90th Annual Buxton Homecoming

What started as a one-day celebration back in 1924, has turned into a four-day heritage event which will take place this weekend (Aug 31^st to Sept 2^nd) at the Buxton National Historic Site and Museum, Buxton, Ontario. Organizers expect nearly 3,000 people will attend the events.

The event starts on the Friday with a U.S./Canadian history and genealogy conference at the museum. There will be three speakers and a panel of students from York University.

Saturday will feature a baseball tournament with the baseball teams in the form of a family tree, and Sunday there will be an afternoon church service and an historical re-enactments at the museum park grounds. There will also be a bronze marker that will be unveiled in the Buxton cemetery to commemorate Eliza Parker.

Parker was a historical figure with the Fugitive Slave Act in the US before coming to Canada and settling in North Buxton in the mid-1800s.

Then there will be the North Buxton Parade on Monday, and a midway fairgrounds.

If you want to find out more about the event, you can go to http://www.buxtonmuseum.com

I am on vacation … sort of

I will be on vacation until Sept 3^rd, so there won’t be a Canadian Week in Review until Sept 9th.

I am scheduled to take a week of workshops on the topic of genealogical research, with homework, so I will be busy.

I have put a series of posts on the blog to cover each day, so be sure to check back to see if there is anything which interests you.

See you on Sept 3^rd!

Find your Ukrainian ancestor at the LAC

The LAC site says "Do you ever wonder who your first Ukrainian ancestor was and when he or she left the Ukraine and arrived in Canada? Are you curious about your family’s Ukrainian heritage? 

If so, the Library and Archives Canada is a great place to begin your research. 

For instance, you will find a page specific to genealogical research at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-905.010-e.html

It provides you with historical background information, archival and published material from the collection, as well as links to other websites and records".

Toronto Ukrainian Genealogy Group http://www.torugg.org

Elgin County OGS monthly meeting

The Elgin County OGS meets on the fourth Monday of March, April, May, September, October and November in the Carnegie Room at the St. Thomas public Library at 7:30 p.m.

Martin DeKeyzer will talk about Elgin County Postcards & Postal Memorabilia on Monday, September 23, 2013.

For further information, contact info@elginogs.ca

While you are checking out the Elgin County site. Don’t forget to go to Ancestry Indexes at

http://www.elginogs.ca/Home/ancestor-indexes. There you will find cemetery, census, land records and much, much more!

Some land records are being digitized

Canadiana.org is a Canadian company in Ottawa which is preserving Canada's published history and is making it available online to everyone – free!

The part of Canadiana.org which interests me is the Heritage Project. 

The Heritage Project is going to take some of Canada’s most popular archival collections, such as 60-million pages of FREE primary-source microfilm images from the 1600s to the mid-1900s.

I have read the list and I am impressed! What would have taken me years to find these documents in the different institution across the country, will be appearing online right in my own computer.

One of the first projects that they have done is the Heir and Devisee Commission of the Upper Canada (Ontario) Land Records.

The second commission met in York, and they were restricted to claims to land made by heirs, devisees, or assignees, not by the original nominees themselves

This commission was established by provincial statute in 1797, to clarify the titles to lands in Upper Canada.

There were actually two distinct periods which the commission covered. In the first commission, they heard from people who had originally received the land, their heirs, devisees, and assignees.

Records can include (although not always) affidavits, bonds, location certificates, powers of attorney, orders-in-council, copies of wills, mortgages, deeds of sale, and testimonial letters.

The digitized copies of the microfilm reels onsite appear in the same order as on the microfilm reels themselves. Remember, unfortunately, there is NO index by name.

Alternatively, the records are arranged by district, then by type of document, then in chronological, alphabetical, or numerical order.

The list of microfilm rolls are on  http://heritage.canadiana.ca/view/oocihm.lac_mikan_205142, just click on the reel you want to view, and it is there for you to research.

Update on closure of QFHS library and office

Just got word from the Quebec Family History Society (QFHS) that the "Library and office of the Quebec Family History Society will also be closed up to and including Tuesday September 3, 2013.

The library and office will re-open on Wednesday September 4, 2013".

If you require further information, please go to http://www.qfhs.ca

Quebec Family History Society Holiday Hours

The library and office of the Quebec Family History Society will be closed from Thursday August 22, 2013 until and including, Monday September 2, 2013.

On Tuesday September 3, 2013 the library and office will reopen and the regular schedule of opening hours will resume.

Monday to Friday 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wednesday Evening 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.
Sunday 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

For information on upcoming events please consult our website http://www.qfhs.ca/

The Quebec Family History Society is the largest English-language genealogical society in Quebec