Family Tree Magazine Picks Best Canadian Genealogy Sites

The sites that they have picked are -

Automated Genealogy - I use this site quite often to check the census of 1901, 1906 (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba) and 1911. As is pointed out, they have a "Link Centre, which has already connected 2 million records of individuals between censuses as well as other sources, such as WWI soldiers and the Dictionary of Canadian Biography".

This is very important, if you want to make to a connection between the First World War and the 1911 Census.

The website is at http://automatedgenealogy.com

Canadian - This site I use every so often, maybe not as much as I should for there is 60 million-plus pages from libraries, museums, universities and government agencies.

I have just found it to be so frustating because I get lost in the Early Canadiana Online collection. But I understsnd that it is going through a "a makeover" with improved searching and navigation facitilty.

The website is at www.canadiana.ca/en/home

Library and Archives Canada - The LAC came in third place, and it appears that the biggest mark against it is "not searchable by surname". That is the thing isn't it - there are all of these records online - but the majority are not searchable by surname.

They have a new website at www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx

Our Roots/Nos Roots - I agree - this is a good site! They have put online over 5,000 local history books, and if you haven't gone there before, it does deserve a look because I have found many refernces which has helped me in my reserarch.

The website is at www.ourroots.ca

Le Programme de recherche en démographie historique (The Research Program in Historical Demography) - I have used the database when I have had ancestors in Quebec. They have as their objective to collect every bit of information on all "biographical files on all individuals of European ancestry who lived in the St. Lawrence Valley". They charge to do full research - although nothing is charged to see if a name is listed in the database.

The website is at www.genealogie.umontreal.ca/en/leprdh.htm.

That's My Family/Voici Ma Famille - I have used this database to check to see if a marriage (specially in Quebec) is there. This was a database put together by the Bibliothèque et Archives Nationales du Québec and Library and Archives Canada sometime ago, but it is still worth a look.

The website is www.thatsmyfamily.info

New to the OGS Blog

This is an exciting development in blogs - they are instituting the use of Polls on the OGS blog at www.ogs.on.ca/ogsblog/?p=1389.

There are going to be a new one each week.

This week they asked the guestion - What regions have you been searching to build your family tree?

The results so far are -

Canada 81%

England 73%

Scotland 63%

United States 61%

The poll has been set up to allow you to choose as many answers from the list as you wish. Missed something or having second thoughts on your choices? No worries, simply refresh the page, and you can vote again!

Give it a try and have some fun!

Update of Quinte Finding Aid

Bob Dawes just wrote me a note to say that the Quinte Branch of the OGS has just issued over 100,000 records to it's online finding aid -

PRESS RELEASE

Quinte Branch - OGS announces an update of its online finding aid available at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~canqbogs

Originally intended for use within the Quinte Genealogy Centre Research Library located in the Quinte West Public Library, it was added as an online resource in 2007. While the finding aid is primarily used to locate collateral surnames in the large collection of genealogies and other documents it also provides a lot of relevant information if you know where to look. A guide to using the finding aid and library catalog is provided on the above website.

The latest update adds over 100,000 records to the database bringing the total number to 1,120,000. Information on how to use the online Finding Aid to obtain additional information on search results from research volunteers is also available on the website.

2012 PEI Highland Games

The Caledonian Club of Prince Edward Island was formed on June 2, 1864, and on August 4th and 5th, they will present The PEI Highland Games at the Lord Selkirk Provincial Park, Eldon, PEI.

The Highland Dancing Competitions will be held on August the 4th at 8:30 a.m., as well as the junior heavy and track and field competitions (under 16). At 1 pm the ladies heavy competitions, and at 2 p.m. there will be men's heavy Scottish competitions.

Lots of food and entertainment including three Mass Bands on August the 4th, step-dancing competitions at 2 p.m. on August the 5th, followed by afternoon concert in the park with fiddler Richard Wood accompanied by Gordon Belsher.

There will also be a Gathering of the Clans Maclean and Ramsay where you can ask questions, and find out about Scottish enigration to PEI.

The website is www.caledonianclubofpei.ca

New Canadian Blog

We congratulate Betty on staring a new blog that is going to contain Canadian content, and it is called The Pye Plate at http://thepyeplate.blogspot.com.

Since she is a Mayflower Descendent, she will discuss ancestors who travelled from England to New England, and from there to the Canadian provinces of Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, and to New Brunswick.  

She promises that the blog will be mostly about her family, but she will post for anyone who is seeking assistance in researching their family.

Welcome aboard Betty!

Africville Summer Reunion

This weekend will mark the 29^th summer reunion to be held in the former land in north-end Halifax, Nova Scotia known as Africville – a place where American slaves, and other Black people settled in the 1830s.  

They will also dedicate the newly rebuilt Africville Church and Museum this weekend, and it will be the highlight of the reunion of the many American and Candian families which are expected to be there.

CBC Halifax has a story on the church at http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2012/07/24/ns-africville-church-museum.html.

And you can read about The Africville Genealogical Society at http://www.africville.ca/society

GANS at the Halifax Pride Community Fair

Pamela Wile, NSG Editor, write to say that the Genealogical Association of Nova Scotia (GANS), will be at the Halifax Pride Community Fair on the Halifax Commons this
Saturday, July 28.

GANS will have a booth at the Halifax Pride Community Fair from 3:00 to 6:00 pm.

She says to look for their new GANS banner at the fair, and she encourages you to come by, and say “Hello”. They will have their publications for sale and some handouts too.

The Fair will set up on the Halifax Commons - here is a link to the Fair website where you can see a map of the Pride Grounds and download a program
http://www.halifaxpride.com/index.php/pride-week/community-fair.

The GAS site is at http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/recreation/GANS.