The Ottawa Genealogist

The Spring/Summer 2013 edition of The Ottawa Genealogist has been released, and it contains an interesting article, and index. It is published by the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society.

The article is by John Patton and it is called the Ballad of Syd and Annie: A Genealogical Mystery, and it is a story of two people, whose story is totally unbelievable. Sydney Frank LEWER (1892- c.1925), is an Englishman who immigrated to Canada in 1909. He gave so many birthdates, it is difficult to understand exactly when he was born. And the plot thickens when he meets Annie HOSKO. There was apparent deception in an adoption process of a son, unusual evidence in a his First World War military record, prison sentence because of a bigamy charge, and on and on it goes. Their life together was turbulent, to say the least, ending with the fact that he possibly may have died in 1925 – at least his wife declared herself a widow at that time.

This article shows that good research can go a long way in resolving these genealogical mysteries such as this.

The index of Early Bytown Settlers Index in this issue go from the letter D to the I. It gives the name, reference and page number, and some information, such as where they lived, their occupation, their age.

The reminder of the journal is filled with news of the Ottawa Branch of the OGS, Interesting Web Sites, Branch Library Additions, and Gleanings from Newsletters in the Ottawa Branch Library.

To go to the website of the Ottawa Genealogical Society, the website is at http://ogsottawa.on.ca

No online access to some Ontario Vital Records

Ancestry.ca has Ontario, Canada Births, 1869-1913, Ontario, Canada, Marriages, 1801-1928, Ontario, Canada, Deaths, 1869-1938 and Deaths Overseas, 1939-1947 online.

But do you know that the Archives of Ontario extends these records to 1914 - 1915 for births, 1929 - 1930 for marriages and 1939 - 1940 for deaths – but they aren’t online.

But you can access them at the Ontario Archives in the Reading Room of the Ontario Archives at 134 Ian Macdonald Boulevard, Toronto, Ontario. Microfilm copies can also be accessed at that location. They can also be borrowed through their Microfilm Interloan Service.

You can go to the website at www.archives.gov.on.ca

Friends of Laura Secord Historical Walk

Friends of Laura Secord have arranged for just about everyone to commemorate Laura by doing the War of 1812 historic walk on June 22nd.

You can chose one of eight different options - There are shuttle busses for those who can’t walk and even an option for those who can’t travel to Queenston for the day.

Option 1: Walk the FULL walk! (32.3 km)

Option 2: Laura Secord Experience (22.4 km)

Option 3: Heroic Endings (8.6 km)

Option 4: Cross and Climb (4.4 km)

Option 5: A Little Walk, A Little Wine (13.8 km)

Option 6: Beginnings and Endings (11.7 km)

Option 7: The Secord Shuttle Tour

Option 8: Join Us In Spirit!

There are shuttle busses for those who can’t walk and even an option for those who can’t travel to Queenston for the day

There will be the unveiling of the new Laura Secord Stamp and Coin – a joint event by Canada Post and the Royal Canadian Mint on Friday, June 21 at 9 a.m. at the Laura Secord Homestead.

A Toast to Laura Secord is a ticketed VIP event, and will be held Friday, June 21, 4-8 p.m at Queenston Heights Restaurant.

If you would like to attend any of these events, you can register at www.niagaragreenbelt.com/fls/walkintohistory.html

May is Jewish Heritage Month in Ontario

The “Jewish Heritage Month Act” (Bill 17) was passed unanimously in the Legislature on February 23, 2012. JHMO provides an opportunity to appreciate and learn about the history and culture of Ontarians of Jewish heritage who have made an impact in communities across the province.

Two of the many events taking place in Mat, include

May 5 at 11am (Est. Walk Time 1.5 hrs)

Jane’s Walk: A Sense of Spadina (Toronto, ON)

Did you know that Kensington Market, the epicenter of Toronto hipsterdom, was once a thriving Jewish village teeming with kosher bakeries, synagogues, and social clubs? Through the Ontario Jewish Archive’s “Sense of Spadina” Walking Tour, the Jewish life of the past—biographies of its former inhabitants; the sounds; the smells; Yiddish language; religious, social, and political attitudes—is brought to life.

And

Tracing Our Jewish Roots: Selections from the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto Library Collection

Bathurst Clark Resource Library, 900 Clark Avneue W., Thornhill, ON

JGS Toronto’s Librarian, Elaine Cheskes, is curating a special exhibit on view for the entire month of May at The Bathurst Clark Resource Library.

For more information, go to http://jewishheritagemonth.wordpress.com/2013-events

Heritage Toronto announce the launch of its 2013 Tours program!

They say that many Torontonians know how great their walking tours are – they have been putting them on for 19 years! Heritage Toronto Tours in 2013 will be a bit different. It’s not just walking tours that they will be offering – they are excited to be expanding their usual walking tour program to include bus, bike, family and boutique tours too!

This year’s Tours program will run from the end of April until October and have 58 in total, including 26 new tours.

You will be able to reserve a spot for our new paid and pre-registered tours via our website www.heritagetoronto.org

Join them on a tour – they would love to show you some hidden gems, tell you about some fascinating stories and share with you Toronto’s amazing heritage!”

For info, go to http://heritagetoronto.org/sample-page/contact-us

The tours are listed on the followimg page at http://heritagetoronto.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/HT_TourBrochureelectronics.pdf

There are many postings to the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HeritageToronto

There are countless YouTube Videos on www.youtube.com/user/heritagetoronto on various heritage walks in Toronto

Second Annual Genealogy Workshop

On Saturday, May 11, 2013 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, there will be the Second Annual Genealogy Workshop at 536 Wellington Road 18, between the villages of Fergus and Elora.

Presenters include:

Gwen Armstrong, Family History Centre, Getting the Most out of FamilySearch.org

Rick Roberts, Global Genealogy, Beginning a Family History Project: 12 Steps for Success and Researching Your Ontario Roots Using Traditional and Online Resources

Susan Dunlop, Curator, Wellington County Museum and Archives, Exploring Lesser Known Resources: A Case Study of the Hollinghead-Everson Family of Wellington County

Registration: $35.00, light lunch included

Call 519.846.0916, X 5225 or Toll Free 1.800.663.0750 X 5225 to register.

Email at karen@wcm.on.ca, and the website is at http://www.wellington.ca/museum

Inheritance in Ontario: Estate Files and Beyond

On 27th of May 2013, at 7:30 p.m., there will be a meeting at the Burgundy Room, North York Memorial Community Hall, 5110 Yonge Street, Toronto, and the topics will be Inheritance in Ontario: Estate Files and Beyond, and the speaker will be Jane E. MacNamara.

She will review how to find an estate file and how it can lead to other, and she will explain sources both inside and outside the court system.

This will be a warm-up lecture to her workshop at the OGS Conference on May 31st staring at 9:30 Friday morning when she will talk about wills and her her new book Inheritance in Ontario - Wills and Other Records for Family Historians

There will be an additional short presentation by Jean McNulty A Photographic Puzzle

For more info, go to www.torontofamilyhistory.org