Ghost Towns of Canada

Fred Dittmar, of Diggin' Deep Genealogy Research Service in Norman, Oklahoma, is the List Administrator for the Ghost Towns of Canada and the US mailing list at RootsWeb. You can contact him at dittmar_ksa@ou.edu for questions about the list.

Fred says that he started "12 Rootsweb mail lists late last year. There is one for each Province and Territory in Canada".

He explained that (as the site itself says) that 'This list is for the study and researching of town names, residents, history and locations of abandoned ghost towns, camps or posts that your ancestors lived in, passed through or you have a genealogical interest in, in the Province of British Columbia, the Province of Alberta etc."

Fred adds that "The mail lists are only as good as the people who post and talk with each other. That's my motto: Post a lot, talk a lot, have fun, be nice and help each other but don't forget I have a size 13 shoe. It works……lol Thanks again Fred".

You can reach the list at: http://lists.rootsweb.ancestry.com/index/intl/CAN and search "ghost towns".

Moore Family Reunion

There will be a reunion of descendants of Samuel Moore of Massachusetts and New Jersey on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at the Norwich and District Museum, 89 Stover Street North, Norwich, Ontario.

He was born in 1630, and his great-grandson, Samuel Moore of New Jersey, was born in 1742.

People are invited from across Canada and the USA.

Mark the date on your calendar now, and plan to attend!

For more information, contact:

Donna Moore, UE,
d.moore3@sympatico.ca

Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society

Shelburne County Archives & Genealogical Society Newsletter

Shelburne County, on the southwestern coast of Nova Scotia, has had a genealogical society since 1987. And they publish a newsletter three times a year.

In the Winter 2011 issue, they bring us up-to-date on the latest news of the Society, and on page 2 there is a lengthy article about the "Missing Link: The Ancestry of John Spinney" by Brian Smith.

It is interesting to see how Brian took a few clues from the "History of Barrington Township" about Spinney's ancestry, and by using classic research in land petitions, and research at the New England History and Genealogical Society, Smith was able to go back three generations.

There is also a transcription by Ann and M. Edward Butt of the notes by Walter E. Abbott in "Surveying the Canadian United States Border as found in Stories and Reminisces of Walter E. Abbot" as how he talked about the boundary as it affected the fishing industry.

There are a couple of projects of the Society that may interest the readers of this blog, and they are -

The Society will soon issue a publication on the doctors and dentists of Shelburne from 1783 to 1965, and

The "Women of Shelburne County",which is an oral history project. It will be released on a DVD, and will be released early in the summer.

To look at the website, please visit them at http://nsgna.ednet.ns.ca/shelburne or contact them at gensentre@ns.sympatico.ca.

Disclaimer: I am from Shelburne, and am a descendant on my paternal side of Andrew Barclay, a Port Roseway Associated Loyalist, one of the founders of the town in 1783.

OGS Conference Early Bird Price Extension

There is only three days left for the Early Bird Registration. I plan to be in Hamilton from the 13th to the 15th of May so I will see you there!

The Provincial Office of the OGS sent me this notice -

"Due to the delays in opening registration back in January, we are extending the Early Bird conference registration prices until the end of Friday April 15, 2011.

Members can still register for the full weekend conference (Friday night, Saturday and Sunday) for the Early Bird price of $140.00 ($160.00 for non-members).

Take full advantage of the extra two weeks of low prices and register for Conference now".

To see the details of the Conference, go to www.ogs.on.ca/conference2011

Stratford Heritage Week-End Event

Here is something that I received from the Perth County Genealogical Society which may interest you!

"The Stratford-Perth Archives will partner with the Perth County Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society to host "Ask the Genealogy Genies" as part of the Stratford Heritage Week-End event.

Location: Stratford-Perth Archives, 24 St. Andrew St., Stratford ON

Time: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm.

Free entry for all.

For further information, contact Betty Jo Belton at 519-271-0531, extension 259 or
Lynn Matthison at matthison@quadro.net.

Some of the other events happening on the weekend include:

* Antique Show
* Heritage Tours – Walking or in Horse-Drawn Carriages
* 10th Annual Railway Heritage Show
* Doors of Perth County Display at the Stratford-Perth Museum
* Ploughmen's Lunches from St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church
* "Doors Open" at the Fryfogel Inn
* vintage films of Perth County at the Visitors' Centre in Shakespeare
.... and many other exciting opportunities to celebrate our local history!

As we near the date, check out the Stratford Tourism Alliance website: www.welcometostratford.com, click on "What's ON", then the Event Calendar for June".

Finding Ontario Ancestors Workshop

The following press release was just received from the people at the Toronto Branch of the OGS -

"Finding Ontario Ancestors Workshop
6 August 2011
North York Central Library Auditorium
5120 Yonge Street, Toronto

The Ontario Genealogical Society, Toronto Branch and the Canadiana Department of the North York Central Library will be co-hosting a one-day workshop on sources for Ontario family and local history research.

We are looking for speakers who would like to be part of the workshop.

The theme "Finding Ontario Ancestors" is broad, but presentations should emphasize sources. Your presentation could focus on a single type of record or source, a record group, or demonstrate how several sources can be used together.

You are invited to submit proposals for lectures on any aspect of Ontario genealogical or local history research that fits the above criteria.

We need lectures at all levels of expertise. Each session will be one hour long, including five or ten minutes for questions. Presentations should be illustrated—we can provide a computer projector or an overhead projector. Speakers will also be expected to provide a handout of supporting material (up to four pages) which we will photocopy for all registrants.

Speakers will be paid an honorarium of $100 per lecture, plus modest expenses for travel and accommodation.

Please submit your lecture proposals by e-mail. Please keep them brief and informal, at this point. (We may ask for more details later.) Be sure to include your mailing address, phone number, and a brief bio.

DEADLINE FOR PROPOSALS: SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2011

To submit proposals or ask a question about the event, please contact Jane MacNamara at info@torontofamilyhistory.org."

Guess the Relative

Tom Pullen, Assistant Producer - Development of the Dragonfly Film and Television Productions Ltd, in London (England), recently sent me the following press release -

"Do you think your family tree might have British roots?

Would you like to travel to Britain to discover your living relatives?

Dragonfly TV in London, England, is making an exciting new game show, called Guess the Relative, featuring families, ancestors and long-lost relatives.

We're searching for people from all over the world, who think they may have British ancestry, who would like to take part.

Whether your Great Great Grandfather was born in England or your Great Aunt lived in Scotland... If you think you, or anyone you know, may have any British ancestry, we want to hear from you!

Pullen says that 'We're currently looking for people from Canada who think they may have a distant ancestor from the UK. Their ancestor might be several generations back and come from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland - but if they have any link to the UK whatsoever, we want to hear about it!"

Visit www.guesstherelative.tv now to find out more and apply to take part!"