Digging up the Parliament Building (Montreal)

On Tuesday, the CTV News http://m.ctv.ca/topstories/20110823/archaeologists-montreal-dig-110823.html had a story about archeologists digging up the Parliament Building which was burnt down by rebels of the Rebellions of 1837 in Montreal.

Reports say that they are starting to find items including a tea set, and a pair of glasses which was probably left behind by someone when the building burnt to the ground.

The ground will be turned into a green space in time for Montreal's 375th birthday, which will take place in 2017.

Read the history of the Parliament Building http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burning_of_the_Parliament_Buildings_in_Montreal

For a history of Montreal, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montreal

For the Rebellion of 1837 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebellion_Losses_Bill

Ireland Canada Monument Newsletter

Over the weekend I received this letter from Brendan Flynn at brendanflynn_1@hotmail.com

“Hello Everyone,

Please find the 50th edition of the Ireland Canada Monument Newsletter. We hope you will forward it to others.

The newletter can also be downloaded from the following link at the top of the page. Go to http://irelandmonumentvancouver.com/monumental-news/

Thank You.

The Ireland Canada Monument Society"

"Ask Granny!" Genealogy Program

The Victoria Genealogical Society's “Ask Granny!” Genealogical Program which is a free seminar in retirement homes is ready for their fall season.

They have presented four seminar so far in 2011 to a total of 29 students, and it sounds like they have been very popular.

I wonder if other societies are doing this as part of their outreach program.

For further information about “Ask Granny!' email vgsprojectdirector@gmail.com or visit the VGS Programs page on this Victoria Genealogical Society's website at http://www.victoriags.org/index.htm.

Kingston Cemetery Repaired

On 27 May 2008 a number of Kingston citizens concerned about the deterioration of the Lower Burial Ground of St. Paul's Churchyard in the heart of the city gathered and decided to establish a non-profit corporation to be known as The Lower Burial Ground Restoration Society.

Since then, they have repaired the burial ground, and was able to repair the wall which surrounds it.

You can view the work that has been done by going to http://www.uelac.org/Kingston/lower.html

Keffer Writing Contest

Every year the Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS) has a writing contest called the Keffer Writing Contest. The deadline for entering the contest is November 1st.

The entries must be Canadian or Ontario based genealogy, and they should be between 1,500 and 2,000 words in length.

There will be three judges, and lots of nifty prized -

1sr prize $100.00 plus 2 annual OGS memberships
2nd prize $75.00 plus 1 annual OGS memberships
3rd prize $50.00
4th prize $25.00

You have to be a member of the OGS in order to enter. They have a new membership offer of $35.00 for a half year membership. Details are at are at http://www.ogs.on.ca/home/essay.php

New Blog - Beehive Genealogy

Just like a busy bee, Erin has been writing blog post, as she puts it “It is my attempt to make sense of my ancestors, their place in time, and the communities they lived in as they moved west in Canada”.

She had been on since August the 11th , and has written such blogs as “Vic and Cassie Lloyd”, and 'The Benefits of Asking Questions and Questioning Answers”. She also does blogs on such subjects as “Friday Funny”, “Saturday Surnames”, and “Tombstone Tuesday

Erin writes with an easy and informed style, and one hopes that she keeps up the blog so that we can learn more about Western families in Canada.

The blog is at http://beehivegenealogy.wordpress.com/.

Genealogy Education

The theme of the August 2011 edition of the OGS journal, Families, was “Genealogy Education”, and it contained seven papers -

The Training of Teachers is taken from the excellent book, Education and Ontario Family History, by Toronto genealogist, Marian Press. The article and book shows us where to find the educational records in such places as The Archives of Ontario.

Childhood Forgotten: The Story of a Home Child, by Robert McCauley, the winner of the 2011 Mike Brede Genealogical Essay Prize, tells the rather tragic story of Ada Victoria Girling from London who was put in numerous homes before she came to Canada as a Home Child, and the many years it took to find her story. It's her likenesses on the cover (above), as a sad little girl, and as a striking young woman.

Genealogy for Young People: Interest, Involvement, Nurturing by OGS Vice-President, Shirley Sturdevant, is a paper by a former teacher taking us through the process of teaching children about family history.

Our Heritage … Our Past is a paper be Carol White in which she tells us about the success of Heritage Fairs in Ontario. They have gone from having one fair in 1998 to 20 in 2011!

Robert Halfyard, in his paper, Never Assume!, tells us about the people that may be related to James Miller and his wife, Jane Bradley, and how he assumed that certain people were related, but weren't.

Gwen Patterson, in Documents for the Education Sector of Ontario, recounts the history of the Ontario Educational System.

Dave Obee's Tech Tools for Genealogists is the paper you should read if you want to be brought up-to-date on Social Media. It is taken from the Conference's closing lecture that he gave in Hamilton this past May.

The upcoming themes of the November 2011 issue of Families will be "The War of 1812", and "Immigration".

The Ontario Genealogical Society now has a half-year membership available for $35.00 at www.ogs.on.ca/membership/types.php