   Railway reached Lac La Biche in 1915, became fully operational in 1916

Saskatoon's heritage at stake
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/Saskatoon+heritage+stake/10960269/story.html
   It seems everyone believes in the value of preserving a community's unique identity, but how far is Saskatoon willing to go to ensure that our city retains its own "sense of place"? Are we prepared to "walk the talk"?

Alberta

Group wants to save historic structures in Lethbridge's shrinking Chinatown
http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/group-wants-to-save-historic-structures-in-lethbridges-shrinking-chinatown
   Walking through the green doors of the Bow on Tong building in downtown Lethbridge is like stepping back in time nearly a century.

British Columbia

Mining has made its mark on maps of British Columbia
http://www.cowichanvalleycitizen.com/living/mining-has-made-its-mark-on-maps-of-british-columbia-1.1823828
   It should come as no surprise that mining has left its mark on our maps and our landscape. We are, after all, a boom and bust province.

Stories of the Week

This week, we have definitely felt spring with temperatures in the high 60s, and the report of crocus and daffodils and tulips are on their way to blooming in gardens across the National Capital Region.

We are getting ready for our annual Canadian Tulip Festival to be held from May 8th to May 18th, 2015 in Ottawa.

There will be the annual VE Day on May 8th, and it will feature a public ceremony from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Canadian War Memorial near the Parliament Buildings, and a Tribute to Veterans fireworks performance that night over Dow’s Lake.

This year the Floral Fireworks at Dow's Lake on May 8th, 9th, 15th and 16th features an extravaganza of pyrotechnic artistry over Dow’s Lake at 9:30 p.m., which will commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Liberation of Netherlands.

Their website is at http://tulipfestival.ca/about/

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

One thing that is a regular rite of spring in Canada are the Heritage Fairs which take place across the land.

The Heritage Fairs program encourages students to explore Canadian heritage in a dynamic, hands-on learning environment. Students use the medium of their choice to tell stories about Canadian heroes, legends, milestones, and achievements — and present the results of their research at a public exhibition.

In 2013, heritage fairs were held in more than 80 communities across Canada. The fairs would not have been possible without the work of 7,500 volunteers who worked more than 30,000 hours to make the program a success.

You can see where Heritage Fairs are held each year in Canada at http://www.canadashistory.ca/Kids/Heritage.aspx

Now I have to go outdoors and enjoy the sun, and take a research trip to the Library and Archives Canada – the records are not all online, you know!

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

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

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

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

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

Need help in finding your Canadian Ancestors?

Susan I. of Toronto, Ontario says -

"With her wonderful suggestions, including provincial and local archival holdings, books, and local church records, I was delighted to uncover a marriage certificate naming my paternal great, great grandparents and their original county in Ireland.

Elizabeth also mentored me regarding further educational opportunities. I was delighted with her services."

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

The next Canadian Week in Review will be posted 27 April 2015.

Sunday, April 19, 2015

Guelph Museum - Your stories live here

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

They have the following reords online -

Ross Bay Cemetery Records 1872-1980

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

Death Notices Index1901-1939

Marriage Notices Index 1901-1939

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

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

Cape Beaton Institute Digital Archives

This website provides access to the digital collections of the Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Nova Scotia.

The Digital Archives is an online database that contains archival descriptions from the holdings of the Beaton Institute.

Notice that there are places in Cape Breton here at http://beatoninstitute.com/places that you can search, as well, as people and organizations at http://beatoninstitute.com/actor/browse, and there is full archival descriptions at http://beatoninstitute.com/informationobject/browse

The website is at http://www.cbu.ca/beaton/archway#.VTEq3HnD-aU

Happy Researching!

Saturday, April 18, 2015

Two newspaper column this week

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Brunswick Archives adds more birth records

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

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

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

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

Happy researching!

Friday, April 17, 2015

A “New” old historical society of Toronto

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ontario's Movie Theatres

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

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

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

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

An incredible number of letters!!!

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

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

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

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

The record set contains letters. Many letters!

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Digitized Directory of Schools

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

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

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

Happy researching!

The Town of Tecumseh has launched their historical archives

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

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

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

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

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

BRAVO! The LAC has listened …

Attestation Paper for Thomas Cussons, regimental no. 675270, Canadian Expeditionary Force personnel files, RG 150, accession number Accession 1992-93/166, Box 2057 – 51; (http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/image.aspx?Image=073302a&URLjpg=http%3a%2f%2fdata2.archives.ca%2fcef%2fgat1%2f073302a.gif&Ecopy=073302a); accessed 15 April 2015); Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa, Canada.

The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) today released the latest news on digitizing the First World War Service files. Not only did they say that 143,613 of 640,000 files are available online via their Soldiers of the First World War: 1914-1918 website, but for the first time, they have released the surnames of the soldiers that they have digitized.

Thank heavens! It was a never-ending guessing game whether I should go ahead and request a file, and go to the LAC and take photos of the record, or view it online. I never knew which I should do.

But I had written to them a month ago and asked them if they would tell us where they are on the digitizing scheme of things, and now they have. So bravo to the LAC!

The latest digitized box is #2057, which corresponds to the surname Thomas Cussons. I looked up the name, and it is there – the full service record!

So, hopefully, this little addition to the LAC blog will make a difference to researchers out there. Now I must write a letter of “Thanks” to the people who are working on the boxes.

The website for the First World War Service files is http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/canadian-expeditionary-force.aspx

Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Durham Region Branch is expanding the scope of their meetings

The Durham Region Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society is adding more to their meeting, and they are expanding in a good way.

According to their website, they are going to have, in addition to their standard meetings, the following new items are being added before the meetings -

TONI Tidbits from this huge database of over 3 million genealogical entries

Brick Wall Bomb - a 15 minute brainstorming session on a problem from the audience, and a 10-minute Mini-Talk on a variety of subjects.

This sounds exciting!

Their website is at http://durham.ogs.on.ca/

They have a blog at http://durham-branch.blogspot.com/

You can join their Facebook page by going to https://www.facebook.com/groups/durhamogs/

There is so much genealogy here

The Oshawa Public Library in Oshawa, Ontario just have oodles of information which have been digitized and are online at http://localhistory.oshawalibrary.ca/

They have been categorized into the following subject areas -

Clubs and Associations

Education in Oshawa

**Directories**

Entertainment in Oshawa

**General Local History**

Military

**Oshawa Families**

**Religious Life in Oshawa**

This is a prized collection (especially the Directories) that the library has put together.

Their website is at http://www.oshawalibrary.on.ca/

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

Extra news items

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

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

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

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

You have to listen to this!

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

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

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

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

National Volunteer Week in Canada

National Volunteer Week (NVW) is from April 12 to 18, 2015.

Annually, we spent close to two billion hours a year – the equivalent of approximately one million full-time jobs – in an effort to help out family, friends, and those in need to better our neighbourhoods and communities.

The call for the 2015 nominations for the Prime Minister’s Volunteer Awards was launched on April 13, 2015, and will run until June 30, 2015.

We, at Genealogy Canada, salute all of volunteers of the Canada genealogy community. We have volunteers who take photos of gravestones, who work on the The Ontario Name Index (TONI), who put together our monthly meetings, workshops, and conferences, and who work in our libraries, museum, and archives.

We appreciate what you do for us so that we have records to search, and encouragement to us when we feel that there is nothing left to search to find that elusive ancestors.

A big thank you to everyone. We appreciate all the work that you do.

The website for the National Volunteer Week is at http://volunteer.ca/