Press Release: GenealogyCanada Will Celebrate 5th Blogiversary

Hello, Everyone,

As the press release says, GenealogyCanada will be celebrating its fifth blogiversary January the 2nd.


Feel free to pass the press release along to your genealogical friends.

If you have any questions about genealogycanada, please email me at genealogycanada@aol.com.

Elizabeth

(Ottawa Dec 27, 2012) On January 2, 2013, Elizabeth Lapointe will be celebrating the 5th Blogiversary of GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com, her daily genealogy, heritage, and history blog.

Lapointe says, “I have had five great years telling people about Canada’s latest genealogy, heritage, and history news and stories. Because of the blog, I have made friends from all over, and look forward to reaching new audiences in the next five years.”

GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com is expected to reach its 1,000th blog in the next few weeks. Come join the others who drop by for their genealogy fix – simply visit the blog, subscribe to the “Blog Update” email notification service, or follow along on Twitter.

Among the blog posts of which Lapointe is extremely proud are the posts that make up the yearly Veterans’ Week series in November, and the posts that greet her readers every Monday morning of new and improved Canadian websites, blogs, and news articles on Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history.

“Both of these posts are very important to me because they bring to my readers news of what is happening in Canada—or somehow related to Canada or Canadians worldwide—whether it’s in remembrance of her veterans each November, or on a weekly basis.”

To mark the 5th Blogiversary on January 2nd, there will be a special contest give-away of 5 copies of her cross-border resource booklet—Migration: Canada and the United States—to those readers who correctly answer a question about the blog. So please take a moment to visit us that day, and be sure to also tell your friends and fellow genealogists.

A random draw of all the correct entries will take place the next day, on January 3rd.

To find out what’s been posted or to see what you’ve missed, scroll down to the “Blog Archive” list and pick a date, or simply use the dedicated Google search box near the top to find your favourite subject.

If you have any questions about the blog, please direct them to Elizabeth Lapointe at genealogycanada@aol.com.

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About GenealogyCanada

GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com is a Canadian blog covering Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history news and events. There have been over 900 posts since January 2008.

The GenealogyCanada.com website contains over 30 newsletters dating from 2004 to 2007, again covering the same news as the blog. Also included is the Website of the Month, showcasing the best in Canadian genealogy.

Genealogy Retailer Has Year-End Sale

My friend, Leland Meitzler of Family Roots Publishing, has just sent out the following notice - a year-end sale offering an additional 20% off all items.

“Family Roots Publishing has more inventory still in stock than ever before at the end of a current year! So – to reduce inventory and keep the company from having to pay taxes on all these books, they are offering an additional 20% off on all purchases between now and 7 pm MST December 31, 2012.

To take advantage of this offer, just put the year – 2012 – in the Offer Code box at checkout.”

And, to encourage sales, FRPC is offering free U.S. shipping on all sales over $75.00.

And this includes my two research booklets - War of 1812: Canada and the Unites States and Migration: Canada and the United States. Both of these booklets are divided into Canadian and American sections, each offering country-specific resource materials, URLs, and explanations on the War and on cross-border migration between these two great countries.

If you have any questions about the booklets, just ask me at genealogycanada@aol.com.

Genealogy Classes at Royal Roads University

Dave Obee is teaching two classes at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC in February, and they are called Discovering Your Family History: An Introduction.

The course description says that “The Internet has made it easy to gather information about family histories, however, it is still important to use proper research techniques to understand the records being consulted and to flesh out the raw details of a family tree with information about the lives of ancestors. Designed for people who have already gathered the basic information on their families, this course stresses the need for research in local history and social history as well and will help participants understand how to use a wide variety of resources and plan further work”.

The courses takes place on the 2nd and 9th of February, and it cost $145 + applicable taxes. The site says it is best to register by Sat, Jan 19th, 2013.

More information is available at http://cstudies.royalroads.ca/courses/PEOI3001-Y12.htm

Ancestry.ca is FREE!

Ancestry.ca has two Canadian records sets FREE until December 29th at Midnight ET! And there are other non-Canadian records that are also free. 

The two Canadian historical records are 

Nominal Rolls and Paylists for the Volunteer Militia, 1857-1922

and

Canada, Voters Lists, 1935-1980

Go to http://search.ancestry.ca/search/group/newyearoffer to take advantage of this offer.

Happy Holidays!

DIGGING FOR GOLD IN TORONTO LIBRARIES AND ARCHIVES

The Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, and the Canadiana Department of North York Central Library is planning to hold a day-long workshop for family historians on May 4, 2013 at the North York Memorial Community Hall, located on 5120 Yonge Street, Toronto.

It is so easy these days for genealogists to spend all their time immersed in online resources, that we sometimes forget about the wonderful archives and libraries available to us in Toronto and the GTA. We are seeking presentations that will inspire researchers to get out of their pyjamas and explore the wealth of information and special services in and around our city.

We hope to receive proposals from genealogists and historians, as well as librarians and archivists who would like to showcase their facilities and collections.

We are looking for a variety of presentations at various skill levels. Here are a few ideas, but we welcome all proposals that emphasize on-site research in Toronto:

an overview of collections and services in a Toronto-area repository

 a collection or how several collections can be used together

a survey of the holdings of a particular type of resource at several repositories (like newspapers, for example)

Each session will be an hour long, including 5 to 10 minutes for questions. Presentations should be illustrated – we can provide a computer projector or an overhead projector. Speakers will be expected to provide a handout of supporting material (up to four pages) in advance, which we will photocopy for all registrants. Speakers will be paid an honorarium of $100 per lecture plus modest expenses.

Please submit your lecture proposals by e-mail to: courses@torontofamilyhistory.org. Please keep proposals brief and informal at this point. Be sure to include your mailing address, phone number and a brief bio.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: Friday, 25 January 2013

Toronto Branch is one of 34 branches of the Ontario Genealogical Society, a not-for-profit organization and the largest genealogical society in Canada. For more information about Toronto Branch, please visit www.torontofamilyhistory.org.

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

New/Updated Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles – 24 December 2012

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

My Descent into Descent http://mydescentintodescent.blogspot.ca A genealogy blog where you can check the surnames - Saunders, Sanderson, Hart, Merriam, Wright, Marlow, Bosomworth, Monk, Crawford, Lefevre, Green, Cook, Goff, and Dickenson.

To Edmonton House with the Saskatchewan Brigade, Part One http://furtradefamilyhistory.blogspot.ca/2012/12/to-edmonton-house-with-saskatchewan.html Nancy Marguerite Anderson has a blog about the North Saskatchewan River and the people who travelled along it and the history they lived. And here is Part Two - Saskatchewan Brigade to Edmonton House, Part Two http://furtradefamilyhistory.blogspot.ca/2012/12/saskatchewan-brigade-to-edmonton-house.html

Hooper-Squires Photo Archives Treasure No. 5
http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.ca/2012/12/hooper-squires-photo-archives-treasure.html These are rescued photographs of the Hooper and Squires families of St. Mary's, Ontario.

SGS Prince Albert member recognized with Heritage Award www.paherald.sk.ca/Local/News/2012-12-18/article-3142969/SGS-Prince-Albert-member-recognized-with-Heritage-Award/1 The Prince Albert branch of the Saskatchewan Genealogical Society recognized Barb Beck with the 2012 SGS Volunteer Heritage Award according to an article in the Prince Albert Daily Herald

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

OGS President Shirley Sturdevant Has an Update on the LAC

There has been an update on the termination and replacement of the Interlibrary Loan (ILL) Services at the Library and Archives Canada‏ from OGS President Shirley Sturdevant. 

You can read the full update on their blog at www.ogs.on.ca/ogsblog/?p=2794, but it more or less says that although she offered to be a part of the discussion, that offer wasn’t accepted. This is rather unfortunate, since Shirley might have been able to present the “genealogical point of view”, which has been missing from the discussion so far.

The answer that she received from the LAC said, in part, that “Although my offer was not accepted, I was promised by M. Grandmaitre (of the LAC) hat we would receive the same documentation as the other participating parties for further discussion with or distribution to our members”.

In the meantime, she says that “The Ontario Genealogical Society shall stay its course in advocating for open and equal access to our Canadian archival documents”.

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Dick Eastman and Tourtière Genealogy

Dick Eastman wrote in his newsletter this morning about his French-Canadian ancestry, and the making of the Christmas meat pie in an article called “Tourtière Genealogy”. 

He talks about how he has it every Christmas, but he didn’t realize that people from different parts of Quebec have different views on meat pies – and it is tied in with their ancestry.

The article came about because of a story in The Montreal Gazette by Susan Semenak in which she talks about the beloved French-Canadian food tourtière called “The genealogy of your tourtière: The Quebec Christmas feast staple, the tourtière, can reveal where a person’s family comes from”.

To read about it, go to www.montrealgazette.com/genealogy+your+tourti%C3%A8re/7683786/story.html

To read Dick's article, go to http://blog.eogn.com/eastmans_online_genealogy/2012/12/tourti%C3%A8re-genealogy.html


© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Old Time Christmas

Father Christmas, horse-drawn sleigh rides, music in the Harvey House and the Schoolhouse featuring the Good, the Bad & the Ugly, Roger-Lee Martin, Marven Condo and Nancy Vignola, traditional food & drink, outdoor fires, Tea Room, carollers, kid’s crafts and skating on the pond. Doesn't it sounds great!
It will be available Wednesday, December 26, 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m. at the Gaspesian British Heritage Village, 351 Perron Blvd. West, New Richmond, in the Gaspe Region, which is in Quebec.

And there will be a Family Day on December 28 from 1:00 p.m. to: 4:00 p.m. which will be presented by the Town of New Richmond. There will be Dogsled rides, decorating gingerbread men, outdoor fires, treasure hunt, music, face-painting and other activities.

And it will be held at the Gaspesian British Heritage Village, 351 Perron Blvd. West, New Richmond, Gaspe.

The entrance fee to both events is $3.00 per person

For more information, go to www.villagegaspesien.com

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

A Special Invitation for a Victorian Christmas Eve

A very interesting notice came into the office this morning that the readers of this blog be interesting in attending -

The people at the Fairbairn House have invited you to the Victorian Christmas Eve event at Fairbairn House from 2 to 4 p.m. on December 24th.

Please come by and help decorate the tree, join in the carol singing, sip a hot cocoa or spiced apple cider, and sample our selection of home-made treats while enjoying the ambience of the newly renovated heritage home.

The 1861 builder William Fairbairn, with his wife Jean, will be in attendance to greet you in the old house, decorated in the fashion of the time.

The event is free, but we would be most grateful for an offering, such as a hand-made vintage-style decoration to add to our collection of decorations for the house, a small plate of homemade sweets, or a donation in our money jar at the house.

They look forward to seeing you on this special afternoon, with expectations that it will set a festive mood for the family celebrations to follow.

Come and stop by the FAIRBAIRN HOUSE HERITAGE CENTRE at 45 Wakefield Heights Road, La Pêche, Quebec just north of Ottawa.

If you wish to know more about the Farirbarin House, you ca go to www.fairbairn.ca/English/history.html

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Toys and Games in Canada

The Library and Archives Canada (LAC) sent out this notice yesterday about the history of toys in Canada, and pictures on their Flickr album -

"The joyful holiday season is the perfect time to introduce you to the Library and Archives Canada collection of photographs related to games and toys.

Although toys and games have existed since the dawn of time, it was only in the 19th century that the ‟toy” really came into its own in Canada. It was also during the Victorian era that toys and diversion were deemed beneficial to children, thereby kick-starting the mass production of playthings. At first, toys mainly came from England, Germany and the United States, but between 1860 and 1915, some 20 Canadian companies began to manufacture them as well. They were made of wood and generally mimicked miniature furniture, cars or horses.

The First World War slowed toy production in Europe, giving the Canadian toy industry the opportunity to flourish. New toys were produced, particularly battleships and construction sets. This is also when manufacturers started using a wider variety of materials, which resulted in copper, tin, iron, lead, and rubber toys. Plush dolls and animals, small lead soldiers, bugles and trumpets, rubber balls, hockey pucks and even humming tops could also be found.

In the 1940s, plastic was introduced in toy manufacturing; it was used to make rattles, beach toys, tractors, trucks and construction sets, as well as an array of tools. In subsequent years, large multinational companies emerged and completely diversified the toy-making industry".

Various outdoor games, such as croquet and lawn bowling have become popular. Children also enjoy games of strength, string, and chance, which are featured in our new Flickr album at www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157631912501393

Update - LAC Changes “Search” Feature

My thanks go to Glenn Wright from BIFHSGO for pointing out that the new Library and Archives Canada landing page does have the search site that I talked about on yesterday’s blog “LAC Changes “Search” Feature”.

You can go to the top left portion of the page, click on “Discover the Collection”, and then go to “Search Help” and you will find the three search categories – Library, Archives, and Ancestors.

So while it is there, it is rather difficult to find. But now I know where it is on the LAC page.

Thanks, Glenn!

The website for BIFHSGO is www.bifhsgo.ca, and the website for the LAC Search Help webpage  is
www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/search/Pages/search-help.aspx

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

35th Anniversary of the Société de généalogie de l'Outaouais

The Genealogical Society of the Outaouais in Gatineau is asking you to remember the date of April 27th.

Because that will be the day that they will celebrate their 35th Anniversary by having a conference, an exhibition, and a banquet.

All are invited!

To keep up on the plans for April 27th, go to their site at http://genealogieoutaouais.com

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

3rd Annual Genealogy Show and Tell

On Saturday, February 23, 2013, the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia will have their 3rd Annual Genealogy Show and Tell at 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at the Akins A/V Room, Nova Scotia Archives, University Ave, Halifax, NS

The say that the Show and Tell the last couple of years has been fabulous and brought together people with many different research skills and stories about their families. Come and tell us about your research and meet other folks who may share your research interests.

How will it work?

Members are invited to take ten minutes to tell us about your research. We might have some questions for you or have suggestions on how you can further your research.

Have you written a book on your family history? Do you create heritage scrapbooks? Bring them along and tell us your methods and give us some tips.

Do you have an old family bible or other family items that would interest genealogists? Tell us how you acquired them and why they are important to you.

Are you new to genealogy? Browse our publications, pick up some handouts and research tips and get to know some fellow genealogists.

Don't forget to wear your family t-shirts, hats or buttons!

What if you are an "away" member and can't attend? Well, you can send us a brief description of your research including surnames and counties and we will display them that afternoon. Please limit your submission to 100 words and include an email address where potential cousins can reach you.

Do you have a blog, website or Facebook page you'd like us to know about? Send us the url and we will post it.

Member submissions can be emailed to ganslectures@gmail.com Please put Genealogy Show and Tell in the subject line.

There will be a door prize and light refreshments will be served.

Their website is www.novascotiaancestors.ca/events.php

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

LAC Changes “Search” Feature

Have you noticed the changes made between the old landing page of the LAC and the new landing page of the LAC in addition to the new layout?

There is one big change to me, and that is, on the new website of the LAC at www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx as opposed to the old website of the LAC at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/index-e.html they have changed the Search feature!

On the old website one could search the federated search site on the top right hand corner of the website, and your search would be broken down into Library, Archives, and Ancestors. You could choose just one way to search, or you could search all three. You could clearly see which one you wanted to search first. I found it a very efficient way to search the holdings for my clients. Now you just get “results” of your search – the three fields are all mixed together.

I also see where there has been talk about the LAC making plans to digitize newspapers once again.

And when these plans are finalized, will the papers be indexed, as well as digitized? That is my question, and the answer will probably be " No."

Anyone who has had occasion (like myself) to work with the digitized Land Petitions of Upper and Lower Canada, know what a task it is to find anyone within the pages and pages of paper – it involves hours and hours of work on the Intertnet to find the exact record. They are not indexed by the  person's name!
© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Genealogies at FamilySearch

Have you seen the latest improvement to FamilySearch.org?

On Dec 13th, they launched Genealogies which is a “set of lineage linked conclusion trees provided to FamilySearch by users. This data comes from the Ancestral File, the Pedigree Resource File and other user submissions”.

So I put in the name of one of my favorite ancestors, my 4th great grandfather Andrew BARCLAY, and his parents, and where he lived  – but I didn’t find anything new about him, or his grandson by the same name.

But the information submitted is correct according to my genealogy. And it’s so much easier than before, when you had to put in the information in each file in order to get the result.

Our thanks should go to those people who have and still are spending hours of their time checking this type of work to make sure that it is as correct as possible.

So give it a try, and see how it works for you..

To go to FamilySearch, the website is https://familysearch.org/family-trees

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Kandahar - The Fighting Season

There is a special exhibit at the Canadian War Museum consisting of photographs by Louie Palu, courtesy of Kinsman Robinson Galleries, showing the Canadian Forces in the most dangerous districts of Kandahar. Palu captures “their world of firefights and exhausting patrols in an unforgiving landscape”.

Canadian Forces were there from 2005 to 2011. The exhibit will be on display until September 2013.

To see more about other exhibits that the Canadian War Museum has on display, go to www.warmuseum.ca/exhibitions

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Genealogists Helping Genealogists

There will be free research assistance given by the members of the Elgin County OGS to experienced genealogists, and beginners at the Elgin OGS on Saturday, January 19, 2013, from 1 to 3 p.m.

The location is at the George Thomas Room (upstairs), at the St. Thomas Public Library in St. Thomas, Ontario.

If you cannot get to the meeting on January the 19th, but you have ancestors in the Elgin County Region, they have a number of indexes online - free, including

Cemetery Indexes - The Elgin OGS has transcribed the inscriptions of all the current gravestones in Elgin County,

Census Indexes - The 1842 Township censuses indexes are online free

Funeral Home Records - Several of the Elgin County Funeral Homes have records that have been indexed

Land Records - The Elgin County Township papers have been indexed for ancestor names.

Newspaper Indexes - Many Elgin County Newspapers issues have been indexed and are available here free online.

Online Publications - miscellaneous collection of indexes to other sources; be sure to take a look!

Vital Records - the Elgin County Marriage abstracts of names from 1853 - 1873, plus some church records

Places of Worship - an inventory of church records available

Military - 1828 Militia men, War of 1812 veterans, Civil War veterans, World War 1 veterans, Cenotaphs of Elgin County

So there is a good selection, and should get you started in the right direction when searching your ancestor.

The website for the Elgin County website is www.elginogs.ca

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Access to 15 Databases in One Stop!

The Library and Archives Canada has just issued a blog where they say the following -

Within the next few weeks, Library and Archives Canada (LAC) will begin to deploy a series of 15 databases on Canadian census returns.

Note: This will be the only website where free online nominal indexes can be accessed for census returns from 1825 to 1916, comprising more than 32 million records.

LAC will be offering:

new databases such as those for census returns from 1851 and 1861

nominal indexes (instead of geographical indexes) for census returns from 1901, 1906, 1911 and 1916 revamped and updated versions of the indexes for census returns from 1871, 1881 and 1891and much more…

Stay tuned to learn when these databases will be available and be sure to visit our census page to discover these incredible resources for tracing your family history!

The website for the LAC is at www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Office Closure during Holiday Season

I have received a couple of office and library closings during the Holiday Season, and they are -

Quebec Family History Society - The library and office of the Quebec Family History Society will be closed for the holiday's from Friday December 21, 2012 until and including Wednesday January 2, 2013.

The library and office will re-open Thursday, January 3, 2013 at 10:00 a.m.

Please check their website at www.qfhs.ca. And if you are a member, refer to the winter copy of "Connections" for a complete list of upcoming activities hosted by the Quebec Family History Society.

Société de généalogie de l'Outaouais (The Genealogical Society of the Outaouais) in Gatineau, Quebec will have its office and research room closed from the 22 December 2012 to the 2 January 2013 for the Holidays. They will reopen the 3 January 2013.

Their website is at http://genealogieoutaouais.com

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

New/Updated Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles - 17 December 2012

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

5th Canada's History Forum www.canadashistory.ca/Education/Young-Historians/-hi-story-telling/December-2012/5th-Canada-s-History-Forum.aspx Read about the conversation that is starting to take place about where we are in making plans for the 100th anniversary of the First World War in 2014.

Top Ten Olive Tree Genealogy Blog Posts 2003-2012 http://olivetreegenealogy.blogspot.ca/2012/12/top-ten-olive-tree-genealogy-blog-posts.html Read the blogs that Lorine considers to be her best 10 blog posts from 2003 to 2012.

Library Concerned About National Archives Loan Service Closing http://hqprincegeorge.com/news/local/news/Local/2012/12/15/Library-Concerned-About-National-Archives-Loan-Service-Closing Still another newspaper article about the LAC closing their Interlibrary Loan Service.

Friends of the Milo Library Society receives funds for a new scanner www.vulcanadvocate.com/2012/11/22/friends-of-the-milo-library-society-receives-funds-for-a-new-scanner The local news section of the Vulcan Advocate News reports that the Milo Library Society received funds from the Community Foundation of Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta and they plan to buy a large format scanner to help digitize historical records with the money!

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

More Holiday Gift Ideas

Here are some nore places to check which has books/CDs you may like either for yourself or for someone else during the Holiday Season -

In 2008, the Ontario Genealogical Society, and Dundurn Press entered a joint partnership in which the OGS would edit the books and Dundurn Press would publish them. Together, they have published many books on Canadian genealogy.

Families, the quarterly journal of the OGS (of which I am the editor) has regular excerpts from the books and reviews of books from their catalogue.

The OGS e-Store website has books at  www.ogs.on.ca/ogscart/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2

Global Genealogy, located near Toronto, is another good source of genealogy books, maps, and CDs.

They just came through their 20th year of operation, and they have published their “Top 10 Gift Ideas for the history and genealogy enthusiast on your list” at http://globalgenealogy.com/new/top-10.htm.

They also have two of my research booklets for sale — The War of 1812: Canada and the United States and Migration: Canada and the United States — that you might enjoy as a gift for a loved one, or even yourself!

And right down the road from us in Manotick is Archive CD Books Canada www.archivecdbooks.ca/acdbcanada.html. Malcolm Moody and his wife, Chris, carry a huge selection of older local Canadian history books that they have scanned and published on CDs in electronic document format.

What makes their business unique is that they take much care and effort in scanning each of the books (and maps, too), so it’s like buying the book in its natural form, with its resulting high quality and readability, which is rare when it comes to scanned books. The CDs are easy to use, reasonably-priced, and backed by the Moody’s expertise and broad subject knowledge.

So if you are wondering what you could possibly get for a gift for the genealogist on your list, these are some of the places you can visit for ideas of what they would like to see under the tree this Christmas!

The Memory Jar

The North Shore News has something of interest in an article entitled "Homemade gifts a good option" during this holiday season.

A number of gifts are mentioned, but one that caught my eye is the gift of a memory jar. This is where you can put “meaningful photograph, an old report card, a forgotten letter, the sheet music of a beloved song, maybe even an old edition of a favourite book, those can all go in the jar”.

What a neat idea!

Read more at www.nsnews.com/life/Homemade+gifts+good+option/7686488/story.html#ixzz2F7y1uZ57

TD Hogmanay Party 2012

The Scottish Society of Ottawa and the City of Ottawa is having an inaugural event that is set for New Year’s Eve 2012 – a Hogmanay street party at Ottawa City Hall! It aims is to replicate the excitement of Edinburgh’s world famous Royal Mile as the clock strikes midnight and we enter the New Year.

It will be held at the Ottawa City Hall (Outside at Marion Dewar Park) on Dec. 31th, 2012 from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.

The result is a FREE, Edinburgh-style party that will have fireworks, Celtic bands, ice-skating on the Rink of Dreams, ice-sculpting, Highland dancing, Scotch-tasting. And there will be bagpipes. Music will come from local folkies Ecosse, Celtic fusion Cape Breton-style from Sprag Session and surprise special guest headline act, whose identity we’ll release closer to the big night.

We’ll also have the Sons of Scotland, Glengarry, and Kemptville Legion pipe bands, the Celtic Cross Dancers and the Katharine Robinson Dancers. Did we mention it’s all free.

Bring the family down to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Scotland at 7pm EST. Or hang around until midnight, enjoy a dram or a pint of McAuslan beer, hear the bells, sing Auld Lang Syne and watch the fireworks bring in the New Year. Sláinte mhath

The hope is that this event grows to become an Ottawa institution.

The website of The Scottish Society of Ottawa is www.thescottishsocietyofottawa.com/events/hogmanay-party-2012

Library and Archives Canada’s Travelling Exhibitions

Library and Archives Canada (LAC) is on the road!

With four travelling exhibitions on display in different venues across Canada, including one in the National Capital Region, LAC is showcasing the richness and diversity of its collections. This is an excellent example of LAC’s commitment to making the country’s heritage and history accessible to all Canadians—regardless of where they live.

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, in British Columbia, is hosting the exhibition Beyond Likeness: Contemporary Works from Library and Archives Canada until January 6, 2013. Through the works of 23 contemporary artists, the exhibition explores the evolving concept of portraiture from more traditional representations of likeness to works that challenge the conventions of the genre.

The New Brunswick Museum in Saint John is presenting the exhibition I Know You by Heart: Portrait Miniatures until December 31, 2012. Showcasing 35 recently restored portraits, the exhibition highlights the intimate, personal nature of portrait miniatures, and the reasons that such images are commissioned, created and carried. In March 2013, the exhibition will make its way to the Mendel Art Gallery in Saskatoon.

The McMichael Art Gallery in Kleinburg, Ontario, is showcasing LAC’s most recent exhibition Double Take: Portraits of Intriguing Canadians until January 20, 2013. Double Take presents 50 Canadians who have left—and are leaving—their mark on our country and our culture.

Finally, the exhibition Faces of 1812 is on display at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa until January 6, 2013. A commemorative exhibition, Faces of 1812 presents some of the men and women who experienced the War of 1812. LAC’s curatorial YouTube video and Faces of 1812 podcast will introduce you to the selected works that document this significant historical event.

Keep following this blog to find out where these exhibitions will travel next. It could be your hometown!

The website of the LAC is at www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

Library Books are Vandalized

A blog at the Windsor Star (Windsor, Ontario) has an unsettling post  about books at the Leamington Library being vandalized with urine.

And they weren’t just any book – they were genealogy books!

To read the post, go to
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2012/12/10/library-books-vandalized-with-urine

Further Update: More Ontario Unregistered Cemeteries sent to Registrar

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about the OGS registration of unregistered cemeteries across the province, and the committee has an update.

This week the committee sent to the registrar the lists of unregistered cemeteries for the counties of Cochrane, Dundas and Durham so that they can be registered and protected.

To read my original post, go to http://genealogycanada.blogspot.ca/2012/11/update-on-ontario-cemeteries-act.html

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

The Canadian War Museum Travelling Exhibit

The Canadian War Museum will soon reach more people than ever with its popular exhibition of the War of 1812. It will be available via a virtual exhibition that launched this week, and a travelling version that will travel to venues across Canada the exhibit closes January 6, 2013 in Ottawa.

The 1812 virtual exhibition, like the physical version, presents the War of 1812 from four distinct perspectives—American, British, Canadian (including Canadian First Peoples), and Native American.

The virtual exhibition can be found at www.warmuseum.ca/war-of-1812

The smaller travelling version of 1812 is now fully booked until May 2015 at venues in Ontario, New Brunswick, Manitoba. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan.

Here are the places and dates where you can see the exhibit -

April 6 - August 18, 2013 St. Catharines Museum St. Catharines, ON

September 7 - December 1, 2013 New Brunswick Museum Saint John, NB

December 21, 2013 - March 16, 2014 Chatham-Kent Museum Chatham, ON

April 5 - June 29, 2014 Royal Canadian Artillery Museum Shilo, MB

July 19 - October 12, 2014 Maritime Museum of the Atlantic Halifax, NS

November 1, 2014 - January 25, 2015 Eptek Art & Culture Centre Summerside, PEI

February 14 - May 10, 2015 Diefenbaker Canada Centre Saskatoon, SK

And the places and dates where the text and images only will appear -

October 6 - December 30, 2012 Museum on the Boyne Alliston, ON

June 1 - August 25, 2013 Arthur Child Heritage Museum Gananoque, ON

September 14 - December 8, 2013 Peterborough Museum and Archives Peterborough, ON

January 4 - April 27, 2014 Grimsby Museum Grimsby, ON

May 17 - July 13, 2014 Fort Wellington National Historic Site Visitor Centre, Parks Canada Prescott, ON

August 2 - October 26, 2014 Vancouver Island Military Museum Nanaimo, BC

July 1 - August 30, 2015 McLeod's Lake Post McLeod, BC

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Governor General’s History Awards

His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, presented the 17th annual Governor General’s History Awards, where he honoured Canadian teachers, museums, research facilities, and other institutions for the work that has been done in history.

The Governor General’s History Award for Popular Media - the Pierre Berton Award - went to two very deserving recipients - Réal Bélanger, Directeur général adjoint, Québec, Quebec, and John English, General Editor, Toronto, Ontario. They are the people behind the Dictionary of Canadian Biography/Dictionnaire biographique du Canada (DCB/DBC).

The University of Toronto and the Université Laval, started the dictionary in 1959, and it has fully sourced biographies written about people who have died between the years 1000 and 1930 or whose last known date of activity falls within these years.

May I say that I have used the dictionary many times for the biographies of the people, and as a guideline for the sources of the material that is used in the biographies. It continues to be one of the best places on the Internet to conduct Canadian research.

To read about the dictionary, you can go to the http://www.biographi.ca/index-e.html


© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

New/Updated Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles - 10 December 2012

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

Titanic in Nova Scotia http://titanic.gov.ns.ca This is a site run by The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Their website is fantastic, with artifacts, a history of the ship, and the Halifax Connection with the sinking of the Titanic..

War and Memory in a Personal Context – Guest Blog by Jesse MacLeod http://www.canadianmilitaryhistory.ca/war-and-memory-in-a-personal-context-guest-blog-by-jesse-macleod This is a moving piece written by guest blogger Jesse MacLeod in which he visits the battlefields of the First World War in northern France. He traces his great-grandfather steps to his untimely death in the First World War.

OGS Blog www.ogs.on.ca/ogsblog Don’t forget to keep up on the latest news about Ontario Genealogy Society with their daily OGS Blog.

Ontario birth, marriage and death records guide http://globalgenealogy.com/news/articles/00007i.htm A guide has been prepared by Rick Roberts in which he “begins with recent records and works back in time.”

A good review of the records, which are available to the researcher.

FOULDS: Calling up intimate history with the click of a mouse www.kamloopsthisweek.com/opinion/181921661.html Learn about John Chmelyk (originally from Poland), and how the decisions he made, would influence the life of his grandson – Christopher Foulds – the editor of Kamloops This Week.

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Anglo-Celtic Roots Winter 2012 Edition

A rather hefty issue of the Anglo-Celtic Roots arrived in the mail last week from the British Isles Family History Society of Great Ottawa (BIFHSGO) in Ottawa with the news that the group is going to continue to use the facilities of the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) as its monthly meeting place, and where it holds its yearly conference.

Of course this comes with a price (as the LAC is now charging for the use of it’s facility), but at a cost the BIFHSGO is willing to live with, so let’s hope that Public Works and Government Services Canada (the government department that looks after the LAC) keeps the costs at a reasonable rate in the future.

There are three articles in this issue – "Mamie Weir, a Scot" by Carolyn Emblem; "Life in Saskatoon, 1914" by Andrew Frowd; and 'Tracking Great-Uncle Stan' by Brooke Broadbent.

But the article that interested me the most (since my husband was born in Quebec City) was the trip in July that took genealogists from Ottawa to Quebec City and Grosse Ile on a research trip.

The article written by Irene Kellow Ip, is a most descriptive article telling of their time in Quebec City where they visited Artillery Park, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, and Dufferin Terrace. And on to Grosse-Île where they visited the Hospital Sector, the Irish Cemetery, and the Hotel Sector on the quarantine island.

If you wish to check the database of Immigrants at Grosse-Île www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/grosse-ile-immigration/index-e.html, or Quebec City Passenger Lists Index 1865-1900 at www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/passengers-quebec-1865-1900/index-e.html

You are invited to go to the website of BIFHSGO at www.bifhsgo.ca. You will find lots to read, and do while you are there.

NOTE: The 2013 conference from September 20 - 22, 2013 will be held at the Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa. The focus for 2013 will be on Ireland.

Italian Canadian Experiences During World War II

This press release was received this morning –

Toronto, December 6, 2012 – A travelling exhibit commemorating the experiences of Italian-Canadians who were interned in Canada during the Second World War is set to begin a three-year tour of Canada.

The exhibit, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Times: Italian Canadian Experiences During World War II, presents through video, audio and text, a rich collection of interviews conducted with those who were interned, as well as with researchers, historians and other members of the community.

Senator Linda Frum attended the launch event today at the Columbus Centre of Toronto, on behalf of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada, under the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP), has given a $277,520 contribution to help produce the exhibit. This funding will also help to expand the digital archive of many projects of the Italian internment experiences.

“The wartime internment experienced by those of Italian origin during the Second World War marks an unfortunate chapter in our nation’s history,” said Senator Frum. “The Government of Canada recognizes the historical experiences of the Italian-Canadian community during that period.”

When war broke out in Europe in September 1939, Canada was governed by wartime emergency measures that had a significant impact on the lives of many Italian Canadians.

The CHRP has made available approximately $4 million for projects to recognize the experiences of the Italian-Canadian community.

The exhibit will be on special preview at the Columbus Centre of Toronto until the end of December 2012 before it begins its three-year Canada-wide tour.

If you want to know more about this subject List of Internment Camps (WWII) go to www.windsor-communities.com/italian-list.php

2013 Meeting at Toronto Branch OGS

Gwyneth Pearce has sent me notice of the following branch meetings at the Toronto Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society for 2013.

Notice: On March 25th, Glenn Wright of Ottawa, will talk about the 1921 Canada Census to be released in the coming year. 

They are -

DATE: 28 January 2013 (7:30 p.m.)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Gold Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: “Writing for Publication: Tips On How to Get Your Family History Research Published”
NAME OF SPEAKER: Ed Zapletal
BRIEF INFO: Additional short presentation by Donna Di Lello: “How to index old books for Genealogical Societies”.
CONTACT INFO: www.torontofamilyhistory.org

DATE: 25 February 2013 (7:30 p.m.)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Gold Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: “Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor: Mining the Internet for Occupational Photographs”
NAME OF SPEAKER: Bonnie Bell
BRIEF INFO: Learn how to find relevant photographs of our ancestors at work. Additional short presentation by Stephen Low: “Tracing my Great-Grandmother”.
CONTACT INFO: www.torontofamilyhistory.org

DATE: 25 March 2013 (7:30 p.m.)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: “Great Revelations: Canada and the 1921 Census”
NAME OF SPEAKER: Glenn Wright
BRIEF INFO: In anticipation of the release of the 1921 census, this presentation will examine the state of our country in 1921. Additional short presentation by Marian Press: “Writing for the Toronto Tree”.
CONTACT INFO: www.torontofamilyhistory.org

DATE: 22 April 2013 (7:30 p.m.)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: “A Brickwall Chisel – The Cluster Research Project”
NAME OF SPEAKER: Ruth Blair
BRIEF INFO: Find out how to organize and start a cluster research project to help you break down brick walls in your family history. Additional short presentation by Elayne Lockhart: “My DNA – the Genealogical Gift that Keeps on Giving”.
CONTACT INFO: www.torontofamilyhistory.org

DATE: 27 May 2013 (7:30 p.m.)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: “Inheritance in Ontario”
NAME OF SPEAKER: Jane E. MacNamara
BRIEF INFO: Additional short presentation by Jean McNulty: “A Photographic Puzzle”.
CONTACT INFO: www.torontofamilyhistory.org

DATE: 24 June 2013 (7:30 p.m.)
MEETING: Toronto Branch OGS
LOCATION: Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto
TITLE OF TALK: “My Interesting Ancestor”
NAME OF SPEAKER: Various
BRIEF INFO: Branch members share their stories with fast-paced five-minute talks on ancestors they have found particularly interesting.
CONTACT INFO: www.torontofamilyhistory.org

LAC is on Facebook

The Library and Archives Canada is on Facebook, and I read quite a few postings this morning, so that I could get a feeling of what the LAC has done with it.

They have a lot of pictures taken from their holding on the pages, and there were photos I have never seen before eg photos of Home Children, Danish Immigration, and you can read Sir Winston Churchill first speech to the House of Commons as prime minister on 13 May 1940.

They have 262 “likes” right now, and comments on the page, some of which are about the closing of interlibrary loan on December 11 – next Tuesday!

The Facebook page is on www.facebook.com/LibraryArchives

Halifax Explosion, 1917

To add to my post I did yesterday morning on the Haliax Explosion, the Library and Archives Canada Flickr website now has put photos on the Internet.

The LAC says that the explosion was a “tragedy on a massive scale (which) happened on Canadian shores on December 6, 1917 when the French cargo ship, the SS Mont Blanc, and the Norwegian SS Imo, collided in the harbour at Halifax, Nova Scotia.’

The photos are at http://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/sets/72157627774733594

2013 as the Year of Korea in Canada

A couple of days ago, I received this announcement from the prime minister’s office -

“Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that 2013 has been designated as the Year of Korea in Canada, which aims to highlight Korea's culture, traditions and diversity, and celebrate the contributions of the Korean community to Canadian society.

"Canada and Korea enjoy excellent relations based on 50 years of diplomatic engagement, close personal ties and an important commercial relationship," said the Prime Minister. "It is a privilege to launch the Year of Korea in Canada which will showcase Korea's remarkable culture and traditions and highlight the vibrant relationship our two countries enjoy."

The Year of Korea in Canada will feature a number of cultural and artistic events across the country. Events in Korea will also be organized to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War Armistice, including Canada's contributions to help defend the country's freedom.

Read about Canada’s contribution to the Korean War, go to
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/korean-war

Twitter Will Preserve Memories of Halifax Explosion

There is a news story this morning in the online newpapers that the Nova Scotia Archives will collect stories about the Halifax explosion which happened on December 6. They are going to do this by the use of Twitter.

They are hoping that Twitter brings in new views and details about the explosion, and the period afterward when Halifax struggled to get on it’s feet again.

The project begins tomorrow which is the 95th anniversary of the harbor front First World War event that devastated Halifax.

About 2,000 people died, and thousands more were injured.

The hashtag is #hfxex1917

You may read about the explosion at the Nova Scotia Archives where they have a Virtual Exhibit, a Remembrance Book, and a film “The Way We Were: Nova Scotia in Film, 1917-1957.”

The website is http://gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/default.asp?Search=THexp

Living Library Inspires Human Books to Share Their Stories

Here is a 54 m4 4 4 4 4 4 4 645notice that I received this morning. In part, the message reads  –

"Irena Szpak, Hyman Yanofsky and Adam Leclerc's lives are all open books, literally. Irena, Hyman and Adam have joined nineteen other people from the Ottawa region to volunteer as 'living books', sharing with the public their personal stories as they relate to conflict.

At age 14, Irena trained with the Polish Resistance and was later taken by cattle train to a work camp in Germany. She survived to have a family and emigrate to Canada; Hyman joined the Canadian army to fight Hitler by intercepting messages from the enemy as he travelled through Europe; and Reservist Adam Leclerc spent seven months with the POMLT (Police Operational Mentoring and Liaison Team) training Afghan police to deal with security issues.

The Canadian War Museum, in partnership with the Ottawa Public Library and CBC, brought the Human Library program to Ottawa. The Museum featured one-on-one conversations with individuals who have fascinating personal life experiences and stories.

For their innovative and inspirational project that redefined the meaning of the term "living history", the Canadian War Museum for "Human Library" is the recipient of the 2012 Governor General's History Award for Excellence in Museums: History Alive! Presented by the Canadian Museums Association.

"We are extremely honoured to be the recipients of this prestigious award," said Mark O'Neill, President and CEO of the Canadian Museum of Civilization Corporation which operates the Canadian War Museum. "The Human Library concept was a dynamic and engaging way to help our visitors understand the personal stories that have shaped and continue to shape Canada's military history."

On December 10, 2012, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, will honour the Canadian War Museum for their achievements and contributions to furthering interest in and understanding of our history and heritage.

Announcements continue throughout the coming week and profiles of all the recipients, will be available at Canada's History Magazine at http://www.CanadasHistory.ca/GGAwards

Community Creating History

The Chinese Canadian community is interested in collecting stories so they can let people know about their history in Canada.

This project is designed to connect students, school educators, libraries, and community groups such as genealogists, and historians.

They connect people through web resources such as games, lesson plans, and also historical photos.

To read more about Chinese Canadian Stories, and their collection, read their blog at B.C. Heritage Fair at www.bcheritagefairs.ca/chinese-canadian-stories

New/Updated Websites, Blogs, and Newspaper Articles - 03 December 2012

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

On Monday, Dec. 03, 2012 the will be a meeting of the Jewish Genealogical Society at which Merle Kastner, will give a talk about "My Family Roots Trip to Romania and Ukraine”.

The talk will focus on the former Bucovina and Radautz, Fratautz, Czernowitz, Suveava and to Moldavia, and Piatra Neamt and Negulesti. She will talk about how she organized the trip and how you can do the same to visit your shtetls

The meeting will be held at 7:30 pm at the Jewish Public Library, 5151 Cote Ste-Catherine Road, Montreal.

You can call 514.484.0969 or visit http://www.jgs-montreal.org

On Saturday, 15 Dec 2012 at 1:00 pm at the City of Ottawa Archives, 100 Tallwood Drive, Room 115, there will be a meeting of the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society in which Kurt Johnson, historical researcher, and Board Member of the Goulbourn Museum, will give a talk on the “Perils and Petticoats: Exceptional Women of the War of 1812”.

Remember that this meeting may be simulcast for members who can’t join the group in person.

For more information, go to http://ogsottawa.on.ca/category/events/branchmeetings

Do you know that Ancestry.ca is on Facebook? Read about the “12 Days of Christmas” on www.facebook.com/Ancestry.ca

Burnaby Village Museum Christmas Holidays www.burnabyvillagemuseum.ca/EN/main/visit/events/events/heritage-christmas.html They have oral histories, library and artifact collection that you are invited to take a look at or listen to while there.

In case you missed my post earlier this week, Richard Watts, Times Colonist reporter in The Province is carrying a story on the B.C. Archives called B.C. opens archives to search family histories
www.theprovince.com/life/opens+archives+search+family+histories/7634449/story.html#axzz2Dv2GiJ5l

French connection: Voices of the past immortalized in Francophone digital collection
www.thewesternstar.com/Arts-Life/Features/2012-11-30/article-3130735/French-connection-Voices-of-the-past-immortalized-in-Francophone-digital-collection/1 Frank Gale from The Western Star newspaper tells how the Memorial University’s Digital Archives Initiative Collection was introduced to French communities on the Port au Port Peninsula in Newfoundland.

Monument proposed for Bernard captains who explored Canada’s north www.journalpioneer.com/News/Local/2012-11-28/article-3129587/Monument-proposed-for-Bernard-captains-who-explored-Canada%26rsquos-north/1 A West Prince committee is hoping to erect a monument next year to recognize a pair of northern explorers who hailed from Nail Pond, Prince Edward Island - Captain Pierre (Peter) Bernard and his nephew, Captain Joseph Bernard.

© Elizabeth Lapointe All Rights Reserved

Anniversary Alert

On January 2^nd, exactly one month from today, it will be the fifth anniversary of my blog, GenealogyCanada.blogspot.com.

In addition to celebrating the anniversary, I am going to give away 5 copies of my research booklet, Migration: Canada and the United States, to the readers who correctly answer a question about the blog.

So remember that day - January 2^nd - and come celebrate with me, and win a booklet!

Elizabeth

The Genealogy of Canadian Food

In an article “Jacob Richler creates a genealogy of upscale Canadian cuisine in My Canada” Andrew Allentuck, who writer for Postmedia News, does a review of Jacob’s latest book, My Canada Includes Foie Gras.

It includes biographies of well known Canadian chiefs, as well as well known Canadian restaurants.

You can read the review at
http://www.vancouversun.com/life/Jacob+Richler+creates+genealogy+upscale+Canadian+cuisine+Canada/7636169/story.html

To read more about the genealogy of Canadian food, here are a couple of sites that may interest you –

Cricket's Tree - A History and Heritage http://cricketstree.blogspot.ca/p/traditional-comfort-food-and-recipes.html This site talks about Traditional French-Canadian Comfort Food and Recipes.

Cuisine of the Maritimes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine_of_the_Maritime The traditional food of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island is explained.

The Genealogy Trails Chuckwagon
http://genealogytrails.com/chuckwagon This site talks about prairie food that was cooked on chuck wagons to feed the “wagon train of settlers or feed nomadic workers like cowboys or loggers”

Update on Ontario Cemeteries Act Petitions

We have not received an update on the what happened to the Cemeteries Act Petitions in May 2011 when the Ontario Legislature was prorogued.

But we are told today that The Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS), and The Ontario Historical Society (OHS) received a life line from Jim Brownell, then retiring Member of Provincial Parliament for Stormont, Dundas and South Glengarry. He arranged for the committee to meet John Gerretsen, then Minister of Business Services – the ministry in charge of cemeteries registration.

A list of more than 1500 unregistered cemeteries across the province was presented to Mr. Gerretsen and the committee had a first hand opportunity to tell the minister about the lack of protection and high risk of removal for unregistered cemeteries.

The joint OGS and OHS Cemetery Registration Committee has been resuscitated and, with assistance from many hardworking branch cemeteries committees, is working to compile the necessary information and send it to the Registrar.

To date the data for four counties – Algoma, Brant, Bruce and Carleton – have been forwarded to the Registrar of Cemeteries. Any new information for these counties will be also forwarded as it is discovered.

The committee asks anyone with cemetery information, particularly little known or abandoned cemeteries to contact them.

You can go to www.ogs.on.ca/home/advocacy.php#cemeteries and read about Bill 126, Inactive Cemeteries Protection Act, 2010.

A Heritage Certificate For Christmas

This a great idea for Ontario Genealogical Society members –

If you're a member of the Ontario Genealogical Society Centenary Club and you're looking for a last minute holiday gift (or just starting your shopping like some of us), consider a supplemental Centenary Club certificate for your relatives. They can be members of the Centenary Club because you've already proved that you are.

Supplemental certificates are only $10 each for OGS Members ($20 for non members) and make a great stocking stuffer.

To purchase one, simply download the application form and fill out Section 1 indicating your name and contact information, the number of certificates you are ordering and the names of the relatives you are buying for. No need to provide evidence, it is already on file here.

Please make sure your request reaches us by December 7th so that we can make sure your certificates reach you in time for the 25th.

Questions? Contact membership@ogs.on.ca or call Provincial Office.

The website of the OGS Heritage Certificate is www.ogs.on.ca/home/heritage_societies.php

A membership to the society is $60.00 CDN per year, and the membership is at www.ogs.on.ca/membership.php

Images of Historical Birth, Marriage and Death Records

Just received this press release from the British Columbia Archives -

Victoria, BC – People worldwide will now have easier research access to images of the original historical records of births, marriages and deaths in British Columbia.

A partnership between the BC Archives and the Vital Statistics Agency, as well as an in-kind donation by FamilySearch International, has resulted in original records being scanned, indexed and now available from anywhere in the world for printing – free of charge – through the Royal BC Museum/BC Archives website.

“Open, free access to public records of an historic nature will help researchers and writers tell the story of British Columbia and assist citizens interested in genealogy or local history,” said Community, Sport and Cultural Development Minister Bill Bennett. “Congratulations to the partnership responsible for making this data available digitally online.”

“Easy access to government services and data is central to our Open Government policy. Having these records online benefits our citizens and people around the world; anyone who has roots in this province can now explore their B.C. heritage.” said Minister of Citizens’ Services and Open Government Ben Stewart.

Since 1997 the Vital Statistics Agency has provided the BC Archives with annually updated indexes to publicly releasable vital event information. The BC Archives is allowed to release personal information about deaths that occurred at least 20 years ago, marriages that took place at least 75 years ago, and births registered at least 120 years ago. In the past, the photographed images of actual documents were only available on microfilm at the BC Archives reading room, at a FamilySearch International centre or through a number of libraries across the province.

“This free access to digital images of historical vital event records is long overdue,” said Kathryn Bridge, Manager of Centralized Access, Royal BC Museum. “The upload of more than 700,000 scanned and indexed documents in the first few months of test operation is unique in Canada, no other province has made this much rich data available online.”

Provincial registration of births, marriages and deaths began the year after British Columbia joined Confederation in 1871. The registration records contain information that can be used to trace a family tree, determine medical history, reveal the history of a community or patterns of illness over time. Birth registrations include name, date and place of birth, parents’ names, and the mother’s maiden name. Marriage registrations include the name, age, birth place and marital status of the bride and groom, the date and place of the ceremony, names of the couple’s parents, names of witnesses and the person who performed the ceremony. Death registrations include the name and birth date of the deceased person as well as the date, place and cause of death.

Phase 1 of this data upload is substantially complete. Phase 2, now underway, will add more images and indexed information, including pre-1872 records, deaths that occurred overseas during the Second World War, between 1939 and 1945. More than 200,000 images of death records from 1985 to 1991 and approximately 19,000 images of marriage records from 1933 to 1936 will also be added. Phase 2 is scheduled for completion by the end of the year and will bring the number of scanned records to the one million mark. Each year more vital event records images will be scanned and uploaded as they become available through annual scheduled releases by the Vital Statistics Agency.

To access the images of historical birth, marriage and death records go to http://search-collections.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Genealogy/BasicSearch

About the BC Archives

The BC Archives is the oldest archival institution in Canada west of the Great Lakes. In 2003 it joined the Royal BC Museum. The BC Archives acquires, preserves and makes accessible the documentary heritage of British Columbia for its citizens and researchers around the world. Its archivists are stewards of our province’s personal, corporate and social memory.