The next meeting of the Ottawa Branch, OGS will be held on Tuesday, September 15th at 7:30 p.m. in Room 156 of the Library and Archives Canada building at 395 Wellington Street.
Coreen Atkins-Sheldrick will speak on her new book, "In Our Defence: The Veterans & Military Heritage of Historic Osgoode Township", about the military history of Osgoode Township, Carleton County.
She is going to talk about the stories she learned while working on this book.
I see where she has another book called, "The Yorke Families of Historic Osgoode Township, Carleton County", written in 2003.
For more information, please visit <www.ogsottawa.on.ca>.
A daily blog about Canadian genealogy, heritage, and history
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Other Genealogy Writings
In addition to this blog, I write articles for various newsletters, magazines, and websites, and am also the editor of the Ontario Genealogical Society's newsletter, NewsLeaf, and its sister email newsletter, e-NewsLeaf. It makes for a very busy genealogical life!
In addition to what is listed below, I have a number of other articles in the works for this coming fall and winter.
This summer, I have had a number of articles published that you may wish to take a look at -
Irish Connections Canada is a new magazine in Canada, published by Eammon O'Loghlin from Toronto, and is of particular interest to the Irish in Canada and Ireland.
In the Summer 2009 issue of the magazine, I wrote "Discovering your Irish-Canadian Roots". It is also on the magazine's website at <www.irishcanadamag.com>.
Besides my article, I was amazed at what I found in this 98-page publication, and Eammon is certainly to be praised for starting a publication in such hard economic times.
I have had three articles published in my online Canadian Connections column on the GenealogyToday.com website <www.GenealogyToday.com/ca/connect>, and they are -
"Census of Canadian Prairie Provinces - 1916", "Canadian Genealogy by the Book", and "Researching Canadian First World War Files".
Discovering Family History (July/Aug 2009) has just published two of my articles, "Exploring Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogy", and "Oh Canada! Canadian Immigration Records" <www.discoveringfamilyhistory.com>.
As their International Director/Director-at-Large, I am a regular contributor to Columns, the newsletter of ISFHWE, the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors. Please visit the website at <www.isfhwe.org>.
And I mustn't let it go by without saying a few words about the OGS' NewsLeaf.
I took over the editorship in November 2006, so this year marks the third anniversary for me, and I must say that I have enjoyed it very much, and continue to do so.
With the last issue, and in future issues, you will see a lot more genealogical news about Ontario, and starting in November, a feature story will appear on the front page for the first time in the print version of NewsLeaf.
As for the e-NewsLeaf, it continues to chug along with eight issues a year - and holds the news that the print NewsLeaf cannot possibly handle.
Visit the OGS website at <www.ogs.on.ca>.
In addition to what is listed below, I have a number of other articles in the works for this coming fall and winter.
This summer, I have had a number of articles published that you may wish to take a look at -
Irish Connections Canada is a new magazine in Canada, published by Eammon O'Loghlin from Toronto, and is of particular interest to the Irish in Canada and Ireland.
In the Summer 2009 issue of the magazine, I wrote "Discovering your Irish-Canadian Roots". It is also on the magazine's website at <www.irishcanadamag.com>.
Besides my article, I was amazed at what I found in this 98-page publication, and Eammon is certainly to be praised for starting a publication in such hard economic times.
I have had three articles published in my online Canadian Connections column on the GenealogyToday.com website <www.GenealogyToday.com/ca/connect>, and they are -
"Census of Canadian Prairie Provinces - 1916", "Canadian Genealogy by the Book", and "Researching Canadian First World War Files".
Discovering Family History (July/Aug 2009) has just published two of my articles, "Exploring Newfoundland and Labrador Genealogy", and "Oh Canada! Canadian Immigration Records" <www.discoveringfamilyhistory.com>.
As their International Director/Director-at-Large, I am a regular contributor to Columns, the newsletter of ISFHWE, the International Society of Family History Writers and Editors. Please visit the website at <www.isfhwe.org>.
And I mustn't let it go by without saying a few words about the OGS' NewsLeaf.
I took over the editorship in November 2006, so this year marks the third anniversary for me, and I must say that I have enjoyed it very much, and continue to do so.
With the last issue, and in future issues, you will see a lot more genealogical news about Ontario, and starting in November, a feature story will appear on the front page for the first time in the print version of NewsLeaf.
As for the e-NewsLeaf, it continues to chug along with eight issues a year - and holds the news that the print NewsLeaf cannot possibly handle.
Visit the OGS website at <www.ogs.on.ca>.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Fall Meeting of BIFHSGO - 2009
The fall genealogy season is here, with the first meeting of BIFHSGO being held this coming Saturday morning at Library and Archives Canada!
The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa is in its 15th year, and it will start off its fall programme at 10:30 a.m. with a lecture by Brian Glenn, "Circling the Wagons Around Jack Fraser".
His talk will be an update on his maternal grandfather - a topic he first spoke on in a Great Moments talk in 2004.
If you get there at 9:30, there will be the usual Discovery Tables on England, Ireland, and Scotland, hosted by knowledgeable volunteers ready to answer your questions.
Later this week, I will give a rundown of the BIFHSGO conference to be held from September 18th to the 20th.
Visit their website at <www.bifhsgo.ca>.
The British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa is in its 15th year, and it will start off its fall programme at 10:30 a.m. with a lecture by Brian Glenn, "Circling the Wagons Around Jack Fraser".
His talk will be an update on his maternal grandfather - a topic he first spoke on in a Great Moments talk in 2004.
If you get there at 9:30, there will be the usual Discovery Tables on England, Ireland, and Scotland, hosted by knowledgeable volunteers ready to answer your questions.
Later this week, I will give a rundown of the BIFHSGO conference to be held from September 18th to the 20th.
Visit their website at <www.bifhsgo.ca>.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Halifax Public Library
I lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia from 1970 until the summer of 1988, when I came to Ottawa.
There are two things that I miss about Halifax - the Atlantic Ocean and the genealogy of the province, neither of which are available in Ottawa. However, the Ottawa River substitutes for the ocean, and the Canadian Genealogy Center is great for the wandering genealogist to spend a few hours a week researching one's East Coast roots.
However, putting that aside, I see where the Halifax Public Library is again offering their ever-popular course, Genealogy 101.
If you aren't in Halifax, you should go to their site <http://www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca/research/topics/local-history-genealogy.html> and see all the wonderful genealogical stuff they have on their webpage, "Roots to the Past: Local History & Genealogy".
They have "Suggested Reading Lists", "Digital Collections", "Helpful Hints", and a part entitled, "Getting Started".
I went to the "Getting Started" page, and clicked on "Donations". They have over twenty things you can donate to the library - including biographies, Halifax County magazines and newspapers, 19th and 20th century maps of Halifax and Nova Scotia, and songbooks.
Have you sent your published Nova Scotia genealogy there? I must admit that I haven't got mine printed - but it is one of the things I have promised myself to do over the Christmas holidays.
Right now, it is in a number of boxes in my office (horrors!), but this will be the year that it is finally published (online and off).
In case you ask, I am researching both sides of the family, all United Empire Loyalists, who founded Shelburne (Port Roseway back then), and surrounding areas within the South Shore. Names include Barclay, Blades, Bingay, and Noah Webster (he of dictionary fame).
There are two things that I miss about Halifax - the Atlantic Ocean and the genealogy of the province, neither of which are available in Ottawa. However, the Ottawa River substitutes for the ocean, and the Canadian Genealogy Center is great for the wandering genealogist to spend a few hours a week researching one's East Coast roots.
However, putting that aside, I see where the Halifax Public Library is again offering their ever-popular course, Genealogy 101.
If you aren't in Halifax, you should go to their site <http://www.halifaxpubliclibraries.ca/research/topics/local-history-genealogy.html> and see all the wonderful genealogical stuff they have on their webpage, "Roots to the Past: Local History & Genealogy".
They have "Suggested Reading Lists", "Digital Collections", "Helpful Hints", and a part entitled, "Getting Started".
I went to the "Getting Started" page, and clicked on "Donations". They have over twenty things you can donate to the library - including biographies, Halifax County magazines and newspapers, 19th and 20th century maps of Halifax and Nova Scotia, and songbooks.
Have you sent your published Nova Scotia genealogy there? I must admit that I haven't got mine printed - but it is one of the things I have promised myself to do over the Christmas holidays.
Right now, it is in a number of boxes in my office (horrors!), but this will be the year that it is finally published (online and off).
In case you ask, I am researching both sides of the family, all United Empire Loyalists, who founded Shelburne (Port Roseway back then), and surrounding areas within the South Shore. Names include Barclay, Blades, Bingay, and Noah Webster (he of dictionary fame).
Monday, August 31, 2009
Latest Issue of "Ottawa Branch News"
This will be the second-to-last newsletter that will be in its current format.
Starting with the January-February 2010 issue, things are going to change.
It will be in a new 8.5 x 11 format, and the name will change to - "The Ottawa Genealogist. A publication of the Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society".
A sample of the new name and format has been passed to the board, and by all accounts, it has been a success.
Included in this issue of the newsletter are "Research at the Archives of Ontario", "Early Residents of Ottawa's Sandy Hill Neighbourhood", and "Memorial No. 2 Carleton County Copy Book".
They have an interesting section at the back of the newsletter under "Departments", especially the "Interesting Web Sites" in which Heather Oakley goes through the websites she has found over the past month or so.
I read her notes every issue to see if there is something I might have missed - and you should do the same. I'm always impressed by what she digs up.
In the "Old-Time Stuff" is a special mention of Stittsville. It is now 101 years old!
In the "Historic Plaques and Monuments" section, they took a picture of the Commissariat Building (1827), the oldest stone building in Ottawa.
It was a storehouse, office, and treasury during the building of the Rideau Canal from 1826-1832.
Starting with the January-February 2010 issue, things are going to change.
It will be in a new 8.5 x 11 format, and the name will change to - "The Ottawa Genealogist. A publication of the Ottawa Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society".
A sample of the new name and format has been passed to the board, and by all accounts, it has been a success.
Included in this issue of the newsletter are "Research at the Archives of Ontario", "Early Residents of Ottawa's Sandy Hill Neighbourhood", and "Memorial No. 2 Carleton County Copy Book".
They have an interesting section at the back of the newsletter under "Departments", especially the "Interesting Web Sites" in which Heather Oakley goes through the websites she has found over the past month or so.
I read her notes every issue to see if there is something I might have missed - and you should do the same. I'm always impressed by what she digs up.
In the "Old-Time Stuff" is a special mention of Stittsville. It is now 101 years old!
In the "Historic Plaques and Monuments" section, they took a picture of the Commissariat Building (1827), the oldest stone building in Ottawa.
It was a storehouse, office, and treasury during the building of the Rideau Canal from 1826-1832.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Back from Stirling
What a whirlwind trip!
Friday morning, we took off to Trenton (in the rain), with stops in Smith's Falls and Perth, and got to Trenton in the afternoon after going down Route 62.
In Trenton, we stayed at the Yukon Lodge (a hotel for members of the Canadian Forces), and got everything ready for Saturday.
I went over the names of the people I wanted to meet, as well as the businesses and societies in the marketplace, plus the "talks" - just to familiarize myself again with the schedule because I hadn't done it in a while.
Saturday morning came early. We were supposes to be there at 8:30, so it was 'rush-around time' to get ready and then out in the rain - once again!
But we got on the road at the right time. It stopped raining, and we headed north to Stirling on Route 39. (That was sort of true, because we lost our way and couldn't find the map, but we eventually made it back to Route 39. It was a lovely drive just the same, although having that "lost feeling" all the way there was a bit unsettling, to say the least).
It started to clear of rain, and the countryside was beautiful. There was a slight ground fog that made the trees and the water look so pastoral - but the sun was out and it was becoming hot by the time we had reached the high school where the genealogy fair was held.
We went inside and met the people who were there, got registered, and immediately recognized acquaintances from past events, like Nancy Trimble, Vice-President of the Ontario Genealogical Society, Mr. Woodrow from the Kingston Chapter of the OGS, and Sandra and Rick Roberts from Global Genealogy).
The first speaker was Dr. David R. Elliott of Kinfolk Finders <www.kinfolkfinders.com> from southwestern Ontario. He gave an insightful talk about his work in indexing and transcribing the cemeteries of Ireland.
He started out in the Fermanagh area of Ireland, looking for the gravestones of his relatives (which he has yet to find), and has ended up going every summer to the different cemeteries in the area.
It is quite a process to especially the older stones — to take pictures of all of them, draw a map to show where each one is, and then to transcribe them (some of the stones are in terrible shape) — but it is fascinating work.
After a very nice lunch of homemade egg and salmon sandwiches (they were oh so nice!), homemade cookies, and juice (which we ate outside in the cool shade), we were ready to hear Fawne Stratford-Devai speak on leaving Ontario, and what resources are available for tracking Ontario migrants to places like Michigan, the Dakotas, and Oregon.
There were thousands upon thousands of Ontarians who went there in the 1800s and early 1900s to homestead, work on the farms and in the lumber industry, and to look for gold.
The rest of the afternoon, we spent in the Marketplace.
I had to get information from the people at the Campbellford-Seymour area for a client whose great-grandfather was a lawyer in Campbellford in the early 1900s, and my husband ran into some people who knew relatives of his, leading to a long discussion about those people.
We then said our good-byes and headed off to Campbellford on Route 8.
It was among the most beautiful farmland we have ever seen. It is truly the heartland of Ontario, with the rolling hills, acres and acres of wheat and corn, and oodles of cows and sheep happily munching away on fields of green. What a glorious sight!
We made it to Campbellford in time for supper, and stopped at Music Fest at Ferris Provincial Park to have a bite to eat and listen to the music, and then take off to take pictures around the town to send to the fellow who is looking for his g-grandfather.
We then followed the Trent River back to Trenton, along Route 30.
Once "home", we spent a relaxing evening watching a movie on TV, checking our email, and slowly getting ready for our trip back home.
Friday morning, we took off to Trenton (in the rain), with stops in Smith's Falls and Perth, and got to Trenton in the afternoon after going down Route 62.
In Trenton, we stayed at the Yukon Lodge (a hotel for members of the Canadian Forces), and got everything ready for Saturday.
I went over the names of the people I wanted to meet, as well as the businesses and societies in the marketplace, plus the "talks" - just to familiarize myself again with the schedule because I hadn't done it in a while.
Saturday morning came early. We were supposes to be there at 8:30, so it was 'rush-around time' to get ready and then out in the rain - once again!
But we got on the road at the right time. It stopped raining, and we headed north to Stirling on Route 39. (That was sort of true, because we lost our way and couldn't find the map, but we eventually made it back to Route 39. It was a lovely drive just the same, although having that "lost feeling" all the way there was a bit unsettling, to say the least).
It started to clear of rain, and the countryside was beautiful. There was a slight ground fog that made the trees and the water look so pastoral - but the sun was out and it was becoming hot by the time we had reached the high school where the genealogy fair was held.
We went inside and met the people who were there, got registered, and immediately recognized acquaintances from past events, like Nancy Trimble, Vice-President of the Ontario Genealogical Society, Mr. Woodrow from the Kingston Chapter of the OGS, and Sandra and Rick Roberts from Global Genealogy).
The first speaker was Dr. David R. Elliott of Kinfolk Finders <www.kinfolkfinders.com> from southwestern Ontario. He gave an insightful talk about his work in indexing and transcribing the cemeteries of Ireland.
He started out in the Fermanagh area of Ireland, looking for the gravestones of his relatives (which he has yet to find), and has ended up going every summer to the different cemeteries in the area.
It is quite a process to especially the older stones — to take pictures of all of them, draw a map to show where each one is, and then to transcribe them (some of the stones are in terrible shape) — but it is fascinating work.
After a very nice lunch of homemade egg and salmon sandwiches (they were oh so nice!), homemade cookies, and juice (which we ate outside in the cool shade), we were ready to hear Fawne Stratford-Devai speak on leaving Ontario, and what resources are available for tracking Ontario migrants to places like Michigan, the Dakotas, and Oregon.
There were thousands upon thousands of Ontarians who went there in the 1800s and early 1900s to homestead, work on the farms and in the lumber industry, and to look for gold.The rest of the afternoon, we spent in the Marketplace.
I had to get information from the people at the Campbellford-Seymour area for a client whose great-grandfather was a lawyer in Campbellford in the early 1900s, and my husband ran into some people who knew relatives of his, leading to a long discussion about those people.
We then said our good-byes and headed off to Campbellford on Route 8.
It was among the most beautiful farmland we have ever seen. It is truly the heartland of Ontario, with the rolling hills, acres and acres of wheat and corn, and oodles of cows and sheep happily munching away on fields of green. What a glorious sight!
We made it to Campbellford in time for supper, and stopped at Music Fest at Ferris Provincial Park to have a bite to eat and listen to the music, and then take off to take pictures around the town to send to the fellow who is looking for his g-grandfather.
We then followed the Trent River back to Trenton, along Route 30.
Once "home", we spent a relaxing evening watching a movie on TV, checking our email, and slowly getting ready for our trip back home.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Off to Stirling on Friday!
This weekend, I am going to Stirling (a village a few kms north of Trenton) for a Genealogy Fair.
Friday, we are taking the 4-hour trip down there from Ottawa on Rte 7, and will go through the towns of Carleton Place, Perth, and then turn off at Madoc. We will continue down Rte 62 to the town of Belleville, and then on to Trenton, where we will stay for the weekend.
We will attend the Stirling-Rawdon Genealogy Fair on Saturday, then go to Campbellford Saturday evening, where I'm going to take photos for a fellow genealogist whose grandfather came from Scotland and was there in 1911.
Sunday, we will come back to Ottawa on Rte 2 and will stop in at Kingston, Gananoque, and Brockville - and then arrive back home Sunday evening.
Carleton Place and Perth are located in Lanark County, and you will find Church Records, Land and Property Records, Pioneer Families, and Township Records in <www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onlanark>.
Madoc, Belleville, and Trenton are covered by the Bay of Quinte GenWeb Project <www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onprince>, and the project manager is Concette Phillipps.
She has put together quite a collection of papers for you to wander through - the Quakers of Prince Edward County, Pioneers of Price Edward County, the 1798 Hallowell Township Assessment Roll, and the Prince Edward Historical Atlas - to name but a few.
So I will be back with news about the Stirling-Rawdon Genealogical Fair next week.
BTW, there are two pages of links on the BIFHSGO.ca site from "Irish Talks", John Grenham's recent lecture in Ottawa.
They make a great companion piece to go along with the notes that were being scribbled madly during his talks!
Friday, we are taking the 4-hour trip down there from Ottawa on Rte 7, and will go through the towns of Carleton Place, Perth, and then turn off at Madoc. We will continue down Rte 62 to the town of Belleville, and then on to Trenton, where we will stay for the weekend.
We will attend the Stirling-Rawdon Genealogy Fair on Saturday, then go to Campbellford Saturday evening, where I'm going to take photos for a fellow genealogist whose grandfather came from Scotland and was there in 1911.
Sunday, we will come back to Ottawa on Rte 2 and will stop in at Kingston, Gananoque, and Brockville - and then arrive back home Sunday evening.
Carleton Place and Perth are located in Lanark County, and you will find Church Records, Land and Property Records, Pioneer Families, and Township Records in <www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onlanark>.
Madoc, Belleville, and Trenton are covered by the Bay of Quinte GenWeb Project <www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~onprince>, and the project manager is Concette Phillipps.
She has put together quite a collection of papers for you to wander through - the Quakers of Prince Edward County, Pioneers of Price Edward County, the 1798 Hallowell Township Assessment Roll, and the Prince Edward Historical Atlas - to name but a few.
So I will be back with news about the Stirling-Rawdon Genealogical Fair next week.
BTW, there are two pages of links on the BIFHSGO.ca site from "Irish Talks", John Grenham's recent lecture in Ottawa.
They make a great companion piece to go along with the notes that were being scribbled madly during his talks!
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