BIFHSGO's Anglo-Celtic Roots - Spring 2012

The Spring 2012 edition of the newly-revamped Anglo-Celtic Roots has just been received, and the new format lends itself very well to the writings of the members of BIFHSGO.

Under the title of "Family History Research" are four articles - Perhaps Love: A Postcard from the First World War; Little Girl Lost – and Found; The Yacht Armide; and Eleanor, Ellen and Francis.

In "Techniques and Resources" are the articles The Cream of the Crop, and The Bookroom.

There is the "BIFHSGO News" section in which they have put the Notice of Annual Meeting and Minutes of 2011 AGM; Website Access; Great Moments: June Meeting; and the Membership Report.

Anglo-Celtic Roots is published four times a year; this is in addition to an electronic newsletter issued once a month via email.

Over 20 informative and interesting articles have been reprinted and made available online as "Classic Articles" at www.bifhsgo.ca/cpage.php?pt=33, while past issues are available in the "Members Only" section at http://bifhsgo.ca/members.php.

Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre

The Marilyn Adams Genealogical Research Centre (MAGRC) is located in the Ameliasburgh Ward of the City of Prince Edward County, Ontario, Canada. The area was settled by the United Empire Loyalists in 1784

Some of the records that they have are -

Hastings County Land Records for about 100 years prior to 1955

Tudor & Cashel Township Records, dating back to 1852

The Klein research on the Tripps' of the Bay of Quinte

Women's Institute Tweedsmuir histories, minute books, and other records

Douglas Crawford canning factory papers

Hessian Research of Johannes (John) Helmut Merz

Heal Research Papers and Records

There are also two databeses online – the Names Database with 1,426 names that you can check, and the Heal Database with 147, 760 names.

The site is at http://quinte-kin.com/magrc.htm

1921 Canadian Census

The 1921 Cenadian Census will be released to the Library and Archives Canada (LAC) on June 1st, 2013 from Statistics Canada. According to the legislation, 92 calendar years must have elapsed before the census is releaded to the LAC. The records will be transforred to the LAC, and it will opened for public use.

The LAC says that it is their intention to make the 1921 Canadian Census available to researchers online, in the same format as previous censuses, as soon as possible after that date.

Here are a few facts about the 1921 Canadian Census -

It was taken on June 1, 1921

It is the sixth comprehensive decennial census to be taken since the creation of the Dominion

There will be five schedules with a total of 565 questions

241 commissioners and 11,425 enumerators were employed

The most important growth of the population was in the prairie provinces with 47% since the 1911 Census

and

the overall population of Canada was 8,788,483 individuals.

If you would like to see the other census records, go to http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/genealogy/022-911-e.html

Preparing for the OGS Conference

The Ontario Genealogical Conference to be held from June 1st to the 3rd in Kingston, Ontario will have a number of unique activites going on during the weekend.

Some of them are -

Ask a Pro - You’ll be able to sign up for one free session lasting 15 minutes with a professional genealogist, courtesy of members of the Ontario Chapter, Association of Professional Genealogists.

Research Around Kingston – Look at the page on the Kingston Area Research.  Do note that most of these repositories have valuable holdings but are quite small.

Go to http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference2012/kingston-facts, and see the many places to research in Kingston.

Research Room – See the separate page about this under “Program”. Sign up on arrival at the College for your hour of free research in genealogical databases for which you would normally have to pay.

The website is at http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference2012/research-room tells you what to expect in the Research Room.

Wall of Ancestors – Take advantage of this FREE research activity. Decide which facts you most want to learn about which ancestors, and make up 3×5″ cards ahead of time, to post on the Wall of Ancestors when you arrive.

You can go to http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference2012/ancestors ,and read what can be included on your card.

Go to http://www.ogs.on.ca/conference2012 to read about the Conference itself.

TONI and OGSPI Update

I have been using Ontario Genealogical Society's The Ontario Name Index (TONI), and the Ontario Genealogical Society Provincial Index (OGSPI) this week.

TONI is an index of every name in every publication relating to Ontario. The index points people to the location of the information about that name, and the location of the information may be a Branch (Chapter) document, a web site, a microfilm, a family history, an archive, etc.

It was started in May 2011, and you should check it often because they are putting on names to the index nearly everyday.

You can check out the index at http://www.ogs.on.ca/integrated/toni_database1.php

Also, don't forget the Ontario Genealogical Society Provincial Index (OGSPI).

There is 1,830,226 names on this index, and the project was started in 1997. It is located at http://www.ogs.on.ca/ogspi/welcome.htm on the Ontsario Genealogical Society.

As with any index, I always compare, and contrast the two indexes – TONI and OGSPI. Since TONI is a "work in progress", I always check it against the OGSPI to make sure that I have found all the information possible that has been put on the two indexes.

The Ship's Company of Penetanguishene

The Ship's Company of Penetanguishene is going to commerate the 200th Anniversary of the War of 1812 by building and sailing the HMS Lynx.

Work has continued on the HMS Lynch during the winter. The interior of the vessel is almost complete, including an innovative steering system running from a ship’s wheel to the outside of the stern.

They are planning to launch the HMS Lynx on Sunday June 10 at the Penetanguishene Town Dock. The vessel will then be very active this summer, participating in a range of War of 1812 Bicentennial and community events.


They are based out of Penetanguishene, Ontario on Southern Georgian Bay, in association with the Penetanguishene Centennial Museum.

To read about The Ship's Company, they have a very nice webpages full of history, and a calendar of events on http://www.shipscompany.ca/

BIFHSGO Special Meeting Event

On Monday April the 2nd there will be a Special Meeting Event from 7:00-9:30 pm at the Auditorium, Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa with English researcher Simon Fowler who will give two FREE lectures.

 Called "An Evening with Simon Fowler" he will give lectures on - Researching your Military Ancestors Online, and British Emigration Records.

Simon Fowler is one of Britain’s most experienced family history teachers, writers and researchers. He specializes in military family history, with a particular focus on the First World War, and is the author of numerous well-regarded research guides and articles. Simon worked on and off for The National Archives/Public Record Office at Kew for over thirty years and edited their family history magazine Ancestors. He also teaches online military history courses for Pharos Tutors.

Come and meet experienced researchers, enjoy some refreshments and listen to this noted family history expert give two FREE lectures. The BIFHSGO website is http://www.bifhsgo.ca/.

See you there!